University of Münster
Universität Münster
One of Germany's largest universities, with no tuition fees, in a compact student city built around the bicycle.
- Students
- 41,217
- International
- 9%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1780
About Uni Münster
The University of Münster was founded in 1780 from the funds of a dissolved convent and carried the name Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) from 1907 until 2023. With 41,217 students in winter semester 2025/26 it is one of Germany's largest universities, spread across 16 faculties that run from Protestant, Catholic and Islamic Theology to Physics, Medicine and a University of Music.
Its breadth is the point: over 120 fields of study cover law, business and economics, the natural sciences, the humanities and teacher education, and teaching degrees account for around 40% of its bachelor's and master's graduates. Research strength is concentrated in mathematics, home of the Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster, and in a network of 18 Collaborative Research Centres. Its professors and former students include Fields Medallist Gerd Faltings and Nobel laureates Georg Bednorz and Gerhard Domagk.
Nearly all bachelor's programmes are taught in German, and most require DSH-2 level German; the one English-taught bachelor's is Human Movement in Sports and Exercise. There are no tuition fees for regular degree programmes, only a semester fee of 369.50 euros that includes a Germany-wide public transport ticket. Münster suits independent students who want a classic German university experience in a small, safe and very student-heavy city.
Why students choose Uni Münster
No tuition fees for any regular degree programme, including for non-EU students; the 369.50 euro semester fee includes a 226.80 euro semester ticket for public transport.
The Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster makes it one of the strongest places in Germany to study mathematics.
Sixteen faculties, including rare ones such as Islamic Theology and a University of Music, allow unusual subject combinations and teaching degrees.
Students who pass the DSH exam after the university's own preparatory German course get the 500 euro course fee back when they enrol in a degree.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry
Selectivity
No overall admission rate is published. Non-restricted bachelor's programmes admit everyone who meets the requirements; restricted (NC) programmes select within a fixed number of places, and Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy are allocated nationally through hochschulstart.de. Non-EU applicants without a European school-leaving certificate must apply for every programme, restricted or not.
Typical entry requirements
| University entrance qualification | A school-leaving certificate recognised in Germany as a university entrance qualification (check the DAAD admission database); Münster cannot pre-check certificates and offers no conditional admission |
|---|---|
| German language (most programmes) | DSH-2, TestDaF 4 in all four skills, DSD II (C1), Goethe C2 or telc C1 Hochschule (befriedigend/gut) |
| German language (Medicine, Dentistry) | DSH-3 or TestDaF 5 in all skills |
| German language (Physics, Geophysics, Mathematics BSc) | DSH-1 or TestDaF 3 in all skills |
| English language | German, not English, is the language requirement for almost all bachelor's programmes. English requirements apply only to English-taught programmes such as the BSc Human Movement in Sports and Exercise; see the programme's admission regulations. |
Deadlines
- Non-EU applicants: restricted-admission bachelor's / state examination Non-binding PassedEarly May – 31 May 2026 (for winter 2026/27)
Most recent published date; the 2027/28 window has not yet been announced.
- Non-EU applicants: non-restricted bachelor's Non-binding PassedEarly May – 15 July 2026 (for winter 2026/27)
Most recent published date; the 2027/28 window has not yet been announced.
- German and EU/EEA applicants: restricted-admission bachelor's Non-binding PassedEarly May – 15 July 2026 (for winter 2026/27)
Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry via hochschulstart.de: 31 May for school certificates issued before 16 January, otherwise 15 July.
- German and EU/EEA applicants: non-restricted bachelor's (online enrolment) Non-binding Next deadline · In 3 daysEarly June – 9 October 2026 (for winter 2026/27)
Direct online enrolment, no selection.
The university has only published dates for winter semester 2026/27 so far; these are shown as a guide, and the 2027/28 dates are expected to follow the same pattern. Non-EU applicants have an earlier deadline (31 May) for restricted programmes than EU applicants (15 July). Documents submitted outside the application periods are not considered.
How to apply
Apply online through the University of Münster application portal. EU/EEA applicants enrol directly online for non-restricted programmes and apply (registering with hochschulstart.de where needed) for restricted ones, with up to 12 subjects in the first semester. Non-EU applicants apply for every programme and upload their school certificates (with German or English translations), proof of German, and an APS certificate if their qualifications are from China, India or Vietnam.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving certificate that qualifies you for university study in Germany.
- Certified German at the level your programme requires, usually DSH-2, at the time of application; there is no conditional admission.
- For restricted programmes, the grade and selection criteria set in each programme's admission regulations.
- Complete, correctly translated documents uploaded within the application period.
Tips for applying to Uni Münster
- 1 Non-EU applicants: note the 31 May deadline for restricted programmes, six weeks earlier than for EU applicants.
