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Best universities in Germany 2024

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Find the best universities in Germany in 2024 through Times Higher Education’s World University Rankings data

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September 27 2023
Humboldt University of Berlin

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<Ƶ>Top 10 universities in Germany 2024

Scroll down for the full list of best universities in Germany

Germany Rank 2024World University Rank 2024World University Rank 2023UniversityCity/town
1=3030Technical University of MunichMunich
2=3833LMU MunichMunich
34743Universität HeidelbergHeidelberg
4=87=86Humboldt University of BerlinBerlin
590=99RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen
69189University of BonnBonn
79473Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlin
8=95=86University of üԲüԲ
9102=91Free University of BerlinBerlin
10=111=119University of öٳپԲöٳپԲ

This league table reveals the best universities in Germany, according to the trustedTimes Higher EducationWorld University Rankings 2024.

The Technical University of Munich takes first place, followed byLMU Munich.


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The top universities in Germany are scattered throughout the country, with options to study in Munich, Berlin and 40other cities. The top university in Berlin is Humboldt University of Berlin.

In total, 49 universities in Germany are counted among the very best in the world.

More than 500 degrees (bachelor’s and master’s programmes) are taught in English at top German universities. Whatever subject you are interested in, you can study that degree in English in Germany.

<Ƶ>Top 5 universities in Germany<Ƶ>5. RWTH Aachen University

RWTH Aachen University was founded in 1870 with a strong focus on engineering and the local mining industry.

It has since expanded to become the largest technical university in Germany, offering courses in engineering, chemical engineering, life sciences and medicine, arts and humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, and management and architecture.

The world’s first wind tunnel and particle accelerator were both developed at RWTH Aachen. Major innovations created on site include a pioneering aircraft made entirely of metal and a diesel soot filter.

The university also has strong ties to industries and created a European equivalent of Silicon Valley around it.

<Ƶ>4. Humboldt University of Berlin

Humboldt University of Berlinis located in the country’s capital, Berlin, which isa popular destination for international students.

The university is made up of nine faculties, including its medical faculty, which it shares with theFree University of Berlin.

The main building of Humboldt University is on Unter den Linden boulevard, surrounded by a range of other historic buildings, museums and art galleries.

The university has an impressive list of alumni and former faculty, including physicists Albert Einstein, Max Planck and Erwin Schrödinger, collectors of folk tales Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and philosopher Karl Marx.

<Ƶ>3. Universität Heidelberg

Universität Heidelberg, founded in 1386, is the oldest university in Germany.

Close to 20 per cent of the student body is international, representing 130 countries. More than a third of doctoral students are international.

The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in 160 study programmes. Academics at Heidelberg have been responsible for founding sub-disciplines including psychiatric genetics, modern sociology and environmental physics.

The university is particularly renowned for its innovative research and intellectual contributions across a range of subjects. Some 27Nobel laureates have been associated with Universität Heidelberg, nine of whom won the prize while tenured there.

Many influential politicians, philosophers and scientists are alumni or affiliates of the university, including Max Weber – the founder of modern sociology – and philosopher Hannah Arendt.

Heidelberg is known as the home of German Romanticism, and the Old Town and castle are some of the most visited tourist destinations in Germany.


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<Ƶ>2. LMU Munich

LMU Munich was founded in 1472, making it one of Germany’s oldest universities.

The university is affiliated with 42 Nobel laureates, including renowned scientists such as Otto Hahn, Max Planck and Werner Heisenberg.

With the second-largest student population of any university in Germany, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich – to use its full name – attracts a large number of international students, about 13per cent of the total student body.

Since the end of the 18thcentury, the university has had a strong focus on natural sciences and has produced world-leading research and innovations.

The German Universities Excellence Initiative, launched in 2005, has provided funding for LMU Munich, as well as other leading universities in the country.

<Ƶ>1. Technical University of Munich

TheTechnical University of Munich is the only state university dedicated to science and technology.

Since 1927, 17 Nobel prizes have been awarded in physics, chemistry and medicine to academics affiliated with the university.

Founded in the 19thcentury, the university originally focused on engineering, but has expanded over the years to include natural sciences, social sciences, agriculture, brewing and food technology, and medicine. Many specialisms within engineering and information technology are offered across three departments.

An overarching philosophy of “the entrepreneurial university” guides the development of the institution, which now has 15departments across three campuses in and around Munich.


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<Ƶ>Best universities in Germany 2024

Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024results

Germany Rank 2024World University Rank 2024World University Rank 2023UniversityCity/town
1=3030Technical University of MunichMunich
2=3833LMU MunichMunich
34743Universität HeidelbergHeidelberg
4=87=86Humboldt University of BerlinBerlin
590=99RWTH Aachen UniversityAachen
69189University of BonnBonn
79473Charité - Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlin
8=95=86University of üԲüԲ
9102=91Free University of BerlinBerlin
10=111=119University of öٳپԲöٳپԲ
11128113University of FreiburgFreiburg
=12=136=128University of HamburgHamburg
=12=136=156Technical University of BerlinBerlin
14=140=189Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyKarlsruhe
15160146University of CologneCologne
16=161=156TU DresdenDresden
17=175=139University of üܰüܰ
18=187179University of MannheimMannheim
=19=193=196University of Erlangen-NurembergNuremberg and Erlangen
=19=193185University of üԲٱüԲٱ
=19=193=148Ulm UniversityUlm
=22201–250=189Friedrich Schiller University JenaJena
=22201–250251–300Goethe University FrankfurtFrankfurt
=22201–250201–250University of PotsdamPotsdam
=25251–300251–300Heinrich Heine University üǰüǰ
=25251–300201–250University of HohenheimHohenheim
=25251–300251–300Johannes Gutenberg University of MainzMainz
=25251–300201–250University of KonstanzKonstanz
=25251–300251–300Ruhr University BochumBochum
=25251–300301–350University of StuttgartStuttgart
=25251–300301–350Technical University of DarmstadtDarmstadt
=32301–350351–400University of BremenBremen
=32301–350251–300University of KielKiel
=34351–400401–500University of BayreuthBayreuth
=34351–400401–500Justus Liebig University GiessenGiessen
=34351–400401–500Leibniz University HannoverHannover
=37401–500501–600Constructor University BremenBremen
=37401–500351–400University of GreifswaldGreifswald
=37401–500401–500University of MarburgMarburg
=37401–500401–500University of PassauPassau
=37401–500501–600TU Dortmund UniversityDortmund
=42501–600601–800Hamburg University of TechnologyHamburg
=42501–600351–400Leuphana University of üԱܰüԱܰ
=42501–600601–800TU BraunschweigBraunschweig
=42501–600601–800University of WuppertalWuppertal
=46601–800601–800University of KaiserslauternKaiserslautern
=46601–800NROtto von Guericke University of MagdeburgMagdeburg
=46601–800801–1000University of SiegenSiegen
491001–12001001–1200Ilmenau University of TechnologyIlmenau

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