Complete the application form at our Online Application Portal for Master’s Degree Programs.

The following documents are required for the application and need to be provided as PDF-files in the application portal:

• Copy of your undergraduate degree or recent statement of grades from the examination office together with an official translation (either English or German).
  • Applicants from Germany: You need to have a minimum of 135 ECTS from your bachelor degree when applying. A printout from the transcript of records from your university online system is sufficient.
  • International applicants: You need to have your final bachelor degrees when applying. If you are expected to graduate after the application deadline, but before coming to Germany, then you need an academic confirmation from your university that states that you will finish your bachelor degree befor the start of the IIS program in the winter term.
• Copy of your secondary studies (High school degree and transcript) plus an official translation (either English or German).
  • Please note: Copies of German high school and university degrees do not have to be certified. Regular copies are accepted.
• Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English in tabular form (i.e. not as a free text).
• Proof of your English language skills (a regular copy or original certificate). The certificate needs to be valid on the date of your application submission. Exceptions only apply to students whose university entrance qualification was obtained in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the United Kingdom. All other students do need to provide a certificate. Below are the minimum scores required for the English exams:
  • TOEFL – minimum 95 (iBT or iBT home edition), minimum 240 (CBT), minimum 587 (PBT).
  • IELTS – minimum 7.0 (academic version – online version is also accepted)
  • Cambridge English Advanced (CAE, Level C1) or Cambridge English Proficiency (CPE) – minimum a C grade.
  • UniCert Level III certificate (the UniCert III exam and not the courses in your bachelor transcript which are pre-requisite to take the exam)
  • A C1 course or similar in University is not accepted as proof. Same goes to any other proof that is not listed above. Please refrain from sending emails regarding this.
• Proof of practical experience if available (copy of contract or letter of recommendation). Please do not send us academic recommendations.
• Proof of further language skills (except English and your first language) if available (official language certificate). Please note that we can only accept language certificates from accredited language institutes according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (e.g., Cambridge, TELC, Goethe, CELI, DELF).
• Applicants from China, India, Vietnam, and Mongolia will have to include APS certification. Please take care of this early on if you are planning to apply because it can take a while until you get the certification. Without this, your application won’t reach the admission board.

General information on the application process and requirements for a master degree program at FAU can be found here: https://www.fau.eu/education/application-and-enrolment/applying-for-masters-degree-programmes

Note that we cannot consider incomplete applications or applications via email!

Six to eight weeks after the application deadline, you will be notified of the outcome of your application. If successful you have to follow the instructions on the admission letter to enroll at FAU. Enrollment is managed by the student‘s record office. Further information on the enrollment process can be found on their website: https://www.fau.eu/education/application-and-enrolment/deadlines-and-documents-for-enrolment/. Please note that we can not answer inquiries about your application status.

Please note that for enrollment you must hand in certified copies of your documents. More information on how your documents should be certified can be found here: https://www.fau.eu/international/international-applicants/important-information/notes-on-certification-of-documents/

Where do I have to apply?

Applications for the IIS program have to be submitted online via the campo application portal. During the online application process, you are requested to upload your application documents to the upload section as a PDF file. There is no need to send application documents by post.

May I apply to start in summer semester?

No. You can only start each winter semester.

When does the program begin?

The program begins each winter semester (usually in October).

I am already studying at the FAU in a master´s program How can I switch to IIS?

Before shifting to the IIS program, you first need to apply regularly for admission (hence, shifting is only possible for the next winter term). All information concerning the application process and the required documents can be found at https://iis.study.fau.eu/master#application. You need all documents listed on this page when applying (there is no shortcut to the application process).

If you are admitted to the program, you will then have to fill in this form: https://www.fau.de/files/2014/06/Antrag-auf-Fachwechsel.pdf

Here you mention that you would like to switch to IIS. The details for this process are mentioned on the second page of the document (also in English). Here you can see that you need an admissions letter for IIS, which you can only obtain by applying regularly for the program.

