European Distance Learning University Hamburg: Bachelor, Master & MBA — Online

What distinguishes Euro-FH?

Europäische Fernhochschule Hamburg, or Euro-FH, is a private, state-recognised University of Applied Sciences based in Hamburg. It was founded in 2003 by the Institut für Lernsysteme (ILS) and is part of the Klett Group.

Unlike many private universities, Euro-FH does not operate a network of conventional university campuses. Its academic model is built around distance and online education. Learning materials, student support, examination administration and a large proportion of teaching activities are organised digitally.

Euro-FH had 10,610 students in the 2024/2025 winter semester. This makes it one of the larger private universities in Germany and one of the country's major specialised distance-learning institutions.

The academic portfolio has expanded considerably since the university was founded. Euro-FH currently advertises more than 200 study options, including degree programmes, specialisations and academic continuing-education courses.

Its subject range now extends well beyond its original business focus. Alongside Business Administration, Management and Business Psychology, Euro-FH offers programmes in Psychology, Social Work, Education, Health Sciences, Law, Political Science, Computer Science, Data Science and Engineering.

How does Euro-FH differ from other private universities?

Euro-FH is particularly relevant for students who do not want regular campus attendance. Its core model is not a conventional campus degree supplemented by online classes but a programme specifically designed for geographically dispersed students, many of whom study alongside employment.

This flexibility also shifts responsibility towards the student. Conventional distance learning does not provide a fixed weekly timetable that automatically determines academic progress. Students need to organise learning periods, examination preparation and their individual study sequence largely independently.

Which study formats does Euro-FH offer?

Euro-FH focuses primarily on two academic study models: conventional distance learning and the more structured Online Evening Study format. University certificates and shorter academic continuing-education courses are also available.

Conventional distance learning

Distance learning is the university's core study model. Students can generally start at any time rather than waiting for a traditional semester intake.

Euro-FH provides a recommended curriculum and study sequence, but students decide largely for themselves when to work through the material and prepare for assessments. This makes the format particularly relevant for professionals with changing working hours.

At the beginning of the degree, the university provides the relevant materials digitally and in printed form. Students can later decide whether they want to continue receiving printed materials or study entirely digitally.

Depending on the programme, resources can include:

• printed study booklets and digital academic texts,
• online tutorials and webinars,
• video, audio and interactive learning formats,
• practice and submission assignments,
• digital libraries and academic databases,
• programme-specific seminars and practical assignments.

Online Evening Study

Online Evening Study – called Online-Abendstudium in German – is the more structured online format. It is aimed at students who want to study remotely but benefit from a regular weekly timetable.

Live webinars take place on two evenings per week. Euro-FH currently uses schedules based on either Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, depending on the programme.

The format has two fixed annual start dates: 15 March and 15 September. Unlike conventional distance learning, students therefore cannot begin on any day of the year.

Teaching takes place in fixed study groups. This creates more continuous interaction with lecturers and fellow students than conventional self-directed distance learning.

Online Evening Study is available only for selected bachelor's programmes. Current examples include Business Administration, Business Administration & Business Psychology, Psychology, Applied Psychology and several specialist pathways.

Who is Euro-FH suitable for?

The university model is aimed particularly at students who want to combine an academic degree with employment, family commitments or other responsibilities.

Euro-FH may be a good choice if you …

• want to complete a state-recognised German university degree largely independently of location,
• do not want your studies to depend on conventional semester start dates,
• study alongside employment and want to distribute your learning time independently,
• want to schedule written examinations flexibly, including evenings and weekends,
• want to choose between highly self-directed distance learning and a more structured online format,
• already hold advanced professional qualifications or previous university credits that may be recognised,
• may qualify for German higher education through a professional route rather than the traditional Abitur.

Conventional distance learning may be less suitable if you …

• need a fixed weekly timetable with regular live teaching – Online Evening Study provides more structure,
• cannot regularly commit around 15 to 20 hours per week to part-time study,
• want regular face-to-face interaction and a traditional campus experience,
• want to use a Psychology degree for the German psychotherapist licensure pathway.

Some of these points do not rule out Euro-FH as a university. Students who need more scheduled live teaching, for example, can check whether their preferred bachelor's programme is also available through Online Evening Study.

