Private Universities in Brandenburg: Medicine, Sport and Digital Sciences in Potsdam

All private universities at a glance

We have a total of 9 private universities listed in our database.

Which programmes in Brandenburg are taught in English?

Brandenburg has a surprisingly large English-language offering for a state its size. Over 55 programmes are available in English – more than in Bavaria or Bremen.

• Gisma University: All programmes in English – Business Management, International Business Management, Computer Science, Data Science, and Software Engineering. From €9,600.
• University of Europe (UE): Around 20 English-taught programmes including Business Administration, Psychology, Business Psychology, Film + Motion Design, Game Design, Communication Design, Photography and Data Science. From €17,244 (MBA) to €36,300.
• XU Exponential University: Digital Transformation Management, Digital Business, Digital Marketing, Data Science and Coding & Software Engineering. From €8,640.
• Döpfer University: English-taught health and psychology programmes including Psychology, Applied Therapeutic Sciences, Medical Education and Physician Assistance. From €7,056.
• MHB: Human Medicine, Psychology and Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. Taught in German with English-language course materials available.
• FH Sport Potsdam: English-language course entries for Sports Management, Health Management, Competitive Sport, Health Sports and Sport Education – all dual study (tuition-free).

Which private universities are based in Brandenburg?

All nine private universities in Brandenburg have their headquarters in the state – unlike Bavaria or North Rhine-Westphalia, there are no national campus providers operating here. Seven are in Potsdam, one in Neuruppin and one in Eberswalde.

• University of Europe for Applied Sciences (UE): Brandenburg’s largest private university with around 6,250 students and 19 programmes. Based in Potsdam with additional campuses in Berlin, Hamburg and Iserlohn. Covers business, psychology, film, game design, communication design, photography, journalism and data science. Full-time. Tuition: up to €36,300.
• Döpfer University of Applied Sciences: 14 programmes in Potsdam. Specialises in health professions, psychology and education – from physician assistance to medical education to applied psychology. Mix of full-time, dual and distance learning. Tuition: €7,056–21,564.
• FH for Sport and Management Potsdam: 9 sport programmes, all dual study – tuition is covered entirely by the employer (€0). Offers sport management, competitive sport, health sport, sport therapy and sport pedagogy. One of Germany’s few tuition-free private universities.
• Gisma University of Applied Sciences: 7 English-taught programmes in Potsdam – business management, computer science, data science and international business management. Full-time. Tuition: €9,600–28,800. Around 830 students.
• Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane (MHB): 6 programmes in Neuruppin (70 km north of Berlin). The only private university in Brandenburg offering Human Medicine (€125,000) and Dentistry (€132,000). Also offers Psychology, Clinical Psychotherapy and Health Services Research. Close collaboration with regional hospitals.
• XU Exponential University: 5 programmes in Potsdam focused on digital transformation – digital business, digital marketing, data science and coding. Full-time. Tuition: €8,640–28,440. Small university (~200 students) with a tech startup atmosphere.
• Health and Medical University (HMU): 3 programmes in Potsdam – Human Medicine (€94,500), Psychology (€25,020) and Psychotherapy (€23,880). Brandenburg’s second private medical school. Around 1,430 students.
• Eberswalde University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions: 2 dual programmes (Nursing and Midwifery, €21,310 each) in Eberswalde, 60 km northeast of Berlin.
• German University of Applied Sciences: 1 distance learning programme – Sustainability Management (M.A., €9,900). Small university based in Potsdam.

What can you study at private universities in Brandenburg?

Brandenburg’s 66 programmes cover an unusually wide range for a small state – from human medicine to game design. The strongest areas are medicine and health, psychology, sport, IT/data science and creative arts.

