Private Universities in Thuringia: IU Erfurt and Medicine at HMU

All private universities at a glance

We have a total of 2 private universities listed in our database.

IU International University of Applied Sciences

UAS · Private

• Erfurt, Thuringia
• 100000 Students
• Tourism and Event, Business Informatics, Legal Sciences, Business Administration, Finance, Health Management, Real Estate Management, Logistics, Marketing, Human Resources, Nursing Science, Social Wor…
• Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science, Master of Laws, Master of Engineering
• 185 Degree programs in the directory

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Health and Medical University Erfurt (HMU)

University · Private

• Erfurt, Thüringen

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Which private universities are based in Thuringia?

Two – and both are located in Erfurt. IU dominates by size and programme range, the HMU brings new private medical studies to the state.

• IU International University of Applied Sciences (Erfurt): Over 100,000 students, broad programme spectrum. Germany's largest private university, founded 1998, headquartered in Erfurt. Two study formats: distance learning (fully online, flexible scheduling, from €13,975) and dual study (€0, employer-funded). Subject areas: business, IT, psychology, social work, marketing, data science, health management, education, design, engineering and more. Study locations in around 25 German cities, but most students use distance learning. Despite its size, IU emphasises individual support via personal study coaches and an AI-supported learning platform. Costs: €0–19,851.
• HMU – Health and Medical University Erfurt (Erfurt): New institution, state-recognised. Human medicine with state examination (NC-free, €90,000 in 60 monthly instalments of €1,500) in partnership with Helios Hospital Erfurt – preclinical phase at the HMU campus, clinical training at Helios. Also offered: psychology B.Sc. (€28,620), psychotherapy M.Sc. (€23,880, approbation-qualifying), biomedical sciences (€22,500), physician assistant (€21,600), medical education (€14,850–18,900) and health management with focus on medical controlling (€21,240). Dentistry is in development. Costs: €14,850–90,000.

Where to study privately in Thuringia? Erfurt and Gera

Thuringia's private higher education is split across two locations: Erfurt as the headquarters city for IU and HMU, and Gera as the established SRH campus for health professions. Gera also hosts the public Duale Hochschule Gera-Eisenach (DHGE) – not private, but a relevant public alternative for dual study.

Erfurt – headquarters of IU and HMU

In Erfurt, the IU legal headquarters (Juri-Gagarin-Ring) and the HMU Science and Health Campus are located, the latter with clinical access at Helios Hospital. WG rooms cost €280–380 per month – significantly cheaper than Berlin, Leipzig or Frankfurt. The city combines a historic old town with the public University of Erfurt and FH Erfurt; Helios Hospital is one of Thuringia's largest medical centres.

Gera – established SRH campus for health professions, psychology and medical pedagogy

Gera, with approximately 93,000 inhabitants, is Thuringia's third-largest city – and one of the most important private university locations in eastern Germany for health and social professions. The SRH Hochschule für Gesundheit was founded in Gera in 2006 and received state accreditation from the Free State of Thuringia in the spring of 2007. Over nearly two decades, it has established itself as a specialized provider of programs in therapy professions, nursing, social work, and health psychology.

On 1 October 2024, the institution was integrated into the newly formed SRH University of Applied Sciences headquartered in Heidelberg as part of an SRH-wide merger. The existing study programs will continue at the Gera campus as part of a School of SRH University – without interruption for students, with the same program portfolio and the same teaching staff on site. The main areas of focus at the Gera location are nursing, psychology, medical pedagogy, and health management. The programs are designed for high school graduates as well as professionals in the health and social services sectors.

WG rooms in Gera cost €250–320 per month – even cheaper than Erfurt. The local job market is shaped by hospitals and care providers, regional SMEs and Gera's heritage as an eastern Thuringian economic hub. For health or social-work studies as classical campus-based programmes at a private university, Gera offers more than 15 years of established history.

What can you study privately in Thuringia?

