Leipzig University
Universität Leipzig
Germany's second-oldest university, founded in 1409, with a city-centre campus on Augustusplatz and no tuition fees.
- Students
- 31,232
- International
- 12%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1409
About Uni Leipzig
Leipzig University was founded on 2 December 1409, making it the second-oldest university in Germany by continuous existence. It is a comprehensive university with 14 faculties, around 450 professors and about 31,000 students, roughly 12 percent of them from abroad. Its subjects run from theology, law and the humanities to the natural sciences, life sciences, medicine and veterinary medicine, and it is a member of Germany's U15 group of research universities.
Leipzig is unusual among German universities in having a large campus right in the city centre: the Neues Augusteum and the Paulinum, the assembly hall and university church, face Augustusplatz. The university is the most popular in Saxony, with about 39,000 applications for winter semester 2025/26 and more than 7,000 new first-semester students. More than a third of students study law, medicine, pharmacy or teaching.
Most bachelor's programmes are taught in German and need DSH-2 level or an equivalent certificate by enrolment. A few are in English, including the eight-semester International Physics Studies Program (Honours) BSc. There are no general tuition fees, only a semester fee of about 332 euros, which includes a Deutschlandticket for local and regional public transport across Germany. Leipzig suits students who are ready to study in German, want a big comprehensive university in an affordable city, and can plan around German admission rules.
Why students choose Uni Leipzig
No general tuition fees for international students: the main cost is the 332.30-euro semester fee (winter 2026/27), which includes the Semester Deutschlandticket.
The International Physics Studies Program (Honours) BSc is taught in English over eight semesters and has no admission restriction.
Research ties into the Leipzig Science Network, including three Max Planck Institutes, two Fraunhofer Institutes, four Leibniz Institutes and two Helmholtz Centres.
The university estimates living costs at about 1,000 euros a month, including rent of around 250-425 euros for a hall or shared-flat room.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
Leipzig publishes no admission rate. Programmes without admission restrictions admit everyone who meets the formal requirements and applies on time. In restricted programmes, non-EU applicants compete for a quota of 10 percent of places (5 percent in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine), ranked mainly by the grade of their university entrance qualification, with typically one place per country of origin per programme. The university received about 39,000 applications for winter semester 2025/26.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving certificate | Must give direct access to German universities (check anabin or the DAAD admission database); otherwise complete a Studienkolleg first and pass the Feststellungsprüfung. The IB Diploma counts as an international qualification |
|---|---|
| German (German-taught programmes) | DSH-2, TestDaF 4 in all parts, DSD II, Goethe C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, ÖSD C2 or equivalent by enrolment; B2 is enough when applying, except for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine, which need full proof by the deadline |
| English-taught programmes | English at CEFR B2; the International Physics Studies Program (Honours) BSc also asks non-native German speakers for German at A1 |
| Applicants from China, India or Vietnam | APS certificate required with the application |
| English language | English-taught programmes require CEFR B2; the courses-of-study overview lists each programme's accepted proofs. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in German. |
Deadlines
- Restricted programmes, summer semester Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 monthsBeginning of November 2026 to 15 January 2027
Only for programmes that start in the summer semester; unrestricted summer-semester programmes close on 1 March.
- Restricted programmes, winter semester (uni-assist) Non-binding In ~9 monthsBeginning of April to 15 July 2027
Standing deadline published by Leipzig; AlmaWeb applications (German Abitur) open at the beginning of May. Admission letters for first-semester places appear in mid-August.
- Unrestricted programmes, winter semester (uni-assist) Non-binding In ~11 monthsBeginning of April to 1 September 2027
Admission decisions are issued continuously in the order applications arrive.
Leipzig publishes recurring application periods rather than year-specific dates; the 15 July and 1 September deadlines apply each winter semester. Aptitude tests can have earlier deadlines, so check your programme first.
How to apply
With a foreign school-leaving certificate (including the IB) or a German Studienkolleg certificate, apply online through uni-assist (My assist portal), uploading certificates with certified German or English translations, language proof and any aptitude-test result. uni-assist charges 75 euros for the first programme in a semester and 30 euros for each additional one. You can apply for at most two programmes at once, only one of them unrestricted. Decisions appear in Leipzig's AlmaWeb portal. EU/EEA citizens apply for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine via the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung and register with the DoSV procedure for Law and other restricted bachelor's programmes.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving qualification that gives direct access to a German university, or a passed Feststellungsprüfung.
- For restricted programmes, the best possible entrance-qualification grade, which is the most important selection criterion for non-EU applicants.
- German at DSH-2 level (or English at B2 for English-taught programmes) by enrolment.
- A passed aptitude test where the programme requires one.
Tips for applying to Uni Leipzig
- 1 Apply early in the uni-assist window so you can supply missing documents before 15 July.
- 2 Consider TestAS: excellent results in both modules can improve your entrance-qualification grade by up to 0.4 points for restricted programmes.
- 3 Non-EU places in restricted programmes are typically capped at one per country of origin, so consider an unrestricted programme as your second choice.
- 4 Transfer the semester fee by 15 September, but only once you have your visa: it cannot be refunded.
