Frequently Asked Questions

In order to verify that you are eligible to study at our university, we require the following documents:

• Completed application form
• Copy of identity card
• School-leaving diploma (such as high school diploma, vocational diploma, or equivalent) in the original language incl. Transcript of records
• For Master: Copy of Bachelor's degree (or equivalent, if available)
• Proof of English language proficiency at min. level B2 (see details below)
• CV.

Optional:

• Translations of all attached educational certificates (English)
• Proof of professional qualifications for applicants
• Proof of university and non-university knowledge already acquired
• Proof of professional experience or professional training
• Proof of disabilities and hardship cases.

Proof of English proficiency at the B2 level or higher can be provided by:

• at least 5 years of English instruction in school,
• at least 30 ECTS credits from English-language university modules (module language: English at the B2 level),
• a B2 language certificate from a certified provider (not older than 2 years), such as a TOEFL or IELTS test (min. 80 points on the TOEFL/min. 6.0 on the IELTS,
• a high school diploma from an English-speaking school system,
• a university degree in English Studies,
• an English-language university degree,
• For native speakers, a case-by-case review may be conducted.

In Germany, you can also be admitted directly to the Bachelor’s degree program without an Abitur or high school diploma if you have an intermediate school-leaving certificate as well as at least two years of commercial training and at least three years of professional activity in a commercial environment. If you have completed an advanced training course (e.g. master craftsman/Meisterbrief), we can also admit you directly. But even if you do not meet these conditions, you can still start studying with us: simply send us your documents and ask for a pre-check and we will verify if you meet the criteria for German university entrance.

If you have a foreign bachelor degree, we will check whether your qualification entitles you to study in Germany when you register for the online application process.

You can of course switch between both types of study. However, to switch to a different type of study, you will need a new contract and you will have to terminate the previous contract. For recognition of equivalent academic achievements, it is best to contact the study advisors.

Generally speaking, we can recognise equivalent prior knowledge and credit you with the corresponding ECTS credits. This can save you time and money. You can request recognition as part of your application. We provide you with a form for this.

Due to legal framework conditions, we cannot officially recognise your prior achievements until you have enrolled. However, we are happy to check your documents in advance so you know what to expect. You can register here for the online application.

Yes, you have the option to book a Trial study period for distance learning: before you even apply and enrol, you can get access to a selected area of our learning materials for 4 weeks as part of the trail only study course. Access is completely free of charge, without obligation. This allows you to find out if this type of study suits you.

The ISM is private business school that is officially recognised by the Ministry of Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (the ISM has its main headquarters there). All degree programmes taught face-to-face are recognised by the Accreditation Council and meet the quality criteria of the FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation). Also, all ISM study programs are internationally accredited by the AACSB. The distance learning degrees are equivalent to those of regular state universities.

With ISM Distance Learning, you are in control of your study schedule and can be completely flexible in terms of time. Experience shows that at least 10 hours a week should be factored in for your studies. The 10 hours a week constitute the bare minimum of time needed to make any progress at all.  The time needed also depends on individual factors such as previous experience, ambition, performance requirements, motivation as well as your professional and personal circumstances. You have the option of making your full-time studies as comprehensive as a normal face-to-face programme or allowing yourself more time for the modules.

You also have the option of studying all modules one after the other instead of in parallel. You can also set your own exam dates and avoid exam stress.

Will I still have time for my family or to work alongside my studies?

The ISM distance learning curriculum has been designed for precisely such circumstances. You can organise your studies entirely according to your time constraints (incl. desired examination dates). Depending on your experience, educational background, your personal learning style and the time you have available to study, you can choose between three time models:

Bachelor:

• Full-time (6 semesters)
• Part-time 1 (9 semesters)
• Part-time 2 (12 semesters)

Master:

• Full-time (4 semesters)
• Part-time 1 (6 semesters)
• Part-time 2 (8 semesters)

 It is possible to extend your studies by 12 months (equivalent of approx. 2 semesters) for free regardless of time model. You can also swap between time models.

You can apply for a semester of leave at any time with three months' notice at the end of the month.

In your Master's thesis, you will work on a research-oriented question and will be accompanied by a professor from ISM. There will be at least three individual consultation appointments. In addition, you will receive self-study material on scientific work and statistical methods in order to repeat and deepen the necessary methodological basics on your own, if required.

The Master's thesis must be written in English if your study program has been fuly in English language. The length is usually between 25,000 and 30,000 words. You can choose a purely theoretical topic for your thesis or write it in cooperation with a practice partner like a company of your choice. You will receive more detailed information about the requirements for your thesis during your studies.

The special thing about it: We don't have a classic colloquium where you have to defend your thesis in an oral exam. Instead, a live seminar accompanies you while you write your thesis. The live seminar is our colloquium.

In this live seminar, you will present your exposé in which you describe what you will investigate in your master's thesis and how you will proceed. In addition, you will receive feedback on your work and can exchange ideas with other students who are also working on their thesis. The only exception is the Master Taxation in German: There is no colloquium.

The thesis is submitted exclusively digitally via the learning platform.

The thesis is supervised and evaluated by a professor at ISM. This means that you have a contact person for all technical and methodological questions during the thesis. In addition, there is a second examiner, often another teacher from your course of study or a practice partner.

Yes, it’s theoretically possible to study and work full-time. However, you should be aware that this leaves very little time for leisure activities, friends and family. If you work full-time, we recommend studying part-time. If you feel that you can cope with the additional work, you can switch to studying full-time after the start of your part-time programme. It is possible to switch time model once a year.

