Philipps-Universität Marburg
The world's oldest Protestant-founded university (1527), in a hillside student town an hour from Frankfurt.
- Students
- 20,899
- International
- 23%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1527
About Marburg University
Philipps-Universität Marburg was founded in 1527 by Landgrave Philip of Hesse and describes itself as the oldest university in the world founded as a Protestant institution. It began with four subjects: theology, law, medicine and philosophy. Today it is a public university of the state of Hesse with no religious affiliation, and about 20,900 students (winter semester 2025-26), of whom 4,739, or 22.7 percent, are international.
It has 16 departments covering almost every discipline except engineering: law, business and economics, social sciences and philosophy, psychology, Protestant theology, history and cultural studies, German studies and arts, foreign languages and cultures, mathematics and computer science, physics, chemistry, pharmacy, biology, geography, medicine, and educational and sport sciences. It offers 208 degree programmes, including 24 bachelor's programmes and 75 master's programmes, and it reports 2 excellence clusters, 13 ERC grants and a library with more than three million media resources.
Most bachelor's programmes are taught in German, so international applicants must show German proficiency (DSH-1 or DSH-2 depending on the programme) and apply through uni-assist if they hold a foreign school certificate. There is no tuition fee on the fee pages; students pay a semester contribution of 424.80 euros for winter semester 2026/27, which includes a public transport ticket. It suits students who want a traditional German research university in a small town where, according to the university, a third of the population are students.
Why students choose Marburg University
A semester contribution of 424.80 euros for winter 2026/27 includes the Deutschland-Ticket for regional transport, and the university lists no tuition fee.
16 departments and 208 degree programmes, including 75 master's programmes, cover almost all disciplines except engineering.
Research strength includes 2 excellence clusters, 5 collaborative research centres and 13 ERC grants, and alumni include Otto Hahn and the Brothers Grimm.
Marburg is a compact medieval town where a third of the population are students and Frankfurt is an hour away by train.
Admissions
2027 entry (summer semester 2027 and winter semester 2027/28)
Selectivity
Marburg does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Degree programmes without restricted admission (no numerus clausus) enrol everyone who meets the requirements; restricted programmes select by grade and other criteria. Biomedical Science, Psychology, Human Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry are restricted for international applicants.
Typical entry requirements
| Foreign school-leaving certificate with a direct university entrance qualification | Check your certificate on anabin or uni-assist; if it gives direct access, you may begin studies immediately |
|---|---|
| Foreign certificate with an indirect university entrance qualification | Preparatory course and assessment exam at the Central Hessian Study Preparatory Center (Studienkolleg Mittelhessen) before starting; uni-assist applications are handled automatically as Studienkolleg applications |
| German language proof | DSH-1 level (Goethe B2, telc B2, TestDaF 3 in all parts) or DSH-2 level (TestDaF 4 in all parts, telc C1 University, Goethe C2), depending on the programme |
Deadlines
- Summer semester 2027, restricted programmes (foreign qualification) Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months1 November 2026 to 15 January 2027
Recurring annual window published without a year; non-restricted programmes run from 1 November to 15 February.
- Winter semester 2027/28, restricted programmes (foreign qualification) Non-binding In ~9 months1 June to 15 July 2027
Recurring annual window published on the university's deadlines page without a year; also the window for Human Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Biomedical Science and Psychology applicants with a foreign certificate.
- Winter semester 2027/28, non-restricted programmes (foreign qualification) Non-binding In ~10 months1 June to 15 August 2027
Recurring annual window published without a year.
- Studienkolleg Mittelhessen (winter semester) Non-binding1 March to 15 April
For applicants with an indirect entrance qualification; the summer semester window is 1 September to 15 October.
Marburg publishes its application windows as recurring annual dates without a year; the 2027 dates above apply the same pattern to the next winter and summer semesters. Check the deadlines page and uni-assist for the exact 2027 dates.
How to apply
Register on the uni-assist applicant portal and apply for up to three degree programmes per semester. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for uni-assist to review your documents before forwarding them to Marburg. You then get Marvin portal login details, receive your admission letter online and enrol in Marvin by the date in the letter; admission cannot be deferred.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate that gives direct access to German universities, checked against the anabin database or uni-assist.
- Recognised German proficiency at the required DSH level for the programme.
- For restricted programmes, the selection criteria published for each degree programme.
- Documents, translations and certifications as listed by uni-assist.
Tips for applying to Marburg University
- 1 Check your certificate on anabin or the uni-assist tool before applying: the university does not carry out a preliminary review.
- 2 Apply to uni-assist well ahead of the deadline because processing can take 4 to 6 weeks.
- 3 Note that admission letters are valid only for the semester named in them and cannot be deferred, so a missed enrolment date means reapplying.
