About the university
The International School of Management (ISM) is a private, state-recognised business school with its headquarters in Dortmund. It was founded in 1990, took the ISM name in 1992 and was recognised as a private university of applied sciences in 1994. Its degrees are recognised by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and count the same as those from public universities.
ISM teaches business only: bachelor's, master's and MBA programmes in management, international management, marketing, finance, psychology and logistics, on seven campuses and through distance learning. Every bachelor's includes a semester abroad at one of its roughly 190 partner universities, and ISM holds AACSB accreditation.
For Indian students ISM offers a business-focused, internationally minded school with campuses in Germany's main business cities. It is private, so it charges tuition fees. ISM's fee and programme pages could not be checked for this page, so confirm fees, the teaching language and the campus for your programme directly with ISM before you apply.
Dortmund is a large city in the Ruhr area with lower living costs than Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg, where ISM also teaches.
- Founded
- 1990 in Dortmund; named ISM in 1992 and state-recognised in 1994
- Type
- Private, state-recognised university of applied sciences (recognised by North Rhine-Westphalia)
- Campuses
- Dortmund, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin, plus distance learning
- Students' nationalities
- 84 (ISM)
- Partner universities abroad
- About 190 (ISM)
- Accreditation
- AACSB; ISM says it was the first private German university of applied sciences to earn it
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
International School of Management (ISM) doesn't publish course-by-course fees for international students online. See the courses on the official website (opens in a new tab), or ask our counsellor for the current list and fees.
Scholarships
- On-campus full-time degrees
ISM early contract discount
Value: €1,500 off fees
Eligibility: Sign your study contract by 15 March, as advertised on ISM's home page. Confirm the current terms with ISM.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - Master's students
DAAD scholarships
Value: Monthly stipend; amount depends on the programme
Eligibility: Competitive awards; search the database for awards open to Indian applicants.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- Ask ISM whether your Indian Class 12 certificate gives direct entry to its bachelor's, or whether you need a foundation route first.
- Check the teaching language of your chosen programme and campus; ISM teaches in both German and English.
- Indian applicants need an APS certificate for the visa process; see our Germany guide.
Postgraduate
- A recognised bachelor's degree. Confirm with ISM whether a three-year (180 ECTS) Indian degree is accepted for your master's.
- Ask ISM for the English test scores it accepts and its application deadlines.
- Indian applicants need an APS certificate for the visa process.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Class 10 and Class 12 mark sheets
- Bachelor's degree certificate and transcripts (for master's)
- English test score
- CV and motivation letter
- APS certificate
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Teaching language | German and English, depending on the programme; check yours with ISM |
| Test scores | Not confirmed for this page; ask ISM which tests and scores it accepts |
| Language courses | Learning at least one foreign language is part of ISM degrees |
Accommodation and living costs
ISM's housing pages could not be checked. Students usually rent rooms in Studierendenwerk halls or shared flats. The rows below are German ranges from our Germany guide; Dortmund is usually at the lower end, Munich and Frankfurt at the top.
| Item | In EUR | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Room in a student hall (Studierendenwerk)German range from our Germany guide | €250–450per month | ≈ ₹26,500 – ₹47,700 |
| Room in a shared flat (WG)German range from our Germany guide | €350–750per month | ≈ ₹37,100 – ₹79,500 |
| Statutory student health insurance2026 figure from our Germany guide | €135–150per month | ≈ ₹14,310 – ₹15,900 |
Campus and location
ISM's main campus is in Dortmund's Technologiepark. It also teaches in Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin.
- Seven campuses in major German business cities, plus distance learning.
- An integrated semester abroad in every bachelor's.
- About 190 partner universities abroad.
- Students from 84 nations.
Careers and graduate outcomes
ISM is a practice-oriented business school with strong company links and dual study options. The figure below is ISM's own claim, not independent data and not a promise of a job. German skills widen your options a lot.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ISM students who start their careers before graduating | More than 60% | ISM website (ISM's own figure) |
Studying in Germany
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in Germany. Our country guide covers them in detail:
Other universities in Germany
- Public
Often chosen for Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Data Science & AI
- Public
Often chosen for Engineering, Computer Science & IT
Photo: juhotski, CC BY-SA 3.0 PublicOften chosen for Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Life Sciences
Photo: TU Berlin/Pressestelle/Ulrich Dahl, Copyrighted free use PublicOften chosen for Engineering, Computer Science & IT, Business & Management
Photo: Seeott, CC BY-SA 4.0 PublicLudwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich) (official website, opens in a new tab)
Munich, GermanyOften chosen for Life Sciences, Medicine & Health Sciences, Law
Photo: Hermann Luyken, CC0 PublicHeidelberg University (official website, opens in a new tab)
Heidelberg, GermanyOften chosen for Medicine & Health Sciences, Life Sciences
FAQs
Is ISM a recognised university?
Yes. ISM is a private university of applied sciences recognised by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, so its degrees count the same as those of public universities. It is also AACSB-accredited.
How much does ISM cost?
ISM is private and charges tuition, but we could not confirm current fees. Ask ISM for the fee for your programme and campus; it advertises €1,500 off for signing a full-time on-campus contract by 15 March.
Which campus should I choose?
ISM teaches in Dortmund, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Stuttgart and Berlin. Living costs are lower in Dortmund than in Munich or Frankfurt. Check which campus offers your programme in English.
Can I work while studying?
Yes, within German student work limits. See our Germany guide for the rules.
Sources
- ISM: home page (English) (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia (German): International School of Management (history, campuses) (opens in a new tab)
- DAAD scholarship database (opens in a new tab)
Official website: en.ism.de (opens in a new tab)
Check the latest details