When enrolling into IIS, you can have all completed courses during your previous studies that are part of the IIS program acknowledged by the examination office. This can be done by filling the following two forms:
https://www.fau.de/files/2015/12/Antrag-auf-Anrechnung-Master.pdf
https://www.fau.de/files/2015/12/Antrag-auf-Anrechnung-Master-Anlage-1-Pr%C3%BCfungsleistungen.pdf

These two forms are only required for acknowledgement of passed modules from previous studies for IIS. If you decide to fill them, you should submit them to the examination office of WiSo (see https://www.fau.de/education/beratungs-und-servicestellen/pruefungsaemter/pruefungsamt-rechts-und-wirtschaftswissenschaftliche-fakultaet/fachbereich-wirtschafts-sozialwissenschaften) before submitting the request for switching your study program. For roughly each 25 ECTS that you obtain like this, you can be enrolled into one higher semester (e.g. with 30 ECTS you can enter as a 2nd semester student). However, as mentioned earlier, before doing this you still have to apply for admission which requires among other documents the German certificate. We cannot enroll any student into IIS without admission from the application procedure, independent of the starting semester assigned to the student upon program entry.

I am already studying at the FAU in my bachelor. Does the official application procedure for IIS also apply to me?

Yes. You have to follow all official steps to apply for the Master in International Information Systems. We can already say at this point that FAU students with a bachelor’s degree in Business Informatics, Business Administration with a major in Business Informatics, or Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration already receive full 45 points in the “Qualitätsfeststellungsverfahren” for the previous subject knowledge according to the “Fachprüfungsordnung”. For more details, refer to § 2 III 2. of “Fachprüfungsordnung“.

I want to switch to IIS. How can I get credit for my courses from my previous master´s degree?

The process is identical to switching to IIS when you are previously studying in a master´s degree at FAU.  However, in this case it is necessary to look in the program structure for subject overlaps. Subsequently, the acknowledgment can be requested according to the two documents.

Do I have to submit an “Abitur” / high school certificate?

Yes. An “Abitur”/high school certificate is required.

Does the statement of grades have to be in a special form or is it sufficient to hand in printout version?

The statement of grades must be an official document. The document can be an original or a certified copy.

Do I need GRE or GMAT for this program?

No, these exams are not required.

Can I apply if I do not yet have my undergraduate degree until the deadline for submission of applications?

For students, who complete their undergraduate degree in Germany or any EU country: You can apply if you do not yet have your undergraduate degree until the deadline for submission of applications. However, you need a minimum of 135 ECTS to be able to apply and you should hand in a recent statement of grades form and a confirmation that you have completed your courses. As soon as you got your bachelor certificate you should send it to us. You have up to one year to hand in your degree.

For students, who complete their undergraduate degree in a non-EU country: You must have completed your undergraduate degree to be able to apply. If you have not completed your degree before the end of the application period, but you will finish it before the start of the IIS program in the winter term, you have to enclose your application an confirmation from your university, with the following information:

• Name of the university/faculty
• Official name of the study program
• The official length of the study program (for example 4 years)
• A full-time graduate program, part-time program or distance learning
• Date when he/she will probably graduate and receive the bachelor degree certificate (important)
• Topic and date of the thesis (if applicable)
• Date of the confirmation
• Signature from the university (registrar or dean)
• Official stamp from the university

Should the application be in English or German?

Your application package documents can be either in German or in English. The curriculum vitae must be in English.

Do you accept undergraduate degrees with a Bachelor from a Berufsakademie?

If the diploma is certified and accredited we do accept the diploma as a valid undergraduate degree (provided that the program is accredited and recognized).

What kind of university degree is required to apply to the Master’s program?

Applicants must have successfully completed an undergraduate degree preferably with a focus in business or IT. Applicants with other academic backgrounds may also be considered. Some 3-year bachelor degrees are accepted, others not. This is evaluated by the Master Office which receives your documents. However, they don’t offer pre-evaluation. This means you need to apply and send all your documents before they can give an assessment of your degree.

What is the final decision-making criteria?

The final decision to accept a student is based on their application (average grades, study background, practical experience).

What needs to be prepared for the professional presentation? In what language does the presentation take place?

Not all applicants are invited to conduct a professional presentation. If you need to conduct a presentation, we will get in touch with you via email and send you an invitation. The language of the presentation should be English. An applicant may request to conduct the presentation in German if that is preferred. However, the Master IIS Program is mostly an English language program, therefore we do prefer to speak with the applicant in English.

