University of Tübingen
Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
A 1477 university town on the Neckar where Kepler and Hegel studied, now a hub for machine learning and life sciences.
- Students
- 28,046
- 15,538 undergraduates
- International
- 16%
- of students
- Tuition
- €3,000
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1477
About Tübingen
The Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen has taught and researched in the small Swabian town of Tübingen since 1477. Johannes Kepler studied at its Protestant seminary, the Tübinger Stift, and Hegel, Schelling and Hölderlin shared rooms there as students. Today it has 28,046 students (winter 2025/26), about 4,500 of them international, in over 200 degree programmes run by seven faculties (Protestant Theology, Catholic Theology, Law, Medicine, Humanities, Economics and Social Sciences, and Science) plus a Center for Islamic Theology.
Tübingen has been one of Germany's Universities of Excellence since 2012 and in March 2026 kept that status beyond 2026 on the strength of six Clusters of Excellence: CMFI (infection research), GreenRobust (plant research), HUMAN ORIGINS (human evolution), iFIT (cancer research), Machine Learning, and TERRA (geo and life sciences). Its machine learning cluster and life sciences make it a magnet for students interested in AI, neuroscience, medicine and biology.
Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students tuition of 1,500 euros per semester; EU students pay only the semester fee of 194.80 euros. Most bachelor's programmes are taught in German. It suits students who want a traditional university town: students make up almost one in three of Tübingen's 90,000 residents.
Attempto!
“I dare!” — university motto
Why students choose Tübingen
Six Clusters of Excellence, including Machine Learning, CMFI on infection research and iFIT on cancer research.
Programmes the university highlights as innovative include Machine Learning, Medical Technology, Molecular Medicine, Geoecology, Nanoscience and Media Informatics.
One of the oldest universities in Germany, whose seminary produced Kepler, Hegel, Schelling and Hölderlin.
Non-EU applicants to restricted programmes can improve their grade by up to 1.0 with above-average German and by up to 1.0 with strong TestAS results.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (deadlines follow Tübingen's standing annual schedule)
Selectivity
Tübingen publishes no overall acceptance rate. Many programmes have restricted admission (local NC), and German and EU applicants apply to programmes such as Biology, Psychology, Molecular Medicine, Medical Technology, Media Informatics, Cognitive Science and Law through the national DoSV procedure. Non-EU applicants to restricted programmes are ranked by their converted school grade, which can be improved through bonuses.
Typical entry requirements
| German Abitur (and EU/EEA applicants) | Apply in ALMA; for DoSV programmes also register with hochschulstart. Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy go through hochschulstart for EU applicants |
|---|---|
| Non-EU school-leaving certificate | Must be a recognised higher education entrance qualification (check anabin or the DAAD database), otherwise a Studienkolleg is needed. For restricted programmes the converted grade can be improved by above-average German (0.5 or 1.0), TestAS (0.1 to 1.0), and related job training or experience of at least a year (up to 0.2 each) |
| English language | German-taught programmes require proof of German with the application (not later): DSH-2 or DSH-3, TestDaF with at least 4 in all parts, the German part of the Studienkolleg assessment test, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, DSD II or Goethe C2. Applications without German proof are rejected. English-taught programmes need no German but set their own English requirements. |
Deadlines
- Restricted programmes starting in summer semester 2027 Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Only for programmes that admit in the summer semester (e.g. Bioinformatics); open programmes close on 31 March.
- Bachelor's / Staatsexamen with restricted admission (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
ALMA opens in mid-June.
- Bachelor's programmes without restricted admission (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~12 months30 September 2027
Applies to international applicants as well.
Tübingen publishes standing annual deadlines rather than dated ones: 15 July (restricted) and 30 September (unrestricted) for the winter semester, and 15 January and 31 March for the summer semester. The 2027 dates above apply those rules. Visa appointments can take up to 12 months in some countries, so book one as soon as you are admitted.
How to apply
Apply online in the ALMA portal (up to three applications) and upload all documents before submitting: school-leaving certificate, any university entrance exam results, and language certificates, with sworn translations for documents not in German or English. EU applicants for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy apply via hochschulstart. Admission letters usually arrive at the beginning of August for the winter semester.
What admissions looks for
- A recognised higher education entrance qualification, converted into the German grading system.
- German at DSH-2 or TestDaF 4 level, documented by the application deadline.
- For restricted programmes, the best possible converted grade, with bonuses for above-average German, TestAS and related work experience for non-EU applicants.
- A complete ALMA application with certified translations where needed.
Tips for applying to Tübingen
- 1 Do not submit your ALMA application until all documents are uploaded; late documents can only be sent by email and cause delays.
- 2 Have your German certificate in hand before 15 July: unlike some German universities, Tübingen rejects applications without language proof.
