Goethe University Frankfurt
Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
A citizens' university founded in 1914 in Frankfurt, counting 19 Nobel laureates and charging no tuition fees.
- Students
- 40,684
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1914
- QS World Ranking
- #376
- 2027 edition
About Goethe University
Goethe University Frankfurt was founded on 10 June 1914 as a purely municipal foundation, financed by Frankfurt's citizens and institutions such as the Senckenberg Society, rather than by the state. It was renamed after the city's most famous son, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, in 1932. Today it has 40,684 students in winter semester 2025/26, 607 professors, 16 faculties and 159 study programmes spread across the Westend, Bockenheim, Riedberg, Niederrad and Ginnheim campuses.
The university counts 19 Nobel Prize winners and 19 Leibniz Prize recipients since its founding. It is the home of the Frankfurt School of critical theory and holds two Clusters of Excellence, the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI) and SCALE. Its faculties range from Law and Economics and Business to Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics, and Medicine.
Undergraduate teaching is in German: every bachelor's and state-examination programme requires German at DSH-2 level when you apply, and DSH-3 for medicine and dentistry. There is no tuition, only a semester contribution of about EUR 400 that includes a Germany-wide transport ticket. Goethe suits independent students who want a big research university in a large, international city and are prepared to study in German.
Why students choose Goethe University
No tuition fees for any nationality: the semester contribution for winter 2026/27 is EUR 408.28 and includes a Germany-wide semester ticket.
19 Nobel Prize winners are linked to the university, including physicist Gerd Binnig and economist Reinhard Selten, who both studied there.
The Westend Campus, home to law, economics, social sciences and humanities, is built around the historic IG Farben Building and its park, northwest of downtown Frankfurt.
The Riedberg Campus concentrates the natural sciences, and the Niederrad Campus hosts the University Hospital, which the university calls the largest and most modern hospital in Hesse.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28
Selectivity
Germany has no overall admit rate. Many bachelor's programmes at Goethe have unrestricted admission (anyone qualified and with DSH-2 German is admitted); restricted (NC) programmes select by school grade, and medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are allocated nationally through Hochschulstart.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school leaving certificate | Must be recognised as a German higher education entrance qualification; if not, you attend the Studienkolleg (preparatory school) and pass the assessment test |
|---|---|
| German language | DSH-2 or an accepted equivalent at the time of application for all undergraduate programmes; DSH-3 for medicine and dentistry |
| English language | Undergraduate programmes are taught in German, so German at DSH-2 (or an accepted equivalent certificate) is required at application. English tests are relevant only for English-taught master's programmes. |
Deadlines
- Programmes with restricted admission (summer semester 2027) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Application window 1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027.
- Studienkolleg (preparatory school), winter semester Non-binding In ~7 months1 May 2027
For applicants without direct university access; DSH preparation courses have a 1 June deadline.
- Programmes with restricted admission (winter semester) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
Application window 1 June to 15 July; also follow Hochschulstart/DoSV deadlines where they apply.
- Programmes without admission restrictions (winter semester) Non-binding In ~12 months30 September 2027
Application window 1 June to 30 September.
Goethe University publishes these as standing annual windows (winter: 1 June to 15 July for restricted and to 30 September for unrestricted programmes; summer: 1 December to 15 January for restricted programmes). The university states that the deadlines are final and preliminary certificates are not accepted.
How to apply
Most applicants with a school leaving certificate from outside Germany (or from a non-Abitur school) apply through the uni-assist preliminary review service; others apply directly via the Goethe-Campus portal, and German/EU-equivalent applicants to medicine, dentistry and pharmacy apply through Hochschulstart. Your entrance qualification must be complete by the deadline. Once admitted, you enrol online, upload documents, prove health insurance and pay the semester fee.
What admissions looks for
- A school leaving certificate recognised as a German university entrance qualification, complete by the application deadline.
- German at DSH-2 level (DSH-3 for medicine and dentistry) at the time of application.
- For restricted (NC) programmes, a strong final school grade.
- A complete application submitted early, which the university notes gives more time for visas and housing.
Tips for applying to Goethe University
- 1 Check early whether your school certificate gives direct access or requires the Studienkolleg: its deadline (1 May for winter) is much earlier than degree deadlines.
- 2 Get your DSH-2 certificate (or accepted equivalent) before you apply; it is required at application, not at enrolment.
- 3 Allow time for uni-assist to review your documents before Goethe's 15 July deadline for restricted programmes.
- 4 Apply for a Studierendenwerk dormitory place as soon as you enrol: rooms are allocated in the order eligible applications arrive.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
There is no tuition to cover. The university's scholarship service advises on scholarships such as those of the German National Academic Foundation, and Frankfurt Student Services run dormitories and a part-time job board. Eligible students can also apply for German state support (BAföG).
