Private universities in Germany set their own application deadlines, so no single date applies to all of them. For master’s programmes starting in 2027, the final deadlines published by the seven universities in this guide run from 1 May to 1 September 2027. The first early rounds close at the end of November 2026, and some universities set an earlier date for applicants who need a visa. Most of them, including all three business schools, take master’s students only once a year. If you apply from India, Nigeria or Pakistan, plan around the visa, not the final deadline.
Key points
- Most have only one intake a year. All three business schools in this guide (WHU, Frankfurt School and ESMT), as well as Hertie and Constructor, start master’s programmes once a year, in late summer or autumn. If you miss it, the next start is a year later.
- Each private university sets its own deadlines and intakes. Always check the programme’s own page.
- WHU sets an earlier deadline for applicants who need a visa, and Hertie has an earlier priority deadline for non-EU/EEA applicants.
- ESMT says issuing a German student visa might take up to six months.
- The business schools have early or early-bird rounds months before the final deadline.
- Some universities, such as IU, Gisma and SRH, publish no fixed deadline dates for their master’s programmes.
The 2027 deadline calendar
The calendar shows the deadlines and start dates each university publishes for its main master’s intake in 2027, from November 2026 to October 2027. Dates before November 2026 are left out. The legend explains each marker, and the table below lists the same dates with notes.
Scroll sideways to see the whole year.
Sources: each university’s own admissions page, listed in the table below. Checked on 7 November 2026. This is not a ranking, and inclusion says nothing about a university’s quality or recognition.
Deadlines by university
These are the dates as published on 7 November 2026, ordered by the final deadline for an autumn 2027 start. Universities can change their deadlines, so confirm the date for your programme before you plan around it.
| University and programme | Published dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hertie School Master of Public Policy, intake 2027 |
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| WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management Master in Management, intake 2027 |
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Source: WHU: Master in Management application and admissions; WHU: Master in Management |
| Frankfurt School of Finance & Management Master in Management, intake August 2027 |
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| ESMT Berlin Master in Global Management, intake September 2027 |
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| Constructor University Bremen Graduate programmes, intake Fall 2027 |
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Source: Constructor University: Application information for graduate programmes; Constructor University: FAQ – Graduate study |
| Macromedia University of Applied Sciences Master's programmes, intake April and October 2027 |
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Source: Macromedia University: Master-Bewerbung (German page); Macromedia University: Master's application (English page) |
| University of Europe for Applied Sciences All study programmes, intake Summer 2027 and winter 2027/28 |
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Source: University of Europe for Applied Sciences: FAQ; University of Europe for Applied Sciences: Semester dates; University of Europe for Applied Sciences: How to apply for a master's |
Two patterns stand out. First, the Hertie School and the business schools WHU, ESMT and Frankfurt School use rounds or early-bird dates months before the final deadline. Applying by Hertie’s 1 December deadline gets you a discounted tuition fee. WHU, Frankfurt School and ESMT publish reductions or awards for early applicants. Hertie’s priority deadline increases your chances of a scholarship.
Second, universities of applied sciences such as UE and Macromedia set a deadline close to the semester start and offer two intakes a year.
Macromedia’s English and German master’s pages give different dates. The calendar uses the German page, which sets the earlier deadlines. Ask the university in writing which date applies to you.
Universities that publish no fixed deadline
Some private universities publish no deadline dates for their master’s programmes. That does not mean you can apply at any time: places, visa processing and semester starts still set limits. This is what their pages say instead:
- IU International University of Applied Sciences: Two intakes a year for most English-taught master's degrees, April and October. IU encourages you to apply in time to obtain your student visa, and says the APS certificate that applicants from India, Vietnam and China need can take a few months. (IU International University: Master's degrees)
- Gisma University of Applied Sciences: Gisma says visa confirmation takes 2 to 3 months, depending on your home country, and that you can attend courses online while waiting for the visa. (Gisma University of Applied Sciences: How to apply)
- SRH University: SRH advises applying for the visa as early as possible, straight after admission, because appointment availability varies by embassy and processing can take several weeks or even months. (SRH University: Visum und Aufenthaltserlaubnis)
Is there a summer intake at private universities?
Yes, at some. Of the universities in this guide, UE starts a summer semester on 1 March 2027, Macromedia offers an April 2027 start, and IU has April and October intakes for most English-taught master’s degrees.
The other five start their master’s programmes only once a year. Frankfurt School starts on 23 August 2027, WHU on 1 September and ESMT on 7 September 2027. Hertie lists one intake for 2027 without an exact start date, and Constructor says first-year master’s students are admitted for the fall semester only. None of these five mentions a spring or summer start, so if you miss the 2027 deadline, the next intake is in 2028.
Sources: University of Europe for Applied Sciences: Semester dates; Macromedia University: Master-Bewerbung (German page); IU International University: Master's degrees; Frankfurt School: Master in Management; WHU: Master in Management; ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; Hertie School: Master of Public Policy admissions; Constructor University: FAQ – Graduate study.
Why your real deadline is earlier: the visa
For applicants from India, Nigeria and Pakistan, the visa usually decides how early you need to apply. ESMT says issuing a German student visa might take up to six months, and Gisma says visa confirmation takes 2 to 3 months depending on your home country. SRH advises applying for the visa straight after admission, because appointment availability varies by embassy.
The German missions also ask for documents that you can only get after admission:
- India: for a private university that charges tuition fees, proof that you have paid the fees for the first year or a substantial deposit, plus the admission letter. Most applicants with Indian degrees also need an APS certificate.