- 5 Apply for a Studentenwerk hall room as soon as you are admitted; the university warns that housing can be hard to find.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Leipzig charges no general tuition fees. Students can apply for the Deutschlandstipendium, worth 300 euros a month, which weighs achievement and social commitment; the university also points international students to the DAAD scholarship database and to BAföG information from Studentenwerk Leipzig.
- 332.30 euros (342.30 euros for new students including the UniCard)
- Semester fee, winter 2026/27
- 300 euros per month
- Deutschlandstipendium
- 75 euros for the first programme, 30 euros for each additional one per semester
- uni-assist handling fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
International Physics Studies Program (Honours) BSc
An eight-semester, 240-credit physics degree taught in English, with no admission restriction.
Medicine (state examination)
Taught with the University of Leipzig Medical Center; non-EU applicants compete for 5 percent of places and need German proof by the deadline.
Law (state examination)
The Faculty of Law has more than a dozen institutes, from energy and regulatory law to media and data law; law is one of the public-service subjects that make up over a third of enrolments.
Veterinary Medicine (state examination)
The faculty runs its own clinics for horses, small animals, ruminants and swine, and birds and reptiles, plus the Oberholz teaching and research farm.
American Studies BA
An interdisciplinary bachelor's on the culture and society of the United States, with a follow-on American Studies MA taught in English.
Research
- Home of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv).
- External research funding rose from 53 million euros in 2006 to 153.4 million euros in 2022; the university is 26th in the DFG Funding Atlas 2024.
- Five areas of excellence: Modern Diseases, Integrative Biodiversity, Life:Earth:Humans, Global Dynamics, and Data Science and AI.
- Werner Heisenberg received the 1932 Nobel Prize in Physics while heading Leipzig's Institute of Theoretical Physics.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of History, Art and Area Studies
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy
- Faculty of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Faculty of Life Sciences
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Leipzig publishes no graduate employment rate. It reports 5,026 graduates in its latest facts and figures and ranks among the top large German universities for start-up support (Stifterverband Start-up Radar 2025).
Student life
Student life centres on the Augustusplatz campus, where the Leibnizforum between the university buildings is the main place to meet, and on the university's cultural side: the University Orchestra, University Choir and Unibigband play to thousands of listeners each year, and the university runs Germany's oldest botanical garden and three museums. Most students live in Studentenwerk halls or shared flats (WGs), which the university says are especially popular. The semester fee includes the Deutschlandticket, so local and regional trains, trams and buses across Germany are covered.
- University Orchestra, University Choir and Unibigband.
- Germany's oldest botanical garden, three museums and teaching collections.
- Semester Deutschlandticket included in the semester fee.
- Member of the Arqus European University Alliance, with strategic partnerships including the University of Graz and Vanderbilt University.
Housing. Studentenwerk Leipzig runs the halls of residence; apply online as soon as you receive your admission letter, as housing in Leipzig can be hard to find.
Location
Leipzig is a large city in Saxony in eastern Germany, which the university describes as a city of culture, commerce, sport and media. The main campus is on Augustusplatz in the city centre, with public-facing buildings such as the Neues Augusteum and the Paulinum. The university estimates living costs at around 1,000 euros a month, with a room in a hall or shared flat costing about 250-425 euros.
Nearest airport: Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ)
Notable alumni
- AM Angela MerkelChancellor of Germany 2005-2021; studied physics at Leipzig
- JW Johann Wolfgang von GoethePoet and writer; studied law at Leipzig, 1765-1768
- GW Gottfried Wilhelm LeibnizPhilosopher and mathematician; enrolled at Leipzig in 1661
- FN Friedrich NietzschePhilosopher; studied classical philology at Leipzig after Bonn
- RW Richard WagnerComposer; enrolled at Leipzig University in 1831
- RS Robert SchumannComposer; entered Leipzig University as a law student in 1828
- TB Tycho BraheAstronomer; studied at Leipzig as well as Copenhagen and Rostock
- CY Cai YuanpeiChinese educator and president of Peking University; studied at Leipzig
Frequently asked questions
Does Leipzig University charge tuition fees for international students?
No general tuition fees. All students pay a semester fee, 332.30 euros for winter 2026/27, which includes a Deutschlandticket. Second degrees and some master's programmes can cost extra.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at Leipzig?
A few programmes are taught in English, such as the International Physics Studies Program (Honours) BSc, which needs English at B2. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in German and need DSH-2 or equivalent.
Do I apply to Leipzig through uni-assist?
Yes, if you have a foreign school-leaving certificate (including the IB) or a Studienkolleg certificate. Applicants with a German Abitur apply directly in AlmaWeb.
What is Leipzig's application deadline for winter semester 2027/28?
15 July 2027 for programmes with admission restrictions and 1 September 2027 for unrestricted programmes, via uni-assist from the beginning of April.
How hard is it to get into Leipzig University?
Unrestricted programmes admit everyone who meets the requirements. In restricted programmes, non-EU applicants compete for 10 percent of places (5 percent in medicine-related subjects), ranked mainly by entrance-qualification grade.
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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