Financial Support Options

Finance your Studies in Bremen

The IGC offers excellent postgraduate programs, but they come with a certain price tag. Therefore financing your studies is an important question, that you should preferably have an answer to before you have to focus on your studies. Rest assured: IGC not only has first-class professors, but also has good contacts with companies and supports students in their job search. In most cases, the tuition fees pay for themselves within a few years.

Please make sure that you have sufficient funds to cover your tuition fees plus the cost of living in Bremen. The good news: The cost of living in Bremen is not as expensive as in other German cities like Munich, Hamburg or Berlin in terms of rent, transportation, etc.

To help you we have compiled the most common financial aid options below:

Discounts

There are two ways to save money on tuition: our early bird discount and our lump-sum tuition discount. Depending on your degree program, our discounts can save you up to € 1,000.

To find out how much discount is available for your study program, please visit:

Discount options

 

Student loans

As an international student, you have two options when it comes to taking out a student loan. You can either take out a student loan in your home country or in Germany. In Germany there are private student loans, state student loans and (private) education funds.

For most private student loans, such as those offered by the Deutsche Bank and Deutsche Kreditbank, you either need a guarantor and their credit  report (SCHUFA) or you need to provide your own credit report, but don't expect German banks to accept anything else other than the SCHUFA.
As an international student in Germany, it will be difficult for you to get a government student loan because of the requirements. However, BAföG would be an exception, as international students who have worked in Germany for a longer period of time are eligible to apply for it.
Unfortunately, most educational funding is usually reserved for German students.

Don't worry if you can't get a student loan in Germany, there are always other ways to finance your MBA or Master's degree.

Sponsoring

Many employers have found that an MBA or Master's program helps to retain employees while preparing them for more challenging roles, positions and for more challenging roles, positions and changes in the marketplace. Our students represent these changes. Approx. one in two students in one of our part-time programs is fully or partially sponsored by his or her employer. Students who finance their studies with the help of a sponsor are usually required to work for them another for two to four years after completing their studies. Speak to your current or  future employer and ask if they are interested in financing your studies. Note that sponsorship is not limited to our part-time studies or to companies in Germany. If you can find a sponsor to fund your full-time master's program, great!

Scholarships

Scholarships are still neglected by many students, so take advantage of this opportunity and apply for one.

Regardless of your nationality, if you are enrolled in one of our full-time, English-speaking MBA and Master's programs you are also eligible to  postgraduate scholarships.

If you would like to apply for additional scholarships, please consult the DAAD database of the (German Academic Exchange Service). You can apply for as many scholarships as you like.

However, some scholarships cannot be combined with other scholarships.

Payment by installments

You have the option of paying in installments. This way, you don't have to take out a loan and you can pay tuition in installments. If you are interested in this option, please check your options here

Work while studying

Finally, the majority of students in Germany work while studying, despite being enrolled in a full-time program, as they can earn a maximum of €450/month and don't have to pay taxes. This €450 can contribute significantly to your living expenses or to the financing of your studies. However, if you are a student from outside of the EU (third country nationals), the amount of time you are allowed to work is limited and also depends on your residence permit. The best way to start working is to first enrol, then apply for a residence permit, and then go to the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) with a concrete job offer. They are also your contact if you have any further questions.

In the end, most students choose not just one but a combination of financial aid options, because in most scenarios there are only a few options that really have the potential to fully fund your MBA or Master's degree. Therefore, you should think of your options as items to be added to your portfolio, meaning that you choose the options that are right for you and combine them with other options. For example, you may have already saved for the full tuition and are now looking for a small/large scholarship and perhaps a small job to cover your monthly living expenses (approx. €950 including health insurance costs). Please note, that tuition fees are not included in this calcluated €950 living expenses that you will need monthly.

Contact

Admissions Office