Private Universities in Saxony: HHL Leipzig, DIU Dresden and FH Dresden

Three universities in Germany's most affordable major cities – from an elite business school to health sciences and media design.
 · Last updated 23.04.2026

Saxony (Sachsen) has three private universities, all located in Leipzig or Dresden – two of Germany's most affordable major cities. HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management is one of Europe's oldest business schools (founded 1898) and the first private German institution to receive AACSB accreditation. Dresden International University (DIU) is a subsidiary of TU Dresden and specialises in health, medicine, technology and law. FH Dresden adds nursing, social pedagogy and media design.

Campus providers bring additional fields to both cities: IU, SRH and Macromedia offer psychology, business and design in Leipzig and Dresden. Most programmes at Saxony's HQ institutions are taught in German, but DIU and HHL have significant English-taught offerings.

All private universities at a glance

We have a total of 3 private universities listed in our database.

University · Private

  • Dresden, Saxony
  • 1283 Students
  • Communication Sciences, Medicine, Health Management, Physiotherapy, Logistics, Engineering Management, Electrical Engineering
  • Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Science
  • 14 Degree programs in the directory
More Info  

University · Private

  • Leipzig, Saxony
  • 800 Students
  • General Management, MBA, Entrepreneurship, Finance
  • Master of Science, Master of Business Administration
  • 6 Degree programs in the directory
More Info  

UAS · Private

  • Dresden, Saxony
  • 593 Students
  • Media Design, Media Informatics, Health Management, Social Management, Tourism and Event, Pedagogy, Business Administration, General Management, Media Management
  • Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts
  • 11 Degree programs in the directory
More Info  

Which private universities are based in Saxony?

Three private universities have their headquarters in Saxony – a compact field with clear profiles: elite management in Leipzig, health and technology in Dresden.

  • HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management (Leipzig): Around 800 students, 6 programmes. One of Europe's oldest business schools (founded 1898). First private German institution with AACSB accreditation. Master in Management (€32,000) and MBA (€39,500), both available full-time and part-time. English-taught. Strong startup network – Leipzig has one of eastern Germany's most dynamic startup ecosystems. Costs: €32,000–39,500.
  • Dresden International University (DIU) (Dresden): Around 1,283 students, 23 programmes. Subsidiary of TU Dresden (via TUDAG) – access to TU infrastructure (labs, libraries, faculty). Focus: physiotherapy (from €12,720), osteopathy (from €5,976), chiropractic, health management, medical law, logistics, technology management, hydrogen technology. Mix of full-time and part-time. Costs: €5,976–51,168.
  • FH Dresden – University of Applied Sciences (Dresden): Around 593 students, 11 programmes. Nursing and health management, social pedagogy, tourism & events, graphic design, digital media design &  management. Costs: €17,820–24,780.

What can you study privately in Saxony?

Saxony's HQ institutions cover management (HHL), health/technology (DIU) and nursing/media (FH Dresden). About half of all programmes are part-time – ideal for working professionals.

  • Management and MBA: HHL offers Master in Management (€32,000) and MBA (€39,500) – both full-time and part-time, English-taught, AACSB-accredited. HHL graduates are placed at McKinsey, BCG, Goldman Sachs and in Leipzig's startup ecosystem.
  • Health, medicine and nursing: DIU dominates with physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic, palliative care, clinical research, health management. FH Dresden adds nursing management and social pedagogy. No medical degree with state examination (Staatsexamen) available.
  • Media, design and technology: FH Dresden offers graphic design, digital media design and management. DIU adds logistics, technology management, industrial management in microelectronics and hydrogen technology – fitting Dresden's Silicon Saxony cluster (Infineon, Globalfoundries, Bosch).
  • Not available: No medicine (Staatsexamen), psychology, computer science, law or engineering at HQ institutions. Campus providers (IU, SRH, Macromedia) add psychology, business and design in both cities.
Programmes in Saxony (selection, sorted by total cost)
CourseUniversityFees

On-campus program		from 5976 € total
from 498 € monthly

Dual studies		from 12720 € total
from 265 € monthly

On-campus program		from 18000 € total
from 500 € monthly

On-campus program		from 20160 € total
from 560 € monthly

On-campus program		from 21240 € total
from 590 € monthly

On-campus program		from 32000 € total
from 1334 € monthly

How much does it cost to study at a private university in Saxony?

Tuition ranges from €5,976 (DIU osteopathy bachelor) to €51,168 (DIU chiropractic master). Most programmes cost between €10,000 and €25,000.

