University of Potsdam
Universität Potsdam
Brandenburg's largest university, spread over three campuses from Sanssouci Park to the Golm science park.
- Students
- 19,647
- International
- 13%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1991
About UP
The University of Potsdam was founded in 1991, shortly after German reunification, largely out of the former teacher-training college in Potsdam, and teacher education is still a major part of what it does. With 19,647 students in winter semester 2025/26 it is the largest university in the state of Brandenburg, just south-west of Berlin.
It is organised into seven faculties: Law, Arts, Human Sciences, Economics and Social Sciences, Science, Digital Engineering and Health Sciences. They are spread across three campuses: Am Neuen Palais, in the baroque Communs next to Sanssouci Park; Golm, a science park shared with Max Planck and Fraunhofer institutes; and Griebnitzsee, near the Babelsberg film studios, where the Digital Engineering Faculty sits alongside the Hasso Plattner Institute.
Bachelor's degrees are taught in German, with Anglophone Postcolonial Studies the one English-taught exception, so international undergraduates need C1-level German. There are no tuition fees for bachelor's or consecutive master's degrees, only a semester fee. The university suits students who want a mid-sized German university with strong science links, close to Berlin but in a calmer, greener city.
Why students choose UP
No tuition fees for bachelor's or consecutive master's programmes; students pay a semester fee of 372.80 euros that includes a Germany-wide public transport ticket for eligible students.
Computer science students can take courses at both the university and the privately funded Hasso Plattner Institute on the Griebnitzsee campus.
The Golm campus sits in one of the region's largest science parks, next to Max Planck institutes for Gravitational Physics, Colloids and Interfaces, and Molecular Plant Physiology, with which the university shares joint professorships.
The university lists 36 international degree programmes, 29 of them taught in English, mostly at master's level.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (2027 dates not yet published)
Selectivity
Many bachelor's programmes have open admission: you simply enrol online during the enrolment period. Programmes with limited places (numerus clausus, NC) and Law select mainly on the final school grade through the national DoSV coordination system; some subjects such as English, languages, art, music and sport also require an entrance examination.
Typical entry requirements
| Abitur or equivalent university entrance qualification | Direct access for open-admission programmes; NC programmes select by final grade |
|---|---|
| Foreign school-leaving certificate | Must be recognised for Brandenburg before applying, either by the State School Authority Cottbus or through a uni-assist VPD; allow about 5 weeks for evaluation. Applicants whose certificate is not directly equivalent attend a Studienkolleg and pass the Feststellungsprüfung. |
| English language | Bachelor's programmes are taught in German and require C1-level German by enrolment, e.g. DSH-2 or DSH-3, TestDaF level 4 in all four parts, DSD II at C1, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule (grade good) or Goethe C2. Exceptions: B2 for the German-Polish Applied Cultural and Translation Studies bachelor's, and no German for Anglophone Postcolonial Studies. English-taught master's set their own English requirements in each programme's admission regulations. |
Deadlines
- NC programmes and Law, winter semester 2026/27 (past) Non-binding Passed15 July 2026
Cut-off date; the PULS application portal opened on 1 June 2026. A foreign school certificate needs about 5 weeks for evaluation before this deadline.
- Enrolment in open-admission programmes, winter semester 2026/27 (past) Non-binding Passed15 September 2026
Enrolment period 15 August to 15 September 2026.
- DSH German exam registration via uni-assist (February 2027 exam) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November 2026
For international applicants who need to prove German proficiency.
- NC programmes, summer semester 2027 (transfer entry) Non-binding In ~3 months15 January 2027
First-year students may only start in the winter semester; summer-semester applications are for higher semesters.
Dates for winter semester 2027/28 are not yet published. Potsdam uses the same pattern each year: NC applications from 1 June to a 15 July cut-off, and open-admission enrolment from 15 August to 15 September. The 2026 dates above are past and shown for reference.
How to apply
Open-admission programmes: enrol online in the PULS portal during the enrolment period. NC programmes and Law: register with the national DoSV system (Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung) and apply through PULS, up to three applications at Potsdam and 12 nationwide. International applicants first get their school certificate recognised (State School Authority Cottbus or uni-assist VPD) and prove C1 German by enrolment.
What admissions looks for
- A university entrance qualification recognised for the state of Brandenburg.
- For NC programmes, your final school grade, which determines your rank in the selection process.
- German at C1 level (for example DSH-2 or TestDaF 4x4) by the time you enrol.
- A passed entrance examination by the application deadline where your subject requires one.
Tips for applying to UP
- 1 Check the Degree Programs PDF first: if your programme is open admission you skip the application entirely and just enrol by 15 September.
- 2 Start the uni-assist VPD or the Cottbus recognition early, since proof must reach Potsdam by the 15 July deadline and evaluation takes about 5 weeks.