- 4 Use the POINT online orientation portal for international students to plan the steps from application to graduation.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Marburg awards a small number of partial DAAD-funded scholarships each year, usually announced in spring, to international bachelor's, master's and PhD students, either for final-phase students or for those who support new international students. The university's finance page also points to the DAAD scholarship database and the Stipendienlotse platform. Exchange students under agreements can pay a semester contribution reduced by 50 euros.
- 166, of whom 113 were international
- DAAD scholarship recipients (academic year 2022)
- 424.80 euros, including a public transport ticket share of 230.50 euros
- Semester contribution, winter 2026/27
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (winter and summer)
Medicine
Medicine is among Marburg's founding subjects and the department is linked to the university hospital of Giessen and Marburg (UKGM); a restricted-admission programme.
Pharmacy
Taught in German and subject to nationwide admission restrictions.
Protestant Theology
One of the four founding subjects of the university in 1527.
Chemistry
Otto Hahn received his doctorate in chemistry from Marburg in 1901.
Biology and life sciences
One of the natural-science departments, based on the Lahnberge campus reached by city bus.
Psychology
A regionally restricted programme for which international applicants apply through uni-assist.
Research
- The university has 2 excellence clusters, 5 collaborative research centres, 8 DFG research groups and 6 research training groups (December 2025).
- It holds 13 ERC grants and takes part in 13 Horizon Europe collaborative projects.
- It has 12 research centres and 6 LOEWE centres and clusters funded by the state of Hesse.
Schools & faculties
- Law
- Business and Economics
- Social Sciences and Philosophy
- Psychology
- Protestant Theology
- History and Cultural Studies
- German Studies and Arts
- Foreign Languages and Cultures
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Pharmacy
The university reports 2,825 graduations in the 2024 examination year and 408 doctoral degrees, but no graduate employment rate on the pages consulted.
Student life
A third of Marburg's population are students, and the city describes itself as tailored to them, with discounts and events all year. Almost everything is walkable, and a bus climbs to the Lahnberge campus for the natural sciences. The semester fee includes a Deutschland-Ticket for regional transport. Volunteering, student initiatives and a large cultural and cafe scene are on offer, and shared flats are the most common form of housing.
- Semester fee includes a Deutschland-Ticket for regional transport
- A third of the population are students
- Student initiatives, volunteering agency and university groups
- Historic teaching buildings such as the Old University still used for some seminars
- Library with more than three million media resources and over 1,200 study spaces
Housing. Housing is scarce and not cheap; most halls of residence are run by the Studierendenwerk, and shared flats are the most common choice, with dorm rooms around 250 euros a month.
Location
Marburg is a medieval town on the Lahn river in Hesse, part of the German fairytale route, with a castle above the old town and the Gothic Elisabeth Church. Most places are within walking distance, and Frankfurt is about an hour away by high-speed train. Life here is student-centred and compact.
Nearest airport: Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Notable alumni
- OH Otto HahnChemist and 1944 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate for nuclear fission; doctorate from Marburg in 1901
- JG Jacob GrimmPhilologist and folklorist, one of the Brothers Grimm; studied law at Marburg from 1802
- WG Wilhelm GrimmWriter and philologist, one of the Brothers Grimm; studied law at Marburg from 1803
- BP Boris PasternakRussian poet and novelist; studied philosophy at Marburg under Hermann Cohen and others (non-degree study)
- ML Mikhail LomonosovRussian polymath; studied at Marburg on a Russian state scholarship (non-degree study abroad)
- HA Hannah ArendtPolitical theorist; studied under Martin Heidegger at Marburg (non-degree study)
- EC Ernst CassirerPhilosopher; completed his doctoral work at Marburg under Hermann Cohen and Paul Natorp
- GH Gustav HeinemannPresident of West Germany 1969-1974; studied law, economics and history at several universities including Marburg (part of his studies)
Frequently asked questions
Does Marburg University charge tuition fees?
The university's fee pages list no tuition fee. All students pay a semester contribution, 424.80 euros for winter semester 2026/27, which includes a public transport ticket and a 50 euro administrative fee.
How do international students apply to Marburg?
Applicants with a foreign school certificate apply through uni-assist for up to three programmes per semester. Processing takes 4 to 6 weeks before your application is forwarded to Marburg.
What are the application deadlines for international applicants?
For the winter semester, 1 June to 15 July for restricted programmes and 1 June to 15 August for unrestricted ones. For the summer semester, 1 November to 15 January and 1 November to 15 February. The university publishes these as recurring dates without a year.
What German level do I need?
Most degrees require DSH-1 or DSH-2 level, for example TestDaF 3 or 4 in all parts, or Goethe B2 or C2 certificates, depending on the programme. Check the degree page for its required level.
What if my certificate does not give direct access to German universities?
If your certificate is an indirect entrance qualification, you must complete the preparatory course at the Central Hessian Study Preparatory Center and pass its assessment exam; your uni-assist application is then handled as a Studienkolleg application.
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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