List of universities in Germany

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates

Founded in 1386, Heidelberg University is Germany's most ancient university and widely considered to be among the most prestigious.

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.<ref>Universities in Germany Template:Webarchive</ref> Highest ranked universities in Germany include some research oriented universities for MS, MBA, medical and engineering.<ref>Top Universities for MS, MBA, Medical and Engineering Template:Webarchive</ref>

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,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> though regulations for non-EU foreign citizens differ regionally.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking 2025<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	QS World University Ranking 2026<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	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<ref>Originally in Ingolstadt; relocated to Munich in 1826</ref>
University of Tübingen	1477	28,700	Tübingen
University of Halle-Wittenberg	1502	18,500	Halle<ref>Founded in Wittenberg 1502, closed in 1813; in 1817 merged with the University of Halle, founded in 1694.</ref>
University of Marburg	1527	24,000	Marburg
University of Jena	1558	19,000	Jena