NORDAKADEMIE University of Applied Sciences for International Students

NORDAKADEMIE is a private, non-profit university and charges tuition for its dual Bachelor's programmes. During the standard period of study the partner company pays these fees in full and also pays you a monthly salary, so students normally only pay for learning materials.

Fees valid from October 2026. If you study longer than seven semesters, how the extra fees are financed is agreed with the partner company. There is no separate semester contribution and no semester ticket. There is no separate rate for non-EU students.

Tuition fees come on top of the proof of funds. For the student visa you still need to show 11,904 EUR for the year, usually in a blocked account, and that money has to be transferred months before the semester starts. Ask the embassy whether your company salary counts toward this.

NORDAKADEMIE has no application deadlines, but admission depends on finding a partner company, and companies run their own selection processes, often a year or more before the start. Start early: pass the NORDAKADEMIE online selection test, apply to partner companies, and leave enough time for your visa once you have a contract.

No degree programme at NORDAKADEMIE is taught in English. All Bachelor's programmes are taught in German, and German at C1 level is required.

NORDAKADEMIE offers 5 dual Bachelor's programmes (Bachelor of Science, 7 semesters) in Elmshorn: Business Administration, Business Informatics, Applied Computer Science, Industrial Engineering and IT Engineering. Each requires an employment contract with a partner company.

Visa note: you can only start a Bachelor's at NORDAKADEMIE with an employment contract from a German partner company. Secure the contract first, then apply for your visa, and check with the German embassy which residence permit applies to your dual study. The Master's programmes are part-time and not suitable for a student visa.

NORDAKADEMIE – Hochschule der Wirtschaft was founded in 1992 on the initiative of companies in the Hamburg region and is run as a non-profit stock corporation (gAG). It is state-recognised and works with several hundred partner companies, including large employers in northern Germany.

Its five dual Bachelor's programmes are taught on a campus in Elmshorn, about 30 km north-west of Hamburg, which also has student housing. Part-time Master's programmes and continuing education run at the NORDAKADEMIE Graduate School in Hamburg. Because every Bachelor's requires an employment contract with a German partner company, the route is mainly suitable for international applicants who already speak German at C1 level and can secure such a contract.