Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg
The world's oldest mining university, a tuition-free technical university where half the students are international.
- Students
- 4,389
- International
- 52%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1765
About TUBAF
TU Bergakademie Freiberg was founded on 21 November 1765 to train mining engineers for Saxony after the Seven Years' War, and it describes itself as the oldest mining science university in the world. Alexander von Humboldt studied here, and the elements indium and germanium were discovered by Freiberg scientists. Today it is a compact university of technology with 4,389 students, 83% of them in STEM subjects, organised into six faculties, from mathematics and computer science to geosciences and mining, materials science and business administration.
Its profile follows the whole life cycle of raw materials: exploration, mining and extraction, processing and recycling, plus new materials and energy research. It runs a working teaching and research mine, the Reiche Zeche, and shows the terra mineralia mineral collection in Freudenstein Castle. Third-party research funding reached €63.9 million in 2024.
Freiberg is unusually international for a small German university: 52% of its students come from abroad, mainly from India, Iran, Pakistan, China and Bangladesh. All bachelor's and Diplom programmes are taught in German, while many master's programmes are in English. There are no tuition fees and the semester fee is only €107. It suits hands-on students who want engineering, geoscience or materials science in a small town where campus, flats and labs are minutes apart.
Why students choose TUBAF
No tuition fees, and one of the lowest semester fees in Germany at €107 (there is no compulsory semester ticket).
Unusual degrees you will struggle to find elsewhere, such as the Space Resources bachelor's, Industrial Archaeology and Foundry Technology.
A working teaching and research mine, the Reiche Zeche, where part of the university sits above and around the historic shafts.
Very cheap living: a shared flat on campus averages about €260 a month including utilities, according to the university.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (standing annual application windows)
Selectivity
TUBAF publishes no admission rate. Admission to bachelor's and Diplom programmes depends on having a recognised university entrance qualification and the required German level rather than on competitive ranking.
Typical entry requirements
| German Abitur or equivalent | General or subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification; apply directly in the TUBAF university portal |
|---|---|
| International school-leaving certificate | Must give university access in Germany (check the DAAD admissions database and anabin); otherwise a Studienkolleg and the Feststellungsprüfung are required. Apply via uni-assist. Chinese, Vietnamese and Indian applicants need an APS certificate |
| English language | All bachelor's and Diplom programmes are taught in German. You need at least German B1 to apply and DSH-2 (or TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four sections, DSD II, Goethe C2/GDS, or telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule with at least 'befriedigend') to be admitted; TUBAF runs intensive B2 and C1 German courses ending in its own DSH exam. English at B2 is recommended because some courses and literature are in English. |
Deadlines
- International applicants without preparation (summer semester 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~5 months15 March 2027
Window 1 October to 15 March; with Studienkolleg or German preparation the window is 1 October to 15 December 2026. Not all programmes can be started in summer.
- International applicants needing Studienkolleg or German preparation (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~8 months15 June 2027
Application window 1 April to 15 June via uni-assist.
- International applicants without preparation (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~11 months15 September 2027
Application window 1 April to 15 September via uni-assist, for applicants with direct university access and the required German.
- German and German-qualified applicants (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~12 months30 September 2027
Application window 1 April to 30 September in the TUBAF university portal.
TUBAF publishes standing application windows rather than dated ones; the 2027 dates above apply those windows. English-taught master's programmes close much earlier (15 April for the winter semester).
How to apply
International applicants apply through uni-assist (€75 for the first programme, €30 for each additional one). Applicants who have already studied at a German university, and German applicants, apply free of charge in the TUBAF university portal. Bring original or certified copies of all documents you sent to uni-assist when you arrive.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate that gives access to higher education in Germany, or a passed Feststellungsprüfung.
- German at B1 when you apply and DSH-2 or an equivalent certificate before you start.
- Certified copies and certified German or English translations of all certificates.
- Interest in science and engineering fundamentals: the Engineering bachelor's starts with shared basics before you choose a specialisation in semester three.
Tips for applying to TUBAF
- 1 Apply to uni-assist early: the checking fee is €75 and the preparation route closes on 15 June, three months before the direct route.
- 2 If your German is at B1, you can still apply and then use TUBAF's intensive B2 and C1 courses to reach DSH-2 on site.
- 3 If you are unsure about your subject, look at the Engineering bachelor's, where you pick one of six specialisations (for example Mechanical Engineering or Responsible Production and Consumption) at the end of the third semester.
- 4 Budget for a Deutschland-Ticket if you need public transport, because TUBAF has no semester ticket.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
TUBAF charges no tuition fees; a second degree costs €300 per semester. German students can apply for BAföG (up to €992 a month, according to the university), and TUBAF awards Deutschlandstipendium scholarships of €300 a month plus university scholarships and prizes funded by donors and its friends' association. The International University Centre lists scholarship programmes for international students.
