Please click here to get to our online application platform.

We require an application fee of €50 for all applicants.

Apply online via our online application platform (see question above). We will start evaluating your application once we have a complete application. Then you will have a short interview with the Academic Director to evaluate your personal and professional development and your potential for leadership. You will then be notified of the decision.

As long as you have not submitted your application, you can still make changes to it. Once you submit your application, you can no longer edit it. If you forget to upload a document and only realize it after submitting it, please write an email to admission@klu.org. We will let you know what to do next.

We encourage you to submit your application early not only for planning, preparation, visas, etc. but also so benefit from our early-bird discount.

For fully completed applications received by February 28th, you will be granted a 10% early-bird discount on the overall tuition upon enrollment. To be entitled for the discount you need to fully complete the online application form and submit it together with your transcript of records.

Please note, that the early bird discount cannot be combined with KLU scholarship.

No, there is no way to speed up the process, unfortunately. The applications are processed in the order we receive them.

As long as you have not submitted your application yet, you can still make changes to it. If you have submitted your application, then please email admission@klu.org with the document as an attachment. We will make sure it is added to your application.

You can log-in to your account at any time to add or alter information. When you first signed up, you would have received a link and password. Please use this for all future logins. If you have already submitted your application, you can no longer add anything to your application. Please email admission@klu.org.

To accept your place of study you need to sign and send back your study contracts and annexes.

No, MBA students are not required to pay a deposit.

Once you start your application, you cannot delete it. If you want to withdraw and/or delete your profile, please email us at admission@klu.org. It would be helpful for us to know why you want to withdraw, so please remember to mention that in your email to us.

Please note that there are multiple criteria in the eligibility check for our MBA program. An educated statement on your eligibility can only be made after you have submitted your complete application including all necessary application documents (e.g. transcript of records, degree certificate, letters of reference, confirmation of work experience, etc.) Usually, KLU does not offer any pre-checks. Please check our program page for a full list of our admission requirements.

A complete application consists of:

• Online application form
• Scanned copy of your undergraduate degree certificate
• Scanned copy of your complete university transcript (semester mark sheets), listing your subjects and grades (of all university degrees)
• Proof of English proficiency (please see below how you can proof your English proficiency)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Motivational Essay (included in the online application)
• Two reference letters in the standard KLU form (included in the online application)
• Confirmation of work experience

Please provide certified translations of any documents that are not in English or German. Please note that the certification must also be in English or German.

As an English speaking university in Germany, we can accept application documents in English or in German. If your documents are not in English or German, please contact a translation agency or your university might provide you with a certified translation.

A certified translation has to be carried out by a ‘sworn translator’. It is certified by the translator or the translation company and accompanied by a signed statement confirming that the translation is accurate and complete to the best of the translator’s knowledge and ability. For the admissions process at KLU, either a translation into English or German is required. Usually British and local German Embassies provide a list of translation services on their website. Please refer to the respective embassy in your country for further information.

You will find the scholarship application on our program page under Tuition and Scholarships. Please note that you must submit your application for the MBA program before submitting your scholarship application. Incomplete applicants will not be considered.

There are several possibilities to finance your studies, e.g. through Brain Capital, external scholarships or a student loan.

KLU offers an innovative financing plan called Brain Capital. In this plan, the KLU tuition fund may carry up to 50% to 100% of the cost of tuition for the program (not the cost of living). Applicants from non-OECD countries do not receive a full funding of the tuition but only up to 50%.

Students can pursue their degrees without having to pay full tuition that exceeds their financial resources. In return, they will commit themselves to making income-dependent payments after graduation.

Yes, KLU offers a variety of scholarships for MBA applicants.

In Germany, tuition can be claimed on tax returns and the tax savings can be used to partially finance students’ degrees.

All master’s degree students can claim all the costs of their degree program as anticipated income-related expenses before graduating and after completing their vocational training, and carry them forward over their time enrolled as cumulative losses – assuming they had no or very little income in that time. Loss carry-forwards make this possible: the losses that students incur because they are studying are offset from their incomes after graduation in subsequent years. This reduces the income for which taxes are due. The costs associated with the semester abroad and tuition are deductible.

It is only possible to take advantage of loss carry-forward if the degree program is a second degree (master’s degree after the bachelor’s or a bachelor’s degree after an apprenticeship). The costs of first degrees can be deducted as a special expense up to a limit of €6,000. Study-related expenses only have an effect in the same year and only result in tax benefits for people whose incomes are high enough that they actually pay income tax in Germany. The Federal Constitutional Court is reviewing the regulation regarding the costs of the first degree. For this reason, students should always claim their study-related expenses as income-related expenses on their income tax returns.

