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Why Do An MBA In Germany? 5 Key Benefits

From cultural heritage to jobs prospects and work visas, here are a five key benefits of studying an MBA in Germany

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Thu May 19 2022

BusinessBecause
With a GDP of $4 trillion, the fourth highest globally, Germany is abundant with job opportunities, travel options, and high salaries at prolific companies that MBA students can take advantage of. 

Germany is also home to top-ranked business schools—seven German business schools feature in the top 100 of the Financial Times European business schools ranking.

Plus, big-name German companies like Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, Bayer, and Adidas, are often on the lookout for MBA talent.

Considering an MBA? Here are five key benefits to doing your MBA in Germany. 


1. Germany offers friendly visa policies for international MBA students

Germany's visa regulations are favorable for MBA students. Once students have obtained their residence permit in Germany, you are free to travel around the Schengen area. 

To obtain your Residence Permit, you have to register with the Alien Registration Office in the German city you're residing in within two weeks of your arrival.

Germany is also one of the easiest countries to get a work visa

Even if you're a non-EU citizen, after finishing your last MBA exam you can apply for an 18-month extended residency permit allowing you to stay and work in the country. 

If you have a job after graduation you can apply for a work visa, which is valid for as long as you hold that position, and the EU Blue Card allows a student to stay who has secured a job that fulfills certain criteria, like a minimum of €56k ($58k) per annum.


2. Germany is home to top international MBA programs

The 2022 QS ranking of the world’s best MBA programs includes six German full-time MBAs. Among them is HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, which offers a 15-to-21 month program taught in English.

90% of HHL Leipzig MBA students are international and the school boasts a network of more than 3,300 alumni across 70 countries

"We have 17 nationalities in my class right now. We have a lawyer, a medical doctor, engineers, business marketers, and one chemist," explains Brazilian MBA student Mariana Lopes, who started the program in September 2021.

Mariana, who fell in love with Germany after listening to German gothic metal band Rammstein age 12, decided to pursue an MBA to accelerate her career in digital marketing.

HHL boasts an intimate class size and interactive group projects to help students establish a strong network of peers and global contacts. 

"It's interesting to see different points of view from various backgrounds working on the same thing. You are always mixing and matching and working with different people,” Mariana says.


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3. Doing an MBA in Germany gives you access to top jobs and careers support

With global business centers like Berlin and Munich, there are a variety of exciting job opportunities for MBAs in Germany. And MBA career services provide personalized support to elevate your jobs prospects.

MBA students at HHL Leipzig take personality tests and participate in career orientation workshops where they’re helped to identify their strengths and get advice on resumes and cover letters. 

"You learn how to find the keywords you need to put on your CV for companies to understand your strengths," Mariana explains. "Plus, companies come through campus, and we have online career events, so we have a lot of opportunities to network."

Students are introduced to companies via on-campus interviews, alumni presentations, and company trips. 

Companies that hire HHL Leipzig graduates include Amazon, Vodafone, and Deutsche Bank.

Many students also go on to start their own businesses—350+ startups have been founded by alumni from the school. 


4. Get strong ROI from an MBA in Germany

Salaries in Germany are relatively high and MBA programs are more affordable than elsewhere, so students can expect to get a strong return on their investment from an MBA in Germany.

While some MBA programs in the US cost upwards of $150,000 in tuition alone, the HHL Leipzig MBA costs less than $42,000 and MBA students enjoy an average salary increase of 80% after graduation.

Additionally, HHL Leipzig MBA graduates enter the job market rapidly—89% of students are employed three months after graduation. 

"German universities have exceptional links to a diverse range of industries. This will facilitate entry into the German job market via internships and hands-on projects," says Dr. Vivek Velamuri, the academic director for the full-time MBA program.


5. Germany offers an ideal location for traveling during your MBA

Germany is an eclectic country with epic sites like Bastion Bridge looking over the Elbe river, Zugspitze mountain, the Black Forest, and the famous river Rhine.

Leipzig is an exciting location, as the fastest growing city in Germany it has an expanding infrastructure plentiful with cafes, canals, and bars. 

It was Lonely Planet Germany's top destination and is located centrally in Germany, convenient for travel around the country and the continent.