The programme range is dominated by IU, which covers nearly every academic field. HMU adds medicine, psychology and health as campus-based programmes in Erfurt.

IU distance learning – Germany's largest online offering

IU offers distance learning fully online, with no attendance requirements and flexible scheduling. The range covers business, IT, psychology and marketing as well as data science, social work, health management, education, tourism, business law and civil engineering. Shortened programmes for experienced professionals start at €7,182. Standard bachelor programmes range from €13,975 to €15,063 in total. Exams are taken online or at IU test centres. Over 40 programmes are available in English – primarily in business, IT, data science and management.

IU dual study – the private alternative to DHGE

Dual study has a long tradition in Thuringia – the public Duale Hochschule Gera-Eisenach (DHGE) is the established provider. IU is the private alternative: dual study at €0 tuition – the partner company covers the fees and pays a salary. At IU you study at your preferred location (Erfurt or one of the around 25 IU cities) with lectures partly on-site, partly online. Which dual programmes are available at which location is shown on the IU website per city – availability changes regularly with the partner network. Most dual programmes are taught in German; the English-taught dual portfolio is limited.

Application: you apply directly at IU and search for a partner company in parallel – IU actively supports through its network of employers. Theory and practice alternate in either block or weekly models, depending on the programme.

IU dual vs. DHGE: IU has a much larger nationwide footprint and is not limited to Gera or Eisenach – more flexible in terms of location and employer. DHGE is public, tuition-free, and has a classic block model with established partner companies in Thuringia. If you're rooted in Gera or Eisenach, DHGE is a strong fit. If you want flexibility in location and partner choice, IU is the better option.

HMU – medicine, psychology and health on campus

HMU is Thuringia's only option for private medical studies. Human medicine with state examination (€90,000, NC-free) in partnership with Helios Hospital Erfurt: the preclinical phase takes place at the HMU campus, clinical training at Helios. Also offered: psychology B.Sc. (€28,620), psychotherapy M.Sc. (€23,880, approbation-qualifying), biomedical sciences (€22,500), physician assistant (€21,600), medical education and health management with medical controlling focus. Dentistry is in development – HMU confirms launch dates and conditions on its website. HMU programmes are taught in German (B2/C1 level required).

SRH Gera – health and social work as campus-based study

At the SRH Campus Gera you will find what IU and HMU do not cover: health professions and advanced health studies as classic on-campus studies. Since the 2024 merger, the location operates as part of the SRH University of Applied Sciences headquartered in Heidelberg. The Gera program portfolio includes nursing, nursing/social management, psychology, and medical pedagogy – Bachelor's and Master's degrees, some of which are dual programs with practical partners from hospitals and social service institutions. You can find the current program overview and conditions on the SRH University vendor profile.

What is not available privately in Thuringia

Law with state examination, classical engineering (mechanical, electrical) as campus study and art are not offered at Thuringian private universities. IU provides civil engineering and industrial engineering as distance or dual study. For law, the EBS Oestrich-Winkel in Hesse or BSP Berlin in Berlin are the closest private alternatives.

How much does it cost to study privately in Thuringia?

Tuition ranges from €0 (IU dual study) to €90,000 (HMU human medicine). Most IU distance programmes cost between €13,975 and €15,063 in total.

Both universities are state-recognised. For comparison: public Thuringian universities (University of Erfurt, FH Erfurt, TU Ilmenau, Friedrich Schiller University Jena) charge no tuition – only a semester fee of around €250. IU is accredited by FIBAA and ZFU – with over 100,000 students the most chosen private university in Germany. International cost comparison: IU's distance programmes (€13,975–15,063 total) cost less than a single semester at most UK or US universities.

