Maschinenbau

Put your ideas into motion. In the Maschinenbau program, you’ll learn how to translate the laws of physics into intelligent technology. Whether it’s zero-emission mobility, smart medical engineering, or resource-efficient energy solutions, you’ll develop solutions to the real-world challenges of our time. With close personal guidance and plenty of hands-on experience in our labs, you’ll build the expertise needed for the innovations of the coming decades.

Academic Advising

Profile

Degree
Bachelor of Engineering (B. Eng.)

Study Language
German

Standard period of study
7 Semester (inkl. 1 Praxissemester)

Starts of study
Winter semester

Application deadline
September 18

Admission requirements
General or technical university entrance qualification, technical college entrance qualification

ECTS
210 Credits

Place of study
Campus Offenburg

Do you have any questions about the application or enrollment process?

The team at the Zulassungsamt will be happy to assist you:

Email: zulassungsamt@hs-offenburg.de
Phone: 0781 205-4792 (Mon–Thu 9:00 AM–12:00 PM, Tue 1:00 PM–3:00 PM)
In person: Room: A 007

Everything You Need to Know

Course Content

In the bachelor's degree program in Maschinenbau, you’ll start with two semesters of foundational courses. You’ll begin with core disciplines such as mathematics, physics, materials science, and engineering mechanics. And in our hands-on lab, you’ll dive right into your first practical project.

Future-oriented topics such as AI, machine learning, and data analysis are an integral part of your required courses. You’ll put the finishing touches on your education during your practical semester and your bachelor’s thesis in the industry. This way, you’ll start your career with real-world experience.

Our lecturers come directly from the industry and guide you in small groups. The best part? You can get started right away! In student projects like the robot “Sweaty” or the efficiency marvel “Schluckspecht,” you’ll break world records and win international titles. Here, you organize everything yourself. Real teamwork across disciplinary boundaries.

Internships in the Mechanical Engineering Degree Program

Try your hand at mechanical engineering

How do ideas turn into real products? And what can you create using machines, materials, and technology? Through hands-on exercises, you’ll get to experiment, tinker with technical solutions, and discover how things work. In the process, you’ll explore various fields within mechanical engineering and gain an insight into what to expect from a degree program in the subject. Don’t just understand technology—experience it for yourself!

Physics

The physics laboratory serves as a bridge between mathematical models and tangible reality. Here, you validate the laws of nature through precise measurement techniques, learn to quantify physical phenomena, and document your findings in a scientific format.

Key areas of the laboratory exercises:

Mechanics & Dynamics: Experimental investigation of the mechanical properties of liquids and solids; analysis of mechanical oscillations in physical systems.
Optics: Practical experiments covering ray optics (lens systems) as well as wave optics (interference and diffraction using gratings and prism spectrometers).
Structure of Matter: Fundamental studies on atomic models and crystal structures; investigation of the effects of radioactive radiation.

Methodology: Conducting systematic series of experiments, applying modern measurement technology, and performing statistical analysis and interpretation of results, including comprehensive error analysis.

Hands-On

For targeted specialization, students choose one of the following two laboratory courses:

Option A: Hands-on Mechanical Engineering Laboratory

This laboratory focuses on the practical application of classic design elements and digital tools.

Machine elements: Handling and assembly of bearings, gears, screws, and other components.
Digitalization: Introduction to the use of modern digital tools for mechanical engineering practice.
Practical application: Understanding the interaction of mechanical components within complex systems.

Option B: Process Engineering Toolbox

This laboratory covers the essential unit operations for the transformation and separation of materials.

Mechanical process engineering: Processes such as size reduction, mixing, or the separation of materials.
Thermal process engineering: Fundamentals of heat transfer and thermal separation processes (e.g., distillation).
Chemical process engineering: Execution and analysis of fundamental chemical reaction processes.

Mobile Drives

The Mobile Powertrains Laboratory bridges the gap between academic instruction and the practical application of modern propulsion technologies. It offers students in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, and related specializations the opportunity to apply and deepen their theoretical knowledge through hands-on experience. At the same time, the laboratory serves as a hub for student projects, including "Schluckspecht" and the "Black Forest Formula Team."

The laboratory curriculum is designed for both bachelor’s and master’s students. Depending on their field of study and area of focus, students learn the fundamentals of powertrain and engine technology, vehicle communication (bus systems), and the system integration of hybrid powertrains—combining fuel cells, batteries, and supercapacitors.

Furthermore, the laboratory experiments provide in-depth insights into specific subject areas, such as:

Structure and operating principles of fuel cells
Hybrid planetary gear systems and transmission technology
Analysis of modern vehicle communication
Integration of alternative propulsion technologies

Practical Training and Exercises

The laboratory currently features four large, active test benches for various propulsion technologies:

Hydrogen fuel cell system
E-bike component testing
E-bike CAN bus and load analysis
Ethanol engine test bench

This equipment is complemented by numerous smaller laboratory setups covering the following areas:

Vehicle sensor technology
CAN bus data acquisition
Vehicle clutch actuators
Vehicle diagnostics and measurement technology

The laboratory utilizes state-of-the-art measurement equipment, consistent with the technology employed in industrial laboratories and vehicle analysis.