The presentation shall last about 10 minutes followed by a 10 minutes discussion. The topic of the presentation will be announced to the applicants at least one week before the date of the presentation together with the invitation. The presentation is intended to show that applicants have the necessary skills to study the IIS program successfully. Applicants are assessed based on the following criteria:

• Quality of the presentation (in particular: content and structure, clear delivery and visualization of content, appropriate media use)
• Ability to lead scientific discussions and to defend the presented knowledge to a scientific audience.
• Ability to convincingly demonstrate personal suitability for the IIS program.

Do I have to convert the grades to the German system?

No, you should not do the conversion yourself. The Master Office in Erlangen receives your documents, evaluates your degree, and converts the grades.

What happens after I send in my application? Do I get a place in the study program if I meet the minimum requirements?

No, a complete application does not guarantee a study place. The admission to the program is highly competitive.

Who can help me if I have questions regarding application requirements?

For questions about application requirements, please contact the M.Sc. International Information Systems committee at studium-iis@fau.de.

Will the courses of the Master’s program take place in Nuremberg or Erlangen?

Close to 70% of the total courses are taught in Nuremberg. The rest is taught in Erlangen. Hence, we recommend students to reside in Nuremberg.

Can I pass the master’s degree by distance learning?

No. There is no possibility of distance learning.

In what language will the classes be held?

The teaching language is predominantly English. All mandatory courses are taught in English. Only a few elective courses are taught in German. More information can be found in the module handbook.

What are the minimum requirements on TOEFL, IELTS and University of Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) exams?

The minimum required test scores are as follows:

• TOEFL iBT (Internet Based Test, on-site or home edition): 95
• TOEFL CBT (Computer Based Test): 240
• TOEFL PBT (Paper Based Test): 587
• IELTS (academic version): 7.0
• For a University of Cambridge ESOL, a “Certificate in Advanced English” (CAE) is required

Can I apply if I am already registered for an English test (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.), but won’t be able to get the results before the application deadline?

No, the submission of the test results as part of the offline application (before the deadline) is mandatory.

Do I have to hand in a proof of my English language skills if my education has been in English or English is official language?

Yes, all applicants must submit an official proof of their English language skills as compulsory part of their application. Exceptions only apply to students whose university entrance qualification (Abitur / high school diploma) was obtained in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, or the United Kingdom. All other applicants, including those from FAU, do need to provide a certificate, irrespective of the instruction language in their former school or university. Please note that the above list of English language certificates is exhaustive, i.e. we do not accept language certificates other than those listed above, and that the language certificate must be valid at the time of application submission.

Is the study abroad for one semester mandatory even for international students?

A stay abroad of at least one semester during the studies is strongly encouraged for all IIS students. Moreover, it is compulsory for all students who did not receive both their high school and undergraduate degree in a country where German is not an official language.

How can I find accommodation in Nuremberg?

You may visit this webpage which provides information related to accommodation in Erlangen and Nuremberg. You can also find apartment sharing possibilities at WG-Gesucht.

Who is responsible for my student registration/matriculation?

The student record office (“Studierendenverwaltung”) is responsible for registration/matriculation as a student of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Details are provided on their website. Please note that in August (approximately) we will send welcome packages to everyone who has been admitted to the program and will give you more information on the formalities regarding your arrival in Germany (housing, insurances etc.).

Do you organize scholarships for your students?

We do not organize scholarships for our students. You may contact the Central Office of International Affairs from our university and ask them whether they may provide you with further information.

On which internet platforms can I get further information?

Basically, there are four platforms where students of International Information Systems can get access to relevant information:
1. For general university information, across all study programs: FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg
2. For department specific information: School of Business, Economics and Society
3. For study program specific information: Institute of Information Systems
4. For the latest news relevant to all IIS-students : Wi/IIS StudOn group

Are there any tuition fees at the Friedrich-Alexander-Universität?

Information regarding tuition fee can be found at the FAU’s information portal. The master’s program has a minimum student fee of ca. EUR 140 (EUR 63 for administrative costs and EUR 77 for partial contribution for a semester ticket for transportation ) per semester since most of our programs are subsidised by the German government.

What are the living costs for students in Germany?

More information can be found here. Please note that this is an estimation and depends on your individual living style and preferences.