- Physician Assistance in three stages: a full-time bachelor's with 240 ECTS, a part-time bachelor's for health professionals and a master's degree.
- State-recognized degrees: all programs legally belong to Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, state-recognized since 1971 and institutionally accredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities.
- No grade-based admission: applicants are selected through documents and a personal interview, not a numerus clausus.
- Credit for prior training: a completed health qualification replaces four semesters of the part-time Physician Assistance bachelor's.
- Taught in German: there is no English-language program, so strong German skills are essential.
What is Carl Remigius Medical School known for?
Carl Remigius Medical School (CRMS) is not an independent university but the health sciences brand of Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. Its programs legally belong to the university's School of Health & Social Sciences, headquartered in Idstein, Hesse. Fresenius has been state-recognized since 1971 and was re-accredited as an institution by the German Council of Science and Humanities in 2021. The degree certificate is therefore issued by a state-recognized university.
The brand is named after the chemist Carl Remigius Fresenius (1818–1897), who founded a teaching laboratory in Wiesbaden in 1848 – the origin of today's university. The legal operator is Hochschulen Fresenius gemeinnützige Trägergesellschaft mbH, a non-profit company.
CRMS focuses on three fields: training Physician Assistants, qualifying teachers for nursing and health professions, and specialized master's degrees for experienced health professionals, for example in pediatrics or naturopathy. Almost all programs are part-time and designed for people already working in German healthcare. The exception is the full-time Physician Assistance bachelor's.
Programs in civil protection and crisis management, such as Hybrid Hazard Mitigation, are no longer run by CRMS. Fresenius now offers them through its Center for Hazard Prevention and Crisis Management; they are listed on the profile of Fresenius University of Applied Sciences.
Which programs at Carl Remigius Medical School are actually taught in English?
None. While Carl Remigius Medical School has an English-language profile page, all of its bachelor's and master's programs are taught in German. This includes the full-time Physician Assistance bachelor's, where clinical placements in German hospitals require confident communication with patients and medical teams.
CRMS does not publish a fixed German certificate level. For German-taught degrees, universities typically expect DSH-2 or TestDaF level 4, roughly equivalent to C1. Applicants should confirm the exact requirement with the admissions team before applying. Programs with English as the language of instruction are listed among the English-taught bachelor's programs.
Can international students apply to Carl Remigius Medical School?
Yes, but three hurdles apply. International applicants need advanced German, a school-leaving certificate recognized as equivalent to the German university entrance qualification and, for the part-time programs, a health qualification recognized in Germany. A student visa is realistic mainly for the full-time Physician Assistance bachelor's.
- School certificate: equivalence with the German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung must be proven. The anabin database shows how a foreign certificate is rated; some applicants first need a preparatory course (Studienkolleg).
- Health qualification: the part-time bachelor's requires a completed training in a regulated health profession with a license to practice. Foreign nurses or paramedics usually need formal recognition of that qualification in Germany first.
- Student visa: non-EU applicants apply for a student visa and prove funds, usually via a blocked account of €11,904 per year (2026). A residence permit for study generally requires a full-time program, so the part-time degrees are designed for people who already live and work in Germany.
- Timing: visa appointments can take several months. Applying three to four months before the winter semester starts is the minimum.
What does it really cost to study at Carl Remigius Medical School in Germany?
Tuition at CRMS ranges from €399 to €625 per month, plus a one-time registration fee. The full-time Physician Assistance bachelor's costs €625 per month over eight semesters, or €30,000 in total. Unlike public universities in Germany, which charge only a semester fee, private universities receive no state funding for teaching.
| Cost item | Typical amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition, Physician Assistance (full-time) | €625 per month | eight semesters, €30,000 total |
| Tuition, part-time bachelor's and master's | €399–575 per month | three to six semesters |
| Living costs (visa benchmark) | €992 per month | blocked account requirement 2026 |
| Health insurance | approx. €140 per month | statutory student rate, depends on age and insurer |
Rent is the largest variable. Munich, Frankfurt and Hamburg are among the most expensive cities in Germany; Leipzig and Braunschweig are noticeably cheaper. Non-EU students may work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year alongside their studies. The German federal student aid (BAföG) is generally not available to non-EU citizens without long-term residence.
Compared with tuition at UK or US universities, €30,000 for an eight-semester bachelor's is moderate. Compared with public German universities, however, a private degree is a significant investment. The medicine and Physician Assistance comparison shows alternatives from other providers.
Is Carl Remigius Medical School recognized internationally?
The degrees are state-recognized German bachelor's and master's degrees awarded by Fresenius University of Applied Sciences. The university holds institutional accreditation from the German Council of Science and Humanities and system accreditation from the German Accreditation Council. Credits follow the European ECTS system, which makes them transferable within Europe.
The profession is a different matter. In Germany, Physician Assistants work under medical delegation; there is no federal law regulating the profession. Outside Germany, a German Physician Assistance degree does not automatically qualify graduates to work as a PA. The United States and the United Kingdom regulate the profession with their own accreditation, exams and registration. Anyone planning an international career should check the target country's rules before enrolling.
Recognition of the degree abroad is decided by the relevant authority in each country, usually the national ENIC-NARIC center. The Diploma Supplement issued with the degree describes the program in English and helps with this assessment.
Where is Carl Remigius Medical School located in Germany?
CRMS teaches at around ten locations, using campuses of Fresenius University and the Ludwig Fresenius Schools. Not every program is offered everywhere. Physician Assistance is the most widely available; the master's degrees are concentrated at single sites.
