Admission

University degree

One admission requirement is a first university degree in socioeconomics or an equivalent degree in social sciences, economics and business administration or law. Graduates from other degrees can be admitted if they can prove sufficient expertise in business administration.

Applicants who did not specialise in business administration must prove successfully completed examinations accounting for at least 12 ECTS altogether from at least 4 of the following areas:

• business administration at an undergraduate level,
• accounting,
• financing,
• investment,
• marketing,
• management,
• controlling,
• HR,
• organization,
• information systems,
• production,
• taxation.

You will be asked to indicate the relevant courses during the online application procedure.

Students who have not yet received their bachelor's certificate can apply for a master's program at Universität Hamburg. Please hand in a confirmation from the examination office / the academic office, which states that you are able to finish your studies until the beginning of the master's program. However, final formal admission will only be granted, if the certificate is submitted by the end of the first semester (31 March). As long as the certificate remains outstanding, students will only be enrolled provisionally.

Language skills

When enrolling at Universität Hamburg, all prospective students must submit proof of adequate English proficiency. The following tests are accepted as proof of your English language skills:

• a university degree in an academic study program taught in English
• Revised TOEFL Paper-delivered Test: at least 22 points per skill (Reading, Listening, Writing)
• TOEFL internet-based test: 92 points with at least 22 points per skill (Listening, Writing, Speaking, Reading)
• Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Results A, B, C
• proof of at least five years of English lessons at a German speaking school,
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) – Academics: Band 6,5, Good Competent User, with at least 6,0 per skill,
• proof of English proficiency with the Level B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) from a recognized institution

Applicants, who have not received their test results yet when applying, can hand in one of the accepted English language certificates later upon matriculation at Universität Hamburg. Please plan and prepare for your English examinations well before you apply!

You do not need to prove German proficiency!

During the application process, you will be asked to upload the following documents in the online application form:

• Scan of the first degree certificate (if  not yet available, a current transcript of records suffices)
• Transcript of records / official overview of grades including grade point average
• Proof of background knowledge in business administration: e.g. your transcript proving at least 12 ECTS in business administration
• For applicants holding a degree from a university outside of Germany: recognition of your foreign educational qualification
• Written justification of your choice of degree
• Proof of English language skills
• Curriculum Vitae (CV), in English

Please note the following recommendations for the document upload. This helps us processing your application.

• Please merge documents with several pages (e.g. your degree certificates) to one file.
• Documents have to be submitted in German or English. Please submit your original documents plus certified translations if original documents are not issued in German or English.
• Please upload preferably PDF documents. Thus, it is ensured that your documents can be opened and displayed correctly.
• Only one file can be uploaded per upload category in the online application form.
• In case of technical problems regarding the documents, please contact: mibas-application.wiso"AT"uni-hamburg.de

As of October 1, 2021, Universität Hamburg is no longer making use of the services offered by uni-assist. From that date onwards, Universität Hamburg itself is in charge of the process of recognition of the foreign educational qualifications of its international applicants. Applications for recognition may be submitted until 14 February 2022.
Detailed information on how to apply for the recognition of your foreign educational qualifications with Universität Hamburg will soon be provided by the university's Application and Admissions Team and the implications for your application to MIBAS will be published here.

Please hand in a written justification of your choice of degree. This will be part of the selection process. We expect you to justify your choice of program on the basis of the points listed:

1. What is your personal motivation for applying for the "Master of Arts in International Business and Sustainability" (MIBAS) at Universität Hamburg?
2. Which experiences – as part of your first degree and your job experience – contribute to your qualifications for the MIBAS program?
3. Which program components have triggered your specific interest in MIBAS, which aspects of the program are most appealing to you?
4. Reflecting on the MIBAS program, to what extent and why do you think that firms have a responsibility to the society and not to their shareholders only? Which aspects are of particular relevance and why?

Please use the designated template (PDF) for your answers. Please save the PDF file to your PC before filling it.

Your answers (in English language) should not exceed three pages. Please comment on all mentioned points to allow us to form a detailed impression of you.

Applications have to be submitted online during the application period (February 15 until March 31). To apply for the program, please follow the instructions in the STiNE online application form provided by the admissions office of Universität Hamburg. 

• All application documents have to be uploaded in the last section of the online application form.
• Any information or documents submitted after March 31 cannot be considered.
• Please do not send any hard copies to Universität Hamburg. They will not be considered for your application.

Selection procedure

For the purpose of the selection procedure, applicants are divided into two groups:

• ‘Domestic students’ (‘Bildungsinländer’) are applicants without German citizenship who have obtained their higher education entrance qualification (e.g. Abitur) in Germany. Applicants with German citizenship are allocated to the group of ‘domestic students’ as well, regardless of the country of their higher education entrance qualification.
• ‘Foreign students’: The group of foreign students (‘Bildungsausländer’) includes all non-German applicants who have obtained their higher education entrance qualification (e.g. USA: High School Diploma, Pakistan: Higher Secondary (School) Certificate, etc.) outside of Germany.

 Each group is allocated 50% of the available places.

Applicants are ranked within their group according to the following criteria. The overall grade results from evaluation of both criteria:

• grade achieved in first degree (weighted with 60%)
• written justification for chosen program (weighted with 40%)

In 2020, we received more than 900 applications for 60 study places available. The number of study places will be increased to 75 for the intake 2021 (program start: October 2021). 

Application results

Letters of acceptance and rejection will be published in your online application account (STiNE) around mid-May.

In case of admission, you will be asked to deliver hard copies of your degree certificates, transcripts, etc. for the purpose of enrolment to the program by a given deadline. If you miss this deadline, you will lose the study place in our Master's Program.

Most questions concerning the application process are answered in the FAQ section.

If you cannot find your question there, you may also find the Campus-Center Forum helpful.

Template for the written justification of your choice (PDF, please save the file on your PC before filling the form)

Link to the online application form (the application is possible only during the application period from 15 February to 31 March)

The Bylaws Regarding the Special Conditions of Admission for Degree Programs in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences define the admission requirements for the Master of Arts International Business and Sustainability.

The selection criteria and the selection procedure are defined in the Bylaws Regarding the Selection Procedure and Criteria for the Degree Programs in the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences.

Information about applications for Master's degree programs (Campus Center)

For queries regarding questions in the online application form please contact the Campus-Center of Universität Hamburg.

If you have technical problems with the online application form, please contact the STiNE support.

For any other queries regarding your application, the application documents, the selection process, the study program, etc. which are not answered on this website (also check the FAQ section), please contact mibas-application.wiso"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

Contact address:

Universität Hamburg, Fakultät für Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaften

Studienbüro Sozialökonomie, M. A. International Business and Sustainability (MIBAS)

Von-Melle-Park 9, 20146 Hamburg, Germany

mibas-application.wiso@uni-hamburg.de