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Universities in Germany

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

Freiburg, Germany
The Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg is an institution of great prestige, whose origins go back to the year 1457. It currently receives about 21,000 students, from more than 100 countries. The University consists of 11 faculties, where they provide training of degrees, postgraduate and doctoral programs.

Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

Weimar, Germany
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is an educational institution with about forty programs of study, such as: environment, management, design, architecture, civil engineering, among others.

Bergische Universität Wuppertal

Wuppertal, Germany
The University of Wuppertal is a German institution of higher education, based in Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia. The school is organized into 7 faculties: Humanities and Cultural Studies; Schumpeter School of Business and Economics; Mathematics and Natural Sciences; Architecture, Civil Engineering Mechanical Engineering, Safety; Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Media Technology; Design and Art; and Education and Social Sciences. Over 90 courses are offered overall.

Bucerius/WHU Master of Law and Business Program

Hamburg, Germany
Bucerius Law School is a small, private law school, based in Hamburg, Germany. The institution was established in the year 2000, as the first private law school in Germany. It only receives 100 undergraduate students per year, and only those who have gained very high grades at the German Judicial Examination. Because of this high selectivity, the institution is considered to be a very elite institution for legal education. The Master of Law and Business offered at Bucerius is a unique program, which unlike other such opportunities offers specifically tailored coursework for students... See full description.

Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg

Oldenburg, Germany
The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg is an institution of higher education in Oldenburg, Germany. Founded in 1973, it has become one of the most important educational facilities in northwestern Germany. The school has a focus on interdisciplinary studies, and offers more than 80 different programs. It is organized in the following manner: Faculty I: Pedagogy and Education; Faculty II: Computer sciences, law and economics; Faculty III: Linguistics and Cultural studies; Faculty IV: Social Sciences; Faculty V: Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The university participates in the... See full description.

CBS International Business School

Köln, Germany
The CBS International Business School (CBS), founded in 1993, is considered one of the top addresses among the private business schools in Germany and is part of the Stuttgart Klett Group. With its specialisation in business studies according to international standards, it attracts around 4.000 students from 75 nations. At its campuses in Aachen, Brühl, Cologne, Mainz, Neuss, Solingen and Potsdam, it offers a wide range of dual, full-time and part-time study programmes at bachelor`s, master`s or MBA level, most of which are taught in English by international lecturers from the business... See full description.

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Kiel, Germany
The University of Kiel is an institution of higher education, operating in the city of Kiel, Germany. It was established in 1665 to currently receive about 23,000 students. The school is organized into the following faculties: Theology, Law, Business, Economics and Social Sciences, Medicine, Arts and Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Agricultural Science and Nutrition, and Engineering. CAU perceive themselves as a "University consortium of scientific cultures", in which interdisciplinary research and teaching is encouraged. A final point worth noting is that the University is... See full description.

ESCP Europe, Campus Berlin

Berlin
ESCP Europe is an international business school, which operates campuses in five major European cities: Paris, London, Madrid, Berlin, and Turin. Founded in 1819, it is the oldest business school in the world. On the Berlin Campus, the following programs are made available: Master in Management, Master in European Business, European Executive MBA, General Management Program, Executive Master in Energy Management, Executive Program, as well as a Doctoral Program. The Berlin campus offer to students excellent public transport connections, state of the art IT connection and wireless access... See full description.

ESMOD Berlin International University for Fashion

Berlin, Germany
ESMOD happens to be the first fashion school formed in France. It was established in 1841 and currently operates 21 fashion schools in 14 countries. The institution is strictly specialized in offering degrees in fashion, design, and tailoring, and is officially recognized by the government in the third level. ESMOD follows the mission to stay up to date with current trends, preparing professionals for the international working environment. The school’s network of schools includes the following cities: Paris, Bordeaux, Rennes, Lyon and Roubaix in France; as well as Berlin, Munich,... See full description.

EU Business School Munich

Munich, Germany
European University Munich is a branch of European University and an internationally accredited business school based in Munich, Germany. It was founded in 1973 to currently offer business programs in Foundation, Bachelor’s and Master’s levels. Classes are led in English – they are small and truly international, which offers the opportunity to learn in American style within a European setting. This helps the students get the most of both worlds. Areas of study include Business Administration, Communication & Public Relations, Leisure & Tourism Management, International Relations,... See full description.

FU-BEST (Berlin European Studies)

Berlin, Germany
FU-BEST is the Berlin European Studies program offered by the FreieUniversitat in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1948, the University bases mainly on International education and provides a mandatory and intensive German Language course for its international students to ensure language competence by all. Courses are offered in both English and German Languages. One of the accommodation variants involves host-family type whereby students are allowed to live with German families in order to improve their knowledge of German Language and culture. The school boasts of great international... See full description.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences

Fulda, Germany
Fulda University is a science-based institution located in Frankfurt, Germany. About 16% of the students studying in the university are foreigners. Some of the school’s departments include Applied Computer Sciences, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, and Nursing and Health Sciences. Degrees offered in the institution are bachelor’s and master’s degrees in several academic fields, with International Study programs also provided. Furthermore, the school has a language center teaching foreign languages to students of all departments. Some of the languages made available... See full description.