If students participate in the Brain Capital plan and defer payment of tuition fees, the fees can be deducted as soon as payment is initiated (outflow principle).

*non-committal statement as KLU is not allowed to act as a tax advisor.

Yes, there are several external scholarships which you can apply for. DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers an extensive scholarship database.

The MBA program is conducted entirely in English, therefore candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English. We require a proficiency level of at least  B2 according to the CEFR levels. 

If you feel confident in your English skills, you can simply apply for a waiver during the interview. Only in exceptional cases will we require additional formal proof of English proficiency after the interview. In this case, we can still offer you admission to the MBA program. Formal proof must then be submitted by the end of the first semester (January 15).

Waivers are also granted for:

1. applicants from Canada (excluding Québec), the UK, Ireland, Australia, the US, or New Zealand whose native language is English.
2. candidates who have received a university degree from a university in any of the countries named above.
3. applicants who completed their bachelor’s degree in English in further countries (which are not mentioned in 1), if proof of English language proficiency was an admission requirement and can still be proven according to the KLU standards (English test should not be older than 5 years).
4. applicants with English high school qualifications from a native-speaker country combined with a bachelor’s degree in a language different from English.
5. applicants with at least 2 years of professional experience in a company with English as its official working language (the proof must not be older than 2 years and must be officially issued by the company).

Additionally, as official proof, we accept the following English tests:

• TOEFL (iBT: 90)*
• TOEFL "MyBest Scores" (iBT: 90) 
• TOEFL “Special Home Edition” (iBT: 90)
• IELTS Academic (band 6.5)*
• IELTS Online Academic Test (band 6.5)*
• CAE (grade C) / CPE (180 points)*
• FCE Cambridge English (grade A)*
• Pearson PTE Academic (also online version) (score 61)*

Yes, you are able to apply without proving your English language proficiency. You are able to submit proof later on.

If you completed your entire degree in English in Canada (excluding Quebec), USA, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand, then you do not need to complete a language proficiency test.

If you studied in English in a non-English speaking country (all countries, other than those mentioned above), you may not need to complete a language proficiency test, providing that English proficiency was an admission requirement for your Bachelor study and can still be proven (according to KLU standards).

No, our MBA program is taught entirely in English. Therefore no German language skills are required for our program.

18 months starting in March of which the first 12 months are seminars and the remaining 6 months are for writing the Master thesis. You have the option to skip the latter part and get a  “Certificate in Sustainable Management and Operations”.

The program is made up of 9 modules: 8 content modules and 1 sustainable impact project module. Each module contains both an online and an offline component.

Students will be on campus six times throughout the first 12 months of the program, in March, May, August, October, December and February. Each of these sessions will run from Monday to Friday. The five online sessions will take place between each of the on-campus sessions, in April, June, September, November and January. There will be a break in July.

The on-campus sessions focus on the transfer of fundamental management concepts into applications in the area of sustainability. Rather than frontal lectures, students can expect discussions, group work and co-creation with a high level of interaction. The online sessions contain a deeper focus on fundamental management concepts, which can be applied concerning sustainability. Through a combination of self-paced study and pre-readings, as well as live webinars and online group work, students have the flexibility to complete coursework and join in from home.

During the last 6 months (March to August), students will work on their Master Thesis. Throughout this period, KLU facilities, such as the library and breakout rooms, remain available to facilitate research and writing marathons if need be. The decision to write a thesis after completing the certificate program is an opportunity to demonstrate one’s mastery of core principles and ongoing debates on opportunities and challenges in the field of sustainable management and operations. Through individually guided sessions with their academic advisors, and industry experts, if necessary, students have a chance to narrow in on an area of expertise and contribute to the theory and practice of sustainability management. In some cases, participants’ work might lead to scientific publications and the pursuit of a doctoral degree.

Upon completion of the program, participants will optain a Masters degree in Sustainable Management and Operations. For the shortened option of 12 months, participants will receive a certificate in Sustainable Management and Operations.