- 3 Rank your DoSV choices carefully: once you accept one offer, all your other applications are withdrawn automatically.
- 4 If you want to study in English, Anglophone Postcolonial Studies is the only English-taught bachelor's; most English options are master's programmes.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
There are no tuition fees. Students can finance living costs through German federal aid (BAföG, for eligible students), scholarships, student loans and part-time jobs; the university points top-performing and socially engaged students to scholarship programmes. Students who need their own health insurance should budget up to 160 euros a month.
- None for bachelor's and consecutive master's
- Tuition fee
- 372.80 euros per semester
- Semester fee
- About 943 euros a month
- Estimated living costs
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
IT Systems Engineering (BSc)
Offered by the Digital Engineering Faculty at Griebnitzsee, where the Hasso Plattner Institute is based.
Teacher education (Lehramt)
The university grew out of Potsdam's teacher-training college and still has a dedicated Center for Teacher Training and Education Research.
Anglophone Postcolonial Studies (BA)
Potsdam's only English-taught bachelor's, with no German language requirement.
Law (First State Examination)
An NC programme taught at the Griebnitzsee campus by the Law Faculty.
Geosciences and climate-related master's
English-taught master's such as Geosciences and Climate, Earth, Water, Sustainability, in a region where the university cooperates with GFZ and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Cognitive Science (MSc)
English-taught, and cognitive sciences are one of the university's five research priorities.
Research
- Five research priorities: Cognitive Sciences, Education for the Future, Evolutionary Systems Biology, Individual-Based Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Materials Design.
- Joint appointments with regional institutes include Johan Rockström of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Martin Herold of the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences.
- 71.3 million euros in third-party funding in 2025 and 28 start-ups through Potsdam Transfer; the university ranked 5th in the Start-up Radar 2025.
Schools & faculties
- Law Faculty
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Human Sciences
- Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Digital Engineering Faculty
- Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg
Student life
Student life is split across three campuses on the edges of Potsdam: the humanities sit in the baroque Communs next to the New Palace in Sanssouci Park, the sciences in the research village of Golm, and law, economics and computing at Griebnitzsee on the Berlin border. Most students live in shared flats (WGs) or in residence halls run by the Studierendenwerk West:Brandenburg, and the semester ticket lets eligible students travel across Germany, including into Berlin. The university runs events such as the UP.START orientation day, a campus festival and a university ball.
- UP.START orientation day for first-semester students.
- Campus Festival and University Ball organised by the university.
- Botanical Garden in Sanssouci Park run by the university.
- International students from 120 countries (2,645 in winter 2025/26).
Housing. The Studierendenwerk West:Brandenburg rents rooms in residence halls across Potsdam with utilities included, but places are popular, so apply as early as possible or look for a shared flat.
Location
Potsdam, capital of Brandenburg, borders Berlin to the south-west and is known for the Prussian palaces and gardens of Sanssouci. It is quieter and greener than Berlin but connected by regional trains and S-Bahn. Rents are high for the region: the university warns that actual rents in the Potsdam and Berlin area can be well above its 410 euro average.
Nearest airport: Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)
Notable alumni
- HH Hubertus HeilSPD politician and former Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs; studied political science and sociology at Potsdam
- KR Katherina ReicheCDU politician and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy; studied chemistry at Potsdam
- FO Friederike OttoClimate scientist and Professor of Climate Science at Imperial College London; physics graduate of Potsdam
- MT Mai Thi Nguyen-KimChemist, science communicator and TV presenter; completed doctoral work partly at Potsdam
- KZ Kirsten ZickfeldClimate physicist and IPCC author; doctorate in physics from Potsdam
- JE Jens EisertQuantum information physicist at the Free University of Berlin; PhD from Potsdam
- FL Felix LobrechtStand-up comedian and podcast host; attended the University of Potsdam
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Potsdam charge tuition fees?
No. There are no tuition fees for bachelor's, Law or consecutive master's programmes, for German or international students. Everyone pays a semester fee, currently 372.80 euros.
Can I study a bachelor's in English at the University of Potsdam?
Only Anglophone Postcolonial Studies is taught in English. All other bachelor's programmes are in German and require C1-level German, such as DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 in all parts.
What is the application deadline at the University of Potsdam?
For NC (restricted) programmes and Law the cut-off is 15 July for the winter semester (15 July 2026 for the last intake). Open-admission programmes need no application; you enrol between 15 August and 15 September. 2027 dates are not yet published.
How do international students apply to the University of Potsdam?
Get your school certificate recognised through uni-assist (VPD) or the State School Authority Cottbus, then apply or enrol through the PULS portal. NC programmes also go through the national DoSV system.
How much does it cost to live in Potsdam as a student?
The university estimates about 943 euros a month for a student in a shared flat, including 410 euros rent, though rents in the Potsdam and Berlin area can be much higher.
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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