Hotel Management and Hospitality Courses in Germany for International Students
Several universities in Germany offer courses in hotel management and hospitality. They provide both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. The DAAD’s International Program in Germany database enlists 18 English-taught study programs in hotel management and hospitality. Of these, 10 are at the bachelor’s level and eight are at the master’s level. As an international student, you have a choice to study these courses either at a public or private university in Germany.
Public universities in Germany are renowned for their reasonable tuition. Whereas private institutions are well known for providing the best mix of academic and practical training. They offer extensive mobility, internships, and study abroad programs for their students. Such globalization is vital to making a career in hospitality and hotel management. Thus, many international students prefer private universities to pursue hotel management/hospitality degrees.
The below section covers information about hotel management and hospitality courses in Germany.
Overview
| Bachelor’s degree type | Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
| Duration of bachelor’s degree | 3 to 4 years |
| Annual fees in Euros | 500 to 3000 (public universities), 7,080 to 13,860 (private universities) |
| Master’s degree type | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
| Duration of master’s degree | 1.5 to 2 years |
| Annual fees in Euros | 500 to 3000 (public universities), 3,000 to 9,540 (private universities) |
Popular German universities for bachelor’s courses in Hotel Management and Hospitality
German universities grant bachelor’s degrees in hotel management and hospitality as Bachelor of Arts or B.A. degrees.
| University Name | Degree Offered | Duration | Tuition Fees Euros*/year | Tuition Fees USD*/year |
| University of Europe for Applied Sciences | Hotel Management Dual | 3 years | 12,100 | 12,058 |
| SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences | International Hotel Management | 3.5 years | 7,080 | 7,037 |
| University of Applied Sciences Fresenius | Tourism, Hotel and Event Management | 3 years | 9,900 | 9,840 |
| Technische Hochschule Deggendorf | International Tourism Management / Health & Medical Tourism | 3.5 years | 124 (no tuition fees, only student union fees) | 123 |
| Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences | Cruise Tourism Management | 4 years | 750 (semester fee) | 748 |
| CBS International Business School – University of Applied Sciences | International Tourism Management | 3 years | 13,860 | 13,775 |
| University of Stralsund | Leisure and Tourism Management | 4 years | No tuition fees (2,100, repayable TDS) | 2,087 |
Popular German universities for master’s courses in Hotel Management and Hospitality
The master’s degrees in hotel management and hospitality are offered as Master of Arts or M.A. degrees or MBAs.
| University Name | Degree Offered | Duration | Tuition Fees Euros*/year | Tuition Fees USD*/year |
| SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences | Hospitality Management and Leadership | 2 years | 8,160 | 8,110 |
| University of Applied Sciences Fresenius | International Tourism & Event Management | 2 years | 9,540 | 9,482 |
| University of Applied Sciences Bremen | Master in International Tourism Management | 2 years | 6,750 | 6,709 |
| Business Economics and Environment University, Nürtingen-Geislingen | International Tourism Management WAF (MBA) | 2 years | 5,400 | 5,367 |
| Heilbronn University | International Tourism Management | 1.5 years | 3,000 | 2,982 |
| CBS International Business School – University of Applied Sciences | Tourism & Sustainable Management | 2 years | 5,310 | 5,277 |
| University of Stralsund | Tourism Development Strategies | 1.5 years | No tuition fees (2,100, repayable TDS) | 2,087 |
| Technische Hochschule Deggendorf | International Tourism Development | 1.5 years | 124 (no tuition fees, only student union fees) | 123 |
Living costs in Germany
The average cost of living in Germany is 867 Euros per month. However, if you live frugally, you can significantly lower your cost of living in Germany. To cut costs, you can live in shared accommodation, eat at the university cafeteria, and take the bus or train. Additional costs could also include health insurance, utilities, and semester fees. The contributions from semester fees go to student support services (Studentenwerk) and the student unions (AStA).