Where is Euro-FH located?

The university is based in Hamburg-Rahlstedt. Its central administration, student advisory services and other university functions are located there.

Euro-FH does not operate nationwide university campuses in the conventional sense. Cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne or Munich that appear in connection with the university are primarily examination locations.

In-person examinations are currently available monthly in cities including:

• Berlin,
• Bremen,
• Frankfurt am Main,
• Göttingen,
• Hamburg,
• Cologne,
• Leipzig,
• Munich,
• Nuremberg,
• Stuttgart.

These examination centres should not be confused with university campuses. Everyday study in the distance-learning format takes place primarily from home or online.

Which academic fields does Euro-FH offer?

Euro-FH has developed from a university with a strong business focus into an institution with a broad range of applied academic disciplines.

How do examinations work?

The examination model is one of the main differences between Euro-FH and many private campus universities.

Online examinations around the clock

Since May 2025, students can generally take online examinations 24 hours a day, seven days a week after registering for the assessment.

Registration is possible almost every week, with only a small number of annual maintenance periods excluded. Students are therefore not limited to a conventional examination period at the end of a semester.

Online examinations are supervised digitally. Students need:

• a desktop or laptop computer,
• webcam and microphone,
• a stable internet connection,
• a smartphone or tablet for identity verification and an additional camera view.

Monthly in-person examinations

Online proctoring is not the only option. Students can alternatively take written examinations once a month at one of Euro-FH's examination locations across Germany.

Up to two written examinations can be taken on the same examination day. This preserves a conventional supervised examination option for students who do not want to use remote proctoring.

Other forms of assessment

Depending on the degree, assessments can also include:

• academic papers,
• project work,
• oral examinations,
• presentations and seminar assessments,
• practice-based projects,
• bachelor's and master's theses.

Technical programmes may include practical laboratory or @home assignments. Social and education programmes can contain additional practical placements.

Additional examination attempt at the beginning of the programme

Euro-FH provides an additional first-attempt protection during the introductory phase for eligible modules started during the first six months.

If an eligible assessment is failed on the first attempt, that attempt does not count towards the regular number of attempts. The additional attempt cannot be used to improve the grade of an examination that has already been passed.

Which study variants are available?

In conventional distance learning, Euro-FH uses the Sprint, Standard and Comfort variants.

The Comfort variant is primarily a payment model. A lower monthly instalment does not automatically mean a lower total cost or a lower academic workload.

Students can switch once between Sprint and Standard without an additional fee during the regular study period.

Tuition-free extension

The individual standard study period can be extended by up to 50% without additional tuition fees.

Examples:

• 36-month standard study period → up to 18 additional months, 54 total
• 48-month standard study period → up to 24 additional months, 72 total
• 24-month standard study period → up to 12 additional months, 36 total

This extension is particularly relevant for working students because employment, family commitments or illness cannot always be planned several years in advance.

How much does studying at Euro-FH cost?

Euro-FH charges tuition fees. Costs depend on the programme, number of ECTS credits, study variant and payment option.

The university also regularly offers temporary discounts. A currently advertised “from” price should therefore not automatically be interpreted as the permanent standard fee.

Current price examples

For the 42-month Online Evening Study programme in Business Administration, Euro-FH currently lists a discounted total of €14,297; the price before the current discount is €16,296.

This illustrates why the total tuition cost is more useful than the monthly instalment alone. A lower monthly payment can result simply from a longer payment schedule.

What should students compare?

• binding total tuition cost,
• monthly instalment,
• payment period,
• selected standard study period,
• temporary discounts already included,
• recognition of prior learning,
• tuition-free extension period,
• possible travel and accommodation costs.

Recognition of previous learning can substantially change the individual cost. Applicants with advanced professional qualifications or relevant university study should therefore not compare only the standard tuition price.

How does recognition of prior learning work?

The recognition of vocational and academic prior learning is one of Euro-FH's more distinctive features.

For numerous advanced professional qualifications, the university has already defined standard recognition arrangements. Depending on the programme, up to 90 ECTS – equivalent to 50% of a 180-ECTS bachelor's degree – can be recognised.

Which qualifications may be recognised?

Depending on the programme, examples include German qualifications such as:

• IHK Fachwirt qualifications,
• IHK Betriebswirt qualifications,
• Fachkaufmann qualifications,
• state-certified business administrators,
• master craft qualifications,
• state-certified technicians,
• state-recognised educators,
• nursing qualifications,
• Euro-FH university certificates.

The amount recognised depends on the degree. A qualification that replaces substantial parts of a Business Administration programme will not necessarily have the same effect in another subject.

Previous university study

Modules completed at another recognised university can also be assessed. Relevant criteria include:

• module content,
• academic level,
• ECTS volume,
• assessment format.

Applicants normally need to provide transcripts and detailed module descriptions.

Can students apply without the German Abitur?

Yes. German higher-education law provides several professional access routes in addition to the traditional Abitur and Fachhochschulreife.

The Abitur is the standard German school-leaving qualification granting access to university study. The Fachhochschulreife is another German higher-education entrance qualification, particularly associated with Universities of Applied Sciences.

Admission through an advanced professional qualification

Applicants with an appropriate German advanced professional qualification can enter a bachelor's programme directly. Examples include:

• Meister – a German master craft qualification,
• Fachwirt qualifications,
• Fachkaufmann qualifications,
• state-certified business administrators,
• state-certified technicians,
• comparable advanced professional qualifications.

This route also includes a consultation with the relevant academic committee at Euro-FH.

Admission through vocational education and professional experience

Applicants with completed vocational education and several years of professional experience may also qualify for bachelor's admission.

Euro-FH currently requires at least three years of professional experience after vocational education. Under the relevant rules, periods of childcare or caring for relatives can partly count towards this requirement.

Students initially enrol with guest-student status and must pass the required entrance assessment within the specified period.

International school and vocational qualifications

Applicants whose school or vocational qualifications were obtained outside Germany need an individual assessment.

A foreign qualification does not automatically correspond to a German Abitur, Fachhochschulreife, Ausbildung, Meister or Fachwirt qualification. Euro-FH must determine whether the qualification meets the applicable higher-education admission requirements.

Master's admission without a bachelor's degree

A notable Euro-FH feature is its Master's Entry Programme. For selected master's degrees, experienced professionals and managers can qualify for admission without already holding a bachelor's or other first university degree.

The current requirements include:

• completed vocational education,
• at least ten years of qualifying professional experience,
• including at least six years of management responsibility.

The entry programme normally takes six months and comprises 30 ECTS credits. It can currently be extended by up to six additional months without further tuition fees.

Successful completion provides the qualification required to enter the selected Euro-FH master's programme.

This route is not available for every master's degree. Programmes with specific academic subject requirements can still require a relevant first degree.

The Master's in Psychology, for example, requires an appropriate previous degree in Psychology. The Master's Entry Programme therefore cannot be used to bypass subject-specific admission requirements.

Psychology at Euro-FH: what matters if you want to become a psychotherapist?

Euro-FH offers numerous psychology degrees and specialisations, including Psychology, Business Psychology and several master's programmes. For students intending to become psychotherapists in Germany, however, an important distinction applies:

Euro-FH's regular Psychology programmes do not constitute the legally defined academic pathway leading to psychotherapist licensure in Germany. This also applies to programmes containing clinical-psychology content unless they are explicitly designed as approbation-compliant programmes under German psychotherapy legislation.

Students pursuing psychotherapy as a profession in Germany need the specifically regulated bachelor's and master's pathway required by law. Professional regulation differs internationally. Students planning to work as psychologists, counsellors or psychotherapists outside Germany should check the licensing rules of the country in which they intend to practise.

Social Work and German professional state recognition

In the bachelor's degree in Social Work, German professional state recognition can be important in addition to the academic qualification.

The programme therefore includes a practical component designed to meet the requirements for professional state recognition as a social worker or social pedagogue in Germany.

Students already working in the social sector should clarify:

• whether their existing workplace can be accepted as a practical placement,
• whether previous professional experience can be recognised,
• how much additional supervised practice remains,
• which professional supervision requirements apply.

Practical components and professional recognition also play a role in Childhood & Youth Education.

International applicants should distinguish between the academic bachelor's degree and German professional state recognition. The latter is part of the German professional system and does not automatically create equivalent professional rights in another country.