• Managers and young professionals with leadership ambition and at least 2 years of work experience
• Holders of degrees in management/economics or engineering/information systems (Applicants without any academic degree might still be eligible subject to successful completion of an entrance exam (GMAT))
• Professionals with sustainability touchpoints in their current or previous jobs and those looking to transition into more sustainability-focused roles

While the program is structured in a way that participants from anywhere in the world could join, they should be conscious of their carbon footprint and minimize the amount of travel to and from our campus located in Hamburg, Germany.

Tuition fee: €11,000 (this includes all tuition and services, including access to the online learning platform and library materials. This also includes some social activities and the supporting program. For the extened option with the master thesis the aditional fee is €7,500.

KLU offers a variety of scholarships to SuMO applicants.

If your company is a member of the networks AGA, BVL or LIHH, KLU offers one 50% scholarship each that you can apply for.

Graduates from Common Purpose programs are offered a 50 % scholarship. If you’ve completed one of the programs, you can apply for this scholarship.

Furthermore, KLU offers a 50 % regional scholarship for applicants from developing countries who plan on working in their home countries upon completion of their studies, as well as a 50 % scholarship for applicants who work in the humanitarian sector for NGOs.

If you would like to apply for one of the above-mentioned scholarships, please submit the scholarship application form, a letter of motivation, as well as confirmation proving that you’re eligible for the scholarship you’re applying for.

Application deadline for scholarships: July 31.

Please note: As we also have rolling admission, please apply as early as possible (otherwise the scholarship might be given away by the time you apply for it).

Also have a look at: 

Brain Capital*
External Scholarships

*Applicable for master's students only

Please click here to get to our online application platform.

We require an application fee of €50 for all applicants.
 

• A bachelor's degree with at least 180 ECTS or its equivalent from a recognized university or college. We welcome applicants from all fields of study.*
  • If you don't have a bachelor's degree, no worries – you can still be eligible for admission by submitting a GMAT Test (Graduate Management Admission Test).*
• Minimum 2 years of work experience (managerial experience recommended but it is not a must).
• English proficiency is proven by TOEFL (IBT 90), IELTS (Band 6.5), CAE/CPE (grade C) or equivalent certificate (not older than 2 years at the time of submitting the application). Please name KLU if possible, when registering for a test (TOEFL institutional code is 7373).
  • Candidates who have at least 2 years of professional experience in a company with English as its official working language can apply for an English test waiver. The proof must not be older than 2 years and must be officially issued by the company.

* For the Master's program only

Apply online via our online application platform (see question above). We will start evaluating your application once we have a complete application. Then you will have a short interview with the Academic Director to evaluate your personal and professional development and your potential for leadership. You will then be notified of the decision.

We encourage you to submit your application early not only for planning and preparation, but also to benefit from our early-bird discount. For fully completed applications received by Febraury 28th, you will be granted a 10% early-bird discount on the overall tuition upon enrollment. To be entitled to the discount, you need to fully complete the online application form and submit it together with your transcript of records.

Please note, that the early bird discount cannot be combined with KLU scholarship.

Please prepare the following documents which are necessary for your application process as soon as you apply via our online application platform:

• Scanned copy of undergraduate degree
• Scanned copy of your transcript of records
• Proof of English proficiency (please see below how you can proof your English proficiency)
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Confirmation of work experience

The MBA program is conducted entirely in English, so candidates must be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking English. We require proficiency at least at level B2 according to the CEFR levels. 

If you feel confident in your English skills, you can simply apply for a waiver during the interview. Only in exceptional cases will we require additional formal proof of English proficiency after the interview. In this case, we can still offer you admission to the MBA program. Formal proof must then be submitted by the end of the first semester (January 15).

Waivers are also granted for:

1. applicants from Canada (excluding Québec), the UK, Ireland, Australia, the US, or New Zealand whose native language is English.
2. candidates who have received a university degree from a university in any of the countries named above.
3. applicants who completed their bachelor’s degree in English in further countries (which are not mentioned in 1), if proof of English language proficiency was an admission requirement and can still be proven according to the KLU standards (English test should not be older than 5 years).
4. applicants with English high school qualifications from a native-speaker country combined with a bachelor’s degree in a language different from English.
5. applicants with at least 2 years of professional experience in a company with English as its official working language (the proof must not be older than 2 years and must be officially issued by the company).