Hessen International Summer Universities (ISU)

Wiesbaden, Germany
The international Summer Universities take place every year in the State of Hessen, Germany from the month of June through the month of August at various universities of the state. The programs offered cover a wide range of subjects including German languages courses at every level. Excursions and cultural events are also part of the programs. Credits are granted at the program’s completion.

ISNM International School of New Media at the University of Luebeck

Luebeck, Germany
The ISNM was established in 2000 in the north of Germany, near the Baltic Sea. ISNM is an affiliated institute of the University of Luebeck, which main mission is research and education on an international level. The institute is largely supported by a good number of regional sponsors from politics, business, academia, foundations and private persons. Their activities are all focused around the research and education in the field of New Media. On top of that, the school organizes summer schools for international students in cooperation with north German universities like Rostock, Lubeck,... See full description.

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich

München, Germany
The Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich is an institution of higher education of great international prestige. It welcomes approximately 48,000 students, of which about 14 per cent come from different countries. The University offers degrees with 150 subjects in 18 schools.

Northern Institute of Technology

Hamburg, Germany
Located in Germany, the Northern Institute of Technology (NIT) was founded in 1998 by 40 Professors of the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), driven by an initiative of Professor Dr. Hauke Trinks, President of TUHH at that time. His idea was as simple as convincing: to set up a totally postgraduate institution in order to offer an all-English double degree program that is unique to Europe and attracted top students, faculty and companies. The NIT’s own building was constructed with generous support by the Körber Foundation in the year 1999 and is located right on the TUHH... See full description.

Rheinisch Westfalische Technische Hochschule Aachen (RWTH)

Aachen, Germany
Rheinisch Westfalische Technische Hochschule Aachen, usually referred to as RWTH Aachen University, is a comprehensive educational institution where improving the future of the industrialized world is a prime goal.  The university is proving to be a hotspot for German education, with increasing international recognition and where innovative answers to global challenges are consistently developed. About RWTH Aachen University RWTH Aachen University (Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen) is a research university of technology located in Aachen, North... See full description.

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Bonn, Germany
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, or the University of Bonn, was founded almost 200 years ago and is considered to be one of Germany's and indeed Europe's most important institutes of higher education. As the home of learning to over 32,500 students, the school enjoys an outstanding reputation both at home and abroad. The University of Bonn is one of the world's leading research-based Universities and therefore it is no surprise that it operates on an international level. The institution particularly specializes in the fields of research and teaching, which... See full description.

Schiller International University, Heidelberg

Heidelberg, Germany
Founded in 1964 by Dr. Walter Leibrecht, Schiller International University (SIU) in Heidelberg, Germany was created as a private American University dedicated to the active development and encouragement of international understanding. As a philosophy professor in the United States, Dr. Leibrecht was so impressed with the personalized instruction in the American college system that he sought to create something similar back in Europe. The realization of this concept was Schiller International University, named after the German writer and human rights advocate Friedrich Schiller and... See full description.

Technische Universität München (TUM)

Munich, Germany
The Technische Universität München (TUM) was founded in 1868 is listed among the first in the world.

Universität Duisburg-Essen

Duisburg, Germany
The Universität Duisburg-Essen is one of the largest in Germany, founded in 2003 through a merger between Duisburg and Essen, currently having offices in both cities. It hosts students from some 130 countries, seeking to study at a University in Central Europe.

Universität Heidelberg

Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg University was founded in 1386 and is the oldest University of Germany. The institution is home to some 29,000 students, distributed in 12 faculties. It is ranked as one of the best in the world.

University of Bremen

Bremen, Germany
The University of Bremen was founded in 1971. It's a University with 19,000 students and 290 teachers. Their programmes of study are around 100 degrees and postgraduate degrees. It is highly valued for his achievements in research and also is entitled "University of excellence".

University of Oldenburg

Oldenburg, Germany
The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg (German: Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg) is a comprehensive university located in the city of Oldenburg, Germany. It is one of the most important educational facilities in northwestern Germany and specializes in interdisciplinary studies. The University of Oldenburg offers 95 courses of study. Due to the Bologna Process, in 2004 Oldenburg adopted Bachelor and Master’s degrees in place of the former Diplom and Magister. One main focus of the university is the schooling of teachers, which was established during the 1970s and... See full description.

University of Tubingen

Tuebingen, Germany
The Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (University of Tubingen) is one of Europe’s oldest universities, with several hundred years of history in the sciences and humanities having been written here. The University's history began in 1477, when Count Eberhard “the Bearded” of Württemberg founded the University. In Tubingen’s historical center there is hardly a building or a square that is not linked to a renowned scholar. Notable people who have studied at the University of Tubingen include Hegel, Hölderlin and Schelling, Mörike and Uhland, Johannes Kepler and Wilhelm... See full description.

