SRH Fernhochschule - The Mobile University
Back

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions at SRH Fernhochschule – The Distance Learning University.

 

Three large white question marks stand on a wooden floor in front of a gray wall.

Can I study even if I do not have a general qualification for university entrance? What are ECTS credit points? How much are the tuition fees? Can I transfer credits from previous studies or training? Here you will find the answers to your questions. Also, feel free to watch the videos related to our FAQs. 

Before starting your degree

The quickest way to enrol with us is to send your application for one of our distance learning programmes to our online application portal.

If you prefer not to use our online application portal, simply download the application for enrolment from our website, complete it online, and email it – as a PDF file, together with your documents in the usual formats (JPG, PDF, PNG) – to info@srh-dlu.com

Your online application

All Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes can be started on the first day of each month. Since the lectures and examinations are repeated continuously, it is possible to start your studies at any time without any problems. Please allow 2 weeks for processing and submit your application for enrolment in good time.

How your distance learning course works

Yes, you can study with us even if you do not have a general qualification for university entrance (A-Levels). You can start studying with us if you have completed an apprenticeship that took at least two years as well as a master craftsman’s examination / further training that builds on your apprenticeship, and held an aptitude discussion with us. You will also meet the admission requirements for studying without Abitur if you have completed an apprenticeship that took at least two years, spent at least three years working in an area related to the degree you wish to take, held an advisory discussion with us, and passed an aptitude test. 

No. A completed first degree, usually a Bachelor’s degree, is a prerequisite for our Master’s programmes. You can find the exact programme-specific entry requirements on the relevant programme page.

Credit transfer

Yes. Basically, you can transfer credits earned in other degree programmes or apart form higher education. You can only transfer credits that are not an admission criterion for your chosen study programme (this is why you cannot transfer credits from your general university entrance qualification, for example). 

You can only transfer credits that meet the requirements of the Act on Higher Education (LHG) of the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg. Nor can we take into account skills you have gained from your professional experience. We will be happy to check for you which modules we can recognise or transfer, based on your previous expertise – free of charge and with no strings attached. 

More on the recognition of past achievements

Due to the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), study achievements are internationally comparable and recognised. 180 credits are required for successful completion of the Bachelor's programme. For the Master's degree, 60, 90 or 120 credits are required.

Financing your studies

Tuition fees may vary depending on the chosen financing option. With our Flex models, you decide which monthly tuition fee best suits your personal circumstances. Whether you choose Flex 1, Flex 2 or Flex 3 (available for Bachelor's programmes only) – the duration of study and full academic services remain the same in all cases. You have the flexibility to organise your studies over time without incurring any additional costs. If needed, you can extend your distance learning programme free of charge by up to twice the standard period of study.

Our Flex models Flex 2 and Flex 3 (if available) can only be booked for students residing in the EU and in Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein and the United Kingdom. For more information visit the following link or contact us directly.

More on our tuition fees

You can obtain a scholarship, a student grant (BAföG), an education cheque, educational leave, a study loan or a training loan to help pay for your distance learning programme with us. 

You can withdraw from your distance learning contract at any time during the four-week test period (28 days) at no charge. After this time, if the programme does not live up to your expectations, you can terminate your studies for the first time with a notice period of six weeks to the end of the first semester. Once you have completed your first semester, you have the option of terminating your distance learning programme with a notice period of three months to the end of the month. 

Examinations

If you pursue distance learning with us, you will generally be able to study while living abroad. You will be able to sit “examinations abroad”. To do so, you will need to look for a suitable institute close to your place of residence (a Goethe-Institut, a German school abroad, a German embassy, etc.) that is willing to hold examinations on our behalf. We will be happy to help you proceed further.

More on studying our courses abroad

You can choose when to take examinations: we offer 

  • “examinations at home” (e.g. online tests, case studies and term papers) and
  • “live examinations” (e.g. presentations, role plays and written examinations. 

For most examination formats, no prior registration is necessary. Should registration be necessary, then it is possible to register via our E-Campus.

More Information on our E-Campus

Examinations are offered on eight weekends per year, with six freely selectable time slots on each occasion – available at all our examination and study centres across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Italy. Previous academic achievements may be recognised upon request, provided they are equivalent.