- Idstein – small university town near Wiesbaden and Frankfurt, headquarters of Fresenius; naturopathy master's and medical education bachelor's
- Frankfurt – Germany's financial center with an international airport hub; Physician Assistance and medical education
- Hamburg – port city with a large healthcare sector; Physician Assistance and medical education
- Munich – Bavarian capital, one of the most expensive cities for students; Physician Assistance
- Cologne – Physician Assistance and the master's in pediatrics
- Düsseldorf, Brunswick and Heidelberg – Physician Assistance bachelor's
- Leipzig – medical education bachelor's; lower living costs than western metropolitan areas
- Hanover – site at the Ludwig Fresenius Schools
In the large cities, everyday life without German is possible; on campus and in hospitals it is not. More private universities in the region are listed under universities in Hesse.
How does the application process work at Carl Remigius Medical School?
Applications are possible all year round; most programs start in the winter semester in October. The process has three steps: an online form with document upload, a review followed by a phone interview, and admission with a study contract. After admission, the place is reserved for 14 days, during which the signed contract must be returned.
Additional steps for international applicants
Applicants from abroad should plan in reverse from the semester start: first have the school certificate assessed and, if needed, the health qualification recognized, then apply to CRMS, then apply for the visa with the admission letter. For the part-time Physician Assistance bachelor's, CRMS additionally reviews the prior training in an individual credit-transfer procedure, which takes time.
Master's entry requirements
The Physician Assistant master's requires a PA bachelor's with 240 credits and English at B1 level. The master's in interprofessional pediatric care and the naturopathy master's require a health or therapy bachelor's with 210 credits; the naturopathy program also asks for one year of clinical work after graduation.
Career prospects: Can I work in Germany after graduating?
Non-EU graduates of a German university can apply for a residence permit of up to 18 months to look for a job. Once they have a qualified job offer, they can switch to a work permit or an EU Blue Card. Demand exists: German hospitals increasingly employ Physician Assistants to relieve physicians of delegable tasks such as patient intake, documentation and surgical assistance.
Two limits matter. First, German is the working language in almost every clinical setting. Second, Physician Assistants do not receive a medical license; the German Medical Association defines their work as delegated tasks under physician supervision. Graduates of the medical and nursing education program teach mainly at German vocational schools and training centers, where state rules on teaching qualifications apply.
For whom is Carl Remigius Medical School the right choice – and for whom not?
CRMS suits people who speak German fluently and want to work in German healthcare, either as Physician Assistants or as experienced professionals seeking a specialized master's. It does not suit applicants looking for an English-taught degree, a medical license or a fully online program.
Carl Remigius Medical School is the right choice if you …
- … speak German at C1 level and plan to build a career in Germany.
- … want to work close to physicians without studying medicine and without a grade-based admission.
- … already hold a health qualification recognized in Germany and want to study alongside your job.
- … want to teach nursing or health professions at German schools and training centers.
Less ideal if you …
- … need an English-taught program: there is none.
- … want to become a physician: Physician Assistants work under delegation and do not receive a medical license.
- … plan to work as a PA in the US or UK: both countries require their own accredited training and exams.
- … need a student visa for a part-time program: part-time study generally does not qualify.
- … are looking for a distance-learning degree: all programs include on-site phases.
Frequently asked questions about Carl Remigius Medical School
It is private, and technically not a university of its own. CRMS is a brand of Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, a private, state-recognized university. Students pay tuition, and the degrees are awarded by Fresenius.
Yes. All programs are taught in German, including exams and clinical placements. German at around C1 level is realistic as a minimum; the admissions team confirms the exact requirement.
Physician Assistants take over delegable medical tasks such as patient intake, examinations and surgical assistance, always under physician supervision. They do not diagnose or treat independently and do not receive a medical license (Approbation).
For the full-time Physician Assistance bachelor’s, yes, provided you meet the language, school-certificate and financial requirements. The part-time programs are designed for people who already live and work in Germany and generally do not qualify for a student residence permit.
Hybrid Hazard Mitigation (B.Sc.), Crisis and Emergency Management (M.Sc.) and Tactical Emergency Medicine (M.Sc.) are now offered by Fresenius University through its Center for Hazard Prevention and Crisis Management. They are listed on the Fresenius University profile. These programs are also taught in German.
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Here is what you need to know about the Carl Remigius Medical School:
The Carl Remigius Medical School operates under Hochschule Fresenius and follows the Hessian Higher Education Act. As an international applicant, you will need to demonstrate that your foreign qualifications are equivalent to a German university entrance qualification. Your BSc in Public Health should generally qualify you for Master's programs, though equivalency is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
There is no Numerus Clausus, meaning admission is not based on grades alone. Instead, the school conducts interviews or assessment days. You can apply online at any time since there are no fixed deadlines.
Important note: Most programs at Carl Remigius Medical School are taught in German. You will likely need to prove German language proficiency through certificates such as DSH-2, Goethe Certificate C2, or equivalent. If your German is limited, this could be a significant barrier, and you may want to consider preparatory language courses first or look into English-taught alternatives elsewhere in Germany.
Carl Remigius Medical School is a private institution, so tuition fees apply. Depending on the program, you can expect to pay several hundred euros per month. This is considerably higher than public German universities, which typically charge only a semester fee of around 300 euros. Make sure to factor this into your financial planning, especially as international students from non-EU countries may face restrictions on working hours.
Advantages include small class sizes, a practical orientation with internship phases, and programs specifically designed for the healthcare sector. The application process is flexible and personalized.
However, as an independent perspective, I would also encourage you to explore other options. Public universities in Germany offer health-related Master's programs with much lower costs. Some institutions offer English-taught programs in Public Health or Health Management, which might be more accessible given your current residence in Hungary.
Before committing, I suggest you contact Carl Remigius Medical School directly to clarify language requirements and have your qualifications assessed:
Phone: +49 6126 55036-49
Email: beratung@carl-remigius.de
I hope this helps you make an informed decision. Feel free to reach out if you have further questions.