German University of Health and Sport

What German University of Health and Sport does

DHGS Deutsche Hochschule für Gesundheit und Sport is a privately operated, state-recognized university headquartered in Berlin, specializing in part-time, semi-virtual higher education at the intersection of healthcare, sport, and psychology. Founded in 2007 and holding institutional accreditation from the Wissenschaftsrat and system accreditation from the Stiftung Akkreditierungsrat, DHGS targets working professionals, career changers, and vocational graduates who need NC-free access to academically recognized degrees that fit around existing employment. The institution's core delivery model is a semi-virtual study concept that combines online self-study phases with scheduled in-person presence sessions across 13 locations in Germany and Austria, structured to accommodate shift workers and practicing clinicians.

The portfolio spans roughly 39 programs across bachelor (B.Sc./B.A.), master (M.Sc./M.A.), and certificate (CAS/DAS) levels, including specialized tracks such as Physician Assistance, Physiotherapy, Sport- und Bewegungstherapie, Positive Psychologie & Coaching, Sportpsychologie, and Social Work & Sport, several of which are positioned as unique within Germany. Credit-recognition mechanisms allow healthcare practitioners to compress programs by recognizing prior vocational training — for example, a Physiotherapy B.Sc. completable in three semesters instead of six. DHGS Academy provides additional revenue through continuing education certificates priced between €1,485 and €4,050.

DHGS operates three primary revenue streams: individual tuition payments from self-funded students, employer-sponsored tuition via a cooperative (dual) study model linking students with corporate partners, and continuing education certificate fees. As of the latest available data, 193 active dual study positions were listed with employer partners including Holmes Place, Bodystreet, 1. FC Union Berlin, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, and various Bundesliga-affiliated football institutes. The institution is privately held with no disclosed parent company, external investor, or acquisition activity, and the broader corporate ownership and capital structure are not publicly documented.

Name

German University of Health and Sport

Legal name

DHGS Deutsche Hochschule für Gesundheit und Sport

Website

https://dhgs-hochschule.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DHGS is a Berlin-based, state-recognized private university offering NC-free bachelor, master, and certificate programs in health, sport, and psychology through a semi-virtual blended-learning model, serving working professionals, healthcare practitioners, and dual-career athletes across 13 locations in Germany and Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Individual Payment: Students pay tuition fees directly for part-time and full-time study programs. For healthcare professionals with prior training, accelerated programs reduce total cost. Employer sponsorship is common in cooperative model.
2. Corporate Partnership Revenue: Companies enter cooperative agreements, paying tuition for employees in exchange for skilled workforce development and retention benefits. Dual study model generates revenue from employer contributions.
3. Continuing Education Certificates: DHGS Academy offers certificate programs (CAS, DAS) in specialized areas like Positive Psychology, Sports Psychology, Longevity Coaching. Programs range from 1,485 EUR to 4,050 EUR, generating additional revenue streams.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DHGS is a state-recognized private university delivering part-time bachelor (B.Sc./B.A.) and master (M.Sc./M.A.) degree programs plus continuing education certificates (CAS/DAS) in health, sport, and psychology. Programs are delivered through a semi-virtual study model combining online learning with scheduled on-campus presence phases, and include accelerated tracks that recognize prior vocational training (e.g., physiotherapy, nursing) for faster degree completion.

Product overview

DHGS Deutsche Hochschule für Gesundheit und Sport is a state-recognized private university offering a portfolio of bachelor programs (B.Sc./B.A.), master programs (M.Sc./M.A.), and continuing education through DHGS Academy. The bachelor programs include Fitnesstraining und Management, Medizinpädagogik, Physician Assistance, Physiotherapie, Angewandte Pflegewissenschaften, Psychologie, Life Coaching, Soziale Arbeit und Sport, Sport & angewandte Trainingswissenschaft, Sport- und Bewegungstherapie, Training und Coaching im Fußball, and Soziale Arbeit. Master programs span Angewandte Sportwissenschaft, Medizinpädagogik, Positive Psychologie & Coaching, Psychologie, Sport- und Schmerztherapie, and Sportpsychologie. DHGS Academy provides continuing education certificates (CAS/DAS) in areas such as Positive Psychologie, Health & Frequency Coach, Sportphysiotherapie, Sportpsychologie, Sports Nutrition Coach, Orthomolekularcoach, Longevity Coach, and more. All programs are delivered through a semi-virtual concept combining flexible online phases with periodic on-campus presence sessions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DHGS Academy: Academy division offering academic continuing education certificates in health and sport, including CAS (Certificate of Advanced Studies) and DAS (Diploma of Advanced Studies) programs.

