CEMS Master in International Management · Cologne, Germany · FT #37
✓
Verified against official sources · last checked June 2026 · see sources
The University of Cologne is a public university and charges no tuition fees for the CEMS Master in International Management — for EU and non-EU students alike. The only mandatory cost is the per-semester social contribution of approximately €335.65 (winter 2025/26), which bundles the student-services fee, the AStA student-union fee, and the Deutschland-Semesterticket, a nationwide public-transport pass. A handful of CEMS-specific costs apply on top (a one-time CEMS registration fee of roughly €110 and some programme elements such as a block seminar), but against an FT weighted three-year salary of about US$120,000 the tuition-free structure makes this one of the strongest value propositions near the top of the FT table.
Tuition for the University of Cologne Master in Management is No tuition fees — €335.65 per semester social contribution (incl. nationwide transit pass) for the 24 months program.
Total tuition
No tuition fees — €335.65 per semester social contribution (incl. nationwide transit pass)
Tuition (numeric)
Free (EU/EEA)
Program length
24 months
Median tuition (69 euro-priced MiMs we track)
€24,500
Tuition is free for EU/EEA students at University of Cologne, placing the
University of Cologne MiM among the most affordable Master's in Management in Europe.
See how it stacks up on our cheapest MiMs in Europe and best-value shortlists.
Tuition figures are the published rate for the 2026–27 cycle and exclude living costs,
travel, and optional exchange fees. Scholarships and need-based aid can materially reduce
the net cost — see the FAQs below.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the University of Cologne rank for the Master in Management?
The University of Cologne's CEMS Master in International Management placed 37th worldwide in the Financial Times Masters in Management 2025 — the school describes it as 4th in Germany. The FT records a weighted three-year salary of approximately US$120,000 and an 83% employment rate at three months, making it the highest-ranked tuition-free programme near the top of the table.
How much does the Cologne CEMS MIM cost?
There are no tuition fees. As a public university, Cologne charges only a per-semester social contribution of about €335.65 (winter 2025/26), which includes student services, the student-union fee and a nationwide public-transport pass. A one-time CEMS registration fee (~€110) and a few programme elements add modest extra cost. Tuition is free for both EU and non-EU students.
Sources
CEMS Master in International Management — official programme page ↗ — University of Cologne, WiSo Faculty
WiSo in the FT Masters in Management 2025 — #37 worldwide, #4 in Germany ↗ — University of Cologne, WiSo Faculty
Costs & financing — €335.65 semester contribution, no tuition fees ↗ — University of Cologne
Financial Times — Masters in Management 2025 ↗ — Financial Times
Weighing up University of Cologne? Your next steps