University of Cologne
Universität zu Köln
One of Germany's largest universities, first founded in 1388, with five Clusters of Excellence and no tuition fees.
- Students
- 43,594
- International
- 11%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1388
About UoC
The University of Cologne was first founded in 1388 as the fourth university in the Holy Roman Empire, closed by the French in 1798 and re-established by the city of Cologne in 1919. Today it is one of Germany's largest universities, with 43,594 students in winter semester 2024/25, around 610 professors and six faculties: Management, Economics and Social Sciences; Law; Medicine; Arts and Humanities; Mathematics and Natural Sciences; and Human Sciences. It offers 135 degree programmes.
Cologne is a member of the German U15 group of research-intensive universities and has five Clusters of Excellence: CECAD on ageing-associated diseases, CEPLAS on plant sciences, ML4Q on quantum computing, ECONtribute on markets and public policy, and DYNAVERSE on astrophysics. The university lists EQUIS and CEMS among its accreditations, and its Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences offers the CEMS Master's in International Management.
All bachelor's programmes are taught in German, so international applicants need C1-level German (TestDaF 4 in all parts or DSH-2) when they apply, and non-EU applicants also need a TestAS certificate. There are no tuition fees, only a semester fee of €355.65. Cologne suits independent students who want a large city university and do not mind a competitive housing market.
Why students choose UoC
No tuition fees in North Rhine-Westphalia: the semester fee is €355.65 for winter 2026/27 and includes a Deutschland-Semesterticket for public transport.
Five Clusters of Excellence, in ageing research, plant sciences, quantum computing, economics and astrophysics.
A large Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, with EQUIS accreditation and the CEMS Master's in International Management as a later option.
Studienstart International programmes help international first-years with subject-specific German, study skills and orientation, and offer an entrance-exam route for students without direct university entrance.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (standing annual deadlines)
Selectivity
Cologne publishes no overall admission rate. Many single-subject bachelor's programmes are open admission; others, including Law (First State Examination), many single-subject and combined bachelor's programmes and teacher training, have restricted admission (NC) handled through the DoSV procedure. Medicine and Dentistry are allocated nationally via hochschulstart.
Typical entry requirements
| German Abitur or EU/EEA school-leaving certificate | Direct entry; NC programmes rank applicants through the DoSV procedure |
|---|---|
| Non-EU certificate giving direct university entrance | Apply via uni-assist with DSH-2-level German and a TestAS certificate; first-years join the compulsory Studienstart International integrale programme |
| Non-EU certificate giving only indirect entrance (Studienkolleg level) | Instead of a Studienkolleg, take Cologne's entrance exam via the one-semester Studienstart International plus programme (TestAS required; mainly for summer semester entry; not available for Law or teacher training) |
| Chinese, Indian or Vietnamese certificates | Individual APS certificate required |
| English language | All bachelor's programmes, including state examination courses and Law, are taught in German. Accepted German certificates: TestDaF TDN 4 in all parts, DSH-2 (from a university with HRK-registered DSH rules), DSD II, telc C1 Hochschule, telc C2, Goethe C1, ÖSD C2, or the German section of the Feststellungsprüfung. Non-EU applicants must include DSH-2-level proof with the uni-assist application. |
Deadlines
- Non-EU applicants via uni-assist (all first-semester bachelor's and state examination programmes) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~9 months15 July 2027
Standing deadline, date of receipt at uni-assist. Summer semester: 15 January.
- EU/EEA applicants: NC programmes (DoSV), Law, Psychology aptitude test, teacher training and two-subject bachelor's with NC Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
Register with hochschulstart first, then apply in KLIPS 2.0.
- EU/EEA applicants: bachelor's programmes without restricted admission Non-binding In ~12 months30 September 2027
Apply in KLIPS 2.0; summer semester deadline 31 March.
Cologne publishes these as standing annual deadlines (15 July and 30 September for the winter semester), so the 2027 dates apply the same rule. Medicine and Dentistry deadlines are set by hochschulstart.
How to apply
Non-EU applicants for first-semester bachelor's or state examination programmes apply online through uni-assist (paperless upload of CV in German, school certificates with translations, German certificate, TestAS certificate and passport; APS certificate for China, India and Vietnam; IB holders show two years' continuous attendance). EU/EEA applicants apply directly in Cologne's KLIPS 2.0 portal, registering first with hochschulstart for NC programmes; Medicine and Dentistry go through hochschulstart.
What admissions looks for
- A formal university entrance qualification recognised in Germany (check with uni-assist), or a passed entrance exam via Studienstart International plus.
- Very good German: DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 in all parts, already at application for non-EU applicants.
- For non-EU applicants, a TestAS certificate with the module that matches your faculty.
- For NC programmes, a competitive school grade.
Tips for applying to UoC
- 1 Take the TestAS early: without the certificate your uni-assist application cannot be considered, and you need the right subject module for your faculty.
- 2 Get your German to C1 before applying; unlike some universities, Cologne expects DSH-2-level proof in the application.