A list of gross living expenses in Germany is provided below:
| Particulars | Cost in Euros/month | Cost in USD*/month |
| Rent | 290 to 500 | 288 to 497 |
| Food | 154 | 153 |
| Utilities | 32 | 31.7 |
| Transportation | 116 | 115 |
| Books and other college supplies | 24 | 23.8 |
| Semester fee | 16 to 58 | 15.9 to 57 |
| Health insurance | 96 | 95 |
| Personal expenses | 113 | 112 |
Thus, the average annual cost of living in Germany is around 10,272 Euros or 10,209 USD. Plus, scholarships might also help you pay for your German studies.
Scholarships: Hotel Management and Hospitality courses in Germany
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is the world’s largest funding organization. It supports over 100,000 German and international students and researchers. Graduate and doctoral students are the core audience for these scholarships. But, candidates for a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management are inadmissible. These students are, however, qualified for Deutschlandstipendium (Germany Scholarship Program). The scholarship is supported by the German government which receives funds from public and private sector sponsors. Students of all nationalities are eligible to apply for Deutschlandstipendium. To be eligible for the award, a student must be enrolled for the following semester and have good academic standing. They receive 300 Euros each month for a year or longer.
There are also some university-specific scholarships for bachelor’s students. International students at SRH can avail the SRH Berlin Scholarships. It is a partial scholarship that covers 50% of your first-year tuition fees. Students who apply to management courses like the International Hotel Management are eligible to apply for the following scholarships:
- Performance Scholarship
- Entrepreneurship Scholarship
- Women for Leadership Scholarship
Similarly, the University of Europe for Applied Sciences offers a cultural diversity scholarship for all its students. The scholarship amounts to a 50% reduction in tuition in your first year.
Students also receive financial aid for internships or to study a semester abroad.
Admission requirements for Hotel Management and Hospitality courses in Germany
Admission requirements for a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and Hospitality
- High school diploma or German university entrance qualification (Arbitur)
- Motivational letter
- Passport
- Proof of English language proficiency (IELTS minimum 6.0; TOEFL iBT minimum 80)
- Funding for tuition and living expenses
If your high school diploma does not qualify you to apply directly to a German university, then you can apply for a Studienkolleg. Upon completion of the course, you will be allowed to sit for Feststellungsprüfung” (FSP), a university entrance exam. After passing, you can apply to the university of your choice.
Admission requirements for a master’s degree in Hotel Management and Hospitality
- Bachelor’s degree in the relevant subject (most German universities prefer a GPA of 2.5 and above)
- English (IELTS minimum 6.0; TOEFL iBT minimum 80)
- Passport
- Resume
- Professional experience (MBA degrees)
- Funding for tuition and living expenses
German universities also accept scores of TOEIC, Cambridge Certificate, PTE for English proficiency.
Interested students can apply to German universities via Uni Assist. It charges a processing fee of 75 Euros for one university and 30 Euros for any additional university. You can also apply via Gyanberry.
Career scope: Hotel Management and Hospitality graduates in Germany
Activities related to hotel management, catering, and tourism fall under hospitality. So a degree in hotel management and hospitality can fetch you a job in any of the sectors mentioned.
- Travel and hotel management
- Airlines
- Consulting in the tourism industry
- Business development tourism industry
- Purchasing/sales tourism industry
- Restaurant management
- IT tourism industry
- Event management
- Hotel development and project management
A hotel management degree, in particular, will prepare you for an exciting career in the global hotel industry. You can be hired as a manager of hotels, restaurants, catering, events, conference centers, etc. In Germany, hotel managers typically make 75,600 Euros per year (SalaryExplorer). A master’s degree in hotel management and hospitality would be helpful for top management jobs, such as CEO, CFO, and COO.
A german degree in hotel management and hospitality is recognized worldwide and is employable around the world. Many private universities like SRH offer career advisory services for international students. These include career training workshops, job fairs, and consultation services.
Since tourism is growing at an accelerated pace, job opportunities in hotel management and hospitality fields would be abundant in the future.
*Note: The tuition fees and other costs are converted based on the current exchange rate, i.e., 1 Euro = 0.99 USD. Exchange rates can fluctuate from time to time.
