Medical University of Brandenburg Theodor Fontane (MHB)

About the MHB

The Medical University of Brandenburg Theodor Fontane was founded in 2014 and is supported by a consortium of communal hospitals and a diaconal hospital group. Teaching is distributed across Neuruppin, Brandenburg an der Havel, Bernau, and Rüdersdorf; the supporting hospitals function simultaneously as the university’s clinical training sites. The Brandenburg model study programme (Brandenburger Modellstudiengang) integrates theory and practice from the second semester onwards and uses problem-oriented learning (POL) in groups of eight. In October 2024 the Wissenschaftsrat granted institutional accreditation for five years. Dentistry was added in 2024.

The MHB suits students who want to learn in a practice-oriented, community-based environment in Brandenburg and who accept a multi-site structure rather than a single large campus. From summer semester 2026, 84 places per semester (168 per cohort year) are available; previously 69 per semester. The total tuition fee for human medicine is €118,000 over the course of the programme, payable in semester instalments, plus a semester contribution of approximately €287. These costs are borne entirely by the student; no public subsidies offset them.

Admission and Costs

Applications go directly to the university, not via hochschulstart. There is no Abitur grade threshold; the selection is based on personality, motivation, and practical experience. After a written application, shortlisted candidates attend an in-person selection day in Neuruppin, where teamwork and communication are assessed across multiple stations. A non-refundable application fee of €200 applies.

Total tuition fees for human medicine: €118,000 over ten semesters. Dentistry: €132,000, plus approximately €4,500 for personal instruments. An additional semester contribution of approximately €287 is payable each semester (as of August 2026). Financing options include student loans, scholarships, and a reversed generational contract; however, the full amount remains the student’s own liability.

Degree Recognition

The Brandenburg model study programme is state-accredited and leads to the German Staatsexamen. The degree carries full legal equivalence with a degree from a state university and entitles graduates to apply for Approbation (medical licence). Within the EU, automatic recognition applies under Directive 2005/36/EC.

Neuruppin — Small Town, Short Distances

Neuruppin lies north-west of Berlin on the Ruppiner See and is the birthplace of Theodor Fontane. It is genuinely small: those seeking a busy nightlife or large-city cultural scene will not find it here. Students who value a quiet environment, water on the doorstep, and very short distances will find exactly that. The campus is closely integrated with the Ruppiner Kliniken, so clinical contact starts from the very beginning.

The main advantage is the rental market: away from the Berlin commuter belt, rents are a fraction of what you would pay in Potsdam, Düsseldorf, or Munich, and flat shares are genuinely available. The Regionalexpress connects Neuruppin to Berlin without changing trains, though it is a real journey rather than a short hop. A car is helpful because teaching and clinical placements also take place at the other MHB sites in Brandenburg an der Havel, Bernau, and Rüdersdorf.

With 84 places per semester, the MHB takes a fraction of what a large state faculty admits. This shapes the atmosphere: small-group teaching, early patient contact, and lecturers who know your name. The flip side is limited anonymity and a modest range of on-site leisure options.

How does the selection process without an NC work?

The MHB selects in three stages: an online application, a content review by university assessors, and a personal selection day in Neuruppin where you rotate through several stations and meet faculty members and current students. The Abitur grade is not the deciding criterion; motivation, personality, and relevant professional experience take priority. A €200 application fee is charged.

How much does the programme cost?

The MHB charges total tuition fees of €118,000 for the Brandenburg model study programme in human medicine, paid in ten semester instalments, plus approximately €286.80 per semester (semester contribution including Germany semester ticket and social levy, as of the university’s most recent published figures). Financing options include student loans, a reversed generational contract, and hospital scholarships; repayment obligations remain with the student. Medschool Experts advises on NC-free medical study routes in Germany and abroad.

Who owns the MHB?

The MHB is not a for-profit corporate university. The shareholders of the holding company are communal hospitals in Neuruppin and Brandenburg an der Havel, the Immanuel Albertinen Diakonie (a church-affiliated healthcare group), the Sparkasse Ostprignitz-Ruppin savings bank, and the Stadtwerke Neuruppin municipal utilities. This explains the close tie to regional healthcare provision, but does not reduce tuition costs.

Where does the clinical phase take place?

Clinical teaching runs across the university hospital network recognised in 2020, comprising the Universitätsklinikum Ruppin-Brandenburg, the Universitätsklinikum Brandenburg an der Havel, and the Immanuel Kliniken in Bernau and Rüdersdorf. The network encompasses approximately 1,880 beds and 38 specialties, with additional cooperating hospitals in Brandenburg. Clinical placement days are embedded in the curriculum from the start, not just from the clinical phase onwards.

Is the degree a Staatsexamen and how secure is the programme?

Yes. The model study programme leads to the German Staatsexamen with subsequent Approbation, with a standard study duration of six years and three months. The state of Brandenburg granted state recognition on 8 July 2014. Teaching began in 2015 following revisions to the founding concept and cooperation agreements with the University of Potsdam and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. Institutional accreditations are time-limited; check the current status directly with the university.