Master's Program – Application & Admission

We believe in real equality of everyone! No matter where you are from or what you have done we treat each and every applicant the same. No exceptions!

And we believe in people rather than numbers. Our quality standards are high, but there is no "Numerus Clausus" and we do not ask for a GMAT. We are looking for determined, active and open-minded characters. For people who want to make a change!

Accordingly, the admission process is designed to get as detailed a picture of you as possible:

Step 1 is your formal application. We consider your previous experiences as well as your plans for your future – namely: your bachelor grades, your work experience, your social engagement, your motivation for joining the Karls as well as your plans for the time after graduation (just to name a few).

Step 2: If the evaluation of your documents is positive, we invite you to an individual 30-minute admission interview (colloquium) which is held in person in Karlsruhe or digitally via Microsoft Teams.

The colloquium is an inspiring conversation between you and members of the Karls team; sprinkled with little tasks along the way. We want to get to know you better as a person and you can get to know about the Karls in detail, too.

And we won't keep you hanging in the balance very long either. Shortly after the colloquium we will give you qualitative feedback and, of course, let you know if you are accepted to join the Karls.

Elisabeth Vielhaber, Management (M.A.)

"The Master's at Karls is an open space for everyone who wishes to try something new. There are a lot of things going on in the classrooms, but also in-between and beyond. It's truly impressive!"

Admission requirements

Eligibility and Educational background

You are eligible to apply for the program if you have completed

  • a 3-year (or more) degree program in business administration or economics at a university or a university of applied sciences or a university of cooperative education (accredited undergraduate studies) or
  • a 3-year (or more) degree program in a related field of study at a university or a university of applied sciences or a university of cooperative education (accredited undergraduate studies).

A related field of study can be virtually anything from legal, social and cultural studies, to the humanities, linguistics or geography, psychology or philosophy, to even technological subjects and natural sciences.

However, you need to have gained certified experience in relevant management topics (applies to the Master in Management) or in political, social, economical, philosophical or associated topics (applies to the Master in Social Transformation) of at least 30 ECTS points throughout your previous studies. We also accredit for corresponding practical experience in the framework of an equivalency assessment.

Please note: If you haven't gained sufficient experience through either of those means you can still clear this hurdle by joining our PreMaster program! Please find further information here.

English Language Proficiency

As all our M.A. programs are completely taught in English, you need to show proof of English language proficiency on level C1 CEFR.

We accept IELTS (min. of 6.5 band score), TOEFL (min. of 100 points), and the ISE III from Trinity College London.

If you are a native speaking person, you are not required to hand in additional certificates. If English was the medium of instruction throughout your school/university education, a statement letter from your educational institution regarding the medium of instruction is required. In any case, we have the right to obtain further certificates if needed.

Nur Bayraktepe, Management (M.A.)

"Studying the Master Management at the Karls is a unique opportunity to expand your horizon and to unveil your own potential in a system where your ideas are always taken seriously and supported."

Application deadlines & documents

Application deadlines

  • Do you come from within the European Union?
    Then your application deadline is 1 September of each year.
  • Do you come from outside the European Union but you already have a standing VISA for Germany?
    Then your application deadline is 15 July (possibly later by individual arrangement) of each year.
  • Do you come from outside the European Union and you do not have a standing VISA for Germany, yet?
    Then your application deadline is 15 July* (possibly later, depending on the visa process of your home country) of each year.


In order to guarantee a smooth and comfortable admission process, however, we recommend applying well before the deadline, as the number of available slots is limited.

Please note: For corresponding information regarding the PreMaster program please see here.
 

*Exceptions may apply for the countries who do not need a short-stay Germany visa:
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, San Marino, Switzerland, USA, etc.

In concrete cases, please kindly get in touch with our Student Admissions Service.

 

Documents to submit

Please kindly submit the following documents in English language during the online application:

  • Letter of motivation (1 - 2 pages). More details here
  • Curriculum Vitae in tabular form
  • University Diploma and Final Transcript of Records
  • Abstract of Bachelor Thesis
  • Higher education entrance qualification (e.g. High School Diploma or similar)
  • Proof of English language proficiency (see above)
  • Copy of your national ID card/passport
  • Passport-sized photograph
  • Additional Certificates (e.g. internships, extracurricular activities, social engagements)

 

Please note: Your application will only be processed if it contains all documents required! 

Further info

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Student Admissions Service.