Germany is known for its rich cultural heritage, internationally recognized universities, strong education system, and modern research facilities. It is highly welcoming to international students, offering a wide range of subject choices across many fields. If you want to compare German courses before applying, you can explore programs that match your academic interests, budget, and long-term goals. Many of these programs are delivered at public universities with research opportunities, modern campus facilities, and a diverse student body.
Public universities in Germany are well regarded worldwide and are often supported by public funding, which helps maintain their academic quality and international recognition. Many regular degree programs at public universities charge no tuition fees, although students usually still pay semester contributions, and some universities, federal states, and continuing education programs charge tuition. As an international student, you could cut down on a lot of expenses and save time during the decision-making process by choosing a public university. However, you should always check the current fee rules for your nationality, degree level, and chosen program. Here are some of the top public schools in Germany that might interest you.
Top Public Universities in Germany
| University | Selected Academic Areas |
|---|
| Free University of Berlin | Humanities, Social Sciences, Political Science, North American Studies, and Cognitive Neuroscience |
| Technical University of Munich | Engineering, Natural Sciences, Technology, Medicine, Health Sciences, Nutrition, Biomedicine, and Biotechnology |
| Humboldt University of Berlin | Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Life Sciences |
| University of Bonn | Global Health, Plant Sciences, and Molecular Plant Physiology |
| Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich | Broad multidisciplinary programs, Molecular Biology, and Cellular Biology |
| RWTH Aachen University | Engineering, Technology, Management, Business, and Economics |
| Technical University of Berlin | Engineering, Natural Sciences, Planning Sciences, Economics, Social Sciences, and Humanities |
| University of Heidelberg | Medicine, Law, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Cancer Biology |
| University of Freiburg | Science, Environmental Studies, Economics, Government, Society, and Humanities |
| University of Göttingen | Business and Human Resource Education, Vocational Education, Human Resources Development, German Literature, and Psychology |
| University of Mannheim | Business Administration, Economics, Social Sciences, Law, Humanities, Computer Science, and Business Informatics |
1. Free University of Berlin
One of Germany’s well-known public research universities, the Free University of Berlin is a public research university established in 1948. It is especially known for programs in the humanities, social sciences, and political science. Freie Universität Berlin generally does not charge tuition fees, except for continuing education programs, but students pay semester fees and contributions.
There are selected bachelor’s and master’s programs at the Free University of Berlin that are taught in English. Most bachelor’s programs require German, while some options, such as North American Studies, are taught in English. Therefore, if you are planning to follow an undergraduate program in the country, you may need to provide a certification confirming your German language proficiency, depending on the program.
Ayesha Ejaz’s path to Free University of Berlin: Ayesha Ejaz enrolled in Cognitive Neuroscience at Free University of Berlin after researching the department, potential supervisors, and thesis topics that matched her interests. Her application was backed by a 3.89/4.0 prior GPA and a clear connection between her bachelor’s thesis and the work she hoped to pursue in Berlin.
2. Technical University of Munich
The Technical University of Munich is one of Germany’s leading institutions for teaching and research, especially in engineering, natural sciences, technology, medicine, and health. The university was established in 1868 and is now organized into seven schools, offering many programs in German and English.
Across departments, the university has a large international community and many English-taught options. Since the winter semester 2024/25, many newly enrolled non-EU/non-EEA students at TUM must pay tuition fees in addition to semester fees, although exemptions, waivers, and scholarships may apply. You should review the relevant program page and current fee rules on the official website before applying.
A recipient’s path: Ghazaleh Mohajeran Zadeh entered the master’s in Nutrition and Biomedicine at Technical University of Munich after presenting a strong academic record, an IELTS score of 8.0, and coursework closely aligned with the program. She says applicants were assessed on factors including GPA, English proficiency, and curriculum fit; her score was high enough for direct admission without the interview required of lower-scoring applicants. She pursued the tuition-free master’s after choosing TUM for the program’s combination of nutrition and biomedicine. View More Technical University of Munich recipients →
- Outcomes of students who studied at Technical University of Munich: Vicente Algaba MartÃnez: after completing his TUM bachelor’s in Biotechnology in 2024, continued to a master’s in Health Sciences and Neuroscience at ETH Zurich.
