For 20 years now, dual study programs under the umbrella of hochschule dual – Bavaria’s network for dual study – have been an attractive study model at universities of applied sciences and a permanent fixture for securing skilled workers in Bavaria. In the 2025/26 winter semester, the number of dual students will reach a new high of 9,914. This is a remarkable increase despite the lack of a high school graduating class in Bavaria and a slight decline in overall student numbers. There are currently 262 people enrolled in dual studies at Hof University of Applied Sciences.
Being right in the thick of practical work from the start of their studies is what makes the dual study programs offered at 19 state and church universities of applied sciences in Bavaria so attractive. It’s an advantage that more and more prospective students are discovering for themselves. There have never been as many dual students as there are this winter semester, representing a significant increase of 7.2% over the previous year and the strongest growth in ten years. The proportion of dual students at universities of applied sciences has also never been so high. For companies, public authorities, and social institutions, dual graduates are sought-after young professionals who score points with their tailored professional experience when entering working life.
Even more practical experience: study and training
Those who opt for a dual study program in their bachelor’s degree can choose between two study models. In the study program with in-depth practical experience, a regular bachelor’s degree at the university is combined with intensive practical phases at the practical partner, which are based on the course content. A combined study program enables students to complete both vocational training and a university degree in nine semesters. While this model has declined in recent years, this changed again in the 2025/26 winter semester. Combined studies grew by 12.6%, outpacing studies without training. Solid vocational training offers added value for young people in a changing world of work.
Future-oriented study programs
Those interested in a dual study program can choose from a wide range of study programs. Bavaria’s state universities of applied sciences develop their courses in close coordination with the regional economy. This results in an academic education that is tailored to the requirements of the modern labor market. This is particularly true for dual study programs, which effectively promote the transfer of theoretical knowledge into practice and vice versa.
The distribution of dual students across the various fields of study has hardly changed since the last survey. The majority (56%) opt for a degree program in the field of technology and IT, followed by health and social sciences, economics, environmental and natural sciences, and design.
20 years of dual higher education
In 2026, hochschule dual will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Under the motto “Strong together – a head start through practice,” the network shows how successfully universities, companies, chambers, associations, and many other partners have been working together for two decades to create a particularly practical and future-oriented study model.
The anniversary year is all about exchange and further development: in Bavaria-wide DualForums, universities, practice partners, students, alumni, and advisory institutions come together to reflect on central topics of dual studies and set impulses for the coming years. The events create space for intensive dialogue between theory and practice, while experts provide food for thought on current challenges such as future skills, securing skilled workers, and successful practical cooperation.
In this anniversary year, the continuous growth in the number of dual students once again demonstrates how successfully the hochschule dual network has been bringing academia and industry together for two decades. At the same time, it highlights the importance this study model already has for Bavaria’s future – as a reliable driver for securing skilled workers, innovation, and practical academic education.
The detailed figures are availableat www.hochschule-dual.de/statistik.
The entire anniversary program can be viewedat www.hochschule-dual.de/20jahre/.
