Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Bavaria's oldest university, where Röntgen discovered X-rays, now home to two Clusters of Excellence and no tuition fees.
- Students
- 25,000
- International
- 12%
- of students
- Tuition
- Free
- 2026-27
- Founded
- 1402
About JMU
The Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (JMU) was first founded in 1402, making it the oldest university in Bavaria, closed within a few years and re-established in 1582 by Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn. It has about 25,000 students (winter semester 2025/26), 3,078 of them international, around 5,000 employees including 479 professors, and 10 faculties ranging from Catholic Theology and Law to Physics and Astronomy and Medicine.
Würzburg's science reputation is old and concrete: Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895 in the university's Physical Institute, and JMU counts 14 Nobel laureates associated with it. Today it holds two Clusters of Excellence, ctd.qmat on quantum materials (with TU Dresden) and NUCLEATE on nucleic acids (with LMU and TUM), which qualify it to compete for University of Excellence status.
Teaching is spread between the historic old town, the Röntgenring and the large Hubland campus on a hill east of the city. Almost all bachelor's degrees are German-taught and tuition-free, with only a semester contribution; one BA, Diversity, Ethics and Religions, is taught in English. JMU suits students with good German who want a research university in a mid-sized, affordable city.
Veritati
“Devoted to the truth” — university motto
Why students choose JMU
No tuition fees for any student, EU or non-EU: only a semester contribution of 182.10 euros, which includes the public transport pass.
Unusual bachelor's options such as Aerospace Informatics, Quantum Technology, Games Engineering and Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, several of which need only B2 German to enrol.
Research-led science linked to the Clusters of Excellence ctd.qmat (quantum materials) and NUCLEATE (nucleic acids and RNA medicine).
Living costs of about 1,000 euros a month, which the university describes as low compared with other German cities.
Admissions
Winter semester 2027/28 entry (standing annual deadlines)
Selectivity
JMU publishes no overall admit rate. Many bachelor's programmes have no admission restriction; for programmes with local admission restrictions applicants are ranked (mainly by school-leaving grade), and Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy have nationwide restrictions.
Typical entry requirements
| German Abitur | Apply through WueStudy; restricted programmes may use the DoSV procedure via hochschulstart |
|---|---|
| Foreign school-leaving certificate | A qualification recognised as a higher education entrance qualification in Germany, checked through a uni-assist VPD requested before applying; otherwise a Studienkolleg is needed |
| German language | B2 to apply for unrestricted bachelor's programmes, DSH-2/DSH-3 for restricted ones; DSH-2 needed to enrol in most German-taught programmes, B2 enough for listed ones such as Computer Science, Physics, Games Engineering and Economics |
| English language | The BA Diversity, Ethics and Religions is taught in English and needs English at B1 (and German A2 after the second semester). Games Engineering needs English B1 plus German B2. Other bachelor's programmes are taught in German; many master's programmes are in English at B2. |
Deadlines
- Summer semester 2027 intake Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Only for programmes that admit in the summer semester (e.g. Computer Science, German Studies, Romance languages).
- Bachelor's, teaching degree and law (winter semester 2027/28) Non-binding In ~9 months15 July 2027
Deadline for receipt. WueStudy opens around the end of May. Request your uni-assist VPD well before this.
JMU uses standing annual deadlines for international applicants: 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester. The 2027 dates above apply those rules. Student housing applications close on 15 June for the winter semester.
How to apply
International applicants without a German school qualification first request a preliminary review documentation (VPD) from uni-assist, then apply online in WueStudy (from the end of May for the winter semester), uploading all documents and a German language certificate no older than one year. After admission, enrol online with certified translations, proof of health insurance and payment of the semester fee.
What admissions looks for
- A school-leaving qualification recognised in Germany, confirmed by a uni-assist VPD where required.
- German at B2 to apply and usually DSH-2 to enrol, documented by a certificate (participation certificates are not accepted).
- For restricted programmes, a strong school-leaving grade.
- A complete application uploaded to WueStudy by the deadline.
Tips for applying to JMU
- 1 Request your uni-assist VPD early: you need it before you can apply to Würzburg, and processing takes time.
- 2 Check the list of programmes where B2 German is enough to enrol, such as Computer Science, Physics, Games Engineering and Economics, if you are not yet at DSH-2.
- 3 Apply for a Studierendenwerk dorm by 15 June, before your admission letter even arrives, and choose any single room in a shared flat to improve your chances.
- 4 If you want to study in English, look at the BA Diversity, Ethics and Religions, which needs no German at the start.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
There are no tuition fees. International students are pointed to scholarships from their home countries, the DAAD scholarship database and the university's Career Centre overview; BAföG loans are only open to EU citizens with permanent residence rights, refugees and students with settlement permits. JMU also takes part in the Deutschlandstipendium.
