About INU
INU is a private University of Applied Sciences founded in 2022. The university is based in Cologne, Germany.
Yes. INU is a state-recognized private university. Its recognition has been granted by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Yes. All degree programmes offered by INU are accredited by the German Accreditation Council and approved by the State Central Agency for Distance Learning (ZFU).
This ensures that the quality of our academic programmes meets rigorous standards and is regularly reviewed by independent experts. As part of the accreditation process, all programmes undergo continuous evaluation to maintain their academic excellence.
INU is a fully online university with its own dedicated app, giving you access to lectures and learning materials anytime, anywhere.
More than just a digital platform, the INU app is your personal campus. Designed to fit around the demands of modern life, it offers a flexible and personalized study experience that adapts to your individual needs.
INU also provides innovative AI-powered learning tools that enhance the learning experience and offer personalized support throughout your studies.
The INU app brings together everything you need for your studies in one place, including class and exam schedules, important dates, grades, enrollment certificates, course materials, and key documents. Your personal performance dashboard gives you a clear overview of your progress and academic achievements at any time.
Interactive exercises, live knowledge checks, and gamified learning elements create an engaging and motivating learning experience. You can choose the learning style that suits you best: attend live online classes or enjoy maximum flexibility with recorded lectures, study materials, microlearning modules, and access to digital library resources.
As one of the first universities in Germany, INU developed an AI Coach that is fully integrated into the INU app, providing around-the-clock support for your studies and continuing education.
What sets the AI Coach apart is that it draws exclusively on verified and curated INU content, including the materials from your courses and modules. Rather than relying on open internet sources and potentially unreliable information, it delivers trustworthy, exam-level answers based on the content you are studying.
You can apply for a degree programme at INU online via the application form on our website. Simply enter your personal information and upload the required documents.
Once you have submitted your application, our admissions team will review your documents and get in touch with you. In most cases, this is followed by an advisory session where any remaining questions can be discussed and the next steps explained.
If you meet all admission requirements, you will receive your study agreement and can officially enrol at INU.
Yes. Applicants with international school-leaving qualifications are welcome to apply. Your documents will be assessed individually to determine whether your qualification meets the admission requirements for studying at INU.
Alternatively, you can check the formal admission requirements through uni-assist, Germany’s central service for evaluating international academic qualifications.
No. INU does not operate a Numerus Clausus (NC) system, and admission is not based on your final school grades alone.
If you have previously been enrolled at another university or higher education institution, you will need to provide a certificate of deregistration (Exmatrikulationsbescheinigung).
This document confirms that you are no longer enrolled at your previous institution and helps prevent simultaneous enrolment at multiple universities.
All required documents can be submitted digitally, either through the INU app or via the INU online portal in your web browser.
No. INU does not have fixed application deadlines. In principle, you can apply up until shortly before the start of the semester (1 April or 1 October).
Please note, however, that applications can only be processed once all required documents have been submitted. We therefore recommend checking in advance which documents are needed and whether your qualification meets the relevant admission requirements.
The General Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife) grants access to virtually all degree programmes at universities and higher education institutions throughout Germany.
This qualification is typically obtained by completing the German Abitur and can be verified through your secondary school leaving certificate.
The Subject-Specific Higher Education Entrance Qualification (Fachgebundene Hochschulreife) allows you to study degree programmes within specific academic fields.
To be eligible, your qualification must correspond to the subject area of the programme you wish to study. Whether this requirement is met is assessed individually by the university.
Proof of this qualification is provided through your school leaving certificate.
The University of Applied Sciences Entrance Qualification (Fachhochschulreife) enables you to study at Universities of Applied Sciences throughout Germany.
To qualify, both the academic component and the practical component of the qualification must have been successfully completed.
The practical component may be demonstrated through one of the following:
If the practical component was completed through a supervised internship, you must also provide confirmation from the host organisation that the internship fulfilled the official requirements.
If the practical component was completed through vocational training, proof of successful completion of the state-recognised training programme is required.
It is possible to gain admission to higher education in Germany even without an Abitur or equivalent school-leaving qualification.
Advanced Professional Qualifications
Successfully completed advanced professional qualifications, such as Master Craftsman (Meister), Technician (Techniker), or Business Administrator (Fachwirt), provide direct access to all degree programmes at German universities and higher education institutions without the need for additional entrance examinations.
Relevant Vocational Training and Professional Experience
You may also qualify for admission if you have:
In this case, you may apply for a degree programme that is closely related to your professional background.
To demonstrate eligibility, please provide:
Entrance Examination or Trial Studies
Applicants who have completed at least two years of vocational training and have gained at least three years of professional experience may alternatively obtain university entrance eligibility through an entrance examination or a trial study programme.
Under this route, the chosen degree programme does not necessarily need to be related to your previous training or professional experience.
Further information on university admission for professionally qualified applicants can be found on the relevant information pages.
