Undergraduate Studies - Bachelor Program

All study programs offered at DHBW are both nationally and internationally recognized and count as intensive degree program with 210 ECTS points. Upon graduation students of Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University obtain an academic degree. Depending on the school (School of Business, School of Engineering or School of Social Work) and the study program, the graduates obtain the following degrees:

  • Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
  • Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) or
  • Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)

In the full study program you can study at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University for three years. To participate in this program you need the equivalent of the German Abitur (university entrance qualification) plus a contract with a German company as employer. You will alternate between working and studying for the full three years.

Departments

Bachelor Admission for International Candidates

Admission to DHBW can occur after:

  • Verified approval of foreign academic credentials,
  • Proof of required German language proficiency (see below) and
  • signing of a study and workplace training contract with a DHBW corporate partner

Further information:

  • The equivalent of a German university entrance qualification (Abitur). The equivalence must be oficially recognized by our headquarter in Stuttgart for all campuses in Baden-Württemberg. Please fill in the forms provided on this page and send the papers to Central International Office in Stuttgart for recognition.
  • A contract with a partner company: Take a look at our German homepage to get an idea about the companies cooperating with Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim.
  • Please send your application and CV only to the partner companies. Applications will not be accepted by Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim! The application process should be started at least a year in advance. Each year the Bachelor programs start on October 1.
  • You should contact Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim only when your entry qualification has already been recognized in Stuttgart and when you have signed a contract with a partner company.
  • Even German citizens, who graduated abroad (e.g. South America), are considered to be a foreigner. Therefore they have to complete a Test of German Language Ability for Foreign College Students or need to prove their German language skills similarly.

For further information regarding undergraduate study programs you are interested in (i.e. detailed information on the study programme, enrollment in the chosen degree programme, curriculum or any other relevant academic information), please contact the International Office.

International Exchange Program

Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim offers English-taught classes to welcome international students into the student body. In keeping with our education model, international students can attend classes at the university and then possibly complete an internship at one of our cooperating companies after the study period ends. 

In addition to the academic course work we also offer a cultural program and trips to different cities. If there are enough applicants, a trip to Berlin can be organized.

To help students to integrate better, we have a buddy program run by the student representatives of DHBW Heidenheim.

 

 

Academic calendar 2025/2026

  START END
FALL SEMESTER October 1, 2025 December 21, 2025
WINTER SEMESTER January 12, 2026 April 5, 2026
SPRING SEMESTER March 30, 2026 June 21, 2026

 

Semester 2025/26 Nomination deadline Application deadline
Full academic year (October - June) April 1, 2025 April 15, 2025
Fall (October - December) April 1, 2025 April 15, 2025
Winter (January - March) July 1, 2025 July 15, 2025
Spring (end of March - mid of June) October 1, 2025 October 15, 2025

 

Instructions for coordinators

All exchange students must be nominated by their home university. The home coordinator must fill out the nomination form.

Nomination Form

How to apply?

Please follow these steps when applying as an exchange student for our International Program:

1. Step
After being nominated by the home university, exchange students will receive an e-mail with a link to the online application form to apply. Please, stick to deadlines!

2. Step
Students will have to upload the following documents via our online application form (we suggest you prepare scans):

           • CV in English or German
           • A recent photograph (35x40mm, max 5MB, in JPEG, JPG, BMP or PJPEG)
           • Copy of your passport
           • Official transcript of records of your home university
           • Learning Agreement signed by your university 
           • Language certificates (English proficiency required to attend classes B2 European Reference Level)
           • Copy of enrolment certificate signed by your university

3. Step
Once we have received all the required documents, we will issue an acceptance letter/email. Together with the acceptance letter, we will provide further information on housing in Heidenheim.

4. Step
International students who need a visa for studying in Germany will be provided with an invitation letter.

5. Step
Insurances

Health insurance: Make sure you have valid health insurance for the travel days. It is mandatory for all international students to have a statutory German health insurance for the time they are enrolled at our university.

Third party liability insurance: It is also mandatory to have a third party liability insurance.

6. Step
Inform the International Office at DHBW Heidenheim about your arrival details (date, time and airport). Please note that pick up from the train station in Heidenheim and transfer to the accommodation can only be provided at specified days and times. For further information please check the arrival day in Heidenheim in the section below.

