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Master in International Management (MSc)

Master in International Management (MSc)

Our MSc in International Management program provides you with the management and leadership skills you will need for your career in a multinational company. Our courses cover a broad range of topics in the key business administration fields and, additionally, focus on sustainability and digitalization. Thus, sharpen your entrepreneurial thinking (entrepreneurship) and sustainable actions in a global environment, and enhance your career prospects. The program targets your personal development and focuses on developing your leadership abilities. The teaching method includes both case- and project-based learning, excursions, business simulations, integrated internships, and regular interaction with industry professionals. Practical relevance is the program’s core.

German universities and our educational system are world class and recognized by employers around the globe. In Germany, you will be able to live freely: this is a safe country for all students. Germany has a strong economy and a stable job market. After successfully graduating from KLU you are legally entitled to work in Germany. You will also be allowed to stay in Germany for up to 18 months after graduation to find the ideal job. In the long run you may even become a German citizen. In addition to the benefits of Germany, the cosmopolitan city of Hamburg has been frequently voted as one of the most livable cities in the world, and offers a great work life balance for its residents.
 

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a recognized university or college1
  • Proof of English language proficiency: please have a look at our different options here

1The bachelor’s degree must comprise 180 ECTS for the standard track and cooperation track or 210 ECTS for the fast track and the part-time track.

We require a degree in business or economics, but will consider other analytical fields such as industrial engineering, business informatics, and mathematics if your bachelor's degree contains a sufficient number of courses in business (at least four). There are different ways to make up for missing business courses, please find an overview here. Foreign university degrees will be evaluated according to the guidelines of the German Council of Higher Education. 

Applicants for the fast track and for the part-time track must have done at least one academic term abroad during their previous university study. Equally possible to prove an internship abroad, which was officially part of the bachelor’s degree program.

You do not have your bachelor’s certificate yet? Just provide a transcript of records and you can submit the bachelor’s certificate at a later stage.

Application Deadlines

  • Start of application period: November 1
  • Recommended application deadline for international applicants: March 31 (more information)
  • Final Application deadline for international applicants: May 31 (more information)
  • Final Application deadline for European applicants: July 15

If you are a prospective student of either Bachelor’s or Master’s program and you have European citizenship and/or reside in Germany or an EU-EEA country, please contact study@klu.org. You may be still able to apply until July 15th, 2023 as well..

We recommend that you submit your application as early as possible. For fully completed applications received by January 15, you will be granted a 10% early-bird discount on your total amount of tuition fees. To be entitled for the discount you need to fully complete the online application form and submit it together with your transcript of records. More information can be found here

International (non-EU) applicants please note: The visa process takes up to two months, starting on the date of acceptance by KLU. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of other organizational matters to deal with when planning your study abroad. That is why we advise you to apply as soon as possible (see recommended international deadline).  For details on the application deadlines for international applicants please see our FAQ.

Admissions Process

We require an application fee of €50 for non-EU/EEA applicants. Your application will only be processed once we have received this. Please note that we offer application fee waivers for selected candidates. 

We will consider your application as soon as we have received all the required documents and will notify you of the board of admission's decision promptly (6-8 weeks).

Curriculum

Our Master in International Management program starts every September.

  Standard Track Fast Track Part-Time Track
Program ECTS 120 ECTS 90 ECTS 90 ECTS
ECTS for Admission 180 ECTS 210 ECTS 210 ECTS
Internship Mandatory Mandatory No
Semester Abroad 1 semester / free to choose3 No No
Curriculum Curriculum Curriculum Curriculum

3Students who have already studied outside of Germany for a substantial amount of time might have the option to spend their third semester at KLU. For more information please enquire.

Semester Abroad

Master students in the standard track have the opportunity to spend their third semester abroad. Enrolled as a full-time student at the host university, you will acquire first-hand insights into new cultures and countries and have unique experiences.

  • Choose between more than 60 renowned partner institutions around the world.
  • Complement your studies with courses beyond KLU’s scope of specialties.
  • Discover new cultures and countries and engage in activities you have never lived before.
  • Make friends from across the globe.
  • Boost your skills in speaking a second language (although classes are offered entirely in English).
  • Have a mind-opening experience that will make your student time unique and memorable.