Applicants who obtained their university entrance qualification outside Germany may also be eligible to study at INU, provided that their qualification is recognised as equivalent to a German university entrance qualification.
The recognition process depends on your citizenship.
Applicants with German Citizenship
Please first have your qualification assessed through uni-assist.
Alternatively, you may submit your educational certificates directly to the Central Certificate Recognition Office (Zentrale Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle) of the District Government of Düsseldorf for evaluation.
The authority will determine whether your qualification is equivalent to a German university entrance qualification. If equivalency cannot be established, an additional recognition procedure may be required.
Applicants without German Citizenship
Please have your qualification assessed through uni-assist to determine whether it meets the admission requirements for studying in Germany.
Degree programmes begin twice a year:
INU organises its programmes in cohort-based study groups. This means that students start their studies together at the beginning of the semester and typically complete their examinations at the same time at the end of each semester.
The standard duration of our Bachelor’s programmes is:
The standard duration of our Master’s programmes is:
The MBA programme can be completed in:
Full-time study is ideal if you would like to complete your degree as quickly as possible and can dedicate sufficient time to studying multiple modules each semester.
Part-time study is designed for students who work alongside their studies, have family commitments, or prefer to spread their workload over a longer period.
ECTS stands for the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. It is the standard credit system used across Europe to ensure the transparency and recognition of academic achievements.
ECTS credits reflect the total workload required for a module, including:
At INU, one ECTS credit corresponds to approximately 25 hours of study.
Bachelor’s programmes comprise a total of 180 ECTS credits. The number of credits assigned to each module also determines its weighting within the final degree classification. Detailed information can be found in the respective module handbook.
All examinations at INU are conducted entirely online.
To take part in an examination, you will need:
You will receive all relevant information by email in advance. Approximately two to three weeks before your examination, you will have the opportunity to complete a mock exam to familiarise yourself with the system.
On the day of the examination, you will complete the assessment online and submit your work digitally.
To study online at INU, you will need:
While tablets and smartphones can be used as supplementary devices, they do not replace a fully functional computer for studying and taking examinations.
Depending on your programme, you will graduate with one of the following academic degrees:
All degrees awarded by INU are state-recognised and accredited.
A Bachelor’s degree prepares graduates for direct entry into the job market and also provides eligibility for further postgraduate study, including Master’s programmes.
INU is committed to providing equal opportunities for all students. Students with disabilities, long-term health conditions, or other circumstances that may affect their studies or examinations may be eligible to apply for reasonable accommodations.
If you have questions about available accommodations or the application process, our team will be happy to advise and support you throughout the process.
A minimum contract period of six months applies. For the first time, you can therefore terminate your contract at the end of the first semester with six weeks’ notice. From the second semester on, you can always terminate your contract with a notice period of three months.
After expiration of the standard study period specified in the contract, it ends automatically and no termination is required.
The cost of studying at INU depends on the time model. For full-time studies, €545 is paid per month. The cost of one semester is therefore €3,720, while the entire program costs €19,620.
Part-time studies, on the other hand, are paid only €430 per month. One semester thus costs €2,580, with the entire program costing €20,640. The higher total costs compared to full-time study are due to the longer duration of study.
Unlike fee-based face-to-face courses, the fees for your studies at INU are capped. This means that if you need more than 36 or 48 months to complete your studies, you will not pay any additional monthly tuition fees. In the first 12 months after the end of your standard period of study, you can extend your period of study completely free of charge. After this no-cost extension, students may continue their studies. This extension of study time begins immediately following the free extension. An administrative fee of 250 euros is then due for each semester started.
If you meet the BAföG requirements, you can receive a maximum grant rate of 934 euros, depending on your parents’ income. This funding rate consists of half a grant and half an interest-free loan. Therefore, half of the BAföG must be repaid at the end of the studies (first payment five years after the last BAföG payment). The maximum amount of debt is 10,010 euros.
You can apply for BAföG here.
For further information on BAföG, you can contact the Kölner Studierendenwerk.
Student loans assist students in meeting the cost of living during a course of study or in financing the studies themselves. Various banks and savings banks offer different student loans, depending on the region. The Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) distributes nationwide student loans in cooperation with the Bundesverwaltungsamt (BVA). You can find more detailed information regarding the conditions of the KfW student loan at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. If you would like to apply for a KfW student loan, you should contact the Federal Office of Administration.
Numerous scholarships are awarded by gifted and talented funding agencies, foundation donors and other organizations. Here you will find a short listing of some awarding bodies:
As long as you are under 25 years old, you are entitled to the so-called child benefit. Here it is not important whether it is a first or second degree. The only important thing is that, in addition to the age limit, you do not exceed a maximum of 20 hours of work per week.
If you are older than 25 years, you can also claim child benefit if you have done military or civilian service. You can get more detailed information from the Family Fund of the Federal Employment Agency.
