Germany keeps rising in the international higher education tops, especially since it abolished tuition fees for Bachelor’s degree courses from public universities. Prestigious universities and colleges in Germany offer top-quality Master's degrees for international students coming from a wide variety of cultures.
While Germany has a broad offer of Master’s programmes taught in English, it also has mentoring programmes and an intercultural environment. Germany has over 100 universities, 165 universities of Applied Sciences and more than 50 colleges of Music, Film and Art. Although the application process may be difficult at times, studying in Germany remains an attractive option for international students.
Our partners in Germany
We recommend you also explore degrees offered by some of our partners in Germany:
- IU International University of Applied Sciences
- Arden University, Study Center Berlin
- Berlin School of Business and Innovation
- Gisma Business School
- University of Europe for Applied Sciences
- SRH Berlin
These institutions offer excellent programmes and are known for their international student support and vibrant academic environments.
Universities and colleges offer top education and modern facilities. English in Germany is spoken by over 50% of the population. It is used in the academic environment and you’ll have no problems finding your way in big cities, although you can struggle in smaller towns and villages. Of course, you can learn the German language at a basic level if you want to make things easier.
If you already learned about the top 10 universities in Germany, it is time to take a look at the most popular German universities that have the biggest numbers of international students and international faculty.
Germany’s most international university
Times Higher Education has developed a 2021 top of the most international universities from each country, and Germany is present with Jacobs University. The institution has an international outlook of 76/100 from a total of 1,142 full-time students.
You should keep in mind that this small university managed to rank high on internationality because of the relatively low number of students studying there. The universities that follow it have significantly more students, so it's also more difficult for them to get a higher internationality percentage.
Most international universities in Germany - Times Higher Education 2021
Below you will find the leading universities chosen by foreign students, especially from non-speaking countries, according to the latest Times Higher Education ranking (2021). The list has been created based on how high the percentage of international students was in the university in the previous academic year.
- Jacobs University
- Technical University of Munich
- Technical University of Berlin
- Hamburg University of Technology
- RWTH Aachen University
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- Ilmenau University of Technology
- Free University of Berlin
- University of Freiburg
- Charite-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Most international universities in Germany - QS Rankings 2021
QS Rankings has the option of ordering it's top university list based on the percentage of international students studying in those institutions. Here is the list with the top 10 most international universities in Germany according to QS:
- Technical University of Munich
- Technical University of Berlin
- RWTH Aachen University
- Darmstadt University of Technology
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
- University of Stuttgart
- Ruprecht-Karls University Heidleberg
- University of Duisburg-Essen
- Free University of Berlin
- Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg
Students review the most international German universities
Here is what students have to say about some of the most international universities in Germany:
- Free University of Berlin
- Technical University of Munich
- University of Stuttgart
- University of Freiburg
- RWTH Aachen University
Which cities are best for international students in Germany?
If international rankings and student reviews are not enough, here is also a list of the most internationally-friendly cities in Germany. You probably can't go wrong by studying in an internationally-oriented university from an internationally-friendly city.
- Berlin is one of the most popular destinations for international students and it constantly ranks among the best student cities in the world. The main attractions for students are the reputable universities, the multicultural environment, and the networking opportunities.
- Bonn stands out through its carnivals and the international organisations that attract and create job opportunities for future graduates. The city also has plenty of cultural aspects to explore. It is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven and Friedrich Nietzsche himself studied at the University of Bonn.
- Munich attracts international students through affordable tuition fees and large festivals, like Oktoberfest. The capital of the Bavaria region also has some of the highest living standards and its community is very friendly and open towards foreign students.
- Hamburg is the third busiest port in Europe and an important financial and industrial hub. Student will enjoy a high standard education and they'll be able to explore the city's architecture and historic buildings.
Don't forget to check out the full list of ranked universities from Germany.