Leipzig is a train ride away from Berlin, where you can enjoy historical sights and the renowned music scene. 

"Here we are two and half hours from Prague, five hours from Budapest, and it's a $4 train to Berlin," Mariana says. 

For anyone considering business school, doing an MBA in Germany can fulfill your wanderlust and give you access to diverse networking opportunities, strong career prospects, and a positive return on your investment. 

"Germany is the beating heart of a thriving Europe where academic excellence & research, entrepreneurship and industry come together," Vivek says.

Student Reviews

HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management

Student

Verified

8/06/2020

Part time MSc Management

I decided on attending this program since it is 100% in English, the option for a Semester abroad, and it has a nicely designed curriculum. I enjoyed very much the studies at the Leipzig location (I do not live in Leipzig and was staying in Airbnb flats with other students during the course weekends). There was great enthusiasm within the students' group, the courses were challenging and we had experienced/diverse professors which added to the overall experience. HHL is focused on teamwork and is big on its network and career development which is a definite value add for students. I can recommend HHL to other students who want to sharpen their skill set to be prepared for leadership positions.

Brendan

Verified

5/06/2020

Impressive Journey

I’m doing my Master Part-time at HHL and love the Journey. The teaching is between good and outstanding. The service around the lectures is amazing. Never had to wait longer than a day for a response. The Network I was able to build and the lecture about entrepreneurship are the major takeaways which strongly influenced my future. I can strongly recommend the Master in Part-time at the HHL for a course with impact. But be prepared they will broaden your horizon and you will have to grow with it.

Student

Verified

18/01/2022

Blended

Horrible Experience

I am also a recent student at HHL. I would agree with your post wholeheartedly. HHL is brilliant at marketing, however, it's more like a Ponzi scheme. A lot of Indians happen to fall into this trap, including me. I joined HHL while letting ESMT go primarily because I thought Leipzig is a cheaper city to live in and the course is cheaper. Always remember if a deal looks too good it is probably a scam. The studies are extremely below average, the college has an abysmal career centre and the campus is a joke. Now let me give you some deeper insights : 1. Given that the college is located in EAST Germany- you need to understand that RACISM is a truth. The college runs MBA and MSc. (Management). MBA is a mere point of luring students as unaware students come to HHL with dreams and hopes of doing an MBA and getting placed. To break it to you softly: MSc is the FLAGSHIP program for HHL- this means 99% of the class is German, and they got offers from the likes of Mckinsey, Bain and Deutsche come to the Germans. Even the foreigners doing MSc. do not get a whiff of the opportunity- please understand- Germany is a "German" speaking country and not internationalised enough to include "English" as the business language. Nonetheless, HHL is such a weak school that it cannot do **** about anything- their placement cell always keeps on crying but they are of absolutely ZERO help. You will not get any scholarships like the Germans do here thanks to the Dean who promotes this divide between Germans and others by giving scholarships thatd more or less cover the entire tuition fees of the German students. 2. The Academic Director for MBA is definitely someone people look at and think that good there's an Indian there- he has absolutely zero value in HHL and in the research world anyways. He is only out there to lure you in to get a fatter commission-the more Indians he gets in the higher his commission and his job is SAFE. 3. The faculty is so horribly poor in their own research work and competence that you'd feel why did I come here. The only reason why some people come here: VISA and citizenship in a few years. You may also procure a job but with the HHL tag being so weak the salaries are way below AVERAGE. Free advice: So either way if you're planning to come to Germany either perfect your German or choose a different country because colleges like HHL get students from all over the world- after which they do not really give a damn whether you get placed or not- it's ALL BUSINESS TO HHL. I cannot speak about many other colleges, but, due to the sheer presence of colleges like Frankfurt business school, WHU and ESMT in bigger cities such as Frankfurt, Berlin and Dusseldorf provide better chances to network during the duration of the course. Do NOT come to HHL and waste your money. Your entire education and stay would cost 50 lacs, instead invest in BITCOIN or STOCKS. OR just do your Masters in Management from a public University in Germany which is way cheaper, has higher chances of scholarship and better placement opportunities. Hope this helps Thanks.