TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences

Cologne, Germany Public Website

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TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences is a public, degree-granting institution based in Cologne, Germany, with additional teaching locations in Gummersbach and Leverkusen. Founded in 1971 as Fachhochschule Köln, it adopted the TH Köln name in September 2015. Its portfolio comprises more than 90 Bachelor’s and Master’s programs across areas such as engineering, computer science, applied natural sciences, business, law, design, culture, social affairs, architecture, communication and environmental disciplines. Programs can differ substantially in teaching language, admission restrictions, study format, campus and fee arrangements, so applicants must assess the individual program rather than rely on university-wide assumptions. The institution’s applied-sciences orientation is reflected in professionally relevant study options and links between academic work and practice.

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Key Highlights

Public university of applied sciences supervised by North Rhine-Westphalia
Founded in 1971 as Fachhochschule Köln
Renamed TH Köln in September 2015 without a break in institutional continuity
Academic activity is distributed across Cologne, Gummersbach and Leverkusen

Student Life & Environment

Student experience at TH Köln is decentralized because teaching takes place at several sites rather than on one residential campus. Each student is associated with a faculty and automatically belongs to the relevant faculty student association, which can provide subject-level representation and opportunities for involvement. University systems include a campus account, Wi-Fi, digital learning environments and online platforms for student and examination administration. International students can use a buddy program that connects them with more advanced German or international students for practical guidance on study organization and settling into Germany. The university also provides bilingual career counselling, application training and networking formats with regional companies. Annual career fairs are organized at the Gummersbach and Deutz campuses. Housing requires early independent planning. TH Köln states that it has no guesthouses or guest apartments and cannot guarantee accommodation. Supply in Cologne is limited, with especially strong demand around the March-April and September-October semester starts. Students may need to consider residence halls managed outside the university, shared flats, sublets or locations with a manageable public-transport commute. The compulsory semester contribution includes the student Deutschlandticket, giving access to local public transport across Germany. This is useful for a university whose students may travel among Cologne districts or commute from surrounding communities, although the ticket does not remove the need to check the assigned campus before choosing housing.

Location & Surroundings

TH Köln’s administrative mailing address is in Cologne, but its teaching footprint extends across several distinct locations. The university identifies Südstadt Campus; Deutz Campus and sites in Kalk and Mülheim; Gummersbach Campus and Lindlar; and Leverkusen Campus. Its program directory also allows applicants to filter courses by campus, underscoring that location is program-specific. Cologne-based study can place students in different urban districts rather than on a single enclosed campus. Gummersbach is a separate city east of Cologne, while Leverkusen lies north of Cologne. Applicants should not assume that every program is taught in central Cologne or that movement between sites will be routine or quick. Before arranging housing, they should confirm the primary location and investigate the actual journey at the times classes are likely to run. The winter semester 2026/2027 contribution includes a discounted Deutschlandticket for local public transport throughout Germany, which can support urban and regional commuting. Even so, travel time and transfers may materially affect daily life. A housing search should therefore balance rent and availability against access to the correct campus, particularly because accommodation is scarce around semester starts.

Costs & Career Outcomes

For winter semester 2026/2027, TH Köln lists a compulsory semester contribution of €352.70. It consists of €110.00 for Kölner Studierendenwerk, €226.80 for the student Deutschlandticket including KVB rental bicycles, a €0.30 solidarity contribution and a €15.60 student-body contribution. This is a semester contribution rather than general tuition. The university states that tuition is generally charged only for continuing-education Master’s programs. Those programs have separate prices, and the amounts can differ by course and, in some cases, citizenship category. Students in integrated campus and distance programs at Gummersbach may also owe an additional media and service fee. Applicants should check the individual program and current fee page before budgeting, particularly for part-time, distance and continuing-education study. Living expenses are separate and potentially substantial. TH Köln does not guarantee housing, and its international guidance emphasizes the limited supply in Cologne. Rent, health insurance, food and other personal costs depend on circumstances; the university’s published general estimate was explicitly for 2025, so it should not be treated as a verified 2026 budget. Prospective students should prepare a current personal budget and consult applicable visa funding rules where relevant. Career support includes bilingual individual counselling for international students, help with application documents and interviews, workshops on German workplace culture, networking with regional companies and annual career fairs at Deutz and Gummersbach. These services create opportunities but do not substantiate any particular employment rate, employer outcome or graduate salary, so no such claims are made.