Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

About Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

Frankfurt School is an independent, private nonprofit institution recognized by the State of Hesse. Its state recognition and authority to award doctorates distinguish its academic degree programmes from its separate professional and executive-education activities. The school began as the Bankakademie in 1957, initially providing professional education for bank employees. It moved to Frankfurt in 1966, introduced executive education in 1995, consolidated its activities under the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management name in 2007 and moved to its present Adickesallee campus in 2017. The institution’s identity remains closely connected to business and finance, but its current portfolio extends into economics, management, philosophy, computational analytics, artificial intelligence, financial technology, real estate and sustainability-related study. Students can choose among conventional full-time degrees, selected work-integrated or part-time routes, MBA programmes and a full-time doctoral programme. This is a specialized institution rather than a comprehensive university. It is therefore most relevant to applicants seeking business-facing study, quantitative management subjects or academic research in its doctoral fields. Programme pages show that English is widely used, including throughout the doctoral programme and in several master’s degrees, while some undergraduate and professionally integrated options require or begin in German. Applicants should verify the language and delivery model for their specific programme rather than relying on a school-wide language label.

Admissions are programme-specific. For the 2026 Bachelor in Business Administration intake, applicants need a recognized school-leaving qualification or equivalent. The process consists of an online application, document review, an online assessment centre and a final admission and scholarship decision. The assessment centre includes mathematics, cognitive and English tests plus a structured interview. A separate English certificate is not normally required for this programme because English is assessed during the selection process. The published deadline for the Business Administration BSc beginning 1 September 2026 was 30 June 2026. The school used rolling admissions and indicated that later applications could be considered only if places remained. Applicants pursuing a CompactTrack position with a corporate partner must apply separately to that employer, whose recruitment process is independent and may begin roughly a year ahead. Graduate requirements differ. For the 2026 Master in Management intake, the official page required a first academic degree worth at least 180 ECTS, evidence of English proficiency, a GMAT, GRE or Frankfurt School admission test result, and a successful interview. Its deadline was also 30 June 2026. These dates apply to the named 2026 intakes and should not be reused for 2027 applications. Doctoral candidates face a separate research-oriented selection process; the Economics concentration currently lists 15 January as its deadline.

Frankfurt School awards bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral qualifications. Its current undergraduate portfolio includes the Bachelor in Business Administration, Bachelor in Computational Business Analytics and Bachelor in Management, Philosophy & Economics, as well as professionally integrated Bachelor of Arts routes. The Business Administration BSc is a seven-semester, 210-ECTS programme. Students can enter an English- or German-language route, although teaching is in English from the fourth semester, and choose between regular and compact study formats. The programme includes practical experience and a semester abroad. At graduate level, the school offers specialized MSc degrees and MBA programmes. The Master in Management is a four-semester, 120-ECTS English-language programme covering areas such as organizational behaviour, marketing, data science, financial analysis and operations. Other current offerings listed by the school include finance and artificial intelligence and data science, though applicants should consult each programme page because entry requirements, fees and status can change independently. The five-year, full-time doctoral programme is taught in English and has concentrations in accounting, economics, finance and management. The institution describes it as research-focused, and successful doctoral candidates receive a stipend and tuition waiver under the published programme terms. Academic fit should be assessed at programme level: the school’s strength is concentrated in business and economics rather than the broad arts, sciences, engineering and professional subjects found at a comprehensive university. The extensive generic programme list stored in the database should not be interpreted as a verified catalogue.

Key Highlights

• Private, state-recognized higher-education institution with doctoral-awarding authority
• Established as the Bankakademie in 1957 and operating under its current name since 2007
• Specialized in business, finance, management, economics and related quantitative fields
• Main Frankfurt campus has operated at Adickesallee since 2017

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered on the Adickesallee campus and a specialized business-school community. Students may participate in the elected Student Council, serve as class representatives or join student-led initiatives. Official examples include cultural societies and groups organized around regions, professional interests and community engagement. Student Services also connects students with the International Office, financing information, language courses and career support. Housing is available in privately operated residences next to or near the campus, but it is not guaranteed to every student. The school’s exchange information describes furnished apartments with private bathrooms and kitchenettes and notes that allocations for exchange students are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Contract terms are concluded with the housing operator, so students should examine duration, withdrawal and payment conditions directly before committing. International mobility is built into some programmes. The Business Administration BSc, for example, includes a semester abroad and an international internship, with support from the International Office. This should not be generalized to every degree: exchange expectations and opportunities depend on the curriculum. Campus life is likely to feel professionally oriented, with career events, employer presentations and alumni interaction forming a visible part of the student experience.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus is at Adickesallee 32–34 in Frankfurt am Main. It sits north of the city centre in an urban setting, with student residences, a hotel, gym and restaurant developed beside the campus. Frankfurt School moved to this purpose-built campus in 2017. Frankfurt is a major European financial and commercial centre, making the location particularly relevant to students of banking, finance, management and related subjects. The school uses its proximity to employers in career events, company presentations and networking activities. Students should nevertheless separate access from assurance: being located in a financial centre can support professional exposure, but it does not guarantee an internship or job. Frankfurt is also an international transport hub, which can be useful for students travelling within Germany or abroad. Living costs require advance planning. The school’s 2026/27 cost-of-attendance document budgets €14,640 annually for room and board across the listed undergraduate and graduate examples, but this is an institutional planning estimate rather than a promised housing price or a ceiling on actual expenditure.

Costs & Career Outcomes

Frankfurt School charges programme-specific tuition. For 2026/27, its official cost-of-attendance document lists annual undergraduate tuition of €16,400 for the Bachelor in Business Administration, Computational Business Analytics and Management, Philosophy & Economics. It lists €21,000 for the Master of Finance, €17,750 for the Master in Management and the reviewed Artificial Intelligence & Data Science example, €42,000 for the full-time MBA and €33,000 for the Executive MBA. These figures do not represent every programme and should be checked against the relevant offer and fee schedule before enrollment. The same document adds estimated fees, books, transport, housing, personal expenses, health insurance, travel and, in the first year, a computer. Its total planning estimate is €39,120 for the listed undergraduate programmes. Actual expenses vary, and this budget should not be treated as a bill. The school offers tuition-reduction scholarships for eligible bachelor’s applicants, with published award levels ranging from 15% to 100%; scholarship applications must be made before studies begin. Other financing routes include the Deutschlandstipendium, BAföG where eligible, loans and country-specific support. Career Services provides individual counselling, CV and application reviews, interview preparation, a job board, workshops, mentoring and employer events. These services can help students pursue internships and graduate roles, but the official sources reviewed do not establish a guaranteed placement, starting salary or employment outcome for every programme.