You can resit examinations twice, i.e. you have a maximum of three attempts in total. 

After the standard period of study has expired, the study programme at SRH DLU can be extended for twice the standard period of study free of charge. If you need more time to complete your degree after the double standard period of study has ended, we will charge monthly  tuition fees for extended periods of study.

Study programme

You will study flexibly, without the need for rigid semesters. In other words, we will suggest a course of studies for you – but it is up to you to decide when you book, study and complete each module. 

Our module box enables you to do this. You can take up to five study modules in parallel. Once you have successfully completed a module, you decide what you want to take next. You are free to set the pace and the order in which you take your modules. Alternatively, you can also follow our established course of studies, which we suggest in the curriculum. 

More on our module box

Yes, as evidenced by the hundreds of graduates in employment who complete their distance learning programmes with us each year. We have designed our study programmes to ensure that you will be able to complete your degree while in employment or training. More than 90% of our students are in employment. Our experience therefore shows that distance learning can be pursued successfully alongside employment.

Weekly study hours and workload are highly individual factors. Your prior knowledge, learning pace, and personal study situation can significantly influence them. Our degree programmes are structured around 25 hours of work per credit point. A typical module is worth 6 credit points, and a semester usually comprises 30 credit points. Based on this, you should plan for approximately 30 hours per week for your distance learning. This includes time spent reading study materials, engaging on the e-campus, attending seminars, or preparing for exams. The actual weekly workload may vary depending on your individual circumstances and planning.

So funktioniert Ihr Fernstudium

It is up to you to decide on the work intensity and duration of your studies by determining when you want to take the next module, at which point you will request the relevant study materials. 

You can also choose when to take your examinations. We offer “examinations at home”, such as online tests, case studies and term papers, as well as “live examinations”, e.g. written examinations.

We hold written examinations on eight weekends a year, each with six freely selectable time slots – at all of our study centres. 

Yes, depending on the study programme you have chosen, it is possible to change your degree programme whilst you are studying. A fee may apply for such a change. We can advise you on this on a case-by-case basis – please contact your personal student advisor:

Yes, it is generally possible to change your mode of study. However, the conditions vary depending on the mode of study:

Switching between Flex and Connect:

A switch is possible provided that the relevant degree programme is also offered in the other mode of study. The Connect mode of study is not currently available for all degree programmes. Fees may apply for the switch. We would be happy to advise you individually on the options available – please contact your personal student advisor for further details.

Switching between Fix and Flex:

It is not possible to switch directly between these study formats. In this case, your existing study contract must be terminated and you must re-enrol in the desired study format.

If you have any questions or would like to consider a change, please contact your personal student advisor:

Completion of the degree

Once you have passed all of the examinations in your modules, as well as your Bachelor or Master’s thesis, we will award you with a nationally and internationally recognised degree, and will issue your degree certificate and examination certificate. You will also receive a Diploma Supplement, written in English, making it easier for your qualification to be compared internationally. 

We offer you an outstanding, internationally recognised study programme. As a system-accredited university with permanent state recognition awarded by the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, we bear the quality seal of the German Accreditation Council. All degree programmes and certificate courses have been given governmental approval by the Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht (State Central Agency for Distance Learning, ZFU). 

More on our accreditations

The fact that distance learning is highly regarded by potential employers is demonstrated by our numerous cooperative activities with partners from the field. The study concept enabling study for people in employment or with other responsibilities is also supported by many of our students’ employers. This is because it enables students to apply the theory they have acquired to practice straight away. 

Our university does not have its own right to award doctorates. However, it is generally possible to go on to study for a doctorate at a university authorised to award doctorates. The requirements for this are set out in the relevant doctoral regulations of the university awarding the doctorate.

A total of 300 ECTS credits from Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes is often required. Our Bachelor’s degrees generally comprise 180 ECTS credits and our Master’s degrees 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.

If you are planning to undertake a PhD at a later stage, you should therefore ensure, when choosing your Master’s programme, that you will achieve the required number of ECTS credits in combination with your Bachelor’s degree, thereby fulfilling the formal requirements for a potential PhD.

Study Advisory

Do you have questions about the degree programmes?