University of Applied Science

go to a list of universities of applied sciences around the globe

History

Universities of Applied Sciences are institutions of higher education, widely spread in Europe. They are also called Vocational Universities, Professional Universities, Institutes of Technology, Polytechnic Schools, etc. This type of educational institution doesn't originate from the Middle Ages like the University, they appeared a couple of centuries after.

University of Applied Sciences is a collective term that brings together specific types of higher education institutions in different countries. Examples are Fachhochschule (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Hogeschool (The Netherlands), Haute École (France) and Scuola Universitaria Professionale (Italy). As Europe strives for comparability in the higher education and international exchange through students, the establishment of equivalent terms for educational institutions and degrees is important.

Furthermore, higher education institution in the Middle Ages were called university, only if certain subjects like philosophy, medicine or theology were taught there. Therefore, many modern schools with a more professional orientation in fields like technology, business or arts, that don’t provide those courses must be nominated with a different institutional title than “university”.

Study at a University of Applied Science

If you are more practically oriented person with no interests in theory and research, you should consider obtaining your degree at an university of applied science. Most of them offer Bachelor and Master programmes and sometimes a Doctorate. Although in many cases, you are not allowed to sign up for a PhD or a Doctorate with a Master’s degree issued by a university of applied science. 

Degrees

Similar to the Universities, those of Applied Sciences also award their graduates with Bachelors and Masters, whereby the difference is the common Professional degree – either Bachelor or Master (or sometimes even Doctor). Your professional diploma might be an advantage for finding a job in certain fields like production, construction or technology. The degree title is dependable on the higher educational landscape in the relevant country and the institution itself. For this reason we highly recommend you to get acquainted with the different study possibilities in the country or university of desire, and to make your educational plans in advance.

Find your University of Applied Sciences and learn more about its location and Masters programmes: