Business administration admission requirements and application process –
What do I need to study a Bachelor in International Business Administration?

• What do I learn in when studying business administration?
• Personal and formal requirements for studies.
• What qualifications do I need to study business administration?
• Can I study business administration even without an Abitur/A Levels?
• A degree in business administration as a foundation for your career?

What do I learn in business administration studies?

In the WHU Bachelor in International Business Administration Program, you learn how to take a small amount of input (in the form of money, time, and workforce) and to achieve maximum output and optimum results. The work of business administrators is to help businesses operate economically. To do so, they analyze the economic structures and processes, detect potential, and suggest solutions.

Besides the main subjects of business administration, economics, and management basics, you’ll also learn material in the fields of business mathematics, business law, statistics, and accounting. Additional modules during the course of your studies include the areas of controlling, investment and financing, human resources management, marketing, and sales. Project management and basics in business negotiations are also part of the program in business administration. Besides specialized terminology, individual key skills will be expanded – such as strategic, sustainable, and solution-oriented thinking – as will your communication skills in regard to rhetoric, presentation, facilitation, and soft skills.

Personal and formal requirements for studies.

First of all, you should, of course, have an interest in economic relationships and business structures. Subject areas such as math and statistics are the foundation of business administration, making it essential to have a working knowledge of math and be adept with numbers. The ability to think analytically is an advantage. Personal skills such as self-initiative, self-discipline, assertiveness, and the ability to work in a team are also indispensable.

Besides the personal skills that you need to bring with you into a degree program in business administration, each university has certain formal admission requirements.

You usually need to submit proof of a college entrance qualification. Furthermore, your English language skills will be tested and you’ll be asked to provide information about any pre-study internships you’ve completed. The numerus clausus (NC) can also play a part in the selection process at some universities.

At WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, admissions decisions are made based on a mixture of academic ability and personal skills. For the Bachelor in International Business Administration, you should have a university entrance certificate and proof of proficiency in English. These can be in the form of common certifications such as TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge ESOL. International qualifications such as the IB or A Levels are also recognized as a university entrance certificate, which means that the optionally bilingual or fully English-medium Bachelor program is also open to international students. Work experience of at least six weeks is also required. That can be as part of a traineeship or an internship, as long as you worked full time in a company. Do you also have strong analytical skills, a love of logical reasoning, and a conscientious and open personality? If so, WHU is the place for you.

What qualifications do I need to study business administration?

Public universities in particular use the NC in their selection process. In major cities like Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg, the NC is between 1.5 and 2.5 on the German grading scale. Universities in small cities apply a considerably lower NC, between 2.5 and 3.5. While at other universities, applicants’ Abitur score isn’t relevant at all.

If you want to study at a university that wouldn’t admit you on the basis of your NC, you can accumulate what are known as “waiting semesters.” Another way of gaining admission nevertheless is by providing proof of volunteer work, community service, or other voluntary service.

Can I study business administration even without an Abitur/A Levels?

Yes – if you come from an international school, many univerisities accept international high school diplomas such as the IB or A-Levels depending on which country you study in. At WHU – Otto Beishim School of Management, these international high school qualifications are accepted and many more, depending on whether they meet the eligibility requirements of the German government.

A degree in business administration as a foundation for your career?

Students who are aware of the demands of the program and who have the necessary requirements – including discipline – will meet the challenges of a business administration degree program without any major problems. If you make it through the course, you’ll find a number of doors open to you in the colorful and diverse world of work. As a  graduate, you are sure to have good job and salary prospects – you can read more about that in our article “Careers Following a Degree in Business Administration.”

For example, WHU’s Bachelor in International Business Administration (Degree: Bachelor of Science) covers all areas of business. This means you don’t need to limit yourself to business administration right at the beginning; you can also discover modules from economics, business law, or international management in the curriculum. You also have an opportunity to learn one of the seven foreign languages offered – be that Chinese, Italian, or Russian – and further develop your intercultural competencies. 

In the Bachelor in Business Psychology program, you will not only learn very good business and management skills, but also how to analyze and understand people's behavior in certain situations.