- 2 Check the Studienführer (study guide) for your programme's exact German level: Medicine needs DSH-3, while Physics and Mathematics accept DSH-1.
- 3 If your German is at B1, consider Münster's own DSH preparatory course; the 500 euro fee is refunded if you pass and enrol.
- 4 Plan for the visa blocked-account requirement of at least 11,904 euros a year, which matches the university's estimate of about 1,000 euros a month.
- 5 After national allocation ends, restricted programmes hold a random-selection (Losverfahren) round for leftover places each September and March.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Because regular degrees are tuition-free, the university does not offer full scholarships. Partial funding includes the university's ProTalent scholarship programme, DAAD scholarships, graduation and equal-opportunity scholarships for international degree-seeking students, and emergency grants through the International Office. German and some EU students may qualify for BAföG state support.
- EUR 369.50 (including EUR 226.80 semester ticket)
- Semester fee, winter 2026/27
- About EUR 400–500 per month
- Room rent
- At least EUR 11,904 per year
- Visa blocked account
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter semester from October, summer semester from April)
Mathematics (BSc)
Taught alongside the Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster; Fields Medallist Gerd Faltings studied mathematics here.
Human Movement in Sports and Exercise (BSc)
The university's only English-taught bachelor's programme.
Medicine (state examination)
Allocated through hochschulstart.de and requires DSH-3 level German.
Business and Economics
The Münster School of Business and Economics was the first in the university to introduce bachelor's and master's degrees after the Bologna reform.
Teacher education
About 39% of bachelor's and 40% of master's degrees awarded in 2024 were teaching degrees.
Research
- Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster: Dynamics – Geometry – Structure, in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science.
- 18 Collaborative Research Centres, 14 ERC grants and 198.5 million euros in third-party funding in 2024.
- The Cluster of Excellence Religion and Politics, currently phasing out, brought together about 200 researchers from 20 disciplines.
- 711 doctorates were awarded in 2024.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Protestant Theology
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Law
- School of Business and Economics
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Educational and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Psychology and Sport and Exercise Sciences
- Faculty of History and Philosophy
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy
Student life
Münster is a university town in the full sense: tens of thousands of students in a city of about 300,000, most of them getting around by bike. There is no single campus; faculties are spread across the city, with the baroque Prince-Bishop's Palace (Schloss) as the university's landmark. Housing is found through the Studierendenwerk Münster or on the private market, with rooms costing about 400–500 euros a month. The International Office runs welcome programmes, an International Student Lounge and social counselling for international students.
- The semester fee includes a semester ticket for public transport and a culture ticket.
- The University of Music (Musikhochschule Münster) is one of the university's 16 faculties.
- University sports (Hochschulsport) is funded through the semester fee.
- About 9% of students are international.
Housing. Housing is not guaranteed; students apply to the Studierendenwerk Münster halls or rent privately, and the university estimates room rents of about 400–500 euros a month.
Location
Münster is a medium-sized city in Westphalia, north-west Germany, close to the Dutch border. It is known as Germany's bicycle capital and won a LivCom award in 2004 as one of the world's most liveable cities of its size. The university estimates student living costs at about 1,000 euros a month.
Nearest airport: Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO)
Notable alumni
- GH Gustav HeinemannPresident of Germany (1969–1974); studied law, economics and history at Münster among other universities
- JG Johannes Georg BednorzNobel Prize in Physics 1987 for high-temperature superconductivity; studied crystallography at Münster
- GF Gerd FaltingsMathematician, Fields Medal and Abel Prize winner; studied and earned his doctorate at Münster
- HS Hans-Werner SinnEconomist and long-time president of the ifo Institute; studied economics at Münster
- KB Kamla BhasinIndian feminist activist; studied sociology of development at Münster
- OW Oliver WelkeTelevision presenter and satirist; studied journalism at Münster
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Münster charge tuition fees for international students?
No. Regular degree programmes are tuition-free for all students, including non-EU students; everyone pays a semester fee, which is 369.50 euros for winter semester 2026/27.
Can I study in English at the University of Münster?
At bachelor's level only the BSc Human Movement in Sports and Exercise is taught in English; all other bachelor's programmes are in German and usually require DSH-2 level German.
What is the application deadline at the University of Münster for international students?
For winter 2026/27, non-EU applicants had to apply by 31 May for restricted programmes and by 15 July for non-restricted ones. The 2027/28 dates have not yet been published.
Does the University of Münster offer conditional admission?
No. You need your university entrance qualification and proof of German at the required level when you apply.
How much does it cost to live in Münster as a student?
The International Office estimates about 1,000 euros a month, including 400–500 euros for a room and about 140 euros for health insurance.
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 Uni Münster in the QS World University Rankings 2027.