In 2003, the decision was made to establish the private university in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which was then narrowed down to the city of Rostock in 2004. The company set to run the university was formed in September 2004. In spring of 2007, Educationtrend AG, a holding from Hamburg, bought 97.8% of the shares in the Hanseatic University and, at the same time, increased its share capital. The institution was then granted university status by the state ministry of education in July 2007.
