University of Hohenheim
Universität Hohenheim
Stuttgart's oldest university, set around a baroque palace, known for agriculture, food science and economics.
- Students
- 8,838
- International
- 18%
- of students
- Tuition
- €3,349
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1818
About Hohenheim
The University of Hohenheim was founded in 1818, when King William I of Württemberg set up an agricultural academy at Hohenheim Palace after the famine that followed the 1815 Tambora eruption; it became a university in 1967. Its baroque palace is still the main building, surrounded by the Hohenheim Gardens on a 108-hectare campus on the southern edge of Stuttgart, and the university runs a further 770 hectares of experimental stations.
Hohenheim has 8,838 students (winter semester 2025/26), 1,601 of them of international origin, in three faculties: Agricultural Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Business, Economics and Social Sciences, the last of which now enrols most students. It offers 42 degree programmes, 15 bachelor's and 27 master's, and brought in 33.2 million euros of third-party research funding in 2025.
All bachelor's degrees are taught in German, so undergraduates from abroad need strong German (TestDaF 4 in all parts or DSH-2). Many master's programmes, especially in agricultural and environmental science, are taught in English. Hohenheim suits students interested in food, farming, biology, economics or communication who want a green, campus-based university with low fees: EU students pay only a semester contribution, and non-EU students pay Baden-Württemberg's 1,500 euros per semester.
Why students choose Hohenheim
EU/EEA students pay no tuition, only a 174.50-euro semester contribution; non-EU students pay 1,500 euros per semester, still low by international standards.
The campus is built around Hohenheim Palace and the historic Hohenheim Gardens, whose gardens and university museums are open to visitors.
Bachelor's options range from Agricultural Sciences and Food Science and Biotechnology to Business Administration and Economics, Communication Science and Sustainability & Change.
Hohenheim co-founded the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) with partners such as Wageningen, Copenhagen and BOKU Vienna, and belongs to the HERMES network for dual degrees in management.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (dates below are from the 2026/27 cycle)
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. Several bachelor's programmes have a limited number of places (numerus clausus) and are allocated through Germany's dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV); places left over in some programmes, such as Business Administration and Economics, go to a lottery procedure until mid-September. Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Biology and Biobased Products and Bioenergy have later deadlines.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign university entrance qualification (HZB) | A qualification recognised as equivalent to the German Abitur (e.g. Matura, A-levels, high school diploma, Baccalaureate, Gaokao), or completion of a Studienkolleg assessment test; since 2022/23 no uni-assist application is needed |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | Accepted as a university entrance qualification; counts as proof of German only with German A at Higher Level |
| German language | TestDaF with TDN 4 in all four parts, DSH-2, DSD II or Goethe C2, passed by the application deadline |
| English language | All bachelor's programmes are taught in German, so German (not English) proficiency is required. English-taught master's programmes set their own English requirements in their admission statutes. |
Deadlines
- Winter semester: most bachelor's programmes (incl. Business Administration and Economics, Communication Science, Nutritional Science, Digital Business Management) Non-binding Passed15 July 2026 (2026/27 cycle)
Applications opened 11 May 2026. Some programmes then ran a lottery for remaining places until 15 September.
- Winter semester: Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Biology, Biobased Products and Bioenergy Non-binding Passed30 September 2026 (2026/27 cycle)
15 July if a preparatory course must be attended.
- Summer semester start (Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Biology, Biobased Products and Bioenergy) Non-binding31 March
15 January for higher semesters or if a preparatory course must be attended.
Hohenheim's deadlines page showed the winter semester 2026/27 dates when checked; the same fixed dates (15 July or 30 September for bachelor's) are expected for winter 2027/28, but confirm on the deadlines page when the 2027 portal opens in May.
How to apply
Apply online through the HohCampus portal for up to three degree programmes and upload your documents in the original language. For bachelor's programmes with a limited number of places, you must also register with Hochschulstart's dialogue-oriented service procedure (DoSV). Submit proof of German and the study orientation test certificate. Admission and rejection letters are posted in HohCampus, with the enrolment deadline stated in the admission letter; non-EU students then pay the tuition fee and semester contribution.
What admissions looks for
- A recognised higher education entrance qualification, or a passed Studienkolleg assessment test.
- German at TestDaF 4x4, DSH-2 or equivalent, already passed when you apply.
- For programmes with limited places, a competitive grade in the DoSV ranking.
- A completed Baden-Württemberg study orientation test.
Tips for applying to Hohenheim
- 1 Take TestDaF or DSH early: applications without a German certificate are returned, and Hohenheim does not run preparatory German courses.