  • €5,976–13,000: DIU Osteopathy Bachelor (€5,976). DIU Emergency Paramedic (€9,600). DIU midwifery (€9,900). DIU Health Management (€10,260). DIU Physiotherapy (€12,720).
  • €16,000–25,000: DIU logistics/technology (€16,500–19,800). FH Dresden Nursing and Health Care Management (€21,240). FH Dresden Social Pedagogy (€20,160). FH Dresden Design (€24,780).
  • From €25,000 (elite and specialist): DIU periodontics (€25,000). HHL Master in Management (€32,000). HHL MBA (€39,500). DIU Chiropractic Master (€51,168).

All three universities are state-recognised. Public universities in Saxony are tuition-free (semester fee ~€260 only). The major advantage: Leipzig and Dresden have among the lowest living costs of all German major cities – WG rooms from €280, up to 50% cheaper than Munich or Frankfurt.

International cost comparison: HHL's Master in Management at €32,000 total costs less than a single year at most UK or US business schools. Even DIU's specialist programmes are a fraction of comparable US tuition.

Saxony for international students

Leipzig and Dresden are affordable, culturally vibrant cities with growing international communities. The private higher education offering is smaller than in Berlin or Munich, but HHL is internationally competitive.

  • English-taught options: HHL is fully English-taught (MBA, MiM). DIU has several genuinely English-taught programmes – notably Logistics Management International, Clinical Research, Health Care Management, Industrial Management in Microelectronics and Supply Chain Management. Other DIU programmes (physiotherapy, osteopathy, chiropractic) are taught in German despite having English-language course descriptions. FH Dresden programmes are primarily taught in German. For international students, HHL and the English-taught DIU programmes are the strongest options.
  • Living costs: Leipzig: WG rooms €300–400/month. Dresden: €280–380. Both are among Germany's cheapest major cities – up to 50% less than Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg.
  • Job market: Leipzig: automotive (BMW, Porsche), logistics (DHL hub), media (MDR), startups. Dresden: semiconductors (Silicon Saxony – Infineon, Globalfoundries, Bosch), research (Fraunhofer, Max Planck). Student jobs available, particularly in IT and manufacturing.
  • Visa and entry requirements: EU/EEA citizens enrol freely. Non-EU students need a student visa. Blocked account (Sperrkonto): at least €11,904/year. Health insurance mandatory (~€110/month).
  • What is a Fachhochschule? FH Dresden is a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences). HHL and DIU hold university status. All degrees are fully equivalent under the Bologna system and recognised across the EU.

Funding and scholarships in Saxony

  • BAföG: Available at all three universities. Maximum: €992/month.
  • Deutschlandstipendium: €300/month, merit-based, income-independent.
  • HHL scholarships: Merit- and need-based scholarships. Diversity scholarships and corporate scholarships available. A significant share of students receives financial support.
  • DIU (part-time): Many DIU programmes target working professionals – costs may be tax-deductible as professional development or (partially) funded by employers.
  • KfW student loan: Up to €650/month at around 2% interest.

Frequently asked questions about private universities in Saxony

For careers in management consulting, finance or entrepreneurship, HHL is among Germany's best options. AACSB accreditation (first private German institution), English-taught programmes, a strong alumni network and Leipzig's startup ecosystem are compelling. The Master in Management (€32,000) is cheaper than comparable programmes at WHU (€37,200) or Frankfurt School (€35,500). For general business without an elite focus, much cheaper options exist (FOM from €9,480).

DIU is a subsidiary of TU Dresden, owned through TUDAG (TU Dresden Corporation). It uses TU infrastructure (labs, libraries, faculty) and offers programmes that the public TU cannot provide – primarily part-time continuing education in health, medicine, technology and law. Despite the TU connection, DIU is a separately financed private institution with its own tuition fees.

Yes – Saxony is particularly strong for working professionals. DIU has 16 part-time programmes (health management, medical law, communication psychology, technology management). HHL offers part-time MBA and part-time Master in Management. FOM operates evening campuses in Leipzig and Dresden (from €9,480).

Both cities combine low living costs (WG rooms from €280–400) with strong job markets and vibrant cultural scenes. Leipzig has a dynamic startup ecosystem, BMW and Porsche plants, and a legendary nightlife scene (Karl-Liebknecht-Straße, Plagwitz). Dresden is Europe's largest semiconductor cluster (Silicon Saxony), with Fraunhofer and Max Planck institutes plus the Semperoper and Neustadt alternative scene. Both are up to 50% cheaper than Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg.

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