FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes, we offer qualified candidates the opportunity to get an on-site impression of lectures, exercises, and the campus by appointment. If you are interested, please email our Recruiting & Admissions team at recruiting@gbs.uni-frankfurt.de along with a copy of your current CV.

GBS offers a variety of (online) recruitment events, giving you the opportunity to meet with current students of our degree programs. Interested candidates are encouraged to pro-actively connect with current students at these events to learn more about their study experience and to build valuable connections prior to the program start. Please contact recruiting@gbs.uni-frankfurt.de for further assistance.

Admission to GBS master programs requires an English proficiency at a higher B2 (CEFR) level, ideally C1. GBS accepts standardized certificates (e.g., TOEFL-iBT, IELTS, or ELLT) as proof of English proficiency. If you are a native speaker or have worked in an English-speaking country (for over a year), waivers are possible. Applicants who have already completed graduate studies delivered in English can submit appropriate documentation as proof.

Please refer to the admissions pages of the respective program for admissions requirements: Master in Finance, Goethe MBA, and Pharma MBA.

Yes, program regulations allow the possibility of transfer credit. Please note, however, that coursework recognition is to be completed during the admission process, i.e., before starting the program. In order to complete this process, we will need your academic transcripts (showing CP earned and date of completion for the courses), as well as the respective course syllabi. The syllabi should include the “key concepts” and "learning objectives” for the course in consideration.

Joining the program a semester later than semester 1 is only possible if you were awarded the relevant transfer credits by the time you were applying for the program. According to the program regulations, eligibility to be enrolled in a specific semester requires the successful completion of (a specific number of) specific modules.

There are three application deadlines, which differ for each of our programs. If you adhere to these deadlines, you will receive a discount on tuition fees. Please refer to the admissions pages of the respective programs for relevant dates: Master in Finance, Goethe MBA, and Pharma MBA.

Applications for the Certificates of Advanced Studies (CAS) can be submitted until 6 weeks prior to the start of the first course offered in this program. For the exact deadline, please check with our Recruiting & Admissions Team via recruiting@gbs.uni-frankfurt.de.

The admissions process starts with a thorough review of your documents. Usually, within three working weeks, you will receive feedback on whether your application has been successful and whether you have been admitted to the program. This allows you to coordinate study time and working hours with your employer at an early stage.

Candidates with an undergraduate degree (i.e., bachelor or equivalent) of 210 credit points (CP) based on the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) are eligible for admission. Candidates with less than 210 CP at the undergraduate level can request to have their post-university professional work experience accredited for up to 30 CP during the admissions process. The decision on recognition is made by examining the qualification based on the documentation submitted and an admissions interview.

To apply for the Master in Finance program, a minimum of one year post-undergraduate qualified professional experience in the field of finance is regularly required.

For the Goethe MBA, usually a minimum of one year of post-undergraduate work experience is required.

Pharma MBA candidates are usually requested to apply with at least two years of post-undergraduate work experience in a pharma-related capacity.

The GBS Recruiting & Admissions Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the recognition of internships or trainee programs at recruiting@gbs.uni-frankfurt.de.

A notarized copy is a hard copy of the original document that has been certified, legalized, or validated by a notary or comparable institution (e.g., College or University). It cannot be submitted digitally as a scan and must be presented as a hard copy.

When not in class, you will stay connected with your professors and fellow students through the virtual learning platform. The platform serves as a vital communication center for managing deadlines and course materials and sharing group work, thus maintaining the communication flow between students, faculty, and administration.

If you have failed to successfully complete a module's academic requirement at its first attempt, you will be given opportunities for make-up. Please see details on the module examinations in the regulations of the program of your choice. You can view the program regulations in the download area.

The program is taught in English, i.e. relevant course material, textbooks and instructions are in English.

In the first three semesters, lectures take place on Friday afternoons (1 pm to 8 pm) and Saturdays (9 am to 5 pm) on 8-10 weekends, with final module exams included. In semester 4, the master thesis is written, i.e. students are no longer expected to be on campus on a regular basis. This format leaves enough room to coordinate work, study, and leisure time. All dates are fixed well in advance, allowing for long-term planning of personal and professional schedules.

The time for self-study varies depending on your prior knowledge, the semester, and the courses. According to the feedback we collected from alumni, students should expect to invest about 10 to 20 hours a week to prepare for the courses.

The lectures and exercises are designed as face-to-face events on the Westend campus of Goethe University Frankfurt. We believe that the plenum is the best place for interactive dialog between fellow students and lecturers.

The interactive and personal dialogue between fellow students and lecturers in class is essential for the successful completion of the program and for building a strong network of peers. This is why e-learning or blended learning is primarily implemented in the self-study phases.

Yes, faculty members are normally available between class sessions and after residencies. Faculty and students can also exchange ideas and give feedback via the online learning platform.

Yes. The program format minimizes the time students need to be on campus and the amount of travel / time away from work. In total, there are ca. 60 days of classroom instruction over approx. 30 weekends in a four-semester period. That is, students travel to Frankfurt about 30 times during the program. All dates are fixed well in advance allowing for long-term planning of personal and professional schedules.

If you are an applicant from a country outside the European Union, please note that you will usually require a student visa to study in Germany.

Classroom instruction takes place on Fridays and Saturdays in semesters 1-3. Semesters run from October to February and April to August; March and September are usually lecture-free periods.

The Master in Finance program starts annually at the beginning of the summer semester. Both MBA programs begin annually at the beginning of the winter semester.