The International School of Management (ISM)（国际管理学院）is a private, not-for-profit university of applied sciences in Germany, teaching management subjects in English at seven campuses and online. The school’s own website describes it as financed exclusively through tuition fees, and it holds AACSB accreditation — the school states it was the first private German university of applied sciences to receive it — alongside FIBAA and German state recognition. Everything in this guide comes from the school’s official English pages (en.ism.de) as accessed on 5 August 2026; fees, deadlines and language minimums change every year, so the school’s current pages remain the reference for decisions.
International School of Management at a glance
The International School of Management (ISM)opened its largest location in Dortmund in 1990, and today runs campuses in Dortmund, Frankfurt/Main, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin, plus fully online distance-learning programs. The school describes itself as a private business university with around 190 partner universities abroad and students of 84 nationalities, teaching in small study groups with practical projects, compulsory internships and an integrated semester abroad built into the degree programs. ISM also claims that more than 60% of its students start their careers before graduation — that figure is the school’s own statement, not an independent measure.
The degree offer spans bachelor’s, master’s and MBA programs. English-taught on-campus programs include three bachelor’s degrees — B.Sc. International Management, B.Sc. Finance & Management and B.Sc. Applied Data Science & Business Analytics — eight master’s degrees such as M.Sc. International Management, M.Sc. Finance and M.A. Strategic Marketing Management, and a full-time MBA in General Management in Munich. German-taught programs and online distance-learning versions exist alongside these.
Bachelor’s programs for international students
The International School of Management (ISM)bachelor’s programs are designed around six to seven semesters of full-time study in English: the standard B.Sc. International Management runs for six semesters, or seven with the “Global Track”. Semesters start in March (spring term) or September (fall term). Each bachelor’s program includes 20 weeks of compulsory internships plus practical projects, and one compulsory semester abroad at a partner university, with an optional second semester abroad and an optional double degree from an Australian partner university.
The B.Sc. International Management curriculum covers business administration, economics, mathematics, accounting, e-business and finance in the foundation years, with electives such as human resources, controlling and entrepreneurship later. The school highlights career fields in business, marketing and sales management. Programs are taught 100% in English; the school also offers optional foreign-language classes through its “Study Plus” offer.
Master’s and MBA programs
At master’s level, the International School of Management (ISM)offers English-taught programs of three or four semesters, with the Fast Track option finishing in three semesters for students with a 210-ECTS first degree or equivalent professional experience. The M.Sc. International Management includes one compulsory integrated semester abroad, 12 weeks of compulsory internship and an optional double degree from a partner university; core modules cover global business management, strategic management, leadership skills, controlling and finance, international marketing, operations management and managing consulting projects.
The full-time MBA in General Management runs at the Munich campus in English over two or three semesters (60 or 90 ECTS), with an optional semester in the United States at City University of Seattle or Boston University, and is aimed at graduates with at least two years of professional experience. The school notes that in MBA semesters abroad, tuition is charged by the US partner university rather than by ISM.
Entry requirements and how to apply
The International School of Management (ISM)publishes a four-step admission process for all degree levels: submit the online application, have documents reviewed with an academic consultation, complete a personal selection interview with a short presentation, then receive the admission letter and study contract. Required documents include the application form, a copy of your identity card, your school-leaving diploma (and for master’s, your bachelor’s degree with transcript), a CV, and proof of English at least at level B2 — for example TOEFL or IELTS.
Bachelor’s applicants need a high school diploma, vocational diploma or recognized professional qualification that entitles them to German university entrance. Master’s applicants need a bachelor’s degree with at least 180 ECTS credits (210 for Fast Track) and either a first degree in economics or business sciences or at least 30 ECTS credits in business sciences; missing subject credits can be compensated through qualified professional experience, internships or the ISM Pre-Master’s program. The MBA additionally requires at least two years of qualified professional experience after the first degree, with English proven at least at B2 — the school cites TOEFL from 80 points internet-based or IELTS from 6.0 as accepted evidence.
For applicants who need a German visa and do not yet have one, the school advises submitting the application by June 15 for the fall term or December 15 for the spring term. Students who have completed professional training or earlier degree modules can apply for recognition of prior learning to shorten the program.
Tuition fees and what they include
The International School of Management (ISM)charges the same tuition to EU and non-EU students. On the pages accessed in August 2026, the B.Sc. International Management costs 5,970 Euro per semester, and the M.Sc. International Management 6,480 Euro per semester, with monthly payment possible. The full-time MBA in General Management costs 9,900 Euro per semester for the two semesters at ISM with a 2,200 Euro thesis fee; the part-time MBA costs 8,300 Euro per semester. There is no separate thesis fee for bachelor’s or master’s programs — it is included in the semester fee.
All students pay a one-time enrollment fee of 600 Euro (EU and EEA students) or 1,500 Euro (non-EU students). Non-EU applicants accepted into a program pay an admission deposit of 3,000 Euro, which is fully deducted from the first semester’s tuition; if the study contract is not signed, ISM retains a 500 Euro processing fee, and the deposit is fully refunded if the visa application is definitely rejected. The school notes that as a private university it is financed exclusively through tuition fees, and offers partial scholarships of 25% to 50% of tuition for up to one year as well as a full two-semester scholarship; scholarship applications open November 15 to December 15 for the spring term and May 15 to June 15 for the fall term, after passing the ISM admission test.
Campuses and support for international students
The International School of Management (ISM)runs a dedicated International Office that helps international students with visa questions, organizes events for incoming students, and supports semester-abroad arrangements and scholarship applications. The school points out that some nationalities need a visa before arrival in Germany, while others can obtain the residence permit for study purposes after arrival; the relevant documents and procedure are published on the school’s site. Campus locations are urban: Dortmund in the Technology Park, Frankfurt in the financial district, Munich city centre, Hamburg’s HafenCity, Cologne’s MediaPark, Stuttgart’s Heusteig quarter and Berlin-Schöneberg, with the distance-learning option for fully online study.
A sensible sequence for an international applicant is: check your eligibility (diploma, English level, and for MBA the work-experience rule), watch the June 15 / December 15 deadlines if you need a visa, assemble the documents, complete the online application and the interview, sign the study contract, pay the deposit if you are a non-EU applicant, then arrange the visa and the move. Every figure in this guide corresponds to the ISM website version accessed on 5 August 2026; the school’s current pages are the reference for anything time-sensitive. Families who want to map these details onto a specific course choice, budget or timeline can talk it through with our advisers.