Offering budget education to those looking forward to studying in Europe, Germany is a top choice for overseas students. Owing to its high-class education alongside its technology courses, MBA in Germany has also made a strong grounding among the international population wishing to pursue higher education in the country.

For Admission to MBA programs in Germany, overseas students must have an average score of B+ in their undergrads, GMAT score of 600 and a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 or equivalent. Unlike the US and Canada, you need not have a four year bachelor’s degree to pursue MBA in Germany.

MBA in Germany Admissions Timeline

Applying for an MBA in Germany is quite a time-consuming process and students must prepare carefully for the same. The preparations for admission to the MBA program should ideally begin around 1.5 years to 2 years before the scheduled admission year. This will give candidates ample time to gather all the essential documents, take all the necessary standardised exams and spruce up their scores if necessary. A short sketch of MBA Admissions Timeline have been given below:

Year 1.6 before Applying for MBA in Germany Research and finalise Business Colleges
Month 1 Check the entry criteria such as GMAT score, English Language Proficiency for each University
August to November Register for GMAT/GRE and start preparations
December to January Sit for GMAT Examination and take the test again if necessary
January to February Prepare for English Proficiency Tests such as IELTS or TOEFL-iBT and appear for the examination
February Take as many retests as possible to secure the required marks
March Start noting down admission deadlines and intake periods of Various German Universities.
April Start gathering all essential documents such as undergraduate academic records, academic transcripts etc
May - July Start Drafting Motivation Letter and Resume Also, Start looking for Recommenders to write letters of references
August - September Revise all supporting documents to make sure that there are no errors, spelling and grammatical mistakes
October - December Start Sending out applications for the first Early Bird Round of Admission
January If selected, wait for the interview round A few other Universities also have their first round of admissions during this month
February to April Start applying for the second round of Admission
March Prepare for the interview round
April Decide where to study in case of offers of admission from multiple Business Schools in Germany
April - May Sign the admission contract and send it to the Concerned School Also, apply for a German Student Visa
June - July Complete all the necessary Visa Paperwork to get the Student Visa
August Make all necessary preparations to leave for Germany

MBA in Germany Admission Deadlines

MBA programs in Germany generally commence during the Fall semester and business Schools start inviting applications for admission six to eight months prior to the program start date. Admissions are offered in several stages known as Early Bird Rounds. Some business schools also offer a deduction between 2,000 to 6,000 Euros on tuition fees to candidates who apply by the first or second early bird deadline. The Round 1 deadlines for some of the top business schools have been mentioned here:

College Admission Deadline
Mannheim Business School 31 January,2023
Frankfurt School of Finance and Management 31 July, 2023
WHU-Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management December 15 (April Intake for Full-time MBA) | May 31 (September intake for Full-time MBA)
European School of Management & Technology(ESMT) Upcoming Deadline – Round 8- December 5, 2022 
Round 1- February 16,2023 | Round 2- March 30,2023 | Round 3- May 18,2023 | Round 4- June 29, 2023 | Round 5- August 17 | Round 6- September 21, 2023 | Round 7- November 16, 2023 | Round 8- December 5, 2023
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management

November 30: Early Bird 1 | January 31: Early Bird 2 | March 31: Early Bird 3 | May 31: Final

Munich Business School May 31, 2023: September entry | July 31: Early Bird 1 March 2023 Entry
University of Cologne 15 June, 2023
Business School Pforzheim June 15: September entry | December 15: March entry
Berlin School of Business and Innovation 31 August (Intake season: March, May, October)
ESCP – Berlin Campus Round 1: 20 Oct 2022 (Closed) | Round 2: 10 Nov 2022 | Round 3: 08 Dec 2022 | Round 4: 12 Jan 2023 | Round 5: 09 Feb 2023 | Round 6: 09 Mar 2023 | Round 7: 13 Apr 2023 | Round 8: 11 May 2023
TU Bergakademie Freiberg April 1, 2023
TU Berlin

August 31, 2023

Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich January 15: Summer semester | July 15: Winter Semester
Heidelberg University January 15: Summer semester | July 15: Winter Semester
Humboldt University, Berlin May 31
GISMA Business School (Hanover Campus) Three months before the course start date

MBA in Germany Admission Round 2 and 3

Round 2 and 3 Admission deadlines for MBA programs at some business schools in Germany are as follows

Business College Round 2 Admission Deadline Round 3 Admission Deadline
Mannheim Business School 30 April,2023 -
European School of Management & Technology(ESMT) March 30,2023 May 18,2023
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management January 31 March 31
Munich Business School November 15, 2023 – March 2023 Entry (Closed) -
University of Cologne - -
ESCP – Berlin Campus 10 Nov 2022 (Closed) 08 Dec 2022

MBA in Germany Admission Round 4

Round Four admission deadlines for MBA programs in Germany are as follows

Business School Round 4 Admission Deadline
European School of Management and Technology June 29, 2023
HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management May 31
*ESCP - Berlin Campus 12 Jan 2023

*The college offers up to 11 rounds of admission with the 5th round taking place on February 4, 2021 - 11 February 2021 and the 11th round on July 5, 2021 - July 15, 2021.

MBA in Germany Admission: Entrance Exams

Standardised test scores like GMAT or GRE is a necessary prerequisite for admission to MBA programs in Germany. 600 is the average GMAT score asked by business schools in Germany. The result of GMAT or GRE should be delivered directly to the concerned business school by the institution where the candidates sat for their test.

Candidates should try to maintain a GMAT score of 650 and above or equivalent GRE scores as admission to MBA programs in Germany can be quite competitive. Some Business schools also offer financial grants to candidates who have secured excellent GMAT scores to acknowledge their performance. The financial grant is usually offered in the form of a reduction in tuition fees.