If you study full-time from Germany, you can usually also take a €450 job at the same time. If you’d like to work more, this is usually at the expense of your free time, meaning scheduling time for your distance learning program at the weekend too, for example.

We offer you a free, no-obligation consultation so that you can combine your lifestyle ideally with the flexible distance learning program. Our study coaches will also support you throughout your studies and help you choose the right study model.

You can swap your study time model once a year by making an online request, which can be filled out and sent to us via the ISM E-Campus.

Since we have no fixed dates when the semesters start or end, except for the live modules (see above), you are flexible to start the modules at any time. It’s best to choose a time to start your studies when you can take your time to get into the swing of things. This is when your semester begins.

We support your learning success with comprehensive learning materials and literatureas well as smart formats such as instructional videos and live digital sessions.

The aim of bridging courses is to expand skills in a specific subject area and to acquire basic knowledge. With each bridging course, missing ECTS credits can be gained after successfully passing the exam in order to be admitted to an ISM Master’s degree programme. Before you take the course, we check on a case-by-case basis whether you meet the entry requirements with your prior knowledge and show you which bridging courses you need to complete.

Our bridging courses are currently offered in German and can be taken once you have enrolled in a Master’s degree programme.

You will be credited 50% of the costs of the bridging courses in the third semester of your Master's programme. We offer these modules as bridging courses:

• Mathematics & Statistics (10 ECTS credits)
• Introduction to Business Studies (10 ECTS credits)
• Introduction to Economics (10 ECTS credits)
• Financial Accounting, Balance Sheets, Cost & Activity Accounting (10 ECTS credits)
• Theories & Methods of Business Administration (5 ECTS credits)
• Innovation & Project Management (5 ECTS credits)

The course fee is of €350 per 5 ECTS.

An online Bachelor program (B.Sc. Business Administration) and four online Master degree programs at ISM are offered entirely in English.

We also have many more online Bachelor's and a few Master's degree programs offered in German or some which include lectures in both German and English language (with a ratio of about 70%:30%).

A requirement for the admission to the distance learning degree courses in English is the proof of minimum B2 level of English proficiency (according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages).

The live modules have a seminar format and offer lots of space for discussion. Knowledge of the respective subject area is taught by one of the professors interactively within small groups, and theoretical aspects are considered comprehensively, in part experimentally.

All participants work on the contents in a structured way, possibly in the preparation and follow-up. The focus is on acquiring expertise and skills.

The live modules either comprise 12 sessions lasting 90 minutes each or they take place as longer block events, which then reduces the number of sessions.

Live modules are sometimes a part of your curriculum. They usually start anew at regular intervals. You can choose from a variety of fixed dates. The dates and times are scheduled in such a way that you can usually take part alongside your job: either in the evenings or, for example, as block events on Friday afternoons or on the weekend.

Thanks to the flexible timetable and the possibility of studying online, it is possible to start your Distance Learning studies at any time. Some students start their first live module at the very beginning, whereas others only start after three months, for example.

You can simply decide for yourself when you want to start, depending on the available dates. Students simply choose the course from the schedule of live modules that suits them best in terms of content and their timetable.

If you miss a session, you have access to various documents from the live session such as literature, recording of the presentation or course notes.

Ask your study advisor for more information.

Our exams take place online. It is not necessary to be present on campus. Assessment takes the form of examinations, e-portfolio tasks (e.g. essays or brief presentations) and coursework. You can easily register for exam dates online via your ISM E-Campus.

Since you have a personal semester in distance learning, you also have a customisable semester break. However, there are no standardised requirements that are based on classic semester break times, for example, as in a face-to-face course. Instead, you can decide for yourself when you want to take a break.

Yes, if you like, you’re welcome to come to one of our 7 sites. As well as using the library, you can also get advice at the ISM Career Centre or from our International Office, for example.

• The distance learning program stands for fair cooperation and transparency without bait and switch offers. Your study contract allows you to finish your studies at many points in time without risking a long contract commitment.
• In the first four weeks (trial studies month), you can withdraw from the contract at any time; written form (e.g. email) is enough. This incurs no costs! If you continue your studies beyond the first four weeks, the normal fees shall apply from then (including for the first month).
• During the second and third month, you can terminate the contract at any time in written form (e.g. by email) with effect from the end of the next month. The fees for the respective months shall then still apply.
• The enrolment fee is due at the end of the third month.
• From the fourth month onwards, you can terminate the contract at any time with a notice period of three months at the end of the month.

Internships prior to your studies are not required. Nevertheless, internships that were completed after your bachelor degree and before you began your Master program may be credited to a certain extent, if applicable. The decision on actual credit is up to a case-by-case review by the Career Center. Please contact our student advisor if you have any questions.

The tuition fees for the semester abroad depend on your choice of partner universities: In Europe, most of the partner university fees are already covered by the ISM fees. There are no additional costs here.

At our overseas partner universities, things can be a little different. Especially when choosing partner universities in the USA, Australia and New Zealand, additional costs may arise, as the tuition fees there are higher than at ISM. Our International Office will provide you with comprehensive information for each university.

Graduating from the ISM in Germany offers strong career prospects, thanks to its practical, internationally oriented programs and personalized support services such as Career Center, International Office, Study Advisors, Entrepreneurship Counselling.

Over 90% of ISM graduates secure employment within six months of graduation, reflecting the effectiveness of its career-focused education and support services. ISM alumni pursue careers in various fields, including finance, marketing, general management, consulting, human resources, project management, and digital business.