3. Humboldt University of Berlin
Humboldt University of Berlin is one of Germany’s most prestigious public universities and is the oldest university in Berlin. Founded in 1810, the university is known for research and teaching across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, life sciences, and other fields.
The university offers more than 170 degree programs. English-taught options are available, especially at the master’s level, but many programs are taught in German and require proof of German language proficiency. Students should review the language of instruction and admission requirements for their specific program before applying.
Júlia de Freitas Sampaio’s path to Humboldt University of Berlin: Júlia de Freitas Sampaio completed a fully funded PhD at Humboldt University of Berlin with support from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Her story describes securing doctoral funding around a research-focused application rather than using a conventional undergraduate-style admissions route. After the PhD, she started a postdoctoral position at the University of Luxembourg. View More Humboldt University of Berlin recipients →
4. University of Bonn
The University of Bonn, officially the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, is a distinguished public research university in Germany, founded in 1818. It has been recognized as a University of Excellence since 2019 and will have eight Clusters of Excellence in the funding period beginning in January 2026, underscoring its commitment to research and academic innovation across a wide range of disciplines.
For international students, the University of Bonn offers an enriching academic and personal experience, with English-taught programs available in selected fields, including international master’s programs such as Global Health. Many other degree programs are taught in German or have program-specific language requirements, so applicants should check the official program page carefully before applying.
The university does not charge tuition fees for regular degree programs, but all students pay a semester contribution. Its international services, orientation activities, and student support options can help international students settle into academic life in Bonn.
A recipient’s path: Karuna Verma completed the master’s in Plant Sciences at the University of Bonn, building laboratory experience to close a practical-skills gap she had identified in her earlier training. She paired that preparation with strong grades and careful research into the program before applying. After the master’s, she continued into a PhD in Molecular Plant Physiology at the same Bonn institute. View More University of Bonn recipients →
5. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich is one of Germany’s oldest universities, having been established in 1472 as the University of Ingolstadt. As a public university in Bavaria, LMU generally does not charge tuition for most regular degree programs, but students pay semester fees and should check for any program-specific costs. LMU is recognized in Europe and worldwide for its academic and research profile. It has 18 faculties offering a wide range of programs.
One student’s journey: Saloni studied the master’s in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Her selection involved an entrance examination, for which she spent about a week revising, followed by an interview where she discussed her bachelor’s thesis and motivation for the program. That combination of subject preparation and the ability to explain her prior research offers a concrete example of LMU’s admissions path. View More Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich recipients →
- Outcomes of students who studied at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich: Jennifer Fabà : prepared to begin a PhD about one month after finishing her LMU master’s; Avinash Sekhar: moved from his LMU master’s into a fully funded PhD pathway at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence.
6. RWTH Aachen University
RWTH Aachen University is one of Germany’s major technical universities, with about 190 courses of study across ten faculties. The university continues to avoid charging additional tuition fees for non-EU international students, but all students pay the standard semester fee.
Most bachelor’s programs and many master’s programs at RWTH Aachen are taught in German, so students should check the German language certifications required for their program of choice. The university also offers several master’s programs taught entirely in English.
One student’s journey: Mina Farajiamiri entered a PhD research assistantship in Management, Business, and Economics at RWTH Aachen University. She targeted a doctoral environment whose research matched her interests and where the work could be conducted in English, rather than requiring C1/B2 German before starting. Her story illustrates a research-position route into RWTH rather than a conventional taught-program application. View More RWTH Aachen University recipients →
7. Technical University of Berlin
With more than 100 study programs, the Technical University of Berlin is a long-standing public research university in the city of Berlin. Its program range covers fields such as engineering, natural sciences, planning sciences, economics, social sciences, and humanities.
The Technical University of Berlin is the only university in the capital region that offers engineering subjects. It is popular among international students because of its location, research profile, and broad range of programs. The university does not charge tuition fees for most programs, although continuing education master’s programs may be an exception, and students pay semester fees.