Please visit the pages bellow for more information.

International Office 

International Office for KLU students

International Office for Exchange students

Partner Universities

Semester Abroad Gallery

Career Services

  • Access to alumni via alumni portal & alumni career talks
  • Networking opportunities and training
  • Practice-oriented guest lectures by high-profile industry professionals
  • Recruiting events on campus
  • Exclusive internship and job offers
  • Annual CV book prior to graduation

All career services are integrated into your curriculum.

Do read up on our blogpost: Teaching you how to fish: Career development program

KLU Career Connect: This is not your typical career fair! Get inspired by short company pitches at the company slam, ask all your questions and network at the Meet & Greet and introduce yourself to relevant companies with a professional pitch in 1:1 sessions. No worries, our career courses will prepare you and make sure you can shine in front of the potential employers!

Alumni Career Talks: At this peer-to-peer career event you will meet KLU alumni from various industries who will share their story and their experiences with you. You get to meet in a relaxed setting and you can practice your networking skills. Connect with one of the alumni from your dream company or get inspired to explore an industry you haven’t thought of before. Our alumni are looking forward to meeting you!

Tuition

Our Master in International Management program starts every September.

  Standard Track Fast Track Part-Time Track
Study Period 2 years / 4 semesters 1,5 years / 3 semesters 2,5 years / 5 semesters
Tuition Fees 7,390.00 per semester 7,890.00 per semester 7,390.00 per semester

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Scholarships

KLU offers a limited number of scholarships. Stipends of gifted education instituions (Begabtenförderwerke) can apply for a full tuition fee waiver at KLU. We also offer an innovative tuition financing model. Students participating in this model do not or only partially pay tuition fees during their studies at KLU. However, they commit themselves to make income-dependent payments upon completion of their studies.

Merit-based scholarship

KLU offers merit-based scholarships for exceptional applicants for our BSc. and MSc. programs. Successful applicants may receive a partial scholarship of 50% of the tuition fees. As part of the KLU family, scholarship recipients commit to being in the Student Ambassador Program.

Please note that at KLU, internal scholarships are issued for the whole course of studies and need to be settled before the commencement of studies. KLU scholarships cannot be offered to students already in the program.

Candidates for the merit-based scholarship must display outstanding academic excellence and a drive to challenge themselves. Particular attention will be given to top grades in quantitative subjects: mathematics, statistics, or quantitative analysis. Applicants will also be asked to name two academic references (email address or telephone number).

Requirements

  • Completed application for a KLU study program (BSc/MSc; incomplete applications, or applications from international applicants (non-EU) still owing the application fee will not be considered), please see our FAQ for more information.
  • Minimum academic performance of 1.5 overall GPA and 1.5 GPA in quantitative subjects (GPA: German equivalent; if you are unsure how to convert your international grade and are already admitted for a place of study at KLU, you may inquire with us whether you fulfill the GPA criterion).
  • Names and official email addresses or telephone numbers of two professors or teachers to contact.
  • Completed scholarship application form, identifying the scholarship you wish to apply for. 
  • All applicants must include the questionnaire form (max. 500 characters for each question, not including spaces) OR a video (max. 3 minutes) as a response to the application questions. 

Please note: KLU does not condone plagiarism (including ChatGPT). We expect essays to be written in your own words and referenced accordingly when necessary. To ensure authorship, we use plagiarism detection software to check all admission and scholarship papers.

Application deadlines intake 2024

  • Round 1: January 31
  • Round 2: May 31
  • Round 3: July 31

Application questions

Applicants must answer three questions (500 characters for each question) using the form:

  1. Based on your education and achievements so far, what strengths or skills do you believe will contribute to your success in our program? 
  2. Discuss a time when you took the initiative to address a social, community, or global issue that mattered to you. How did you contribute, and what impact did your involvement have on you, the local community, or on a global scale? 
  3. During your time as a KLU student, what is something you are passionate about achieving or working on? How will you as a person add value to the KLU Community? 

