Top 10 universities in Germany for international students

Germany has around 50 universities that are among the best in the world, with a dozen of them in the top 200 worldwide. These institutions also offer over 500 programs in English, giving the 100,000 international students who study there the opportunity to get their share of Germany’s top-quality higher education. But students also choose to study in Germany because of the lower cost of education, compared to other countries. We’ve made here for you a list of the top 10 universities in Germany, most of them being located in Berlin and Munich.

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Technical University of Munich (TUM)

The Technical University of Munich or TUM is a public university that came into existence in 1868. The institution has 3 campuses across the state of Bavaria: downtown Munich, Garching, in the north of Munich and Weihenstephan. The institution is also one of the best universities in Germany for engineering study, especially civil engineering.

Find out here our top German universities for engineering studies.

Moreover, TUM has in recent years broaden its educational program areas, offering courses in natural and life sciences, medicine, humanities, business management and social sciences. Furthermore, TUM hosts more than 9,500 international students, which represent 24% of their total number of students.

Visit the University’s website for more details.

Applications are submitted via the International Student Services Office link.

The Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich (LMU)

Second in our list of the best universities in Germany is another university located in the heart of Munich. Ludwig Maximilians University Munich was born in 1472 and is a lead academic and research institution in Europe. The institution, with its Medical Center, is also one of the most prestigious and largest in Germany for medicine studies.

Discover also our list of the best medical universities in Germany.

Besides, LMU offers teaching and research opportunities in the fields of humanities and cultural studies, economics and social sciences, law, as well as natural sciences. Moreover, the institution hosts over 7,500 international students, making them 15% of the total number of enrollments at the university.

Find more information on the University’s official website.

You can also contact the University’s International Services Office to get more information.

Heidelberg University

Heidelberg University in Germany is also known as Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, a public university established in 1386. This makes it the oldest university in Germany and one of the oldest-still-existing universities in the world. The university has three campuses where students pay no tuition fees, but only a relatively low semester fee for student union.

Hosting less than 3,000 international students, Heidelberg has also twelve academic faculties. These academic divisions teach behavioral and cultural studies, economics and social sciences, law, math and computer sciences, modern languages, philosophy, theology, biosciences and medicine in two faculties.

Visit the University’s website for more information

Or apply through the University Center for International Students.

Humboldt University in Berlin (HU Berlin)

The Humboldt University of Berlin came into existence in 1810, from the vision of Wilhelm von Humboldt, to associate research and teaching. This ideal has become a model for all today’s universities, making of HU Berlin, the “Mother of all modern universities”. And it has since grown to become one of the most prestigious universities in Germany and in Europe.

The institution also enjoys an international reputation in the fields of arts and humanities. Besides, HU Berlin has also educated a total of 29 Nobel laureates. The institution hosts about 32,000 students, 16% of which are international students. Moreover, the university offers programs in law, medicine, philosophy or theology.

Please visit the university website for more information.

You can apply through the University Center for International Students.

Free University of Berlin

The Free University of Berlin was established in 1948 and is one of the eleven ‘German Universities of Excellence’. It’s also a leading institution in Germany in terms of science and teaching. Along the other facts that make the Free University of Berlin stand out include the fact that it counts 5 Nobel Prize laureates among its staff.

Located in Dahlem in southwest Berlin, the institution welcomes more than 38,000 students, studying over 150 programs in a broad range of specialties. The Free University of Berlin also has 17 collaborative research centers. Moreover, the institution enjoys a strong reputation in the fields of humanities and social sciences, natural and earth sciences, as well as mathematics and computer sciences.

For more information, please visit the University’s website

International students can apply through the Student Services Center.

RWTH Aachen University

RWTH Aachen University’s origin dates back to 1870, a public university, which is also the largest university of technology in Germany. The institution at its beginnings had put a string focus on engineering, and it still is now one of the best universities in Germany for engineering studies. RWTH Aachen University also is located in the most important city in the west of Germany, close to the Dutch and Belgian borders.

The institution hosts more than 45,000 students, with more than 12,000 international students from more than 120 countries. Moreover, the university has nine faculties, teaching engineering and technology, arts and humanities, life sciences, computer science, physical sciences, business and economics, education, psychology and clinical, pre-clinical & health sciences.

To go further, consult the official University website.

International students can apply through the University Information and Student Services Office.

Berlin University of Technology (TU Berlin)

TU Berlin has been established in 1770 and is one of the largest technical universities in Germany. The institution is also a member of the TU9, a group of nine of the largest and most prominent institutes of technology in Germany. This way, TU Berlin has multiple sites across Berlin, along with a satellite campus in Egypt.

Moreover, the institution hosts around 34,000 students – 20% of them being international students. They are spread through 7 faculties, teaching engineering, computer science, economics and management, human sciences, mathematics, to name a few subjects.

You can find more details on the university website.

On the other hand, international students should contact the International Affairs Office to apply

University of Tübingen

Next in our list of the best universities in Germany, the University of Tübingen is a top research institution in Europe, that has been around since 1477. With campuses located in the traditional towns of Tübingen and Baden-Württemberg, the university is divided in 14 schools. Moreover, the institution offers 280 courses from undergraduate to doctorate level.

The University of Tübingen also enjoys an international reputation, having partnerships with more than 150 institutions from 62 nations worldwide. Furthermore, the university welcomes around 21,000 students, 13% of them being international students.

Moreover, you can find out more details on the University’s website.

Likewise, applications are submitted via the International Student Link

University of Freiburg

Despite its origin that dates back to 1457, the University of Freiburg is only the fifth-oldest university in Germany. With this long tradition of more than 550 years, the University of Freiburg has welcomed teachers and researchers who happened to be also famous philosophers, top researchers and Nobel laureates.

Moreover, the university hosts around 21,000 students, more than 3,700 of them being international ones. Among the most popular subjects the university offers include humanities, law, natural and engineering sciences as well as medicine.

At last, you can visit the University’s website to learn more.

For applications, the International Affairs Office can be contacted.

University of Mannheim

The last institution in our list of the top German universities is also one of the best 20 research institutions in Europe. The University of Mannheim started to offer academic courses in 1946. And the institution stands out for its program in Business Administration, Economics, Psychology, Sociology, History, German Studies, Computer Science, to name a few. Moreover, the university counts over 12,000 students, with 1,700 international students.