• Medicine and dentistry (5 programmes): Brandenburg’s most distinctive feature. MHB offers Human Medicine (€125,000) and Dentistry (€132,000) in Neuruppin. HMU has Human Medicine (€94,500) in Potsdam. Both emphasise early clinical contact. Few other German states offer private medical degrees.
• Psychology and psychotherapy (12 programmes): Brandenburg’s broadest subject area, available at four universities – Döpfer (from €10,320 distance learning), MHB, HMU and UE. Includes accredited psychotherapy Master programmes at MHB and HMU. See the selection below.
• Sport and sport management (9 programmes): FH Sport Potsdam offers all programmes as tuition-free dual study. UE adds Sport and Event Management (€36,300). Döpfer offers Sport Psychology as distance learning (€17,820).
• Business, IT and data science (21 programmes): Gisma (English-taught, from €9,600), XU (digital focus, from €8,640) and UE (business, MBA, data science). Includes dual Wirtschaftsinformatik at UE (€0).
• Media, design and art (8 programmes): Concentrated at UE – film, game design, photography, communication design, illustration, journalism. Potsdam’s proximity to the Babelsberg film studios adds industry relevance.

What is not available: Law, teacher training, engineering (mechanical, electrical, civil), architecture and most natural sciences are not offered privately in Brandenburg. For these, consider Berlin or North Rhine-Westphalia.

What does it cost to study at a private university in Brandenburg?

Brandenburg has the widest tuition range of any German state: from €0 (dual sport programmes) to €132,000 (dentistry at MHB). Outside medicine, most programmes fall between €9,600 and €28,800.

• €0 (dual study): FH Sport Potsdam (all sport programmes) and UE (Wirtschaftsinformatik). The employer covers tuition.
• €7,056–21,564 (Döpfer University): Health, psychology and education. The most affordable full-time programmes outside dual study. Applied Psychology as distance learning from €10,320.
• €8,640–28,800 (Gisma, XU): Business, IT and data science. Gisma from €9,600 – competitively priced for English-taught programmes in Germany.
• €17,244–36,300 (University of Europe): Business, psychology, design, film, sport. Wide price range depending on subject and degree level.
• €23,880–132,000 (MHB, HMU – medicine): Human medicine at HMU (€94,500) or MHB (€125,000). Dentistry at MHB (€132,000). Paid in monthly instalments over the study period.

For comparison: Brandenburg’s public universities (University of Potsdam, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, Europa-Universität Viadrina) charge only a semester fee of around €300 – including a public transport ticket for the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

What is Potsdam like for international students?

Potsdam (population 180,000) is Brandenburg’s capital and the location of seven out of nine private universities. Its defining feature for students: proximity to Berlin at a fraction of the cost.

• Cost of living: Significantly cheaper than Berlin. Expect €350–500/month for a room in a shared flat, €600+ for a studio. Student halls from around €250. Roughly 20–30% less than Berlin.
• Proximity to Berlin: S-Bahn and regional trains connect Potsdam to central Berlin in 25–40 minutes. Access to Berlin’s job market, nightlife and cultural scene at Potsdam prices.
• Job market: Potsdam itself has a smaller job market (government, media, IT startups), but Berlin’s vast market is easily accessible. Working student positions are plentiful in the capital region. English-speaking roles are common in Berlin’s tech sector.
• Quality of life: Sanssouci Palace and park, the Havel river, Babelsberg. UNESCO World Heritage site. Around 28,000 students across all institutions. Quieter than Berlin but with character.
• Language: Gisma and XU teach entirely in English. UE offers many English-taught programmes. For daily life in Potsdam, basic German is helpful but not essential – Berlin’s proximity means English-speaking services are widely accessible.

How can you fund your studies in Brandenburg?

• Dual study (€0): FH Sport Potsdam and some UE/Döpfer programmes are fully employer-funded. The most cost-effective route.
• BAföG (German student aid): Available at all accredited private universities. EU citizens and some non-EU residents are eligible. Covers living costs, not tuition. Maximum: €992/month.
• Deutschlandstipendium: €300/month, merit-based and income-independent. Open to international students. Most Brandenburg universities participate.
• MHB clinic partnerships: Regional hospitals co-fund MHB medical students in exchange for a commitment to work in the region after graduation.
• UE scholarships: Merit-based and creative scholarships that cover part of tuition.
• DAAD scholarships: The German Academic Exchange Service offers scholarships for international students, particularly for Master programmes.
• KfW student loan: Up to €650/month at around 2% interest. Available to students enrolled at a German institution under 45. For medical degrees, this covers only a fraction of tuition.

Frequently asked questions about private universities in Brandenburg