Need-based scholarship

KLU offers a limited number of need-based scholarships for applicants for our BSc. and MSc. programs who are qualified to study at KLU but cannot finance the studies themselves. Successful applicants may receive a partial or in outstanding cases a full scholarship. As part of the KLU family, scholarship recipients commit to being in the Student Ambassador Program.

Please note that at KLU, internal scholarships are issued for the whole course of studies and need to be settled before the commencement of studies. KLU scholarships cannot be offered to students already in the program.

Requirements

  • Completed application for a KLU study program (BSc/MSc; incomplete applications will not be considered), please see our FAQ for more information.
  • Minimum academic performance of 2.0 overall GPA (GPA: German equivalent; if you are unsure how to convert your international grade and are already admitted for a place of study at KLU, you may inquire with us whether you fulfill the GPA criterion).
  • Citizenship or Permanent Residency in the European Union. Please include a scan of your identity card or residency card.
  • Completed scholarship application form, identifying the scholarship you wish to apply for.
  • All applicants must include the questionnaire form (max. 500 characters for each question, not including spaces) OR a video (max. 3 minutes) as a response to the application questions.
  • Income statements from parents OR legal guardians OR BAFÖG eligibility (if applicable).

Please note: KLU does not condone plagiarism (including ChatGPT). We expect essays to be written in your own words and referenced accordingly when necessary. To ensure authorship, we use plagiarism detection software to check all admission and scholarship papers.

Application deadlines intake 2024

  • Round 1: January 31
  • Round 2: May 31
  • Round 3: July 31

Application questions

Applicants must answer the following questions as an essay using the form:

  1. Given your personal and academic journey, what strengths or experiences have prepared you to succeed in our program despite any challenges you've faced?
  2. Discuss a time when you took the initiative to address a social, community, or global issue that mattered to you. How did you contribute, and what impact did your involvement have on you, the local community, or on a global scale? 
  3. How would receiving this need-based scholarship impact your academic journey and future goals? How will you as a person add value to the KLU Community? 

Tax savings

In Germany, tuition can be claimed on tax returns and the tax savings can be used to partially finance students’ degrees.

All master’s degree students can claim all the costs of their degree program as anticipated income-related expenses before graduating and after completing their vocational training, and carry them forward over their time enrolled as cumulative losses – assuming they had no or very little income in that time. Loss carry-forwards make this possible: the losses that students incur because they are studying are offset from their incomes after graduation in subsequent years. This reduces the income for which taxes are due. The costs associated with the semester abroad and tuition are deductible.

It is only possible to take advantage of loss carry-forward if the degree program is a second degree (master’s degree after the bachelor’s or a bachelor’s degree after an apprenticeship). The costs of first degrees can be deducted as a special expense up to a limit of €6,000. Study-related expenses only have an effect in the same year and only result in tax benefits for people whose incomes are high enough that they actually pay income tax in Germany. The Federal Constitutional Court is reviewing the regulation regarding the costs of the first degree. For this reason, students should always claim their study-related expenses as income-related expenses on their income tax returns.

If students participate in the Brain Capital plan and defer payment of tuition fees, the fees can be deducted as soon as payment is initiated (outflow principle). 

*non-committal statement as KLU is not allowed to act as a tax advisor.

Brain Capital financing

Brain Capital is an innovative tuition financing concept. Students participating in these models do not or only partially pay tuition fees during their studies at KLU. However, they commit themselves to make income-dependent payments upon completion of their studies. The total amount of payments is linked to the income earned. The model is based on a solidarity principle: students with higher income repay more than students with lower income. There are limits for maximum annual and maximum total payments (about twice the tuition fee amount adjusted for inflation). 

If you are admitted at KLU and wish to finance your tuition fees at KLU partly via the Brain Capital scheme, please fill in the Brain Capital application form and send it to admission@klu.org by July 31, at the very latest. Indicate the amount that is necessary to cover part of the tuition fees. Please keep in mind that the scheme may not allow a full coverage of your tuition. Applications for Brain Capital are only accepted before commencement of studies. Only admitted candidates participate in the selection.

