University of Bielefeld vs Ilmenau University of Technology vs IU International University of Applied Sciences vs Offenburg University of Applied Sciences vs Schiller International University

Side-by-side comparison from 184 verified student reviews. Scan one row at a time — winners are highlighted

Quick verdict
Higher overall rating: Forward College (4.70)
University of Bielefeld: wins 0/7 categories
Ilmenau University of Technology: wins 1/7 categories
IU International University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/7 categories
Offenburg University of Applied Sciences: wins 0/7 categories
Schiller International University: wins 2/7 categories
HFU Business School: wins 0/7 categories
Forward College: wins 4/7 categories
Comparing
Bielefeld, Germany
4.20
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10 reviews
×
Best programme: Chemistry
Best programme: Media and Communications Science
Best programme: MBA
Tampa, Florida, United States
4.60
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14 reviews
×
Best programme: BA International Relations and Diplomacy
Stuttgart, Germany
Not rated
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0 reviews
×
Paris, France
4.70
Top
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29 reviews
×
Best programme: Data Science
Category ratings
Facilities
4.11
4.00
4.23
Not rated
3.92
Not rated
4.43
Win
Location
4.00
3.30
4.40
Not rated
4.93
Win
Not rated
4.81
Professors
4.44
4.18
4.43
Not rated
4.64
Not rated
4.90
Win
Internationality
3.67
3.91
4.44
Not rated
4.93
Win
Not rated
4.55
Student life
3.11
3.50
4.11
Not rated
4.15
Not rated
4.57
Win
Value
4.00
3.91
4.32
Not rated
4.29
Not rated
4.55
Win
Accommodation
3.11
4.60
Win
3.68
Not rated
3.62
Not rated
4.29
Pros & Cons
Pros
  • +Hands-on, practical curriculum with real-world applications
  • +Supportive and readily available faculty and staff
  • +Rich academic and social campus life
  • +Highly qualified and supportive professors and strong research opportunities.
  • +Affordable living costs and low tuition fees.
  • +Well-structured programs with modern facilities and industry connections.
  • +Flexible online study for work-life balance
  • +Modern, intuitive digital platform for easy access
  • +Relevant, high-quality educational content

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  • +Diverse student and educator backgrounds
  • +Opportunities for personal and professional growth
  • +Supportive and well-organized academic environment

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  • +Interactive and personalized learning with engaged professors
  • +Diverse and international community fostering personal growth
  • +Small class sizes for close student-professor relationships
Cons
  • -Administrative and management issues are a frequent complaint.
  • -Outdated facilities and a lack of modern resources are a significant concern.
  • -Limited course offerings and outdated curriculum are also disliked.
  • -Administrative and management issues cause significant delays.
  • -Poor professor availability and slow responses hinder progress.
  • -Slow and unresponsive administrative processes, including grade processing and student support.
  • -Poor staff attitude and lack of accountability for errors in student records and applications.
  • -Inadequate support and guidance for online students.

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  • -Lack of extracurricular activities and limited internship/job opportunities.
  • -Poor campus environment and student engagement.

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  • -Administrative and management issues cause frustration.
  • -Outdated facilities and poor maintenance are a recurring problem.
  • -Lack of engagement and relevance in coursework is a concern.
Rating summary
What students say

This university receives its highest marks for Professors (4.44) and Facilities (4.11). Student Life and Accommodation present the lowest scores, both at 3.11. Location and Value are rated a respectable 4, while Internationality scores fall in the middle at 3.67. Overall, academic and physical resources are highly regarded, contrasted by areas needing improvement in student experience and housing.

With a strong showing in several key areas, this institution excels in **Accommodation**, receiving a near-perfect score of 4.6. Professors and Facilities also garnered positive marks, both at 4.0 and above. Conversely, **Location** emerged as the lowest-rated aspect at 3.3. Internationality and Value are rated similarly, indicating a solid overall offering with a notable strength in on-campus living.

This institution garners notable praise in several key areas, with **Internationality** and **Professors** receiving particularly high scores. The **Value** proposition is also well-regarded. Conversely, **Accomodation** stands out as the lowest-rated aspect. Other aspects like Facilities, Location, and Student Life fall within a more moderate range of positive feedback.

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This university garners its highest marks for **Location** and **Internationality**, both receiving a near-perfect score. **Professors** are also highly rated, reflecting strong academic quality. The university's **Value** and **Student Life** also score well. Conversely, **Accomodation** emerges as the weakest area, followed by **Facilities**, indicating room for improvement in these aspects of the student experience.

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This university garners strong praise, particularly for its **Professors** (4.89) and **Location** (4.81). **Student Life** (4.57), **Internationality** (4.55), and **Value** (4.55) also receive favorable scores. **Facilities** (4.43) and **Accommodation** (4.29) are rated well, though they represent the lowest scores in this assessment.

Reviews summary
Highlights

Students highly praise the university, with 90% of reviews being positive. Recurring themes include supportive faculty, excellent facilities, and a well-structured, hands-on curriculum, contributing to a strong overall experience.

With ~82% positive reviews and an average rating of 4/5, students praise strong research, innovative professors, and affordability. A small portion (~9%) of feedback mentions coordination issues and difficulties in securing master's thesis topics.

~95% of reviews are positive, praising flexibility, modern platforms, and accessible materials. A small percentage (~5%) mention issues with grading delays and slow administrative support.

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With an average rating of 4.57/5 from 14 reviews, ~93% are positive, praising diverse classes, educators, and global peer networks. A single negative review (~7%) found it suitable only for those seeking an easy degree with limited extracurriculars.

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All 29 reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.66/5. Students praise the interactive learning, international community, and supportive professors. They highlight academic and personal growth in a motivating environment.

Rating distribution
5★
30%
36%
63%
0%
71%
0%
66%
4★
60%
45%
27%
0%
21%
0%
34%
3★
10%
9%
6%
0%
0%
0%
0%
2★
0%
0%
2%
0%
7%
0%
0%
1★
0%
9%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Most useful review
Most liked

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The best university in the world

My experience with IU is very wonderful and exceptional. The learning process is smooth and easy especially for online students and the exams are well tailored to test your knowledge on what you have been learning. It is quite great indeed.

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The cultural mix and the great atmosphere.

I loved being at Schiller in Heidelberg. The setting and the city were very serene and the exposure to all those students and teachers from such different and diverse backgrounds was a great learning experience. Additionally, the ease of accessing the Schiller campuses in the other countries was a great additional bonus to studying at Schiller. I would most definitely recommend Schiller to other students who are looking for a very culturally fulfilling experience.

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Great modern university approach

I am currently a 3rd year student at Forward College and I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend it to other students. The interactive approach of Forward where questions, debate, and discussion were encouraged enhanced my learning so much and I feel like I genuinely enjoyed every class. Having the experience of living in 3 different cultures, surrounded by people from all over the world made this experience even more special and helped me develop and grow in so many ways. Another aspect I have loved are the professors. Speaking with friends at other university I am so grateful to have teachers that actually know us, are excited to teach and interact with us, and will always take the time to help you.

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