Accreditations & rankings

Accreditation & Certification

Top-level education

We are Germany’s largest private university and with over 20 years of experience, we will guide you through your studies. And because the quality of whatever course you choose means so much to us, all of our programmes are state-approved and system-accredited.

State-approved university

IU International University of Applied Sciences is a state-approved and accredited university. This approval confirms the high quality of both our study programmes and our teaching.

We also take care to adapt our course content to meet the latest standards. And we do so with success – as shown by the awards, accreditations and certifications we have received.

Institutional accreditation

IU International University of Applied Sciences has been accredited unconditionally by the German Council of Science and Humanities for ten years. This is the best possible result that can be achieved in this connection.

The German Council of Science and Humanities has been advising Germany and the federal states on university development, science and research since 1957. In this role, it also has the task of ensuring the quality of teaching and research at private universities.

System-accredited university

IU International University of Applied Sciences is system accredited. The university can therefore accredit new programmes independently – in accordance with legally defined quality standards – and respond to market requirements without loss of quality. In its system accreditation report, Quality assurance agency FIBAA emphasised that IU ‘established a comprehensive and convincing quality management system’.

Accredited study programmes: All study programmes offered by IU International University of Applied Sciences are accredited and bear the seal of the German Accreditation Council. This accreditation documents that the study programmes meet all the quality requirements pertaining to the formal aspects and content of a study programme. This confirms that they meet the required level of study and are comparable with courses at national and international level.
Certified education provider: IU International University of Applied Sciences is authorised as a provider in accordance with Germany’s Employment Promotion Act. Following a multi-step process, the certification agency Hanseatische Zertifizierungsagentur has confirmed that the IU quality assurance system meets the requirements laid down in the Book III of the German Social Code and in the Accreditation and Approval Regulation for Employment Promotion. This certification entitles IU International University of Applied Sciences to offer further education courses to interested parties in possession of activation and placement vouchers. The prerequisite for this is that the interested parties fulfil all entry requirements for further education courses.

Our quality management

The quality of your studies is our top priority! That is why we have developed our own quality management system that systematically checks and ensures all IU service areas.

Do you want to get started? Test 1 month for free!

Take the opportunity to find out whether an online study programme with IU International University of Applied Sciences is the right fit for you. You can test your desired study programme during your free trial –completely free of charge and with no strings attached. Simply apply for your online study programme and unlock your access. Happy learning!

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Rankings & Memberships

QS 5-Star Rating: IU University of Applied Sciences is proud to have achieved a 5-star rating for Online Learning from QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the world’s most popular source for comparative data on universities. IU received top marks for student faculty engagement, interaction, and services and technology, as well as 10 out of 10 for our commitment to online learning. With a full five points for our track record and 94% of our degrees available online, this recognition confirms our dedication to delivering quality online education and inclusive services and support for students. IU International University of Applied Sciences achieved 99 out of 100 points in our QS Stars Report and we are the first German University to receive such ranking.
CHE University Ranking: A stellar performance: The CHE University Ranking is the largest study ranking in Germany. The Centre for University Development evaluates universities at regular intervals using a variety of criteria. In the current CHE ranking (year 2020 - 2022), IU International University of Applied Sciences tops the Business Administration field in the categories "General Study Conditions", "Contact with Lecturers", "Study Programmes Offered", "Examinations", "Study Organisation" and "Practical Orientation". Winning a total of six out of 25 categories, IU achieved more top category rankings than any of the more than 300 institutions assessed.
European Quality Assurance Register: European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education (EQAR) is an agency register, listing agencies that have proven their substantial compliance with a common set of conventions for quality assurance in Europe. EQAR lists FIBAA as a certified and fully reliable agency. IU International University of Applied Sciences is also certified by FIBAA and so by EQAR. You can only become part of EQAR, in case you operate aligned with the European Standards and Guidelines (ESG).
FIBAA Accreditation: FIBAA is and internationally renowned agency for quality assurance, using the German Accreditation Council’s standards to awards their Quality Seal to higher education institutions across the world. They have awarded IU the Premium Seal for Digital Excellence, meaning that IU has excelled in 15 out of 23 criteria set out, including in the categories of Future Orientation, Knowledge Management, Quality Assurance of Teaching, retaining the rating for the next five years. FIBAA is and internationally renowned agency for quality assurance, using the German Accreditation Council’s standards to awards their Quality Seal to higher education institutions across the world. They have awarded IU the Premium Seal for Digital Excellence, meaning that IU has excelled in 15 out of 23 criteria set out, including in the categories of Future Orientation, Knowledge Management, Quality Assurance of Teaching, retaining the rating for the next five years.
AACSB Associate Business Membership: AACSB International is a non-profit association that links educators, students, and a variety of different businesses to hit one shared goal: Create the next-gen of tremendous persons with leadership mentality. "Synonymous with the highest standards of excellence since 1916, AACSB provides quality assurance, business education intelligence, and learning and development services to over 1,700 member organizations and more than 840 accredited business schools worldwide. AACSB’s associate business membership is for skills development and corporate training centers and institutes wishing to engage with AACSB’s global network." (Source: AACSB)
The German Council of Science and Humanities: The German Council of Science and Humanities has been advising governments across Germany on the issues of university development, science and research. The Council is also responsible for ensuring the quality of teaching and research at private universities. In 2021, IU International University of Applied Sciences was reaccredited by the Council of Science and Humanities for five years.
HZA: With our extensive quality management system, we regularly evaluate and improve our teaching materials, services and tutorials. In 2017, this system was tested and verified by the HZA (Hanseatic Certification Agency), an agency that certifies quality assurance procedures of organisations in the field of education.
Business Graduates Association (BGA): The IU International University of Applied Sciences is part of the Business Graduates Association (BGA) International Network as a Member Institution. We join other world-leading and high-potential Business Schools that share a commitment to responsible management practices and lifelong learning.
Online Learning Consortium: Our membership with the Online Learning Consortium offers us a range of benefits, including webinars, options for certifications as well as Quality Scorecards which offer ratings for degree programmes. This means you’ll get the benefits from the knowledge and continued development this membership will give our university.
Hotel Schools of Distinction: The “Hotel Schools of Distinction” are an association of prestigious hospitality management institutions worldwide. Only ten institutions are members. IU is one of the founding members and the only member university in Germany.
WES Canada: We are now recognised by WES Canada, a trusted non-profit providing verified education credential assessments (ECA) for foreign degrees and certificates. This means that IU graduates will be able to work or study in Canada as your IU degree can be converted into points according to Canadian academic standards in the Canadian Immigration Point System. The ECA report is recognised by thousands of academic institutions, government bodies, and employers throughout Canada, and is also a requirement for those looking to apply to certain Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) programmes.