- None, for all nationalities
- Tuition fee
- 182.10 euros
- Semester contribution (from winter 2026/27)
- About 1,000 euros a month
- Estimated living costs
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer semester)
Quantum Technology (Bachelor)
Taught in a physics department that runs the ctd.qmat Cluster of Excellence on quantum materials; B2 German suffices to enrol.
Aerospace Informatics (Bachelor)
A rare computer science specialisation in space and flight systems, with an Aerospace Informatics master's to follow.
Games Engineering (Bachelor)
Needs English B1 and German B2, one of the most accessible technical degrees for international students.
Diversity, Ethics and Religions (BA)
JMU's English-taught bachelor's, open with English at B1 and no German at entry.
Physics (Bachelor)
The subject of Röntgen's X-ray discovery and Klaus von Klitzing's doctoral research, taught by today's quantum materials researchers.
Medicine (State Examination)
A nationally restricted programme linked to a university hospital whose research focuses on translation, including CAR-T cell therapy.
Research
- Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895 in the university's Physical Institute, earning the first Nobel Prize in Physics.
- Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat (Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter) develops quantum materials with TU Dresden, for example for topological lasers.
- Cluster of Excellence NUCLEATE, with LMU and TUM, studies nucleic acids and their role in disease to develop new therapies.
- Four focal research areas include functional materials for quantum technology and Molecules of Life, with strengths in topological insulators, boron chemistry and RNA biology.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Arts: Historical, Philological, Cultural and Geographical Studies
- Faculty of Human Sciences
- Faculty of Biology
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
- Faculty of Physics and Astronomy
- Faculty of Business Management and Economics
Student life
With about 25,000 students in a city of roughly 130,000, Würzburg feels like a student town. University buildings are spread from the Renaissance Old University and the New University on the Sanderring in the old town to the Hubland campus overlooking the city from the east. The semester contribution includes a public transport pass. The Studierendenwerk runs ten dormitories with furnished single rooms and shared apartments, and there are further church and private halls; many students live in shared flats (WGs). International students can work 120 full or 240 half days a year.
- Semester ticket for public transport included in the 182.10 euro semester contribution.
- Ten Studierendenwerk dormitories plus church-run and private student halls.
- Member of the Coimbra Group and the CHARM-EU European university alliance.
- Museums and collections including the Martin von Wagner Museum and the Botanical Garden.
Housing. The Studierendenwerk runs ten furnished dormitories; applications close on 15 June for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester, and the university does not guarantee accommodation.
Location
Würzburg is a city of about 130,000 people on the Main river in northern Bavaria, the administrative seat of Lower Franconia and the second-largest city in Franconia after Nuremberg. It lies about 120 km from Frankfurt am Main and 110 km from Nuremberg. Its partly rebuilt old town sits below the Marienberg fortress hill, and the university describes living costs as low compared with other German cities.
Nearest airport: Nuremberg Airport (NUE), about 89 km; Frankfurt Airport (FRA), about 103 km
Notable alumni
- KV Klaus von KlitzingNobel Prize in Physics 1985 for the quantum Hall effect; PhD at Würzburg
- TB Thomas BachPresident of the International Olympic Committee and Olympic fencing champion; Dr. iur. from Würzburg (1983)
- PF Philipp Franz von SieboldPhysician and naturalist who studied Japan's flora and fauna; studied medicine at Würzburg from 1815
- EK Emil KraepelinPsychiatrist who helped lay the foundations of modern scientific psychiatry; completed his medical studies at Würzburg
- CN Carl NeubergBiochemistry pioneer sometimes called the father of modern biochemistry; studied at Würzburg
- JS Josef SchusterPresident of the Central Council of Jews in Germany; studied medicine at Würzburg
Frequently asked questions
Does the University of Würzburg charge tuition fees for international students?
No. All students, including non-EU students, pay only the semester contribution, 182.10 euros per semester from winter 2026/27, which includes a public transport pass.
Can I study a bachelor's degree in English at Würzburg?
Yes, but only one: the BA Diversity, Ethics and Religions, which requires English at B1. Other bachelor's programmes are taught in German.
What level of German do I need for Würzburg?
B2 to apply for unrestricted bachelor's programmes and DSH-2/DSH-3 for restricted ones. To enrol, most German-taught programmes need DSH-2, but some, such as Computer Science, Physics and Economics, accept B2.
When is the application deadline?
15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester (receipt deadlines). Most international applicants must obtain a uni-assist VPD before applying.
How many Nobel laureates are associated with the University of Würzburg?
The university counts 14, including Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who discovered X-rays at Würzburg in 1895, and Klaus von Klitzing, who did his doctorate there.
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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