LL.B.: not a substitute for the German State Examination in Law

Euro-FH offers Business Law as a Bachelor of Laws as well as further law-related degrees.

An LL.B. in Business Law is a regular academic university qualification, but it is not equivalent to the traditional German Law programme leading to the state examinations.

The degree is aimed at legal work in companies and organisations, for example in compliance, human resources, contract management and business-law-related functions.

The traditional German legal training route is required for regulated professions such as lawyer, judge or public prosecutor.

How international is Euro-FH?

International elements appear both in individual degree programmes and in Euro-FH's university partnerships.

The university currently maintains formal agreements with partner institutions in countries including:

• Poland,
• the United Kingdom,
• Denmark,
• Spain,
• China.

These partnerships are used, among other purposes, for international seminars. The actual international component depends strongly on the degree.

International Business Administration, for example, includes a study component or seminar at an international partner university.

A distance-learning degree should therefore not automatically be assumed to be completely free of travel requirements.

How are state recognition and accreditation regulated?

Euro-FH is a private, state-recognised University of Applied Sciences. State recognition was granted by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.

The university is also institutionally accredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities.

System accreditation since 2024

Euro-FH received system accreditation from the German Accreditation Council without conditions in March 2024.

This means that the university's internal quality-assurance system has itself been formally reviewed and accredited. Euro-FH can assess its degree programmes within this approved internal system and award the German Accreditation Council's quality seal when the programme meets the applicable requirements.

System accreditation does not mean that degree programmes are exempt from quality assurance. It changes the mechanism from exclusively external programme-by-programme accreditation to a reviewed institutional quality-assurance system.

What is the role of the ZFU?

Euro-FH's distance-learning programmes are also approved by the German State Central Agency for Distance Learning, known as the ZFU.

ZFU approval serves a different purpose from higher-education accreditation. It assesses distance-learning provision with a particular focus on issues such as consumer protection, contractual conditions, student information and the suitability of the distance-learning concept.

For the academic status of a university degree, the state recognition of the institution and the higher-education accreditation framework remain the more relevant factors.

Can students complete a doctorate at Euro-FH?

Euro-FH does not have independent doctoral degree-awarding powers. It therefore cannot itself award a doctorate.

An appropriate accredited master's degree from Euro-FH can nevertheless provide the academic qualification required to apply for doctoral study at a university or another institution with doctoral degree-awarding powers.

Admission is decided by the receiving institution under its own doctoral regulations. Factors such as academic subject, grades, research proposal and supervision can all be relevant.

Four-week trial period

Students can test Euro-FH for four weeks.

During this period, they are already enrolled and receive access to regular introductory study materials, the Online Campus, student support and digital learning resources.

If the programme is terminated within the trial period under the applicable conditions, no tuition fees are charged. If the student continues, the four weeks form part of the regular study period.

The trial period is useful for testing the university's study model rather than only the academic content:

• Can you work effectively through self-directed study?
• Do the materials match your learning style?
• Does the Online Campus work well for you?
• Can you realistically reserve the required weekly study time?

KILEA: AI-supported learning

Euro-FH provides an AI-based study companion called KILEA.

The system works with approved Euro-FH study materials and can answer questions about learning content or direct students to relevant sections of their resources.

KILEA can be useful for clarifying questions outside conventional support hours. It does not replace academic support from professors, lecturers or subject tutors.

The individual rules governing permitted AI use remain decisive for examinations and academic assignments.

Is the degree realistic alongside full-time employment?

Euro-FH explicitly designs its Standard variant for part-time study alongside employment. A university degree nevertheless requires a substantial and consistent time commitment.

For the Standard variant, Euro-FH typically estimates around 15 to 20 hours per week. Sprint generally requires approximately 20 to 25 hours.

The actual workload varies. More intensive periods can occur during:

• examination preparation,
• academic and project papers,
• compulsory seminars,
• practical placements,
• group projects,
• the bachelor's or master's thesis.

Flexible examination scheduling mainly solves a scheduling problem. It does not reduce the academic workload of the degree.

What should you compare before enrolling?

At Euro-FH, it is worth comparing the details of the individual programme rather than relying only on the general university model. The overall structure is highly flexible, but individual degrees can contain additional requirements.

Frequently asked questions about Euro-FH