FAQs

IU’s admission requirements depend on the study programme you are interested in. You can find the exact requirements for each programme listed on the page of each respective study programme, but if you’re looking for a general outline of our admission requirements, you can find it under the question “What documents do I need to prepare for my admission?” In this FAQ.  

Once you’ve chosen the study programme you want to take, and checked that you meet the requirements, the next step is submitting your online application.

It’s quick and easy to do: just fill out the online application form. At the end of your online application, a personal contract will be made available for you. Now all you have to do is read through it, and – if you accept the terms – simply submit it online by clicking on the link provided with it.

You can upload your admission documents when you submit your contract, or you can do it later. Our admissions team will then check them to determine whether you are indeed eligible to start your desired study programme.

Once your starting date arrives, you will receive credentials to log in to your virtual campus and can begin your studies under the status of a participant. To become a fully enrolled student, you will need to submit your documents and, if you start via the Online Degree Saver Programme, also complete 50% of your credit points.

If some documents are still required, our admissions team will let you know by e-mail. If all documents are complete and you are eligible for the desired study programme, you will be able to finish your studies. For more detailed information about the application process please click here.

Relevant documents that are needed for admission to a Bachelor's or Master’s programme can be found on our website in the respective page of your desired study programme.

In general, you will need to provide the following:

Via Upload:

• Copy of either your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification), depending on the programme you're applying for.
• Copy of the Transcript of Records (with all of the modules taken in your previous institution [university, college, etc.] and grades).
• Sworn (certified) translation of your university entrance qualification and Transcript of Records if your documents are not in English or German.*
• Copy of your official photo ID (For data protection reasons, please black out all data fields with the exception of first name, surname, date of birth, expiration date and nationality.)
• CV with details of education, studies and work experience.
• Copy(s) of proof of professional work experience (e.g. job references/interim references, pay slips) - this is only required for some programmes.
• Proof of English (not older than five years), e.g. TOEFL (min. 80 points), IELTS (min. Level 6), Duolingo test (min. 95 points), OR medium of instruction from your secondary school or university studies.

Sent via Post:

• Certified copy of either your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification), depending on the programme you're applying for. Alternatively, your documents can also be sent directly from the issuing institution via email to admission-online@iu.org.
• Sworn (certified) translations of your degree certificate or high school diploma (or an equivalent university entrance qualification).*

*The admissions documents must be provided in English or German, if they were not issued in one of these two languages, a translation is required. If you need to translate your documents, we can help refer you to our trusted translation partners M21 Global. You can find more details here.

If you translate your documents via M21 Global, there’s no need to provide a certified copy of the translation, as this is done by them. You’ll only need to certify the original language version of your documents

Depending on your personal circumstances, you might be required to provide proof of your English language proficiency. Your skills would need to match the B2 level of the Common European Framework (CEF). 

We accept the following English language skills certificates*: 

• TOEFL (minimum 80 points)* or 
• IELTS (minimum Level 6)* or
• ELLT or 
• Duolingo English Test (minimum 95 points)* or 
• Cambridge Certificate (minimum Grade B)* 

Is English your native language, or have you graduated from an English-speaking school or university? Then you do not need to prove your English language proficiency. 

Get in touch with our study advisors for more details. 

Your application is complete as you submit your confirmation of the study contract’s terms and conditions. You can then start your studies on your chosen start date. 

However, to be fully enrolled, and be able to finish your studies, you’ll need to submit your application documents.   

IU allows you to submit your documents whenever you’re ready, but we strongly encourage you to finish this step as early as possible.

Some of our Master and MBA programmes require work experience in a relevant field under certain circumstances. This must have been achieved after completion of your bachelor. Admission requirements for each course are available on course pages.  

Online: 
We guarantee IU online students maximum flexibility, so you can choose your own starting date in your application. On that day, we will send you the access data you need to begin.   

On Campus:  
We offer 2 to 4 intake dates per year, depending on the programme, but you can apply at any time. However, our on-campus programmes have fixed starting times. See the course pages for more.  

IU International University of Applied Sciences is a German accredited university, which means we as an institution are bound by state regulations. To find out more about our accreditations, rankings, and degree recognitions, please visit our Accreditations & Rankings page. 

In case you don’t meet admission requirements, our study advisory team will provide you with the relevant requirements you will ultimately need to meet in order to be admitted. This may include, for example, completing free admission courses before starting your study programme – or choosing a different programme. 

In total, we can recognize up to 50% of non-academic achievements – these include work experience, completed training periods, higher education etc. However, for academic achievements, we may recognize more than 50% if applicable.

Some of our Master’s level study programmes require specific academic experience in a certain field, in order for you to start the programme.  

However, if you do not have that experience, but you meet all the other admission requirements, we offer you the possibility to take admission courses that cover that required knowledge. You’ll have one year to complete them successfully, and they are free of charge. 

Once you’ve successfully completed the courses, you’ll need to inform us, and we will then register you for your desired Master’s programme. 

Your approval of the contract lets us know that you formally acknowledge and accept our terms of service. For us to successfully register you to study at IU, the first step is for us to be sure that you know and understand what you’re signing up for

Simply click here and fill out the online application form. 

For a detailed breakdown of the application process, see the question How does the application process work? on this page. 

Once you’ve accepted your contract terms, your application process will automatically be done, and your studies can begin. 

As for your enrolment process, which requires that you submit your documents -  our admissions team will check your documents and get back to you within 5 business days.  