MBA in Germany Admissions: Entrance Exam Schedule

There are no specific dates for GMAT as the exam is conducted on a rolling basis throughout the year. Candidates who have opted for GMAT online test can schedule an exam appointment 24 hours before an available testing slot.

However, candidates appearing for GMAT at any official test centre must book an exam appointment in advance as they provide only a few specific dates in a month. Applicants can follow the steps below to schedule their GMAT Exam slot -

Check GMAT Exam Dates, here!

  1. Step 1: Candidates planning to appear for the GMAT Online test should create an account on MBA.com.
  2. Step 2: Select the ‘Register for GMAT Online Exam’ button, click on GMAT online exam, select your preferred appointment date and time to finalise the registration process.
  3. Step 3: Applicants can also call the GMAT Customer service in their region to locate test centres near them and book an exam slot.
  4. Step 4: Pay the GMAT exam fees through credit card, debit card, cashier’s cheques, money orders and personal cheques

Students can also check out: GMAT Syllabus

MBA in Germany Admissions Eligibility Requirements

Aspiring candidates planning to study MBA in Germany must meet a few eligibility requirements before applying for admission. These requirements are standard for all international applicants. They have been listed below -

  • Minimum B+ average or 75% or above in an internationally recognised Bachelor’s or Master’s degree
  • Competitive GMAT/GRE Scores
  • Fluency in English
  • Minimum two to three years of professional work experience
  • Leadership potential
  • Knowing German is not required but is strongly recommended

Supporting documents for MBA Admission in Germany

Besides meeting the above criteria, candidates also need to submit the following documents while applying for admission -

  • Educational Certificates/Grade Reports
  • Academic Transcripts
  • English Proficiency test results
    • A minimum score of 95 in TOEFL
    • Minimum of 7.0 in IELTS or equivalent
  • Resume
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • Bank statements/financial documents
  • Statement of Purpose/Motivation letter
  • Passport as proof of ID
  • Photograph

Candidates should also note whether the University they are applying to has a separate format for letters of recommendation. If there are no specified formats. Recommenders can write a general letter of reference. In that case, they can check out letters of recommendation format and samples.

MBA in Germany Admission Process

The MBA Admission Process followed by each university in Germany is different. Hence prospective candidates should visit the official website of the university concerned to know in detail about the admission process. However, there are a few common steps that all applicants need to complete. These have been mentioned below:

  1. Step 1: Check if there are any specific admission criteria for international students mentioned by the University and make sure to meet all the requirements.
  2. Step 2: Fill in the online application form with all the necessary information.
  3. Step 3: Verify the information entered and submit the form along with all the required supporting documents, academic transcripts, grade certificates etc.
  4. Step 4: Admissions Committee will invite a candidate for a first selection interview based on their application form and other documents. The interview is usually conducted in person but can also be conducted through telephone or skype for candidates who will be unable to attend physically.
  5. Step 5: While most Universities in Germany conduct only one interview before making a decision regarding admission, some universities like Mannheim Business School conduct a second and final round of interviews before finalising a candidate. Candidates may also be given a case study work at home before the second round of interviews.

MBA in Germany Admission: Interviews

The interview round is the final and the most important stage in the MBA admission process in Germany wherein the interviewee tries to gain an understanding of who the candidate is as a person. Hence, candidates should be well-prepared for this round.

Generally, the interview is held in person, however, owing to the pandemic business schools are conducting this round over skype or telephone.

The common questions that are asked during the interview round are as follows -

  • Reasons behind opting for MBA
  • Reasons for opting for an MBA program at a particular university
  • Career goals and aspirations
  • Previous work experience
  • Candidate’s strength and weaknesses
  • According to the candidate, what role will they play in a group setting in a particular University?
  • What will the candidate contribute to the program

Candidates should go through their academic records, resume, and motivation letter carefully before appearing for the interview to ensure that there are no inconsistencies in their statements.

Check: Sample SOP for MBA in Germany

MBA in Germany Admission Decision

After the interview round, Business Schools generally take up to two weeks to evaluate and then make an admission decision. While evaluating, the school takes into consideration all aspects of a candidate’s application. Academic performance, standardised test scores and English language proficiency still remain important factors based on which admission decisions are made. However, more focus is also being given on work experience, motivation letter, letter of recommendation as well as candidate’s performance in the interview.

Some of the chief qualities that the Admissions Committee look for in applicants based on which selections are made are as follows -

  • Willingness to learn
  • Excellent analytical skills - qualitative and quantitative
  • Leadership qualities
  • International outlook
  • Responsible approach to business
  • Teamwork skills in highly stressful situations

MBA in Germany Admission: Tips and Tricks

Good Academic Records and confidence is the key to cracking any MBA admission process. However, there are a few tips and tricks that candidates can follow to better their chances of getting into the Business school of their choice. These have been mentioned below -

  • First and foremost, get done with the GMAT or GRE as well as English Proficiency tests. Do not wait till the last minute to appear for these examinations.
  • Make sure to follow the word limit for the motivation letter as specified by the University.
  • The motivation letter should also be crisp and relevant.
  • Dress smartly for the interview round even if it is being conducted online.
  • Be honest about your achievements and work experiences in your resume
  • Ensure that you have a sound internet connection and that you will not be interrupted during the course of the interview
  • Pay attention to every small detail in your MBA application. This includes punctuation, grammar and spelling and any small errors.
  • Do not miss any questions on the application form, essay or motivation letter.

Finally, just focus on putting together a strong, well-rounded MBA application that highlights who you are as a person.