- 3 If you are a non-EU applicant for a restricted programme, a strong TestAS or advanced German certificate can improve your grade by up to a full point.
- 4 Book your visa appointment immediately after admission, and start your housing search early: Tübingen rooms can take time to find.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
German universities, including Tübingen, usually do not offer full scholarships themselves; the university points international students to the DAAD scholarship database and other foundations, noting that only about 14% of international degree students hold a scholarship. Students taking a second degree pay 650 euros per semester.
- 194.80 euros (Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim 107.80 euros incl. naldo semester ticket solidarity charge, administration fee 80 euros, student union 7 euros)
- Semester fee, winter 2026/27
- 1,500 euros per semester
- Non-EU tuition
- 650 euros per semester
- Second-degree tuition
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter semester from October, summer semester from April)
Machine Learning
Listed by the university as one of its innovative programmes and backed by the Machine Learning Cluster of Excellence.
Cognitive Science (BSc)
An interdisciplinary bachelor's degree allocated through the DoSV for EU applicants, in a university with a Machine Learning Cluster of Excellence.
Molecular Medicine (BSc)
Taught alongside Tübingen's infection and cancer research clusters CMFI and iFIT.
Medical Technology (BSc)
A cooperative programme run with the University of Stuttgart.
Geoecology (BSc)
Linked to the TERRA Cluster of Excellence in the geo and life sciences.
Protestant Theology
Continues the tradition of the Tübinger Stift, where Kepler, Hegel, Schelling and Hölderlin studied.
Research
- Six Clusters of Excellence: CMFI, GreenRobust, HUMAN ORIGINS, iFIT, Machine Learning and TERRA.
- 51 ERC grants (including 6 Synergy Grants) and 6 Humboldt Professorships.
- Nobel laureate Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard earned her PhD at Tübingen and later directed the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in the town.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Protestant Theology
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Center for Islamic Theology
Student life
Tübingen is a classic German university town: university buildings such as the Neue Aula, the Kupferbau lecture hall and the Brechtbau humanities building are spread through the town. Students live in self-catering Studierendenwerk residences, shared flats (WGs), small apartments or as lodgers, and the university warns that finding a room takes time. Cultural life includes the Collegium Musicum's academic choir and orchestra, the English-language Provisional Players theatre group, a big band and many other student ensembles.
- The Neue Aula carries the university's motto 'Attempto!' and its founding year.
- Collegium Musicum with the Akademischer Chor and Akademisches Orchester.
- The Provisional Players, an English-language theatre group.
- Tübingen Writers' Lectureship and university concert series.
Housing. Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim and other providers run self-catering student residences; many students live in shared flats, and the university advises starting the search early.
Location
Tübingen is a traditional university city on the Neckar river in central Baden-Württemberg, 30 km south of Stuttgart. Students account for almost one in three of its 90,000 residents, giving it one of the youngest populations in Germany. The medieval old town is compact, and the semester ticket gives access to the regional naldo transport network. Housing is the main challenge.
Nearest airport: Stuttgart Airport (STR)
Notable alumni
- JK Johannes KeplerAstronomer who formulated the laws of planetary motion; studied at the Tübinger Stift from 1589
- GW Georg Wilhelm Friedrich HegelPhilosopher of German idealism; graduated from the Tübingen seminary
- FW Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph SchellingPhilosopher; Hegel's roommate at the Tübingen seminary
- FH Friedrich HölderlinPoet; Hegel's and Schelling's roommate at the Tübingen seminary
- CN Christiane Nüsslein-VolhardDevelopmental biologist and 1995 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine; PhD from Tübingen
- HK Horst KöhlerPresident of Germany 2004-2010; doctorate in economics and political science from Tübingen
- KG Kurt Georg KiesingerChancellor of West Germany 1966-1969; studied philosophy and history at Tübingen
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at the University of Tübingen?
EU students pay only the semester fee of 194.80 euros (winter 2026/27). Non-EU students pay 1,500 euros tuition per semester on top, under Baden-Württemberg law.
What is the application deadline for Tübingen?
For the winter semester, 15 July for bachelor's and Staatsexamen programmes with restricted admission and 30 September for programmes without restrictions, so 15 July 2027 for restricted programmes in winter 2027/28.
Do I need German to study at Tübingen?
Yes for German-taught programmes, which includes most bachelor's degrees: DSH-2, TestDaF 4 in all parts or equivalent must be submitted with the application. Programmes taught entirely in English do not require German.
Is Tübingen a University of Excellence?
Yes. It has held the status since 2012, and in March 2026 it was confirmed beyond 2026 on the basis of six Clusters of Excellence.
Does Tübingen use uni-assist?
No. International applicants apply directly through the university's ALMA portal; EU applicants for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy apply via hochschulstart.
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 Tübingen in the QS World University Rankings 2027.