List of universities in Germany

This is a list of the universities in Germany, of which there are about seventy. The list also includes German Technische Universitäten (universities of technology), which have official and full university status, but usually focus on engineering and the natural sciences rather than covering the whole spectrum of academic disciplines. Some twenty German universities rank among top 200 universities in world. Highest ranked universities in Germany include some research oriented universities for MS, MBA, medical and engineering.

The list does not, however, cover the German Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences) or institutions that cover only certain disciplines such as business studies, fine arts, or engineering. Those do not have all of the responsibilities and limitations of universities, and most cannot award doctorate degrees on their own.

A private university is included in the list if it awards its own doctorate degree.

In general, public German universities do not charge tuition fees. At many universities this usually also applies to foreign students, though regulations for non-EU foreign citizens differ regionally. Universities may charge small fees for administrative costs.

Universities by university ranking results

This is a list of every university ranked in the top 200 of either ranking or regarded as a university of excellence by the German Council of Science and Humanities and the German Research Foundation.

University	THE World University Ranking 2026	U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking 2025	QS World University Ranking 2026	Note and status in the German Universities Excellence Initiative	Type
Technical University of Munich	27	79	22	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich	34	57	58	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Heidelberg University	49	59	80	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Humboldt University of Berlin	89	47	130	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin	91	n/a	n/a	joint university hospital of Humboldt University and Free University of Berlin	public
University of Bonn	92	164	207	regarded as a university of excellence	public
RWTH Aachen University	92	225	105	regarded as a university of excellence	public
University of Tübingen	98	200	215	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Free University of Berlin	113	59	88	regarded as a university of excellence	public
University of Göttingen	122	182	243		public
University of Hamburg	125	141	193	regarded as a university of excellence	public
University of Freiburg	138	212	201		public
Technical University of Berlin	160	270	145	regarded as a university of excellence	public
University of Cologne	164	228	272		public
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	166	278	98	regarded as a university of excellence	public
Technical University Dresden	174	216	218	regarded as a university of excellence	public
University of Würzburg	179	221	416		public
University of Münster	195	228	350		public
University of Konstanz	251	572	440	regarded as a university of excellence	public

Universities by date of establishment

This is a list of the ten oldest universities that have been in continuous operation since their founding in present-day Germany. The oldest university in the modern German-speaking world is the University of Vienna founded in 1365, the first German-speaking university was the Charles University in Prague in 1348.

Some universities were established in the 14th or 15th centuries, but shut down for longer periods and later re-opened (e.g. the universities of Cologne, Erfurt, Ingolstadt, Mainz and Würzburg). These are not included in this list.

University	Year of establishment	Students	Location
Heidelberg University	1386	31,500	Heidelberg
Leipzig University	1409	29,500	Leipzig
University of Rostock	1419	14,000	Rostock
University of Greifswald	1456	12,000	Greifswald
University of Freiburg	1457	24,700	Freiburg
University of Munich	1472	50,918	Munich
University of Tübingen	1477	28,700	Tübingen
University of Halle-Wittenberg	1502	18,500	Halle
University of Marburg	1527	24,000	Marburg
University of Jena	1558	19,000	Jena

Universities alphabetically

A–D

RWTH Aachen
University of Augsburg
University of Bamberg
University of Bayreuth
Hochschule Bremen
Berlin University of the Arts
Free University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
Medical School Berlin
Technische Universität Berlin
Bielefeld University
Ruhr University Bochum
University of Bonn
Brandenburg University of Technology
Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane
Braunschweig University of Technology
University of Bremen
Constructor University
Chemnitz University of Technology
Clausthal University of Technology
University of Cologne
Darmstadt University of Technology
TU Dortmund University
Dresden University of Technology
University of Duisburg-Essen
University of Düsseldorf

Free University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin
University of Cologne
Dresden University of Technology
Brandenburg University of Technology

