Application portal of Business School Pforzheim
Application process
Application process - How to get started at the Business School
Please find below an overview of all the information about applying for the Bachelor's and Master's degree programs at Pforzheim University's Business School.
Are you committed, eager to learn and want to shape your own professional future? In that case, you have come to the right place at Pforzheim Business School. Apply for one of our thirteen Bachelor's degree programs in Business Administration or the Bachelor's degree program in Business Law for a broad yet in-depth professional qualification. Our eleven Master's programs, including two MBA programs, prepare you systematically for specialist and management positions in a dynamic and globalized business world.
Practice-oriented, individual, interdisciplinary, international and sustainable - our recipe for success.
Apply to Business School Pforzheim and become part of a community of ambitious students and successful alumni. Start your path to success with us. We look forward to receiving your application.
Admission requirements
In accordance with the regulations for the distribution of study vacancies, each university can determine the criteria according to which the selection process for applicants is carried out within the framework of the university admissions regulations.
The admission quotas for hardship cases, foreigners, second degree applicants and applicants whose local ties are in the public interest are standardized for all degree programs. The remaining study places are distributed
- 10 % according to waiting time
- 90 % according to the selection process carried out by the university
Essential aspects of the admission procedure for all bachelor progams
Academic qualifications
The admission is based on the grade of the secondary school leaving certificate, weighted by relevant subjects and converted into the German grading system.
The weighted overall university entrance qualification grade is calculated as follows:
- Average grade of the higher education entrance qualification = 50%
- Individual grades of the university entrance qualification in mathematics [1] = 30%
- Individual grades of the university entrance qualification in English [2] = 20%
[1] In the case of general higher education entrance qualification certificates, the individual grades of the last 4 semesters are taken into account, if shown, otherwise the individual grade shown in the entrance qualification. If no individual grade is shown in the entrance qualification, the average grade of the entrance qualification is taken into account.
[2] In the case of general higher education entrance qualification certificates, the individual grades of the last 4 semesters are taken into account, if shown, otherwise the individual grade shown in the entrance qualification. If no individual grade is shown in the entrance qualification, the average grade of the entrance qualification is taken into account. If the subject English is not shown as a continued foreign language in the entrance qualification, the individual grades or the individual grade of the best-graded foreign language shown in the entrance qualification will count.
It should be noted that all selection criteria listed for the respective degree program apply to all applicants. The overall result of the selection criteria is the grade that is taken into account in the admission process.
Language skills
Depending on the program, different language skills are required and need to be verified through a language certificate.
- English programs: applicants must at least have a B2 level in English
- German programs: require adequate German language skills at least at C1 level
- Multilingual programs: require skills in all languages the program is taught in (please see program's websites for detailed information)
More information on the language requirements and the language certificates we accept can be found here.
Application process
- For all Bachelor's programs with admission restrictions, your application is divided into the following steps 1 to 3:
- For all Bachelor's programs without admission restrictions, your application is divided into the following steps 2 and 3:
- For non-EU applicants, steps number 4 and 5 apply additionally:
1. Registration on hochschulstart.de
You will receive your applicant ID (BID) and your applicant authentication number (BAN), which you will need for your application to Pforzheim University. This step is not necessary if you are applying for a higher semester.
2. Registration at Pforzheim University
Once you have successfully registered, you can apply for current degree programs at Pforzheim University, check the status of your current applications or complete applications that have not yet been submitted. Please write down your access data! You will receive a confirmation e-mail with a link to activate your user account.
3. Application to Pforzheim University
Log in with your access data. You will then be guided through the application process. You can submit up to three applications for admission in accordance with the current University Admissions Regulations (HVVO).
Please note:
If you have more than one DoSV application, please prioritize your study preferences on hochschulstart.de. You can find the deadlines and further information here: https://www.hochschulstart.de/bewerben-beobachten/priorisierung (external link, German).
The application deadline is January 15th for the summer semester and July 15th for the winter semester. Please note that all deadlines are cut-off deadlines. If the end of a deadline falls on a Sunday, public holiday or Saturday, the deadline ends at the end of this day and is not extended until the end of the next working day. You are obliged to provide the necessary data truthfully in accordance with the University Allocation Ordinance (HVVO) and the State Higher Education Act (LHG).
4. Recognition of documents for non-EU applicants
Your university entrance qualification needs to be submitted to the International Office of Pforzheim University (download the application form here) or the Studienkolleg Konstanz first.
5. Admission interview for non-EU applicants
If you want to apply for the B.Sc. Digital Business Management, International Business or International Marketing, please schedule an interview directly with the desired program. The interview will be conducted either online via video call or in person if you are in Germany.
Important note: the two additional steps for non-EU students have to be completed before May 31st (winter semester) or November 30th (summer semester).