- €107 (€97 Studentenwerk, €10 student body)
- Semester fee
- €300 per month, up to the end of the standard study period
- Deutschlandstipendium
- About €260 per month including utilities
- Shared flat on campus
- €75 for the first programme, €30 for each additional
- uni-assist handling fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Space Resources (B.Sc.)
Seven-semester programme on mining and using resources on other celestial bodies to build self-sufficient habitats, linked by TUBAF to NASA's Artemis programme.
Engineering (B.Sc.)
Shared engineering foundations, then one of six specialisations from Mechanical Engineering to Responsible Production and Consumption, which requires at least 30 credits at European partner universities.
Geoengineering (Diplom)
A Diplom (equivalent to a master's) in TUBAF's core mining and geoscience tradition, taught in the Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining.
Industrial Archaeology (B.Sc.)
A six-semester history-and-technology degree on recording and interpreting industrial heritage, run with archives, museums and heritage agencies in mining-rich Saxony.
Materials Science and Materials Technology (B.Sc.)
Taught in a dedicated Faculty of Materials Science and Technology with large-scale facilities such as a rolling mill for metal forming.
Research
- The Reiche Zeche is a still-operational teaching and research mine used for underground exploration research.
- The elements indium (1863) and germanium (1886) were discovered by Freiberg scientists.
- TUBAF displays the terra mineralia mineral collection in Freudenstein Castle, a long-term loan described as the world's largest private mineral collection.
- Research spans the raw-materials cycle, with €63.9 million in third-party funding in 2024, 32 patent applications in 2023 and 6 spin-offs.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Faculty of Chemistry, Physics and Bioscience
- Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining
- Faculty of Mechanical, Process and Energy Engineering
- Faculty of Materials Science and Technology
- Faculty of Business Administration
Student life
Freiberg is a small university town, and TUBAF's campus is compact: the oldest buildings are in the medieval centre, while most labs, the new library and lecture hall centre, the Neue Mensa and the Studentenwerk halls are in the north of town, connected by a green corridor. Halls sit right next to the teaching buildings, so lectures, the canteen, sports and bars are a short walk away. With just over half the students from abroad, the international community is large, and the International University Centre runs a buddy programme for new arrivals.
- 52% of students are international, from India, Iran, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Morocco, Ghana and elsewhere.
- Studentenwerk halls are on campus, with furnished rooms connected to the university network.
- TUBAF is one of two German institutions that train scientific divers, at its Scientific Diving Center.
- Students can visit the terra mineralia mineral exhibition in Freudenstein Castle.
Housing. Rooms in Studentenwerk halls on campus and private flats are relatively easy to find; a shared flat on campus averages about €260 a month including utilities.
Location
Freiberg is a town of about 41,000 people in the foreland of the Ore Mountains in Saxony, linked to Dresden by S-Bahn. Its historic centre and mining monuments such as the Reiche Zeche are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. TUBAF says living here is cheap compared with big German cities, with some of the lowest average shared-flat rents of any German university town.
Nearest airport: Dresden Airport (DRS)
Notable alumni
- AV Alexander von HumboldtNaturalist and explorer; studied mining at the Bergakademie in 1791-92
- N NovalisRomantic poet; studied at the Bergakademie from late 1797 to 1799
- AG Abraham Gottlob WernerGeologist who systematised minerals and rock strata; studied at the Bergakademie and taught there from 1775
- CW Clemens WinklerChemist who isolated germanium in 1886; studied and later taught at the Bergakademie
- MH Mary Hegeler CarusAmerican engineer and publisher; the first woman legally enrolled at the Bergakademie, in 1885
- LG Luo GanChinese politician and former member of the Politburo Standing Committee; studied machine engineering at the Bergakademie
Frequently asked questions
Does TU Bergakademie Freiberg charge tuition fees?
No. TUBAF charges no tuition fees for German, EU or international students. You only pay a semester fee of €107, and there is no compulsory semester ticket.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at TU Freiberg?
No. All bachelor's and Diplom programmes are taught in German, and you need DSH-2 or an equivalent certificate to be admitted. Many master's programmes are taught in English.
What is the application deadline for TU Bergakademie Freiberg?
International bachelor's applicants apply via uni-assist between 1 April and 15 September for the winter semester, or by 15 June if they need Studienkolleg or German preparation. German-qualified applicants can apply until 30 September.
What German level do I need for TU Freiberg?
At least B1 to apply and DSH-2 (or TestDaF with 4 in all sections, DSD II, telc C1 Hochschule, or similar) to start the degree. TUBAF offers intensive German courses up to C1 and its own DSH exam.
How many international students are at TU Freiberg?
About 52% of TUBAF's 4,389 students in 2024/25 came from abroad, one of the highest shares at any German university.
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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