E–H

Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
University of Erfurt
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
University of Duisburg-Essen
University of Flensburg
Goethe University Frankfurt
Viadrina University (Frankfurt an der Oder)
Freiberg University of Mining and Technology
Fliedner University of Applied Sciences
Zeppelin University (Friedrichshafen)
University of Freiburg
German University of Digital Science
University of Giessen
University of Göttingen
University of Greifswald
University of Hagen (distance learning; open university)
University of Halle-Wittenberg (also in Wittenberg)
University of Hamburg
HafenCity University Hamburg
Hamburg University of Technology
Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences
Helmut Schmidt University (University of the Bundeswehr, Hamburg)
Hertie School of Governance (private institution with university status, awards PhD)
Leibniz University Hannover
Hannover Medical School
University of Heidelberg
University of Hildesheim
University of Hohenheim

Goethe University Frankfurt
University of Freiburg
University of Göttingen
Leibniz University Hannover

I–N

Technical University of Ilmenau
University of Jena
Kaiserslautern University of Technology
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
University of Kassel
University of Kiel
University of Koblenz-Landau
University of Konstanz
Kühne Logistics University (private institution with university status, awards PhD)
University of Leipzig
University of Lübeck
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
University of Magdeburg
University of Mainz
University of Mannheim
University of Marburg
Technical University of Munich
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Bundeswehr University Munich
Ukrainian Free University Munich (private university; awards PhD)
University of Münster
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
University of Technology Nuremberg

University of Karlsruhe
Leipzig University
University of Mannheim
LMU Munich
University of Kaiserslautern

O–Z

Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
University of Oldenburg
University of Osnabrück
University of Paderborn
University of Passau
University of Potsdam
University of Regensburg
University of Rostock
Saarland University
University of Siegen
German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer
University of Stuttgart
University of Trier
University of Tübingen
University of Ulm
University of Halle-Wittenberg (also in Halle)
University of Vechta
University of Weimar
Witten/Herdecke University
University of Wuppertal
University of Würzburg
Tomorrow University

University of Rostock
University of Tübingen
Bauhaus University, Weimar
Campus of the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg in Halle

Universities by geographic region

North

University of Bremen
Constructor University
University of Flensburg
University of Göttingen
University of Greifswald
University of Hamburg
Helmut Schmidt University (University of the Bundeswehr, Hamburg)
Leibniz University Hannover
University of Hildesheim
University of Kiel
University of Lübeck
University of Lüneburg
University of Oldenburg
University of Osnabrück
University of Rostock
University of Vechta

West

Bielefeld University
Ruhr University Bochum
University of Bonn
University of Cologne
TU Dortmund University
University of Duisburg-Essen
University of Düsseldorf
Goethe University Frankfurt
University of Giessen
University of Hagen (distance learning; open university)
University of Kassel
University of Koblenz
University of Mainz
University of Marburg
University of Münster
University of Paderborn
Saarland University
University of Trier
University of Siegen
German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer
Witten/Herdecke University
University of Wuppertal
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management

East

Berlin University of the Arts
Dresden University of Technology
Free University of Berlin
German UDS Potsdam
Humboldt University of Berlin
Hertie School of Governance
Medical School Berlin
Technische Universität Berlin
Technical University of Ilmenau
University of Erfurt
University of Halle-Wittenberg
University of Jena
University of Leipzig
University of Magdeburg
University of Potsdam
University of Weimar
Viadrina University (Frankfurt an der Oder)

South

University of Augsburg
University of Bamberg
University of Bayreuth
Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg
University of Technology Nuremberg
University of Freiburg
Zeppelin University (Friedrichshafen)
University of Heidelberg
University of Hohenheim
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
University of Konstanz
University of Mannheim
Bundeswehr University of Munich
University of Munich
Ukrainian Free University Munich
University of Passau
University of Regensburg
University of Stuttgart
University of Tübingen
University of Ulm
University of Würzburg

Universities of technology by location

RWTH Aachen University
Technische Universität Berlin
Brandenburg University of Technology
Braunschweig University of Technology
Chemnitz University of Technology
Clausthal University of Technology
TU Dortmund University
Darmstadt University of Technology
Dresden University of Technology
Freiberg University of Mining and Technology
Hamburg University of Technology
Leibniz University Hannover
Ilmenau University of Technology
Kaiserslautern University of Technology
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Technical University of Munich
University of Stuttgart

TU Berlin
RWTH Aachen
Chemnitz University of Technology