- EUR 408.28
- Semester contribution, winter 2026/27
- EUR 226.80
- Of which Germany-wide semester ticket
- EUR 106.50
- Of which Studierendenwerk (student services) fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Economics and Business
Taught on the Westend Campus; Nobel economist Reinhard Selten studied mathematics and earned his doctorate at Frankfurt.
Physics
Nobel laureate Gerd Binnig took his bachelor's and PhD in physics at Goethe University.
Sociology and Philosophy
The home of the Frankfurt School of critical theory associated with Theodor W. Adorno and Max Horkheimer.
Law
One of the 16 faculties, with alumni including former German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.
Medicine
Allocated nationally via Hochschulstart; requires DSH-3 German. The Cardio-Pulmonary Institute is one of the university's two Clusters of Excellence.
Sport Sciences
Part of the Faculty of Psychology and Sport Sciences; football manager Jürgen Klopp earned his diploma in sports science here.
Research
- Two Clusters of Excellence: the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute (CPI) and SCALE.
- 19 Nobel Prize winners and 19 Leibniz Prize recipients since the university's establishment.
- Lead institution for 1 LOEWE Center and 5 LOEWE Focus Areas funded by the state of Hesse.
- Total budget of EUR 836.9 million in 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty 01: Law
- Faculty 02: Economics and Business
- Faculty 03: Social Sciences
- Faculty 05: Psychology and Sport Sciences
- Faculty 08: Philosophy and History
- Faculty 09: Linguistics, Cultures and Arts
- Faculty 10: Modern Languages
- Faculty 11: Geosciences and Geography
- Faculty 12: Computer Science and Mathematics
- Faculty 13: Physics
- Faculty 14: Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy
- Faculty 16: Medicine
Student life
Goethe University is a city university spread over five campuses, with Faculties 01 to 11 on the Westend Campus around the IG Farben Building and its park, and most natural sciences on the Riedberg Campus. The semester ticket covers public transport across Germany, and the student body (AStA) negotiates extras such as a Palmengarten botanical garden pass, a social and cultural ticket and Campus-Bike rentals. There is a university sports programme and a Science Garden. Many students work part-time, and Frankfurt Student Services runs a job board.
- Germany-wide semester ticket included in the semester fee.
- Palmengarten, cultural ticket and Campus-Bike through the AStA.
- Five campuses: Westend, Bockenheim, Riedberg, Niederrad and Ginnheim.
- University Sports programme and the Rhine-Main Universities alliance.
Housing. Enrolled students can apply for a dormitory place through Frankfurt Student Services (Studierendenwerk), allocated in the order eligible applications are received; there is no guarantee.
Location
Frankfurt am Main, in the state of Hesse, is an international city. The Westend Campus lies in the Westend district northwest of downtown, the Riedberg Campus houses biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacy, physics, geosciences and biological sciences, and the Niederrad Campus is home to the Faculty of Medicine and the University Hospital. The Germany-wide semester ticket included in the semester fee covers local and regional public transport.
Nearest airport: Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Notable alumni
- GB Gerd BinnigNobel Prize in Physics 1986 for the scanning tunnelling microscope; bachelor's and PhD in physics at Frankfurt
- RS Reinhard SeltenNobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences 1994; mathematics diploma and doctorate at Frankfurt
- CN Christiane Nüsslein-VolhardNobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1995; studied biology at Frankfurt
- AK Alex KarpCo-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies; doctorate in social theory (2002)
- JK Jürgen KloppFootball manager; diploma in sports science
- NF Nancy FaeserFormer German Federal Minister of the Interior; studied law
Frequently asked questions
Is Goethe University Frankfurt free for international students?
Yes. There are no tuition fees for any nationality; all students pay a semester contribution, EUR 408.28 for winter 2026/27, which includes a Germany-wide transport ticket.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at Goethe University?
Undergraduate programmes require German at DSH-2 level (DSH-3 for medicine and dentistry) at the time of application, so you should plan to study in German.
What is the application deadline at Goethe University Frankfurt?
For the winter semester, 15 July for restricted-admission programmes and 30 September for programmes without restrictions (both windows open 1 June). For the summer semester, restricted programmes close on 15 January.
Do international students apply through uni-assist?
In most cases, yes: applicants whose school qualification was earned outside Germany or outside the German Abitur system apply through uni-assist, with some exceptions.
How many Nobel laureates does Goethe University have?
The university counts 19 Nobel Prize winners since its founding in 1914.
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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