Service & Quality

What matters to us is you

Your satisfaction is our top priority! That’s why we make sure that you are optimally supported from the very beginning – an aspiration that has proved its worth. Our quality objectives are taken from our guiding principles and the university’s development goals:

To develop high-quality, innovative degree courses that enable us to achieve the targeted level of growth.
To continuously develop our teaching quality, taking into account the latest technologies and innovative teaching formats to increase student satisfaction.
To ensure high levels of transparency concerning the quality of the teaching and of the administrative and technical support for students.
To involve the relevant stakeholders in the quality assurance process through regular evaluations and active inclusion in the quality assurance process.

Stay flexible

There are no enrolment deadlines or semester commitments. You decide how, where and when you want to study!

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Study support

We want you to achieve your goals, both personal and professional. That’s why we give you a wide range of support options that provide support exactly where you need it.

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Awards

Corporate LiveWire Innovation & Excellence Awards 2019: IU International University of Applied Sciences was awarded the Innovation & Excellence Award 2019 by Corporate LiveWire for our innovative and excellent Bachelor, Master and MBA study programmes. The award is given to companies and institutions that set industry trends with creative products and pure innovative ideas.
German SME IT-innovation Award: We have won multiple awards for our innovative courses, as well as our anytime online examination system. These awards include the 2019 Corporate LiveWire Innovation and Excellence Award, and the 2017 Best of IT Innovation Award by Initiative Mittelstand (SME).
Focus Money GERMANY TEST: In the Focus Money GERMANY TEST competition, IU was awarded the title of “Top Business School”. The award confirms the high satisfaction our students have with our services. A total of 116 educational providers from eight categories were evaluated.
Fernstudium Check: Fernstudiumcheck counted us as one of their top distance learning providers of 2021. This ranking is based on student experiences, requiring universities to achieve a recommendation rate of over 90% and 3.75 out of 5 stars across 3 categories.
E-LEARNING JOURNAL AWARD: We earned the 2021 E-Learning Journal Award for Upskilling. They recognised us for our forward-thinking, high-quality education focusing on digital competences, recognising the challenges of the modern working world.
DISQ AWARD: We came top of the pile in the 2021 German Institute for Service Quality (DISQ) Awards for Distance Learning! They ranked our study programme offerings, quick replies to students, and user-friendly website above everyone else’s.
DtGV Service Award: We’re the only training provider to receive the Service Award 2022 from the German Society for Consumer Studies (DtGV). This recognises the dedication of our customer service team and study coaches in supporting our students and their needs throughout their study journey at IU.