Products and services

• Fitnesstraining und Management (B.Sc.) Bachelor program combining fitness training expertise with business management skills, including seven free professional certifications such as the Fitnesstrainer-B license; designed for aspiring fitness trainers and managers.
• Medizinpädagogik (B.A.) Bachelor program for healthcare professionals to develop medical education competencies; reducible to 4 semesters with prior healthcare training.
• Physician Assistance (B.Sc.) Bachelor program training physician assistants to support medical teams in patient care; reducible to 6 semesters with prior healthcare training.
• Physiotherapie (B.Sc.) Bachelor program for physiotherapists providing scientific grounding; reducible to 3 semesters with prior healthcare training.
• Angewandte Pflegewissenschaften (B.Sc.) Bachelor program focusing on nursing science, quality management, and case management in healthcare settings.
• Psychologie (B.Sc.) Bachelor program in applied psychology with specializations in child and youth psychology, counseling psychology, addiction psychology, and health promotion; NC-free admission.
• Life Coaching (B.Sc.) Germany-unique interdisciplinary bachelor program combining coaching, nutrition, and fitness for life counseling and organizational consulting.
• Soziale Arbeit und Sport (B.A.) Germany-unique interdisciplinary bachelor program combining social work with sports science competencies for inclusion and health equity.
• Sport & angewandte Trainingswissenschaft (B.A.) Bachelor program covering training science, performance diagnostics, and sports biomechanics with three free professional certifications.
• Sport- und Bewegungstherapie (B.Sc.)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced study time for healthcare professionals through credit recognition (e.g., Physiotherapy: 3 semesters instead of 6)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NatuGenaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026Partnership for Orthomolecular Coach continuing education program, integrating nutrition science and health coaching.
• Per Mertesacker StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2026Foundation partnership in Social Work and Sport program, focusing on social inclusion and health equality initiatives.
• Landessportbund NRWminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 December 2025Sports association partnership enabling Übungsleiter C-Lizenz certification to be earned as part of the study program.
• Unfallkrankenhaus BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor trauma hospital in Berlin serving as practical training partner for health students, providing clinical exposure and research collaboration opportunities.
• FC Union BerlincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional football club partnered with DHGS Institute for Elite Sports & Trainer Education (ILT) for dual career programs and sports promotion training positions.
• Bundesinstitut fur SportwissenschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Institute for Sports Science collaboration for research and development in sports science disciplines.
• Institut fur angewandte TrainingswissenschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute for Applied Training Science partnership for evidence-based training methodologies and athlete development research.
• Hochschulinstitut SchaffhausencoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss partner institution offering polyvalenter Psychologie Bachelor without NC requirement, fulfilling requirements for later approbations-relevant Master study in psychotherapy.
• CaritasminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSocial management CAS certificate program offered through Caritas partnership for social sector professionals.
• IFI Internationales FussballinstitutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for unique Training und Coaching im Fußball program with attractive practice partners from 1. and 2. Bundesliga.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hochschule Fresenius: Private university group with strong health and psychology program portfolio, state-recognized, and serving similar target segments of working professionals and career changers. Direct competitor to DHGS in health/sport/psychology credentials with analogous degree portfolio.
• SRH Hochschule (including SRH Fernhochschule): SRH group operates multiple private universities in Germany offering health, psychology, and therapy programs with blended learning formats. Direct competitor to DHGS in the health/psychology niche with overlapping accreditation status and similar working-professional target audience.
• IST-Hochschule für Management: Private university specializing in distance/online learning for sports, fitness, health, and tourism management, with strong overlap in target segments (fitness trainers, sports managers, health professionals). Direct competitor for fitness/sport management programs with similar blended learning model.
• FOM Hochschule: One of Germany's largest private universities with strong focus on dual/berufsbegleitend study programs for working professionals, including health and psychology programs. Closest direct competitor to DHGS given the dual study model, berufsbegleitend positioning, and employer partnerships as a primary GTM channel.
• APOLLON Hochschule der Gesundheitswirtschaft: Private university specializing in health economics and health management via distance learning, with strong focus on working professionals in healthcare. Direct competitor to DHGS's health-focused programs at the intersection of healthcare and management.
• HMU Health and Medical University Potsdam: State-recognized private university focused on health, medicine, and psychology programs with state recognition. Closely comparable to DHGS in health-sciences credentialing and operating in the same German private university regulatory framework.
• Medical School Berlin (MSB): State-recognized private university in Berlin (same city as DHGS headquarters) specializing in health, psychology, and human sciences. Direct competitor for healthcare professional upskilling and psychology programs in the same geographic market.
• Deutsche Hochschule für Prävention und Gesundheitsmanagement (DHfPG): BSA-group private university focused on prevention, health, and fitness management with state recognition and dual study programs. Highly comparable to DHGS's Fitnesstraining und Management and Sport & angewandte Trainingswissenschaft programs, serving identical fitness industry customers.

Broad incumbents

• IU International University of Applied Sciences: Germany's largest private university with ~130,000 students across hundreds of programs including health, psychology, and sports, offering flexible online and dual study models. Comparable to DHGS as a state-recognized private university serving working professionals with blended learning, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Hochschule Macromedia: Private university of applied sciences with state recognition offering applied bachelor and master programs including in health-related fields. Comparable to DHGS as a state-recognized private institution serving working professionals, though with broader portfolio beyond health/sport.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dhgs_hochschule
• Instagraminstagram.com/dhgs_hochschule
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCz8QaiQt7ZGz1S9iJf-8cKw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-of-health-and-sport

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about German University of Health and Sport