- Nigeria: all documents must be submitted in full at the personal interview. If your university does not accept full payment of the tuition, add the funds to your blocked account.
- Pakistan: proof of payment of tuition fees, if your course charges them, must be submitted from the start. The consular section says it is processing a high volume of student visa applications.
Sources: ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; Gisma University of Applied Sciences: How to apply; SRH University: Visum und Aufenthaltserlaubnis; German Missions in India: Checklist for studies; German Missions in Nigeria: University studies; German Embassy Islamabad: Visa for students.
How to plan backwards from your start date
Take your programme’s start date and count back. ESMT’s upper estimate for the visa is six months. Counting back six months from a start in early September 2027 brings you to early March 2027. By then you would want your admission letter, your fee payment and your blocked account ready, which means applying in the early rounds.
- Shortlist and check the university. Before you apply, check that the university is state-recognised and the programme accredited, using our three-step check for private universities.
- Start APS early if your degree is Indian. APS verification takes at least two weeks, and APS says it can take longer depending on application volume and how quickly your universities reply. If your bachelor’s is in engineering, commerce, accounting, finance, economics, business or management, you must also take the dMAT test; the next test dates in India are 16 January and 13 March 2027, with registration closing on 4 January and 1 March 2027. See our APS certificate guide.
- Apply in an early round. Where a university has an earlier deadline for visa applicants, that is your deadline, not the final one.
- Pay and prove your funds. After admission, pay what the mission requires and open your blocked account; see our blocked account guide.
- Book the visa appointment straight away. Waiting times differ by mission and season.
Sources: ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; APS India: Apply for APS verification; g.a.s.t.: dMAT in India; SRH University: Visum und Aufenthaltserlaubnis; WHU: Master in Management application and admissions; APS India: Digital Master Test (dMAT).
Frequently asked questions
When is the application deadline for private universities in Germany?
There is no single deadline. For master's programmes starting in 2027, the final deadlines published by the seven universities in this guide run from 1 May to 1 September 2027. Early rounds close from the end of November 2026, and some universities set an earlier date for applicants who need a visa.
Sources: Hertie School: Master of Public Policy admissions; WHU: Master in Management application and admissions; University of Europe for Applied Sciences: FAQ.
Do private universities in Germany have two intakes a year?
Some do, most in this guide do not. Hertie, WHU, Frankfurt School, ESMT and Constructor take master's students once a year, in late summer or autumn. UE, Macromedia and IU also offer a spring start, in March or April.
Sources: WHU: Master in Management; ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; Constructor University: FAQ – Graduate study; University of Europe for Applied Sciences: Semester dates; IU International University: Master's degrees.
How early should I apply if I need a student visa?
Apply in an early round. ESMT says issuing a German student visa might take up to six months. WHU's deadline for applicants who need a visa is 30 April 2027, a month before its final deadline, and ESMT names 30 June 2027 as the latest date it suggests for visa applicants.
Sources: ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; WHU: Master in Management application and admissions.
Is it worth applying in an early round?
Often, yes. Hertie offers a discounted tuition fee if you apply by 1 December 2026. WHU, Frankfurt School and ESMT publish fee reductions or awards for early applicants. Early rounds also leave more time for APS, fee payment and the visa.
Sources: Hertie School: Master of Public Policy admissions; WHU: Master in Management application and admissions; Frankfurt School: Master in Management; ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions.
Can I still apply after the deadline?
Sometimes, but do not plan on it. ESMT considers applications after its last round case by case, if places are available. UE runs a waiting list after its deadlines. Macromedia's English page says deadlines may be extended in exceptional cases.
Sources: ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions; University of Europe for Applied Sciences: FAQ; Macromedia University: Master's application (English page).
Do I need an APS certificate before I apply?
If your degree is Indian, you almost always need an APS certificate for the visa. Graduates in fields such as engineering, commerce and business must also take the dMAT test first. APS takes at least two weeks and often longer, so start it before or while you apply.
Sources: German Missions in India: Checklist for studies; APS India: Apply for APS verification; g.a.s.t.: dMAT in India.
Sources and method
We read each university’s own admissions, FAQ and semester-date pages on 7 November 2026 and list only dates printed there. Where a page gives a day and month without a year, the notes say so. We chose universities that are popular with international master’s applicants and that publish their deadlines; universities without published dates are listed separately. A second, independent check compared each date in this guide with the original page. We review this guide at least every three months.
This guide only reports published dates and does not rank or recommend individual universities.
- Hertie School: Master of Public Policy admissions
- WHU: Master in Management application and admissions
- WHU: Master in Management
- Frankfurt School: Master in Management
- ESMT Berlin: Master in Global Management admissions
- Constructor University: Application information for graduate programmes
- Constructor University: FAQ – Graduate study
- Macromedia University: Master-Bewerbung (German page)
- Macromedia University: Master's application (English page)
- University of Europe for Applied Sciences: FAQ
- University of Europe for Applied Sciences: Semester dates
- University of Europe for Applied Sciences: How to apply for a master's
- IU International University: Master's degrees
- Gisma University of Applied Sciences: How to apply
- SRH University: Visum und Aufenthaltserlaubnis
- German Missions in India: Checklist for studies (16 February 2026)
- German Missions in Nigeria: University studies
- German Embassy Islamabad: Visa for students (27 November 2025)
- APS India: Apply for APS verification
- APS India: Digital Master Test (dMAT) (6 November 2026)
- g.a.s.t.: dMAT in India
