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How much does Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences cost for international students?
Ruhr West charges no tuition for Bachelor's and consecutive Master's programmes, for EU and non-EU students alike, as a public university in North Rhine-Westphalia. Two Master's programmes have their own fees: the part-time MBA Global Management/HR (6,960 EUR in total, paid as 1,740 EUR before each semester) and the English-taught MSc Global Challenges for Sustainability, a joint programme of the CHARM-EU university alliance (24,000 EUR in total for non-EU students, 5,000 EUR for EU/EEA students, for the 2026–28 cohort).
Every student pays the semester contribution of 371.80 EUR for winter 2026/27: 226.80 EUR for the Deutschlandsemesterticket, which covers public transport across Germany, 125 EUR for the Studierendenwerk Essen-Duisburg and 20 EUR for the student body. Some Business Administration programmes run with the Institut für Verbundstudien charge a material fee on top (110 EUR for the Business Administration Master's, 104.87 EUR for BWL – Finanzwirtschaft und Management; see the programme page for how often).
| Item | Cost for international students |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | No tuition fees |
| Master's (consecutive) | No tuition fees |
| MSc Global Challenges for Sustainability (CHARM-EU) | 24,000 EUR in total for non-EU students (2026–28 cohort) |
| MBA Global Management/HR (part-time) | 6,960 EUR in total (4 × 1,740 EUR) |
| Semester contribution (everyone, incl. Deutschlandsemesterticket) | 371.80 EUR per semester |
No tuition does not mean no proof of funds: for the student visa you still need to show 11,904 EUR for the year (2026, Federal Foreign Office), usually in a blocked account.
What are the application deadlines?
| Degree | Intake | Deadline (non-EU) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's (admission-free) | Winter / Summer | 15 September / 15 March (summer only for programmes with a summer start), via uni-assist |
| Master's (admission-free) | Winter / Summer | 15 September / 15 March, via uni-assist |
| Master's with restricted admission (e.g. Civil Engineering) | Winter / Summer | 1 August / 1 February |
| MSc Global Challenges for Sustainability | Winter (September) | Via CHARM-EU; the 2026 intake closed in February, and dates for the next intake are not yet published |
The university publishes the same deadlines for non-EU applicants as for EU applicants; non-EU applicants to admission-free programmes apply through uni-assist. Applications open on 1 May for the winter semester and on 1 December for the summer semester, and all Bachelor's programmes are currently admission-free. Dual programmes start in winter only. Teaching is generally in German, so you need proof of German for most programmes.
How many programmes are taught in English?
1 English-taught degree programme: Global Challenges for Sustainability (MSc), a joint programme of the nine-university CHARM-EU alliance. Students move between partner universities during the programme, and Ruhr West is one of the study locations (Energy and Sustainable Cities track). Applications go through CHARM-EU, not HRW.
All other Bachelor's and Master's programmes are taught in German; some include individual English modules.
About Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences
Ruhr West University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Ruhr West, HRW) is a public university of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, founded in 2009. It has 5,460 students on two campuses, in Mülheim an der Ruhr and Bottrop in the Ruhr area.
Its programmes cover engineering, natural sciences, computer science and business. It is a separate institution from Ruhr University Bochum and Bochum University of Applied Sciences.
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