- 2 Register in the DoSV (Hochschulstart) as well as HohCampus for any bachelor's with limited places, or your application will not count.
- 3 Missed the July deadline? Agricultural Sciences and related programmes accept applications until 30 September, and some programmes run lotteries for remaining places.
- 4 Budget for at least 992 euros a month for living costs; the university says scholarships for first-year students are rare.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
There is no tuition for EU/EEA students. The university itself has no funds to finance students' living costs and warns that scholarships for first-year international students are rare; students can apply for the Germany Scholarship (Deutschlandstipendium) and look to DAAD and German foundations, mostly for advanced or graduate students.
- 1,500 euros per semester
- Non-EU tuition fee
- 174.50 euros
- Semester contribution (all students)
- 992 euros
- Minimum monthly budget suggested by the university
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Agricultural Sciences (BSc)
Hohenheim's founding discipline, with a horticultural sciences major and a later 30 September application deadline.
Food Science and Biotechnology (BSc)
Part of Hohenheim's food-chain research focus spanning agriculture and nutrition.
Business Administration and Economics (BSc)
The largest faculty's flagship degree, with a multiple-degree option.
Communication Science (BA)
One of the university's social science bachelor's degrees, leading on to the Communication Management and Analysis master's.
Sustainability & Change (BSc)
An interdisciplinary bachelor's taught in German, with a lottery for remaining places until mid-September.
Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics and Subtropics (MSc)
English-taught master's with an early 15 March deadline for non-EU applicants.
Research
- Research focuses on health, nutrition, agriculture, consumer and environmental protection, economics and communication, including bioeconomy and biobased products.
- Third-party research income reached 33.2 million euros in 2025, 13.2 million of it in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences.
- Margarete von Wrangell, appointed to Hohenheim's chair of plant nutrition in 1923, was the first woman to become a full professor at a German university.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences
Student life
Hohenheim is a true campus university: lectures, labs, cafeteria and green space sit together around the palace and its gardens on the southern edge of Stuttgart. The university lists student groups, university sports, music and theatre among its student offers, and TestDaF can be taken at its own Language Center. Student Services Tübingen-Hohenheim runs the residence halls, and housing mentors help international students look for private rooms.
- Campus built around the baroque Hohenheim Palace and the Hohenheim Gardens.
- TestDaF can be taken at the university's Language Center.
- Housing mentors help international students search for private housing.
- Member of the ELLS and HERMES university networks.
Housing. Student Services Tübingen-Hohenheim runs several residence halls for Hohenheim students, and housing mentors help international students search for private rooms.
Location
Hohenheim lies in the Plieningen district on the southern edge of Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg and a centre of Germany's car and engineering industry. The campus is quiet and green and close to Stuttgart Airport and the trade fair grounds. Living costs are relatively high, at least 992 euros a month by the university's estimate.
Nearest airport: Stuttgart Airport (STR)
Notable alumni
- WK Winfried KretschmannMinister-President of Baden-Württemberg from 2011 to 2026, the first Green politician to hold the office; studied biology and chemistry for teaching at Hohenheim (1970-1975)
- SM Stefan MappusMinister-President of Baden-Württemberg from 2010 to 2011 (CDU); Diplom-Ökonom in economics and social sciences from Hohenheim
- JS Jürgen StarkFormer chief economist of the European Central Bank; studied economics at Hohenheim and Tübingen
- LA Lucia A. ReischBehavioural economist, El-Erian Professor at the University of Cambridge; PhD from Hohenheim
- AG Abdul Ghafar LakanwalAfghan cabinet minister; doctorate from Hohenheim
- SS Stephan SeiterEconomist and FDP member of the Bundestag (2021-2025)
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Hohenheim charge tuition fees?
Not for German and EU/EEA students, who pay only a 174.50-euro semester contribution. Non-EU/EEA students pay Baden-Württemberg's 1,500 euros per semester plus that contribution.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at Hohenheim?
No. All bachelor's programmes are taught in German, so you need TestDaF 4 in all parts, DSH-2 or an equivalent certificate. Several master's programmes are taught in English.
What is the application deadline for Hohenheim?
For the 2026/27 winter semester, most bachelor's programmes closed on 15 July 2026, and Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Biology and Biobased Products and Bioenergy on 30 September 2026. The 2027/28 dates had not been published.
Do I need to apply through uni-assist for Hohenheim?
No. Since winter 2022/23, international applicants apply directly in the HohCampus portal; limited-place bachelor's also require DoSV registration with Hochschulstart.
How much does it cost to live near Hohenheim?
The university advises budgeting at least 992 euros a month for rent, food, books, health insurance and transport, about 11,900 euros a year.
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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