LMU Munich
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
A 1472-founded, full-spectrum university in central Munich where 51 Nobel laureates studied or researched.
- Students
- 52,658
- International
- 22%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1472
About LMU
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München was founded in Ingolstadt in 1472, moved to Landshut in 1800 and to Munich in 1826. Today it is a public, comprehensive university with 52,658 students in winter semester 2025/26, making it one of Germany's largest. Unlike its neighbour TUM, LMU covers the full range of subjects: theology, law, business and economics, medicine and veterinary medicine, the humanities, social sciences and the natural sciences, organised into 18 faculties.
The heart of the university is the Friedrich von Gärtner main building on Geschwister-Scholl-Platz in Maxvorstadt, named after Hans and Sophie Scholl, LMU students and founding members of the White Rose resistance group. Institutes are spread across Munich and nearby sites, including the Großhadern-Martinsried science campus in the south-west of the city, home to chemistry, biology and the LMU Klinikum hospital. LMU counts 51 Nobel laureates who studied or did research there, from Max Planck and Werner Heisenberg to Ferenc Krausz (Physics, 2023).
LMU offers 109 bachelor's programs, many of which can be combined as majors and minors, and nearly all of them are taught in German. English-taught options are concentrated at master's level. LMU suits students who already have strong German, want a traditional university with broad subject choice, and are comfortable organising their own studies in a large, city-centre institution.
Why students choose LMU
LMU was ranked 61st in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 34th in THE 2026, and is Germany's number two in both.
There is no tuition, including for non-EU students; you pay only a semester fee of EUR 97 to the Munich Student Union.
It is a true universitas: 109 bachelor's and 117 master's programs across humanities, law, economics, medicine and sciences, many combinable as major and minor.
Research runs through seven Clusters of Excellence (2026), including MCQST for quantum science and ORIGINS for astrophysics and the origins of life, most shared with TUM and Max Planck institutes.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 (bachelor's programs start in October 2027)
Selectivity
There is no single admit rate. Many bachelor's programs have no admission restriction. Popular subjects have local restrictions (numerus clausus) based on the average school-leaving grade, and Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy are allocated nationally for EU/EEA applicants through the Foundation for University Admissions (SfH). Some programs also require an aptitude assessment, pre-registration or academic orientation with the institute.
Typical entry requirements
| German Abitur (including foreign nationals with a German Abitur) | Apply through LMU's Office of the University Registrar (Studentenkanzlei), or through SfH/hochschulstart for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy. |
|---|---|
| EU/EEA school-leaving certificates | Generally equivalent to the Abitur. Apply via the International Office, or the Studentenkanzlei for locally restricted programs. |
| Non-EU school-leaving certificates | Must qualify for German university entry (check anabin or the DAAD admission database). If not, you need a one-year Studienkolleg, applied for through LMU with German at B2. US applicants without a bachelor's degree must email their documents early so a recognition letter from ZASt can be prepared. |
| International Baccalaureate | Holders who have not yet received their final certificate need a recognition letter from ZASt (Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle für den Freistaat Bayern). |
| German language | DSH-2, TestDaF level 4 in all sections, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, DSD II, Goethe C2 or ÖSD C2. For unrestricted programs, non-EU applicants may apply with proof of a current B2 intensive course and pass DSH-2 before registering. |
| English language | LMU's bachelor's programs require German. English certificates matter mainly for its English-taught master's programs, whose requirements are set per program. |
Deadlines
- International Office application, winter semester 2027/28 Non-binding Next deadline · In ~9 months15 July 2027
Covers restricted and unrestricted programs for international applicants. The application must be received by LMU by this date.
- Studentenkanzlei (locally restricted programs, EU/EEA and German Abitur holders) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
LMU states the winter-semester deadline is 15 July each year.
- Aptitude assessment / pre-registration with the institute Non-bindingVaries by program
Required in addition to the main application for affected programs; the dates are set by each institute.
LMU states that winter-semester applications are due by 15 July each year and summer-semester applications by 15 January. For 2026 it listed 15 July for the International Office, Studienkolleg, the Studentenkanzlei and hochschulstart, with missing certificates for unrestricted programs accepted until 21 August. The 2027 PDF was not yet published, so 15 July 2027 is based on the stated annual rule.
How to apply
International applicants send the application form with certified copies of their school-leaving certificate (with certified translation where needed), proof of German, and a gap-free CV to LMU's International Office. The deadline is receipt by 15 July. Programs with an aptitude assessment or pre-registration also need a separate, on-time registration with the institute. Applicants with a German Abitur apply via the Studentenkanzlei, and EU/EEA applicants for medicine-type subjects apply via SfH.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving qualification that is recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur
- For restricted programs, a competitive average grade in that qualification
- Proven German proficiency at the level required for university study (DSH-2 or equivalent)
- For programs with aptitude assessments, meeting the institute's own subject-specific criteria
- A complete, certified application received on time; LMU does not accept late submissions for restricted programs
Tips for applying to LMU
- 1 International applications go to the International Office on paper with certified copies. Send by courier or registered mail well before 15 July, marked as documents only.
- 2 If your program has an aptitude assessment, pre-registration or orientation procedure, register with the institute separately; the International Office application alone is not enough.
- 3 For restricted programs, your German certificate must be submitted by the deadline. Only unrestricted programs let non-EU applicants apply with a B2 course certificate and pass DSH-2 later.
- 4 US applicants without a bachelor's degree should email zulassung.international@lmu.de early so the Bavarian recognition office (ZASt) can assess their diploma.