Courses are conducted using a blended learning approach. Through a Moodle course, students can independently prepare for laboratory experiments and submit their reports and assignments digitally.

Competence Center for Mobile Powertrain Systems

The Mobile Powertrains Laboratory integrates cutting-edge research, modern vehicle technology, and practice-oriented education. Through a close combination of theory, laboratory work, and student projects (such as "Schluckspecht" and "BFFT"), students gain a comprehensive understanding of both conventional and alternative powertrain systems.

Together with these student projects, the Mobile Powertrains Laboratory forms the Competence Center for Mobile Powertrain Systems.

Perspectives

Your future responsibilities will span all areas of production, development, design, and research. You’ll develop smart machines and systems, optimize production chains, or lead projects in technical sales. In this way, you’ll be working directly on the societal challenges of today and tomorrow: zero-emission mobility, sustainable energy supply, Medizintechnik, and ensuring a reliable supply of water and food.

Our graduates often work right here in the region—at global market leaders in the Ortenau or in the technology hubs between Karlsruhe and Lörrach. And they work in a wide variety of fields, including development and design, production, sales, project management, and corporate leadership.

Fees and Funding

Semester Tuition and Fees

Hochschule Offenburg charges an administrative fee of 80.00 euros per semester and a social contribution of 65.00 euros for the Studierendenwerk Freiburg. In addition, the University’s student body charges all enrolled students a student body fee of 25.00 euros per semester to fulfill its responsibilities. Students on leave of absence from their studies are also required to pay these fees; however, foreign students enrolled on a temporary basis are exempt pursuant to Section 60(1), sentence 2, of the Higher Education Act (LHG).

= 170 euros per semester

Additional costs for PLUS Education degree programs (degree programs with a teaching certification option)

For students in the following bachelor's programs

Elektrotechnik/Informationstechnik PLUS Pädagogik
Mechatronik PLUS Pädagogik
Media Technology/Business PLUS Education
Wirtschaftsinformatik PLUS Pädagogik

an additional fee of 28.00 euros for local public transportation (semester ticket) applies, in accordance with the fees regulations of the Freiburg Studierendenwerk.

Note: You pay the semester fee to Hochschule Offenburg; however, you are enrolled at both Hochschule Offenburg and Freiburg University of Education.

Additional Costs for International Master's Programs

Students in international master's programs must also pay a flat-rate service fee of 150.00 euros per semester.

Tuition Fees for International Students and Students Pursuing a Second Degree

Since the 2017/18 winter semester, universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg have been charging international students tuition fees of 1,500.00 euros per semester and students pursuing a second degree 650.00 euros per semester.

You can find more information about these fees here:

https://www.landesrecht-bw.de/bsbw/document/jlr-HSchulGebGBWrahmen

https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/universities-studies/studying-in-bw/studying-financing/fees-for international students and second studies/faqs?highlight=Studying-fees

http://www.bw-studyguide.de/en/studying/finance-and-funding.html

Exceptions to Tuition Fees for International Students:

According to Section 3 of the LHGebG, international students who are not citizens of an EU/EEA country and do not hold a German university entrance qualification are required to pay tuition fees. However, the law provides for a few exceptions.

To determine whether you are required to pay tuition fees, you can use the following information form and send it, completed and accompanied by the necessary supporting documents, to studiengebuehren@hs-offenburg.de:

Tuition Fee Information Form (PDF)

To apply for an exemption from tuition fees, please use the corresponding application form:

Application for Tuition Fee Exemption for International Students (PDF)

Application for Tuition Fee Exemption for a Second Degree Program (PDF)

Pursuant to Section 6, Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the LHGebG, Hochschule Offenburg may fully or partially exempt a limited number of international students from tuition fees if it deems them to be particularly gifted. The requirements, etc., are set forth in the bylaws governing tuition fee exemptions for international students based on exceptional talent. Students at the University can find more detailed information in the relevant announcement on the intranet.

BAföG

Information about BAföG is available on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. If you have any questions about BAföG, the Freiburg-Schwarzwald Studierendenwerk—which is responsible for Hochschule Offenburg—will also be happy to assist you under the “Money” section. You can submit applications for financial aid at the Studierendenwerk’s branch office on the Offenburg campus.

Studierendenwerk Branch Office

Badstraße 24, 77652 Offenburg

Phone: 0781 205-328

Office hours:
Mon and Wed from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.,
as well as by telephone appointment

Here you’ll find a PDF in which we’ve summarized the criteria for what are known as “standard achievements”—the requirements you must demonstrate to continue receiving funding after two years of BAföG support.