Application Form

Health Insurance

All students in Germany are obliged to have health insurance. Without valid health insurance you cannot study at any university in Germany.  If you are an exchange student from a EU country, you can in most cases keep your existing insurance and will only need your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) as a proof of insurance. If you are an exchange student from a NON-EU country, you have to take out a German statutory health insurance. A private insurance is not valid. A travel insurance is often approved for your entry into Germany or for issuing a visa, but it is not sufficient for studying at a German university. The cost of a statutory insurance is approximately 105 – 110 EUR per month, depending on which one you choose and which services are included. 

Please make sure that your health insurance also covers the treatment of COVID-19 infection.


Third party liability insurance

We kindly advise you to apply for a liability insurance. Most landlords of student apartments and host families request proof of a personal liability insurance prior to allowing the tenant to move in.  If you enclose a copy of your insurance certificate to your application, your chances of finding accommodation will increase.

We will inform you in detail about questions regarding health insurance and third party liability insurance after the application process to DHBW Heidenheim.

Most students stay in private apartments (mostly shared with other students) or similar accommodations for the duration of the International Semester. As soon as you receive your acceptance letter or invitation letter, you should try to find a suitable flat.

Private accommodations can cost between 300 and 420 Euros or even more per month, depending on where you would like to stay.

To find a room you can check the following websites:

If you have any questions, please contact Ingrid Lange.

Situated in the Eastern part of Baden-Wuerttemberg on the boarder to Bavaria, Heidenheim is well connected to the public transportation infrastructure/network. The major airports in Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart are conveniently accessible by train.

For more detailed information, please click here.

There is no pick-up at the airports. Pick-up from the train station and arrangements for moving in to the different apartments is only possible on specified days.

Service dates for your arrival will be continously updated.

Fall Semester: Arrival Days: 27. and 28. 09.2025, Spring Semester: Arrival Day: 27.03.2025

Pick-up times on both days: between 8 am and 8 pm.

If you have any questions about our study program, check our frequently asked questions.

Work Exchange

Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim offers students from their partner universities the option to participate in a practical work semester in Germany. The length of the work term is from a minimum of 4 months up to 6 months. It is, however, possible to work for a longer period of time depending on your commitments with your home institution, on working and residence visas, and, of course, on the company that employs you.

Applicants must have at least a B1 proficiency in the German language. You can only apply for an internship if it is a mandatory part of your studies.

Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim cooperates with companies ranging in size, from small private firms to large international companies from many types of industries. They provide experiences in all aspects of business and engineering. These companies consider it beneficial and have foreign interns come and share their ideas and insights with them.

The internships are usually paid. The amount of money you receive for your work varies from one company to another, but generally, they pay enough to cover your basic costs of living. Do not expect to be able to save a lot of money while you are doing an internship in Germany, but do expect enough to get along.

The staff of the International Office at Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University Heidenheim will assist in finding the work placement. For further information, please take a look at our information sheet first.

Students from EU-member states can come to Germany without any restrictions. For all other countries, please check with the German embassy or consulate in your country regarding entrance regulations and visas.

Postgraduate Studies

Undergraduate study programmes belong to our core educational range. In 2011, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University extended the scale of its study programmes and since then, has been offering a great variety of diverse non-consecutive postgraduate study programmes. These study programmes at a master's level are primarily aimed at our graduates, who have several years of professional experience and wish to broaden their in-depth expert knowledge.


Career-Integrated

Just like our undergraduate courses, the DHBW's postgraduate study programs are career-integrated and incorporate both classroom learning and work experience. In that regard, the programs have been developed and are being carried out in cooperation with our corporate partners that provide the workplace training. Several postgraduate courses are offered in cooperation with partner universities. The 'dual' study concept, which has been successfully pursued since 1974, guarantees graduates excellent opportunities for their profession and career. 


Postgraduate Programs on Offer

Since 2011, the university offers a variety of postgraduate courses and grants the students a Master's degree upon successful completion of the study program. Depending on the school and the study program, graduates of Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University obtain the following postgraduate degrees:

  • Master of Arts (M.A.)
  • Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) or
  • Master of Science (M.Sc.)

For further information regarding the postgraduate program you are interested in (i.e. detailed information on the study program, enrollment in the chosen degree program, curriculum or any other relevant academic information), please visit the Website of DHBW Center for Advanced Studies (CAS).

 

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