Further information on the application process
Transmission of your documents to Pforzheim University in case of enrollment/registration
For Bachelor's programs with restricted admission:
Please send the documents required in the letter of admission with the signed application for enrollment by the deadline.
For Bachelor's programs without admission restrictions:
Please send the documents listed at the end of your application with the signed application for enrollment by the deadline.
Special application
How to submit a special application
A special application is an application that you can submit in addition to the application for admission as part of your online application in order to be given preferential treatment in the assignment of a seat in a degree program.
A special application can be successful if special requirements are met. Not every reason that you yourself consider relevant can be recognized as a 'special case' for the allocation of study seats.
It goes without saying that you must enclose suitable evidence with your special application.
A case of hardship according to the HZVO only exists if there are such serious health, social or family reasons for the applicant that even if particularly strict standards are applied, it is not reasonable to expect the applicant to wait even one semester for admission.
A detailed justification with supporting documents (e.g. a medical certificate) must be attached to the application for recognition as a case of hardship. Financial circumstances that require the immediate commencement of studies, or illness or need for care of a parent or other relative do not generally justify a hardship application.
Applicants who have completed a service according to the HZVO and were admitted to the respective University of Applied Sciences immediately before or during the above-mentioned activity in the above-mentioned degree program (please enclose a copy of the letter of admission) are eligible for pre-selection. The pre-selection is only valid until the second admission process carried out after the end of service.
According to the HZVO, a group of persons to be considered or promoted in the public interest is defined as applicants who
a) are bound to the training facilities at the place of study due to membership of an A, B or C squad formed at federal level of a federal professional association of the German Olympic Sports Confederation,
b) perform social duties at the place of residence, the fulfillment of which is in the special public interest, in particular activities in a prominent function in a civil protection or civil defense institution; appointment as a probation officer, guardian, custodian or caregiver within the meaning of the German Civil Code; appointment as a caregiver, guardian or care assistant within the meaning of the Child and Youth Welfare Act; exercise of a mandate in a municipal representative body and the exercise of which would not be possible if admitted to a place of study other than the desired place of study.
In the waiting time quota, places on degree courses with restricted admission are allocated solely on the basis of the number of semesters of waiting time. By applying for compensation for disadvantages to improve the waiting time, applicants can claim "impairment-related circumstances for which they are not responsible and which have led to a delay in obtaining the higher education entrance qualification." If they can prove the impact of impairment-related circumstances on the waiting time, they will take part in the admission process with the ("adjusted") longer waiting time.
Proof of the impact on their school career can be provided in the form of copies of their school reports. In addition, applicants must enclose a certificate from the school stating the reasons for and duration of the delay in obtaining the higher education entrance qualification (e.g. repetition of a school year due to several months in hospital or excessive absences due to illness). Further suitable evidence should be submitted.
Participation in a student exchange or a school year abroad are not justifications.
Admission procedure
All applications have to meet the respective deadlines for admission (July 15th for winter semester, January 15th for summer semester; other deadlines apply for non-EU students, please see respective tab).
First, all applications are checked on completeness and readability. Second, the application is checked for formal criteria meeting the general entry requirements.
Formally qualified applications will proceed to the evaluation of the quality of the application. The evaluation of an application is normally on the authority of the respective School/ Faculty/ Department. In case a candidate is selected, International Programs will issue and send a "letter of acceptance" (Zulassungsbescheid) to the home address of the applicant. The letter of acceptance will be issued in German and English and is quite often an essential part for the student visa application process. Most international students from outside the EU may need a visa via the German Embassies or consulates in the home country. The visa and the letter of acceptance are relevant for the immatriculation at the university. For the immatriculation international students will have to prove in addition: adequate health insurance, payment of tuition and student fees.
The procedure for admission and immatriculation may last several weeks. Please expect about 2-4 weeks for the admission procedure (that is reviewing and evaluating the application). Posting your application and sending out the acceptance letter may also take about two weeks. For getting the visa please expect about 4-12 weeks (depending on the location). A total of about 16 weeks is an realistic estimation for the duration of the admission process.
More information on the application procedure can be found here.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees for international students outside EU: 1.500 € per semester
Since the winter semester 2017/18, universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg have been charging tuition fees from international students. International students with a high-school entrance qualification from non-EU countries have to pay tuition fees of 1.500€ per semester on the basis of the Baden-Württemberg State University Fees Act (except graduates from "Deutsche Auslandsschulen" (DAS) who are always exempt).
International Bachelor's programs
Besides our German taught programs, we offer three programs that are taught completely in English:
- International Business: Study international relations and business in up to three languages. Seperate admission procedure in contrast to other Bachelor's programs. More information
- International Marketing: A broad business program with specialization in international marketing. More information
- Digital Business Management: A combination of business administration and cutting-edge digital technology management. More information
You think about studying in German? Here you can find all of our Bachelor's programs at a glance.