Additionally, as official proof, we accept the following English tests:

• TOEFL (iBT: 90)*
• TOEFL "MyBest Scores" (iBT: 90) 
• TOEFL “Special Home Edition” (iBT: 90)
• IELTS Academic (band 6.5)*
• IELTS Online Academic Test (band 6.5)*
• CAE (grade C) / CPE (180 points)*
• FCE Cambridge English (grade A)*
• Pearson PTE Academic (also online version) (score 61)*

Applications are considered once the online application and the supporting documents have been submitted via the online application platform. Our Admission Committee checks all applications and documents, and will typically respond with a decision within 6-8 weeks.

There is no general application deadline for our PhD positions. ​

The scholarships of the Kühne Foundation are typically announced in January or February with applications being possible from then on until all scholarship are assigned. The scholarship holders typically start at KLU on September 1st of each year.  ​

Positions for research associates are offered throughout the year depending on the time that the funding for the research project is granted. You need to check the respective job announcement for the application deadline. ​

To make sure that you don‘t miss any announcements, please follow us on LinkedIn.

You can apply for a position with your current transcript of records. If any grades are missing, please indicate which grades are missing and until when you will have finished your master degree.

KLU has two departments:

1) Operations and Technologies

2) Leadership and Management

The doctoral program as well as the KLU research seminar are organized across these two departments, and we also encourage interdisciplinary research projects.

We also have several research groups that focus on specific topics at KLU. These research groups focus on Humanitarian, Maritime, Organizational Behavior, Data Science, Sustainability, Food, and Operations/Supply Chain Management. The research groups typically meet once per month to discuss current research studies, current developments, and issues in research. ​

We offer all research topics that are covered by the KLU faculty within the two departments, i.e., Operations and Technologies as well as Leadership and Management.​

For a better understanding of research topics, please visit the personal descriptions of the KLU resident faculty on this website. ​

Please find below the titles of the dissertations of our 10 most recent graduates​.

Yes! KLU strongly encourages international cooperations and international research stays. Typically, students go for an international stay during their 3rd year, sometimes earlier or later depending on the specific goal of their research visit. The goal is very often an international research cooperation and the host becoming a co-author in one of the projects. Another reason may be to learn a specific research method or to learn more about a specific topic. ​

• For the scholarships that are provided by the Kühne foundation, you need to find a supervisor before you apply for the scholarship. Please check the professor profiles on the KLU homepage to see who is working in your area of interest and contact them. Ideally, you write an email with a short description of your intended topic and a current CV (including grades and specializations)​.
• For research projects, the supervisor is indicated in the job offering for the position.​

Yes. We offer flexibility and at the same time, also encourage our PhD candidates to regularly come to KLU for work. One big advantage of coming to KLU is that you are surrounded by your peers who can very often help you and with whom you can share the sometimes challenging experiences while doing a PhD. We do not have a general regulation in terms of days and you need to discuss with your supervisor what your best mode of work is. 

For more information on housing, please check out our article about finding accommodation in Hamburg.

Yes, the language of research is English and we are an English speaking university. Thus, research papers are in English, courses are in English, and your dissertation will be in English.

There are several ways to prove your English language proficiency.​
Please note, proof of English proficiency can be submitted by July 31st. Do not wait to apply until you receive your test scores, rather apply early and proactively and submit them at a later date.​

• TOEFL (iBT: 90)*​
• TOEFL "MyBest Scores" (iBT: 90) ​
• TOEFL “Special Home Edition” (iBT: 90)​
• IELTS Academic (band 6.5)*​
• IELTS Online Academic Test (band 6.5)*​
• CAE (grade C) / CPE (180 points)*​
• FCE Cambridge English (grade A)*​
• Pearson PTE Academic (also online version) (score 61)*​
• IB diploma (for Bachelor's and Master's program)​
• In case of admission, please note that you will need an official score report (hardcopy) for the enrolment. Therefore, please name KLU if possible when registering for a test (TOEFL institutional code is 7373).​

*Test score reports should not be older than two years at the time of application.

​

Applicable for MSc International Management & MSc Global Logistics and SCM:​

•  Bachelor degree in English, if proof of English language proficiency was an admission requirement and can still be proven (according to the above mentioned KLU standards).​
•  English high school qualification in a native speaker country combined with a Bachelor's degree in a language different to English.

KLU is an English speaking university. Therefore, all courses and the general communication at KLU is in English. Nonetheless, there are some research projects in which German language proficiency is necessary to communicate with project partners. Please check the job opening of the research project and ask the responsible professor in case of doubt. ​

If you want, you have the opportunity to attend German classes. So, you don‘t need German language skills but you are free to learn German if you want to. ​