Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
A young engineering, science and medicine university where four in ten students are international and four bachelor's degrees run in English.
- Students
- 13,121
- 5,355 undergraduates
- International
- 41%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1993
About OVGU
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU) was founded in 1993 by merging Magdeburg's Technical University, Teacher Training College and Academy of Medicine, which makes it one of Germany's youngest universities, with a much older engineering tradition. It is named after the 17th-century physicist and mayor of Magdeburg, Otto von Guericke. In winter semester 2025/26 it had 13,121 students in nine faculties, with its focus on engineering, the natural sciences and medicine, alongside economics, the humanities and social sciences.
OVGU is unusually international for a German university: 5,315 of its students, about 40 percent, come from abroad, and it lists 24 degree programmes taught in English. Four of them are bachelor's degrees: International Business and Economics, Engineering Science, Biomedical Sciences, and Bilingual Computer Science, which can be started in English while students learn German. Research is organised around centres for behavioural brain sciences, dynamic systems, advanced medical engineering, and health and medical prevention, working with Fraunhofer, Max Planck and Leibniz institutes in the city.
There are no tuition fees. Students pay a semester fee of 329.30 euros that includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket, and dorm rooms on campus start at around 313 euros a month including utilities, so Magdeburg suits applicants who want an English-taught engineering, economics or life-science degree at low cost.
Why students choose OVGU
Four English-taught bachelor's degrees: International Business and Economics, Engineering Science, Biomedical Sciences and Bilingual Computer Science.
No tuition fees; the semester fee is 329.30 euros for winter 2026/27, including a Germany-wide transport ticket.
About 40 percent of students are international (5,315 of 13,121 in winter 2025/26).
Studentenwerk dorms on the UniCampus rent from about 313 to 400 euros a month, including utilities, internet and TV.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
OVGU publishes no admission rate. International Business and Economics and Engineering Science have no admission restriction; Biomedical Sciences is restricted and selects through an internal procedure with a motivation letter, and Bilingual Computer Science uses an eligibility assessment.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving certificate | Must be recognised as a higher education entrance qualification in Germany; depending on the country, some semesters of prior university study may also be required. Otherwise attend a Studienkolleg (B2 German needed for its entrance exam) |
|---|---|
| German-taught programmes | DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 in all parts (some courses need DSH-3 or TestDaF 5), DSD II, Goethe C2 GDS, telc C1 Hochschule (good or very good) and other listed certificates; applicants with C1 can sit OVGU's DSH exam (80 euros) in September or March |
| English-taught bachelor's | English at B2 level: e.g. TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, PTE Academic 70 or Cambridge First grade A; Biomedical Sciences also needs a motivation letter in English |
| Applicants from China, India or Vietnam | APS certificate required |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 85 OVGU framework from winter semester 2026/27: B2 = TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, PTE 70; C1 = TOEFL iBT 95, IELTS 7.0, PTE 76. The English-taught bachelor's degrees require B2; A1 German is recommended for Engineering Science and Bilingual Computer Science. |
Deadlines
- Summer semester (via uni-assist) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027 (portal usually opens 15 October)
The four English-taught bachelor's degrees start only in the winter semester.
- Winter semester (international qualifications, via uni-assist) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027 (portal usually opens 15 April)
Standing deadline for bachelor's programmes including International Business and Economics, Engineering Science and Biomedical Sciences (15 April to 15 July); Bilingual Computer Science states 15 April or 15 May to 15 July.
OVGU publishes standing deadlines (15 July for winter, 15 January for summer) rather than year-specific dates. Applicants with a German Abitur apply directly to OVGU by 15 September for unrestricted programmes. Some master's programmes have earlier windows.
How to apply
Everyone with a foreign school-leaving qualification applies through uni-assist, whatever their nationality, uploading the certificate with a sworn German or English translation, any university certificates, language certificates, the APS certificate where required, and programme-specific documents such as a motivation letter. Uni-assist checks eligibility and forwards the application; OVGU usually replies within four weeks. Human Medicine applicants follow the Faculty of Medicine's own procedure.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate that gives access to higher education in Germany, or a passed Feststellungsprüfung.
- Language proof at the level each programme sets: C1-level German for German-taught degrees, B2 English for the English-taught bachelor's degrees.
- For Biomedical Sciences, a strong record and an English motivation letter for the internal selection procedure.
- For Bilingual Computer Science, solid mathematics and the eligibility assessment set by the programme's regulations.
Tips for applying to OVGU
- 1 Apply early in the uni-assist window: the Bilingual Computer Science team warns that acceptance can take about two months, and you need it for your visa.
- 2 Upload every document before the deadline; uni-assist only accepts missing documents within the application period.