 If you have any questions about the enrolment process, you can contact our study advisors.

No, you don’t have to go to your local German embassy. Any official with a notarized seal can certify your documents – it can be a notary or a local government office- 

Depending on the admission requirements, you might have to take an entrance exam or an admission course to start your programme. 

If you start your studies through the Online Degree Saver Programme, the entrance exam is included in the first half of your studies. Once you finish the first half successfully, you’ll also pass the entrance exam. 

Our admissions team will let you know if you need to take an entrance exam; you can send your documents for a pre-check (it’s free of charge) or simply start the application process, upload your documents and wait for a reply. 

Depending on the country you come from, you might need to meet an additional entry requirement, like completing an admission course. These requirements are determined by the German ministry of education, and as a state accredited university, we are committed to its demands. 

We’re happy to perform a pre-check for your application documents, and let you know if you need to provide anything beyond what’s stated in the admission requirements of your desired study programme. 

For more details, get in touch with our study advisors. 

No, you will not need to have an interview. If you meet the admission requirements, you’ll be admitted to your desired programme. 

But, if you have any questions and would like to speak to someone, you’re more than welcome to talk to one of our study advisors. 

In order to prove that your grades meet the required level for starting a Master’s degree. A transcript of records is a detailed list of all of the modules or classes you have taken at a university at an undergraduate level (BA degree). 

Online courses consist of video lectures, interactive learning material, access to online materials via the library, as well as online examination. You can access the materials 24/7 on mobile or PC via our online learning platform MyCampus. That way you can fit learning around your own schedule. You will also be able to interact with other students and your lecturers in case you have any questions.  

No. Your online studies are 100% flexible and are done whenever works for you. That includes the exams, too. 

You only need a reasonably up-to-date PC (desktop or laptop) with a stable internet connection. Other internet-capable devices such as a tablet or smartphone can also assist you in your studies. 

For detailed equipment recommendations, please visit our How to apply page

Yes, once you're registered as a student, you will also receive access to our online library, where you can search for an unlimited amount of journal articles and literature that can be downloaded in an e-book format.

Interactivity is a top priority for us. This means that you will have numerous online learning materials at your disposal. The content of each course can vary to include video tutorials, podcasts, interactive PDFs, presentations, or e-books from our online library.  

We also stress the practical relevance of our teaching material by using case studies and reports from everyday work life. We also attach great importance to intensive exam preparation (e.g. through non-graded self-tests).  

Yes, you can exchange ideas with other students via our virtual campus.  

Each course you take has a recurring Intensive Live Session – a live session with your instructor, where they’ll cover some of the course material in more details, and answer any questions you might have. These take place usually once a month. 

These sessions are all recorded, and can be accessed whenever you want, via the digital campus. 

Yes, the recordings of the Intensive Live Sessions are uploaded to myCampus, your digital campus. 

No, there will be no indication. Your diploma will look just like any other university diploma. 

You can see a sample here. 

If you study online, once you meet the exam requirements of a given course (e.g. passing non-graded self-tests), you can register for an exam at any time. Exam slots are available 24/7, 365 days a year. 

Our online exams are carried out and supervised by an external provider, with whom you’ll need to book a time slot in advance (at any time of day you would like). To take your exam, you will need to connect to the provider’s platform at the scheduled time, with either your laptop and an external webcam, or two digital devices (iPad and smartphone, for example) - one with which you’ll take the exam, and one which is set up so your keyboard, hands and face are visible from the side.  

This is required in order to ensure that you take the exam without using any external help, such as contact with other people or using notes. 

The duration is determined by the ECTS points earned through the course: 
- A 5 ECTS course means the exam is 90 minutes long. 
- A 10 ECTS course means the exam is 180 minutes long. 

The structure of the final exam depends on the course type and reflects the content of the course. In standard courses, the exam usually consists of approx. 50% open/ semi-open questions and 50% closed questions (e.g. multiple-choice, yes-no, matching questions). Other courses may require a different exam type such as case study, project-specific presentation, written assignment etc. 

The results will be published three to six weeks (max.) after the examination date.

You have three attempts; in other words, each exam you fail can be repeated twice.

You can take your exams whenever you feel ready. The quizzes are only a tool for you to test your knowledge, so you can find out how ready you are to take the final exam in your course. 

If you start your studies through the Online Degree Saver Programme, you’ll be registered as a participant for the first half of your studies. You will be fully enrolled as a student and receive your proof of matriculation only after you’ve completed the first half of your courses and fully submitted your documents.

You will need to send: 

• A certified copy of your university entrance qualification documents via post to our postal address: 

IU International University of Applied Sciences 
Albert-Proeller-Str. 15-19 
86675 Buchdorf, Germany 

If your documents are not in English or German, you will need to provide a sworn/certified translation into English or German – we accept both. 

IU works together with a translation agency called M21 Global. If you want to use their translation service, please submit your Online Application and your diploma for a first Admission review. Make sure to upload/send to us your translation consent form – available here. 

If you translate your documents via M21 Global, there’s no need to provide a certified (sworn) copy of the translation, as this is done by them. You’ll only need to certify the original language version of your documents.

If you already have sworn translations of your application documents, you should mail us a certified paper copy (s) of the sworn translation (s) via post.

If your diploma has a digital signature, which can be verified online, we can accept it and you don’t have send us a certified copy via post.   

You can also ask your university/school to send the diploma and transcripts directly from their official email address to our email address admission-online@iu.org.