Funding and scholarships

• BAföG: Available at both universities for German citizens and EU residents. Maximum: €992 per month (2024/25). Covers living costs, not tuition.
• Deutschlandstipendium: €300 per month, merit-based, income-independent. Both universities participate. Open to international students.
• IU dual study (€0 tuition): The partner company pays all tuition. Students additionally receive a salary, typically €800–1,500 per month.
• IU scholarships: IU awards its own scholarships for academic merit, students from non-academic backgrounds and life situations such as single parents. Reductions of up to 80 percent are possible.
• IU time models: Choose between full-time, part-time and flexible models. Longer study durations reduce monthly fees while keeping the total fixed.
• HMU human medicine: €90,000 in 60 monthly instalments of €1,500. No full scholarship known, but combinable with BAföG and KfW student loan.
• DAAD scholarships: The German Academic Exchange Service offers funding specifically for international students at private universities.
• KfW student loan: Up to €650 per month at around 2 percent interest. Available to EU citizens and certain residence-permit holders.

Erfurt as a study location

Erfurt is the capital of Thuringia with around 214,000 inhabitants – compact, affordable and home to one of Germany's most beautiful medieval old towns. Cathedral, Krämerbrücke and Petersberg shape the cityscape.

• Living costs: WG rooms €280–380 per month – significantly cheaper than Leipzig, Dresden or Berlin. Student housing from €200.
• IU Erfurt campus: Headquarters and dual-study location. Most IU distance students have no physical connection to Erfurt.
• HMU campus: Science and Health Campus with clinical link to Helios Hospital Erfurt – one of Thuringia's largest hospitals.
• Job market: Public administration (state capital), media (MDR, KiKA), logistics, healthcare. Smaller than Leipzig or Dresden – but Berlin (2 hours), Leipzig (1 hour) and Frankfurt (2.5 hours) are reachable by train.
• Student life: Compact and manageable. University of Erfurt and FH Erfurt bring around 12,000 public-university students; IU and HMU students complement the mix. Lively pub and cultural scene, many student initiatives.

Are the degrees recognised? Accreditation and transferability

Both Thuringian private universities are state-recognised (staatlich anerkannt). IU is a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences), HMU holds full university status with the right to award the state examination in medicine. Bachelor's and master's degrees are legally equivalent to those from the University of Erfurt, TU Ilmenau or Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

Programme accreditation is handled by certified agencies (FIBAA, ACQUIN, AHPGS). IU is additionally certified by the ZFU (Federal Office for Distance Learning) – mandatory for distance-learning providers in Germany. Transferring to a public university is possible under the Bologna framework; ECTS credits are recognised provided the curriculum aligns. International recognition of German bachelor's and master's degrees is secured via the Bologna system.

Studying in English in Thuringia

The English offering in Thuringia comes exclusively from IU. HMU teaches entirely in German (B2/C1 level required). IU has the broadest English-taught portfolio of any private university in Germany.

• IU English-taught programmes: Over 40 bachelor and master programmes in English – the largest English offering among Germany's private universities. Focus areas: business, IT, data science, marketing, international management. Not all distance-learning programmes are available in English – the English-taught range is a clearly defined part of the overall portfolio.
• Format: English-taught programmes are primarily delivered as distance learning via the virtual campus. International students can complete IU programmes entirely online from abroad – no German student visa is required for pure distance learning from outside Germany.
• Language requirements: English-taught programmes typically require IELTS 6.0+ or TOEFL 80+. IU also accepts its own internal language tests.
• Visa and blocked account: If you come to Germany for dual study or on-campus studies, non-EU students need a student visa and a blocked account of at least €11,904 per year. Health insurance is mandatory at around €110 per month.
• Application timing: IU has multiple intake dates per year (most months). Visa processing for on-site study takes 8 to 12 weeks – plan accordingly.

 Tip: At many institutions, you can request prospects and information materials and in some cases download them immediately. The brochures contain all the information on study content, costs, financing and funding opportunities.

IU Internationale Hochschule

Bachelor and master programmes via distance learning or dual study – in German and over 40 English-taught variants

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Frequently asked questions about private universities in Thuringia