Master
Applying for a Master's program
Paperwork, byebye! Applications are submitted exclusively online via Pforzheim University's digital application portal. So you are just a few clicks away from a successful Master's degree at our Business School. We look forward to welcoming you on campus soon provided that you are a suitable candidate.
Let's do it
First of all, please register in the Master's application portal with your personal details in order to receive your access data.
During the application process, you will be asked to upload your application documents in PDF format. Please note that the application can only be continued once the relevant document has been uploaded. We therefore recommend that you only complete the application once all documents are available. For the application phase, the complete upload of your documents in PDF format is sufficient; notarized evidence is not required. In the event of an offer of admission, you will then receive more detailed information in the applicant portal as to which documents must be submitted in certified form with the enrollment.
Required documents
- Curriculum vitae in a table format
- Proof of university entrance qualification
- Proof of first degree
Have you already decided on one of our Master's programs? In this case, please refer to the respective course website to find out whether and which other course-specific documents you need to submit for your application.
Depending on your preferred Master's program, some of the following additional program-specific documents may be required. Please refer to the respective study program website for the specific requirements that apply.
- Letter of motivation if applicable (maximum 2 pages)
- Proof of professional experience (if applicable)
- Proof of subject-related stays abroad (if applicable)
- Expert opinion/letter of recommendation, if applicable
- Exposé of the Bachelor's thesis, if applicable
Depending on the language of instruction of your preferred Master's program as well as your native language, the following language certificates may be required. Please refer to the respective degree program website for information on the required language skills.
- If applicable, proof of English language proficiency (language level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)1
- If applicable, proof of German language skills (for applicants whose native language is not German)
1Proof of English language skills by means of an official language certificate, e.g. TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate, IELTS, LCCI, TELC, TOEIC or DAAD.
Depending on the Master's program, the following certificates are also accepted as an alternative:
- Official certificate from a state-recognized German university confirming level B2, usually based on the DAAD language certificate from a language teacher at the university.
- Proof of studies completed in English. A semester abroad, however, is not sufficient proof.
- The Abitur certificate is generally not recognized as proof of B2 language proficiency.
Please note that you will need a TOEFL test for a potential semester abroad as part of the Master's program. If you would like to take a language test specifically for your application to the Master's program, we therefore recommend the TOEFL test.
Admission process
The university's own admission process for the Master's programs takes place in two stages. Please be aware of course-specific regulations and weightings.
1) Formal fit: Assessment of the application documents
As part of a pre-selection process, the application documents submitted online are assessed based on the following criteria
- Grade of the university entrance qualification
- Grade of the university degree
- Quality of the letter of motivation
- Usable subject-specific professional or educational content and, if applicable, stays abroad and internships
- Quality of other course-specific application documents, if applicable
Applicants who meet the formal requirements will be invited to a selection interview. If more applications are received than there are places available, the highest-ranking applicants will be invited to the selection interview.
If you do not meet the formal criteria, you will be excluded.
2) Personal fit: Assessment of the selection interview
The selection interview is usually conducted within four weeks of the application deadline as a personal interview (online if necessary) lasting 15-30 minutes. We want to get to know you and your motivation for the Master's program. We evaluate the following criteria:
- motivation to study
- social competence
- presentation skills
- language skills relevant to your studies
- professional and methodological competence and analytical thinking
- study-relevant qualifications of the applicants
Additional information
Please note that in order to ensure that the subject requirements are met, additional conditions may be stipulated (e.g. attendance of additional courses and/or restrictions on elective options).
- If you only have 180 ECTS credits from your first degree, you must complete an additional 30 ECTS credits in the Master's program, so that a total of 300 credits are achieved with the degree.
- Credits can be taken on the basis of an individual "binding study agreement" (Master vSV) from courses of other Master's programs and from certain courses of the Bachelor's programs.
- Additional credits can also be earned during a semester abroad or an internship.
- Under certain conditions, it is also possible to transfer a maximum of 30 credits from skills acquired outside the university sector.
Applicants with fewer than 180 ECTS are not eligible for admission to the Master's program.
Programs and deadlines at a glance
Choose the Master's program that will take your skills to the next level. Find out about the course-specific admission requirements and information events on the respective course website. The application phase for our Master's programs usually begins in April.
Application deadlines
English programs
- M.Sc. Digital Business Management: June 15th
- M.Sc. Corporate Communication Management: June 15th
- MBA International Business: All deadlines
German programs
- Taxation, Auditing and Law (LL.M.): January 15th
- M.Sc. Controlling, Finance & Accounting: June 15th
- M.Sc. Human Resources Management: June 15th
- M.Sc. Information Systems: June 15th
- M.Sc. Life Cycle & Sustainability: June 15th
- M.Sc. Creative Communication & Brand Management: June 15th
- M.Sc. Marketing Intelligence: June 15th
- MBA Management: July 31st
- M.A. Strategisches Innovationsmanagement: January 31st & July 31st
