FernUni Hagen vs PFH
Two distance-learning universities side by side, by the same criteria and with the same primary sources, so you can see where they really differ.
FernUni Hagen or PFH: which one suits whom?
Both have fixed start dates and on-site exams. PFH is private, three price levels more expensive and in return offers a trial period, for management and business administration even three months with a money-back guarantee. Hagen has no trial phase but is so cheap that a semester to try it out costs little.
Subject information refers to the focus areas recorded in this portal, not to the complete programme catalogue. Which university suits your situation depends on prior education, available time and goal.
FernUni Hagen and PFH in detail
The same criteria for both, every entry sourced. The information provided by the university is binding.
| Criterion | FernUni Hagen | PFH |
|---|---|---|
| Country | DE | DE |
| Operator | state | private |
| Location | Hagen | Göttingen |
| Founded | 1974 | 1995 |
| Format | print-based, online, Blended Learning | online, On-site |
| Start of studies | fixed dates | fixed dates |
| Without Abitur | Yes | Yes |
| Recognition | State university of the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bologna-compliant | State-recognised (Lower Saxony), Bologna-compliant |
| Price level | ||
| Price example | approx. EUR 2,100 to 2,400 total (Bachelor) | approx. EUR 312 to 460/month (distance learning) |
What the table does not show
Exams. At FernUni Hagen: Mostly written on-site exams at regional and campus centres, some online exams. At PFH: Exams at study centres in Germany, Austria and Spain; distance-learning programmes approved by the ZFU; fixed start dates.
Accreditation. FernUni Hagen is institutionally accredited via State university, established by state law (North Rhine-Westphalia), with programme accreditation via Programmes accredited by FIBAA and AQAS (per programme). PFH is institutionally accredited via State-recognised under the Lower Saxony Higher Education Act; institutionally re-accredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat) (most recently on 31.01.2025, as a university of applied sciences), with programme accreditation via ASIIN, FIBAA and ZEvA (per programme); distance-learning programmes ZFU-approved.
Subjects. Both offer Business Administration, Psychology. Only FernUni Hagen additionally offers Economics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Legal Studies, Educational Science. Only PFH additionally offers Management, Business Psychology, Social Affairs, Technology, Law, Business Informatics.