- 5 Applicants with Chinese, Indian or Vietnamese certificates need an APS certificate from the German embassy, which takes time to obtain.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
LMU charges no tuition fees, including for non-EU students (unlike TUM, which has charged new non-EU students since 2024/25). International students can apply for scholarships such as the Deutschlandstipendium and the Oskar Karl Forster Scholarship for books and learning materials, and LMU runs special scholarship programs for third-year students. The Munich Student Union and LMU offer scholarship advice.
- EUR 97 per semester
- Semester fee (Munich Student Union)
- EUR 400–600
- Room in student housing (monthly)
- About EUR 750 on average (LMU budgets EUR 700–1,000 including utilities)
- Room on private market (monthly, average)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter semester from October, summer semester from April; most programs admit first-year students in winter only)
Physics (B.Sc.)
Home to the MCQST (quantum science) and ORIGINS Clusters of Excellence, in the faculty where Planck, Heisenberg and 2023 laureate Ferenc Krausz feature on LMU's Nobel list.
Medicine (State Examination)
Taught with LMU Klinikum. For EU/EEA applicants it is allocated nationally via SfH, while non-EU applicants go through LMU's International Office.
Biology and Biochemistry
Supported by the new NUCLEATE and BioSysteM Clusters of Excellence (2026). Svante Pääbo did pivotal ancient-DNA work as an LMU professor from 1990.
Arts and humanities
55 bachelor's programs in arts and humanities, and a new Cross-Cultural Philology Cluster of Excellence studying 5,000 years of textual traditions.
Elite Network of Bavaria programs
Demanding programs such as Data Science, Quantitative Economics and Theoretical and Mathematical Physics are a route for strong bachelor's graduates to continue at LMU.
Research
- Seven Clusters of Excellence as of 2026 (Cross-Cultural Philology, NUCLEATE, BioSysteM, MCQST, ORIGINS, SyNergy, e-conversion), six of them won jointly with TUM.
- A University of Excellence under the German Excellence Strategy, funded through the program 'LMUexcellent – A New Perspective'.
- About EUR 330 million in sponsored research and Excellence Strategy funding for LMU and its hospital in 2024 (EUR 303.6 million sponsored research plus EUR 26.1 million Excellence Strategy).
- 51 Nobel laureates studied or did research at LMU, including recent winners Ferenc Krausz (2023), Svante Pääbo (2022) and Reinhard Genzel (2020).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Protestant Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Business Administration (LMU Munich School of Management)
- Faculty of Economics
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
- Faculty for Languages and Literatures
- Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Biology
Student life
About 100,000 students live in Munich, and roughly half of them study at LMU, so the city centre around Ludwigstrasse and Schellingstrasse feels like a university district. Housing is the big challenge: only about 13% of Munich students live in university housing, mostly run by the Munich Student Union, and private rooms average about EUR 750 a month. Beyond classes, there are student groups ranging from Refugee Law Clinic and Enactus to the TutoRIA international buddy network. For EUR 7.50 a semester you can join the University Sports Center (ZHS), which offers 90 sports.
- Munich University Sports Center (ZHS): 90 sports, including skiing, climbing and sailing on Lake Starnberg, for a EUR 7.50 semester card
- TutoRIA, a student-run program at the International Office that connects international students
- Student initiatives such as the Refugee Law Clinic Munich, Nightline and 180 Degrees Consulting Munich
- The White Rose memorial on Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, marking the anti-Nazi student resistance group based at LMU
- The colourful bungalows of the former Olympic Village now serve as student housing
Housing. Only about 13% of Munich students live in university housing (mostly Munich Student Union rooms at EUR 400–600 a month). Most rent privately, so start searching well before the winter semester.
Location
LMU's main campus lines Ludwigstrasse in Maxvorstadt, served by the Universität U-Bahn station, with institutes spread across the city and sites such as Martinsried and Garching. Munich is prosperous and expensive: LMU suggests budgeting about EUR 1,500 a month, with private rooms averaging around EUR 750. The Alps, Lake Starnberg and the Olympic Park sports facilities make it an easy city for skiing, hiking, sailing and training.
Nearest airport: Munich Airport (MUC)
Notable alumni
- MP Max PlanckFounder of quantum theory; Nobel Prize in Physics 1918
- WH Werner HeisenbergPioneer of quantum mechanics; Nobel Prize in Physics 1932
- HB Hans BetheNuclear physicist; Nobel Prize in Physics 1967
- PB Pope Benedict XVITheologian and head of the Catholic Church 2005–2013
- MI Muhammad IqbalPhilosopher and poet, earned his PhD at LMU in 1908
- BB Bertolt BrechtPlaywright and poet (The Threepenny Opera)
- KA Konrad AdenauerFirst Chancellor of West Germany, 1949–1963
- VA Valdas AdamkusPresident of Lithuania
Frequently asked questions
Does LMU Munich charge tuition for international students?
No. LMU states that no tuition fees have been charged since winter semester 2013/14, and its fees page lists no tuition for non-EU students. All students pay a semester fee to the Munich Student Union, which was EUR 97 in summer semester 2026.
Can I do a bachelor's at LMU in English?
Generally not. LMU requires proof of German (e.g. DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 in all sections) for bachelor's programs, and its English-taught offering is mainly at master's level.
What is the application deadline for LMU?
For the winter semester, applications must be received by 15 July (15 January for summer). International applicants send them to the International Office, and programs with aptitude assessments have extra institute deadlines.
What is LMU's acceptance rate?
LMU does not publish one. Many bachelor's programs are unrestricted, while restricted programs select mainly by school-leaving grade average, and medicine-type subjects go through the national SfH procedure for EU/EEA applicants.
Is my high school diploma enough to study at LMU?
EU/EEA certificates are generally equivalent to the Abitur. Others must be checked in anabin or the DAAD database, and if yours doesn't qualify you can reach entry through a one-year Studienkolleg after applying to LMU.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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