Technische Hochschule Deggendorf

About Technische Hochschule Deggendorf

Technische Hochschule Deggendorf is a state university of applied sciences in Lower Bavaria. Founded in 1994, it has expanded beyond its original Deggendorf base while remaining one institution. Its three teaching locations have distinct profiles: Deggendorf is the first and largest campus; the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen is internationally oriented; and Cham concentrates particularly on mechatronics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and digital production. The university’s applied-sciences model connects teaching and research with practical problems and regional industry. Its stated research profile groups activity under digital technologies and their applications, health and quality of life, and sustainable production, energy technology, and smart materials. A network of research and technology campuses across Bavaria supports collaboration in areas including automation, robotics, mobility, cybersecurity, optics, sensor technology, artificial intelligence, and materials. International applicants should not assume that every course is available in English. THD offers fully English-taught options as well as programs that begin in English and progressively introduce German. Other degrees are taught primarily in German. Program location also matters because students may be based in Deggendorf, Pfarrkirchen, Cham, or, for a small number of collaborative offerings, another partner location. This makes the individual program page—not the general institutional profile—the essential reference for language, entry semester, admission test, and campus details.

Applications are submitted online during the period specified for the chosen program. For full-time study, THD’s general windows are 15 April to 15 July for an October winter-semester start and 1 October to 15 January for a March summer-semester start. However, the 2026/27 program table shows many exceptions, including earlier or later closing dates and programs offered in only one intake. Applicants should therefore use the deadline and requirements listed for their exact course rather than relying solely on the general dates. Bachelor’s applicants need a qualification granting access to German higher education. International candidates are directed to the DAAD admission database or Anabin to assess whether their school credential provides direct entry; some applicants may need prior university study or a Studienkolleg route. Master’s applicants normally need a qualifying bachelor’s degree relevant to the program. Language evidence is campus- and program-specific. Programs may require German, English, or both, and some international courses combine the languages over time. Several degrees also require an admission or aptitude test, while particular professionally oriented courses can require prior training or an apprenticeship contract. THD states that its programs do not use a single institution-wide GPA threshold, but individual prerequisites still apply. Doctoral admission through the DigiTech center is separate. It requires a topic within the center’s scope, confirmed supervision, and a formal committee assessment. The center publishes distinct 2026 and 2027 application rounds.

THD awards bachelor’s and master’s degrees across a broad applied portfolio. The current application catalogue includes engineering and technology fields such as mechanical engineering, mechatronics, electrical engineering, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, civil and environmental engineering, energy systems, and media technology. It also covers business, tourism, health, social work, psychology, and related interdisciplinary areas. These examples illustrate the range rather than guaranteeing that every program opens in every intake. Teaching language and campus differ by course. Deggendorf hosts both German- and English-language study, while the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen has a strongly international, English-language orientation. Cham’s teaching and research focus includes robotics, artificial intelligence, mechatronics, and digital production. Some international bachelor’s programs combine English and German, gradually increasing German-language study; applicants should assess whether that progression matches their language plans. The applied model incorporates laboratories, workshops, practical study components, and connections with businesses. THD’s Career Service explicitly supports practical semesters and internships, while research campuses link academic work with companies and regional innovation projects. Doctoral study is more specialized than the bachelor’s and master’s portfolio. Since November 2023, the joint DigiTech Doctoral Centre involving THD, Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, and Landshut University of Applied Sciences has held an independent right to award doctorates in digital technologies and their applications. Admission requires a suitable research topic, fulfillment of the doctoral regulations, and confirmed supervision by a member of the center. THD also provides information on cooperative doctoral routes for projects outside that center’s scope.

Key Highlights

• Public Bavarian university of applied sciences founded in 1994
• Three principal teaching locations in Deggendorf, Pfarrkirchen, and Cham
• Applied research organized around digital technologies, health and quality of life, and sustainable production and materials
• Operating institution with active applications for 2026/27

Student Life & Environment

Student experience depends partly on the teaching location. The Deggendorf campus sits between the town center and the Danube and includes teaching facilities, laboratories, workshops, a canteen, and a café. Pfarrkirchen provides the setting for the internationally focused European Campus Rottal-Inn, while Cham offers a smaller environment tied closely to technology teaching and research. Across THD, students can participate in university sports, musical activities, subject-related associations, student representation, and campus events. Published sports offerings vary by location and semester, so students should check the current schedule after enrollment. International tutors help with study-related questions and everyday life in Germany, and orientation activities introduce new students to university systems, local formalities, facilities, and support services. Housing is not automatically provided by the university. In Deggendorf, students can apply to public or privately operated residences, many within walking distance of the campus and town center. Shared flats are another common option. Pfarrkirchen has student-residence and private choices, while Cham relies more heavily on private housing. THD advises students to begin searching early, confirm the actual location of their program, and apply directly to the relevant residence or landlord. Its accommodation listings and advisory contact cover all three teaching locations.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus is in Deggendorf, a Lower Bavarian town beside the Danube and near the Bavarian Forest. The campus lies between the river and the town center, placing shops, cafés, services, recreation areas, and much student accommodation within practical walking or cycling distance. Local town buses provide another way to get around. THD is not a single-site university. The European Campus Rottal-Inn is in Pfarrkirchen, and Campus Cham is in the Bavarian Forest region. Applicants should verify the location attached to their specific degree before arranging housing or travel; attending THD does not necessarily mean living in Deggendorf. The three locations also provide different academic and social settings. Deggendorf is the original and largest teaching campus, Pfarrkirchen is especially international, and Cham is closely associated with robotics, artificial intelligence, mechatronics, and production technologies. For students choosing the main campus, the location offers a compact town environment rather than a major metropolitan setting. Its proximity to the Danube and Bavarian Forest supports outdoor recreation, while the surrounding region contains companies connected to the university’s applied teaching, internships, and research relationships.

Costs & Career Outcomes

THD’s official funding page, current when reviewed in August 2026, states that full-time EU and EEA students pay no tuition and lists an €82 student-services contribution per semester. Students should confirm the amount before enrollment because semester charges can change. Different charges apply to many students from outside the EU and EEA. Since the winter semester 2025/26, THD has charged affected applicants a one-time €60 application fee for an application phase and affected enrolled students a €500 service fee per semester. The university lists exemptions, including EU and EEA citizens, exchange students, doctoral-program participants, certain applicants with an established connection to Germany, hardship cases, and other defined groups. The ordinary student-union contribution and any applicable aptitude-test charge remain separate. Applicants should use THD’s fee rules or calculator to determine their own classification. Housing, food, insurance, transport, study materials, and Germany’s household broadcasting contribution are additional living costs. THD does not publish one guaranteed accommodation price because public residences, private student apartments, and shared flats have different rents. Career preparation is embedded in the university’s applied environment. The Career Service provides internship and practical-semester information, application-document reviews, interview preparation, seminars, job shadowing, mentoring, and an online vacancy board. It also works with faculties and student organizations on recruiting events, including the annual Firstcontact fair in Deggendorf. These services can help students navigate German application practices, but the university does not promise employment or a particular salary after graduation.