- 3 For Engineering Science and Bilingual Computer Science, start learning German to A1 before you arrive, as the university recommends.
- 4 Apply for a Studentenwerk room early: UniCampus dorms cost roughly 313 to 400 euros a month including utilities and internet.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
OVGU charges no tuition fees. The Studentenwerk Magdeburg handles BAföG, including support for eligible foreign nationals, and offers social and financial counselling.
- 329.30 euros
- Semester fee, winter 2026/27
- About 313-400 euros a month including utilities, internet and TV
- Studentenwerk dorm rent (UniCampus Dorm 1, from February 2026)
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
International Business and Economics (BSc)
Taught entirely in English with no admission restriction, and leads into four English-taught economics and management master's degrees.
Engineering Science (BSc)
English-taught since 2024/25, covering mechanical, process and systems, and electrical engineering before students specialise.
Biomedical Sciences (BSc)
English-taught, with specialisations in neuroscience, immunology, neuroimmunology, molecular and quantitative biology.
Bilingual Computer Science (BSc)
Seven semesters with an English or a German track, so students finish able to work as computer scientists in both languages.
Computational Visualistics
OVGU set up Germany's first programme in this field in 1996 in its Faculty of Computer Science.
Research
- Research centres for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), Dynamic Systems (CDS), Advanced Medical Engineering (CAME) and Health and Medical Prevention (CHaMP).
- Institutional cooperation with the Fraunhofer IFF, the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems, the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases.
- Europe's first 7-tesla ultra-high-field MRI scanner was commissioned at a research centre run by OVGU and the Leibniz Institute in 2005.
- Member of the EU GREEN European university alliance of nine universities.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Process and Systems Engineering
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
- Faculty of Computer Science
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education
- Faculty of Economics and Management
Student life
Most students live and study around the UniCampus near Magdeburg's centre, where the Studentenwerk runs several dorms within walking distance of lectures. With about 40 percent of students from abroad, international life is part of the mainstream: the student-run IKUS association organises country days and cultural festivals, and the university holds International Welcome Weeks each semester. The semester ticket covers public transport across Germany, and IBE students describe the city's calm atmosphere, parks and party scene as a draw.
- International Welcome Weeks for new international students each semester.
- IKUS, an intercultural student association that runs country days and festivals.
- Deutschlandsemesterticket included in the semester fee.
- EU GREEN alliance links to eight partner universities across Europe.
Housing. Studentenwerk Magdeburg runs dorms on and near the UniCampus with furnished one-room apartments and shared flats, from about 313 to 400 euros a month including utilities, internet and TV in Dorm 1.
Location
Magdeburg is the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, on the River Elbe in central Germany. It is a mid-sized city with historic quarters, many parks and lower rents than Germany's big university cities, and a cluster of research institutes that work with the university. The main campus sits close to the city centre.
Nearest airport: Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ)
Notable alumni
- RO Raila OdingaPrime Minister of Kenya (2008-2013); master's in mechanical engineering from the Technische Hochschule Magdeburg, a predecessor of OVGU
- NT Nguyễn Thiện NhânFormer Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam; PhD in cybernetics from the Technische Hochschule Magdeburg, a predecessor of OVGU
- DS Dagmar SchipanskiPhysicist and CDU candidate for President of Germany in 1999; studied applied physics at the Technische Hochschule Magdeburg, a predecessor of OVGU
- AO Axel OckenfelsLeibniz Prize-winning economist; doctorate from OVGU (1998)
- RJ Rumiana JelevaFormer Foreign Minister of Bulgaria; PhD in sociology from OVGU (2003)
- AB Antje BuschschulteSwimming world champion (100m backstroke, 2003) and five-time Olympic bronze medallist; diploma and 2015 doctorate in neurobiology from OVGU
Frequently asked questions
Can I study a bachelor's degree in English at the University of Magdeburg?
Yes. International Business and Economics, Engineering Science and Biomedical Sciences are taught in English, and Bilingual Computer Science has an English track. All require English at B2 level, such as IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 85.
Does Otto von Guericke University charge tuition fees?
No. All students pay only the semester fee, 329.30 euros for winter 2026/27, which includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket.
How do international students apply to OVGU?
Anyone with a foreign school-leaving qualification applies through uni-assist, regardless of nationality. Applicants from China, India and Vietnam also need an APS certificate.
What is the application deadline at OVGU?
Through uni-assist, 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester, with the portal usually opening on 15 April and 15 October. The English-taught bachelor's degrees start only in winter.
How many international students are at the University of Magdeburg?
5,315 of 13,121 students in winter semester 2025/26, about 40 percent.
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.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to OVGU in the QS World University Rankings 2027.