WHU Koblenz

Vallendar, Germany
Located in the city of Koblenz, WHU, also known as the Otto Beisheim School of Management, is one of the best and most renowned business schools in Germany, enjoying an exceptional international reputation.  Its academic programs and continuing education formats offer a relevant training concept for executives at every stage of their careers. More about WHU Koblenz WHU was founded in 1984 on an initiative of the Koblenz Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a university that was established “by the business community for the business community.” Since that time, WHU... See full description.

Universities in Germany by City:

AachenBerlinBonnBremenCologneDuisburgFrankfurtFreiburgFuldaHamburgHannoverHeidelbergKasselKielKoblenzKonstanzLeipzigLuebeckMannheimMunichMünsterOldenburgPaderbornPotsdamRegensburgSaarbrückenStuttgartTrierTuebingenUlmVallendarWeimarWiesbadenWuppertal

About universities in Germany

Higher education and research in the Federal Republic of Germany is overseen and planned by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and administered at the state level by each of the 16 state governments in the country.  In total, there are over 300 institutions of higher learning scattered throughout Germany, a combination of public or state-run universities and private institutions that are recognized by the state. 

Schools of higher education in Germany are divided into three categories:  Universities, Universities of Applied sciences, and Colleges of Film and Music.

Universities in Germany

Like in most developed countries, the universities in Germany offer a wide array of programs at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate level.  Most of these universities are comprehensive, meaning they offer programs across a broad spectrum of subject categories, including the sciences, social sciences, health sciences, arts and humanities, and engineering and technology.  These universities also host the majority of the country’s many research facilities, and they are the only institutions that offer advanced specialty programs in fields such as medicine, law and education. Other universities in Germany focus solely on technical education, with programs in engineering, electronics and the computer sciences, among others.

Universities of Applied Sciences

The Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany, known locally as Fachhochschulens, are designed to provide students with a practical education across all of the science-based fields; an education they hope will translate to a future career choice.  Unlike universities, where the prime focus is on academia and research, the Universities of Applied Sciences offer a combination of classroom-study and hands-on training in a number of science, business and technology-related fields, including computer programming, business management, and information technology, just to name a few.  Currently there are over 200 Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany, making them the most prevalent institutions in terms of number.

Colleges of Film and Music

There are just over 50 Colleges of Art, Film and Music across Germany, providing education to students in a number of fine arts and performing arts-based fields of study.  As the admission standards at these esteemed colleges are extremely rigid, students who wish to attend must demonstrate excellence in their particular field of study prior to being considered for admission.  These schools offer programs in fields such as drama; painting and sculpture; vocal and instrumental music; interior design; and film.

Credit and Degree Structure at German Universities

All higher education institutions in Germany are now set up in accordance with the Bologna Declaration of the late 1990s, an educational reform measure aimed at standardizing the credit and degree structure at universities throughout the European Union as a way to facilitate student transfer between those EU countries.  Under this reform, a typical academic year is worth 60 credits or ECTS, and the degree structure is as follows:

  • Bachelor Degree.  There are two types of Bachelor Degrees in Germany: the academic bachelor degree and the professional bachelor degree.  The former normally takes 3 years or 180 credits to complete, and while no formal degree is awarded after this stage, it does make students eligible to enter the Master’s degree program.  The professional bachelor degree is normally reserved for students pursuing a professional program of some type.  This type of degree normally spans 4 years in duration or 240 credits, after which students are awarded a formal degree that qualifies them to enter the workforce in their chosen field of study.
  • Master’s Degree.  Students who successfully complete their academic bachelor degree are eligible to enroll in a Master’s Degree program in the same or related field.  The majority of these programs span two additional years in duration or 120 ECTS.  Towards the conclusion of their Master’s Degree program, students are required to develop and defend a thesis prior to graduation.  Since making the switch to the new credit and degree structure, an increasing number of German students are now electing to pursue a Master’s Degree.
  • Doctorate Degree.  Exceptional students who want to continue their education after earning their Master’s Degree are welcome to apply to one of the many Doctorate or PhD-level programs offered at German universities.  Most of these programs require students to take and pass an entrance examination before being considered for admission.  If admitted, students will focus on advanced subject matter in their field of study and engage in original research projects alongside faculty.  Students are also required to complete a dissertation and defend that paper to a panel of faculty members.

Admission into German Universities and Fees

The admission requirements for German universities and colleges vary somewhat depending on the institution.  In many cases, students can gain entry by completing their secondary school (gymnasium) certification, a type of exit examination known locally as the Abitur.  Other students can use their vocational education certificate of completion, known as the Fachabitur.  Students who possess neither of these certifications will be required to take and pass a university entrance examination called the Begabtenprüfung; a test which measures a student’s proficiency in areas such as German, mathematics, and composition.

In all but five of Germany’s 16 states, tuition is free of cost at all state-run universities for all German citizens, while the universities in the remaining states charge a modest tuition fee.  In every university, students are required to pay for things such as books, examinations and certain student services.  Private universities have varying tuition fees, and unlike the public institutions they do offer scholarships for high-performing students.