8. University of Heidelberg
The University of Heidelberg was founded in 1386, making it the oldest university in Germany. This public university is a leading research institution with strengths across medicine, law, natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Because the University of Heidelberg is in Baden-Württemberg, many non-EU/non-EEA international students with a foreign university entrance qualification must pay EUR 1,500 per semester for bachelor’s, state examination, and consecutive master’s programs, in addition to semester fees. Students from EU/EEA countries and international students with a German university entrance qualification are exempt from this specific tuition fee.
Tuyu Zheng’s path to Heidelberg University: Tuyu Zheng completed a PhD in Cancer Biology at Heidelberg University in 2023. His route included identifying suitable research groups, tailoring his outreach, and passing the DKFZ International PhD Program’s written evaluation and an in-person interview week before receiving DAAD support. He later became a postdoctoral researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and received a Damon Runyon–St. Jude fellowship covering 2025–2028. View More Heidelberg University recipients →
9. University of Freiburg
Founded in 1457, the University of Freiburg is one of Germany’s oldest public universities. This German public school for international students is a leading institution with strengths in fields such as science, environment, economics, government, society, and the humanities.
The University of Freiburg offers a broad range of degree programs across eleven faculties. Because Freiburg is in Baden-Württemberg, many non-EU/non-EEA students pay EUR 1,500 per semester in tuition in addition to regular semester fees. The university offers programs in German as well as selected options involving English or French, depending on the degree program.
One student’s journey: Zainab Shahzad entered a fully funded master’s at the University of Freiburg through the DAAD EPOS route. Her preparation included an IELTS score of 8 and a scholarship application built around the program’s requirements, while she notes that DAAD’s candidate assessment did not reward an IELTS score beyond the required threshold. Her story is useful for showing that meeting the language benchmark was only one part of a broader admissions and funding application. View More University of Freiburg recipients →
10. University of Göttingen
The University of Göttingen was founded in 1737 and is one of Germany’s established public research universities. It offers a comprehensive range of study options across 13 faculties, with about 28,000 students and more than 210 degree programs.
In Lower Saxony, Göttingen does not charge tuition fees for regular degree programs, but students pay semester fees. Learners have the opportunity to pursue different programs, such as a bachelor’s degree in Business and Human Resource Education, followed by related master’s pathways for those interested in vocational education or human resources development.
One student’s journey: Elene Veliashvili completed a master’s in German Literature at the University of Göttingen after spending about a year preparing for TestDaF and applying with a bachelor’s record that converted to a 1.0 German grade. She emphasizes checking every document requirement and showing academic and extracurricular engagement rather than relying on grades alone. After Göttingen, she worked at the Goethe-Institut in Munich and later began a bachelor’s in Psychology at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. View More University of Göttingen recipients →
11. University of Mannheim
In 1967, the institution was renamed the University of Mannheim. Since then, it has grown into one of Germany’s strongest public universities for business, economics, social sciences, law, humanities, and business informatics. It is also popular with international learners because of its practical approach to learning, international profile, and strong academic environment.
Because Mannheim is in Baden-Württemberg, many non-EU/non-EEA international students pay EUR 1,500 per semester in tuition in addition to the semester fee. The University of Mannheim offers undergraduate and graduate programs in social sciences, humanities, computer science, business administration, economics, law, and related fields.
FAQs about Studying in Public Universities in Germany
Can International Students Enroll in Public Universities in Germany?
Yes. Germany’s public and private higher education institutions accept international students. Most public universities charge no tuition for regular degree programs, but students still pay semester contributions, and there are important exceptions. Baden-Württemberg charges many non-EU/non-EEA students EUR 1,500 per semester, TUM charges tuition for many newly enrolled non-EU/non-EEA bachelor’s and master’s students, and continuing education or executive programs may have separate tuition fees.
Undergraduate programs in Germany at public universities are often tuition-free, but this is not universal. Master’s fees depend on the university, program type, federal state, and student status. Many programs require proof of German language proficiency, although many master’s programs and some bachelor’s options are taught partly or fully in English. This article lists public universities in Germany that may offer programs matching your academic goals.
To find out more about studying in Germany, take a look at the Available Courses in Germany!