- 3 Start looking for housing as soon as you apply: the university warns that finding accommodation in Cologne is difficult and recommends applying for student housing one or two semesters ahead.
- 4 If your certificate only qualifies you for a Studienkolleg, look at Studienstart International plus, a free route with a guaranteed place if you pass.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Cologne charges no tuition fees, only the semester fee, which covers the Kölner Studierendenwerk, the student union, student sport and the Deutschland-Semesterticket. The fee is renegotiated each semester, so it changes slightly from term to term.
- €355.65 (Deutschland-Semesterticket €226.80, Kölner Studierendenwerk €110.00, AStA €13.25, student councils €3.60, student sport €2.00)
- Semester fee, winter 2026/27
- None, for German and international students
- Tuition fees
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Business Administration (BWL, BSc)
Taught in the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences; the university holds EQUIS accreditation and the faculty offers the CEMS Master's in International Management.
Economics (VWL, BSc)
Linked to the ECONtribute Cluster of Excellence on markets and public policy, with around 150 researchers.
Law (First State Examination)
A German-taught state examination degree in one of Cologne's six faculties; restricted admission via DoSV.
Medicine (State Examination)
Taught at the Faculty of Medicine, home to the CECAD Cluster of Excellence on ageing-associated diseases.
Physics (BSc)
Connected to two Clusters of Excellence: ML4Q (quantum computing) and DYNAVERSE (astrophysics).
Biology (BSc)
Backed by CEPLAS, the Cluster of Excellence on plant sciences, and by CECAD's ageing research.
Research
- Five Clusters of Excellence: CECAD (Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases), CEPLAS (Plant Sciences), ML4Q (Matter and Light for Quantum Computing), ECONtribute (Markets and Public Policy) and DYNAVERSE (Our Dynamic Universe).
- 18 Collaborative Research Centres and Transregios, 8 Alexander von Humboldt Professorships and 25 ERC grants.
- €245.1 million in third-party funding in 2024.
- 647 PhD graduates and 12 Emmy Noether junior research groups in 2024.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Arts and Humanities
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
- Faculty of Human Sciences
Student life
The main campus lies in Cologne-Lindenthal around the main building on Albertus-Magnus-Platz. With over 43,000 students, Cologne is a big-university experience, and first-year international students are supported by the Studienstart International programmes, which combine subject-specific German courses, study-skills and intercultural seminars and orientation events. The university runs an Instagram channel for international newcomers. Housing is the main challenge: the university warns that finding accommodation in Cologne is difficult. Students can also get involved in student councils and university sport, both funded through the semester fee.
- Studienstart International integrale is compulsory for non-EU first-years with direct entrance and helps with German, study skills and orientation.
- The semester fee includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket and a contribution to student sport.
- Membership of the EUniWell European university alliance and the Coimbra Group.
- 6,110 students started their first university semester at Cologne in 2024, 23% of them international.
Housing. Finding accommodation in Cologne is difficult, so the university advises international students to apply for student housing (for example with the Kölner Studierendenwerk) one or two semesters before starting.
Location
Cologne is a large city on the Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, known for its cathedral, its media and cultural scene and its carnival. The university's main campus is in the Lindenthal district. The Deutschland-Semesterticket included in the semester fee covers local and regional public transport across Germany. For international newcomers, the university's biggest practical warning is housing, so plan accommodation early.
Nearest airport: Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)
Notable alumni
- UŞ Uğur ŞahinCo-founder and CEO of BioNTech; studied medicine and completed his doctorate at Cologne
- HB Heinrich BöllNobel Prize in Literature 1972; studied German studies and classics at Cologne
- NB Norbert BlümGerman Federal Minister of Labour 1982-1998; studied German, history, philosophy and theology at Bonn and Cologne
- HW Hans-Ulrich WehlerHistorian of the Bielefeld School; studied history and sociology in Cologne
- WH Werner HoyerPresident of the European Investment Bank 2012-2023; economics graduate and PhD from Cologne
- NC Nicholas of CusaRenaissance philosopher and cardinal; entered the University of Cologne in 1425
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Cologne charge tuition fees?
No. North Rhine-Westphalia charges no tuition fees for German or international students. You pay only the semester fee, €355.65 for winter semester 2026/27.
Do international students apply to Cologne through uni-assist?
Yes, non-EU applicants for first-semester bachelor's or state examination programmes apply online via uni-assist by 15 July for the winter semester. EU/EEA applicants apply directly in Cologne's KLIPS 2.0 portal.
Is the TestAS required for the University of Cologne?
Yes, for non-EU applicants to undergraduate programmes. You need the core test plus the subject module that matches your faculty, such as ECO for business and economics or MATH for the sciences.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at Cologne?
No. All bachelor's programmes at Cologne, including state examination courses, are taught in German, and you need C1-level German such as TestDaF 4 in all parts or DSH-2.
What if my school certificate does not give direct entrance to German universities?
Instead of a Studienkolleg, you can take Cologne's free entrance exam through the one-semester Studienstart International plus programme, with a guaranteed place if you pass. It requires a TestAS certificate and is not available for Law or teacher training.
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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