The selection committee meets at the beginning of every month deciding on all applications received until the last date of the previous month. A positive decision on the application depends on various factors. In any case the number of applications received as well as a regional quota is considered.

Loan schemes

There are different loan schemes to finance the cost of living. These primarily target German and EU nationals. Candidates of other nationalities are only eligible if they have a German baccalaureate (Abitur) and permanent residence status in Germany. 

The German federal government and KFW banking group, a German government-owned development bank, offer the following loan to Germans and EU citizens. Non-EU candidates are eligible only if they have a certificate of graduation from a German secondary school and permanent resident status in Germany.

Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) 

German federal government loan program: The loan program provides you with state funding to pursue education and training. You receive 50 percent of BAföG aid as a state grant and 50 percent as an interest-free loan. Your eligibility is dependent on your parent’s income. Read more about the Federal Training Assistance Act (in German).

KfW-Student Loan

The KfW offers the KfW-Studienkredit for our Bachelor and Master programs as well as our MBA. With the KfW-Studienkredit, you are able to finance your costs of living. The KfW-Studienkredit is highly flexible. Please find all information concerning the KfW-Studienkredit here. The product profile of the loan can be found here (unfortunately both is only offered in German). Please note: This loan scheme is primarily available for German citizens or students with a German baccalaureate (Abitur). There are exceptions, please consult the KfW-website for further information.   

Our partner concerning the KfW-Studienkredit is the HASPA, which offers advice for the KfW-Studienkredit as well as a student bank account with many benefits for students in Hamburg. 

For further information, please contact Ms. Sophie Harms (Tel. +49 40 3579-7227, hafencity@haspa.de) from the HASPA.

Supply Chain Day 2024

Explore logistics on "Supply Chain Day 2024" with KLU. On April 18, discover Germany's third-largest industry sector with us. We'll invite you for a true Hamburg experience, including an exclusive bus trip to the Port of Hamburg's container terminals, plus a fish sandwich and a cool Astra beer. Find out more here.

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One thing that sets KLU apart from other universities and business schools is its vibrant feeling of family and community spirit. We host several student clubs, events, and extracurricular activities that are crucial components of both your professional and personal growth.

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At KLU, we believe that a strong operations mindset is your key to success. All our programs will teach you how to acquire such a mindset and strengthen the skills that allow you to excel in your future career. 

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With our Open Days you will be able to hear about the study programs that we offer, chat with students about their student life experience at KLU, and watch a mock lecture from KLU faculty. Find out more here.

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Internship, thesis, dream job?  Our Career Connect Event brings together what belongs together - companies and KLU students. We facilitate connections, train, and empower you to identify and pursue your professional aspirations.

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Career prospects

We understand that a lot of students rate post graduate career prospects among their top three college search information needs. You may want to explore profiles of our students and alumni on our LinkedIn University Page. One program that is unique and helps KLU students during their studies to pursue and manage their career goals is the Career & Professional Development Program.

Your degree from the KLU will certainly be career boosting. Alumni from our programs were hired for example by Accenture GmbH, Airbus S.A.S., BASF, Beiersdorf AG, DB Schenker - Rail, EADS Group, IBM Group, Kühne + Nagel (AG & Co.) KG, Johnson & Johnson Medical, Lufthansa Group, Siemens, Vattenfall Wind Power or Anheuser-Bush.

 

Betty Hou

Strategic Supply Chain Management, Senior Manager, Otto Group

Hamburg, Germany

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Luisa Wohs

Logistics Performance Manager, Airbus

Hamburg, Germany

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Martin Eriksson

Manager Business Administration - Hapag-Lloyd

Gothenburg, Sweden

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Elena Voelkel

Executive Assistant to the CCO, Lufthansa Cargo AG

Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany

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Lukas A. E.

Strategic Supplier Manager, Olympus Europa SE & Co. KG

Hamburg, Germany

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Blogposts

Contact

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Luyang Obertopp

Student Recruitment Manager

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Kendra Triblet

Student Recruitment Manager

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Isis Abril Pérez Gallegos

Student Recruitment Manager

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