Top Universities in Germany by City 2015/16

**Click here to discover the top universities in Germany in 2016/17.

The results of the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16 are out now, featuring an impressive 43 top universities in Germany. With affordable costs, great teaching quality and vibrant cities, it’s not difficult to see why Germany is such a popular choice for students from all over the world.

Below are some of the most popular German city destinations for students, along with details of the top German universities each urban center has to offer. 

Berlin 

Germany’s capital is both a popular tourist destination and a diverse student city with a rich variety of opportunities and experiences for students. It’s currently ranked 16^th in the QS Best Student Cities index and is home to three of the top universities in Germany:

• Freie Universität Berlin – ranked 119^th the world, 5^th in Germany.
• Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin – ranked joint 126^th in the world, 6^th in Germany.
• Technische Universität Berlin – ranked 178^th in the world, 11^th in Germany.

Hamburg

Germany’s second-largest city is a cosmopolitan transport hub with the nation’s busiest port, on the River Elbe. It is also a major media and industrial center, characterized by a variety of architectural styles. Its university, Universität Hamburg, is ranked joint 219^th in the world and 13^th in Germany.

München (Munich) 

The capital of Bavaria and third-largest city in Germany, Munich is currently ranked 14^th in the QS Best Student Cities index, beating even Berlin. It is home to the famous Oktoberfest beer festival, as well as two more of the top German universities.

• Technische Universität München – ranked 60^th in the world, 1^st in Germany.
• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München – ranked 75^th in the world, 3^rd in Germany.

Dresden

The capital of Saxony, Dresden is a cultural, educational, political and financial center which contains many tourist attractions, such as the beautiful Zwinger Palace. Its university, Technische Universität Dresden, is ranked 227^th in the world and 14^th in Germany.

Frankfurt 

Frankfurt is the largest city in the federal state of Hesse, and home to the Messe Frankfurt, one of the world’s largest trade fairs. It is a diverse urban hub, and a major center for business, culture, education and tourism. Its university, Universität Frankfurt am Main, is ranked joint 243^rd in the world alongside the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and 15^th in Germany.

Cologne

Famous for its stunning cathedral, Cologne is a major cultural center for the Rhineland. Its university is one of the oldest and largest in Europe. Universität Köln (the University of Cologne) ranks at joint 331^st in our world rankings, alongside Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, placing 21^st in Germany.

Bonn 

Bonn is one of Germany’s oldest cities, and holds the distinction of serving alongside Berlin as the seat of government, as well as being the birthplace of Beethoven. Its university, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, is ranked 210^th in the world rankings and 12^th in Germany.

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, and is home to the world-famous annual Cannstatter Volksfestbeer festival and traveling funfair. Its university, Universität Stuttgart, is ranked 251^st in the world and 17^th in Germany this year.

Leipzig

The largest city in Saxony, Leipzig is well known for its musical tradition, with its St Thomas Church famous for being the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked as a Kapellmeister (cantor.) Its main university, Universität Leipzig, is one of the oldest in Europe and is ranked joint 384^th in the world and 27^th in Germany.

Nuremberg 

Nuremburg is famous for its complex history, and this comes through in the rich culture it has to offer, including a selection of museums and a beautiful medieval castle. Its university, Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, is ranked 292^nd in the world rankings and 19^th in Germany.

Aachen

Germany’s westernmost city, Aachen is located on the border with Belgium and the Netherlands. It is famed for its technological innovation, and its university, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen, reflects this. Ranked 145^th in the world and 8^th in Germany, RWTH Aachen University is a founding member of the IDEA League, a strategic union of four prominent universities of technology in Europe.

A selection of smaller cities to study in Germany:

Heidelberg - Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg (Heidelberg University) ranks 2^nd in Germany and 66^th in the world, and with a population of around 150,000 is ideal if you would prefer to study in a smaller city. 

Karlsruhe – This city’s university, KIT - Karlsruher Institut Für Technologie ranks at joint 93^rd in the world and 4^th among top universities in Germany. The city, located in Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany, has a population of 293,000. 

Freiburg im Breisgau – Also located in Baden-Württemberg, this city is home to Universität Freiburg, which ranks at joint 133^rd in the world and 7^th in Germany. The city is the sunniest and warmest in Germany, according to meteorological statistics.

Göttingen – This small city in Lower Saxony has a population of 116,000 and is famous for its university. The University of Göttingen is a public research university, founded in 1734 by the British King George II, currently ranked 168^th in the world and 9^th in the list of top German universities.