- Founded
- 1558
- Students
- 16,552
- International
- 14.8%
- Programmes
- 182
- Taught in English
- 34
About Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena), founded in 1558, is one of Germany's oldest universities and the largest higher education institution in the state of Thuringia. It is organised into ten faculties covering the full spectrum of academic disciplines from natural and life sciences to humanities, law, social sciences, and economics. In Winter Semester 2024/25 the university enrolled 16,552 students, of whom 2,346 (14.8%) were international students from more than 100 countries.
FSU Jena employs over 10,000 people including its university hospital, making it one of Thuringia's largest employers. The university holds 488 international partnerships across 73 countries and generated €183.3 million in third-party research funding in 2024. Its guiding research profile is summarised under the motto "Light, Life, Liberty", reflecting strengths in photonics and optics, life sciences, and social-philosophical inquiry.
Study is offered across 223 degree programmes; 25 of these are taught in English, while the remainder are German-medium. The university participates in the European Campus of City-Universities (EC2U) network and offers joint international degree programmes. No tuition fees are charged for standard bachelor's and consecutive master's programmes.
Founded 1558 - over 460 years of academic history, one of Germany's oldest universities
16,552 students in WS 2024/25 with 2,346 international students (14.8%) from 100+ countries
10 faculties, 223 degree programmes including 25 English-taught programmes
No tuition fees for bachelor's and consecutive master's programmes; Thuringia has not introduced non-EU fees
Research strengths in photonics/optics, life sciences, and social philosophy under the motto 'Light, Life, Liberty'
488 international partnerships across 73 countries; member of the EC2U European university network
APS certificate required for applicants from India, China, and Vietnam
Key facts
- Type
- Universitäten
- Founded
- 1558
- Students
- 16,552
- International
- ~14.8% (2,346 international students, WS 2024/25)
- Faculties
- 10
- Programmes
- 182
Study programmes
182 accredited degrees at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, 34 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–23 of 23 matching programmes
Clear filtersAdmissions & fees
What it costs
No tuition fees are charged for standard bachelor's and consecutive master's programmes at FSU Jena. Thuringia has not introduced non-EU tuition fees (unlike Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria). All enrolled students pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag): €335.05 for Summer Semester 2026; the Winter Semester 2026/27 amount was to be published in mid-June 2026. The semester contribution includes the regional public transport semester ticket. Monthly living costs in Jena are estimated at €750-900 (rent, health insurance, food, books, and personal items). Non-EU students must maintain a blocked account (Sperrkonto) of approximately €11,904-€13,092 per year for visa purposes.
Admission requirements
International applicants must hold a secondary or higher education qualification recognised for German university entrance; FSU Jena references the KMK anabin database for assessment of foreign credentials. Applicants whose school-leaving certificate does not directly qualify for university admission are required to complete a one-year Studienkolleg (preparatory college): the public Studienkolleg Thüringen in Nordhausen (free of charge) or the private International Study Centre Thuringia in Jena (fee-based). Studienkolleg admission requires at least B2 German. Applicants from India, China (PR, HK, Macau), and Vietnam must obtain an APS certificate (Akademische Prüfstelle) before applying, including for Studienkolleg admission. For direct bachelor's admission, school-leaving certificates that are equivalent to the German Abitur allow entry without Studienkolleg; individual assessment via anabin is required. German-taught degree programmes require DSH-2, TestDaF TDN 4, Goethe C2, DSD II, or telc C1 Hochschule. Conditional admission is possible for applicants who can show enrolment in a C1 German course, with full certification required by enrolment. For English-taught master's programmes, English proficiency requirements are set at the individual programme level. Non-EU applicants should verify their qualification recognition via anabin or the DAAD database before applying.
Application deadlines
Studienkolleg (preparatory college) applications: Winter Semester - 1 April to 31 May; Summer Semester - 1 October to 30 November. For degree programmes, the university runs a standard German higher education application cycle: Winter Semester (October start) applications typically close in July; Summer Semester (April start) applications typically close in January. Enrolment for Winter Semester 2026/27 closes 30 October 2026. Master's programme deadlines vary; consult the individual programme page on uni-jena.de for exact dates. Studierendenwerk Thüringen dormitory applications should be submitted by 15 January (summer) or 15 July (winter).
How international applicants apply
Direct portal - international undergraduate applicants register and apply through the university's own Friedolin 2.0 online application portal (HISinOne); uni-assist/VPD is not mentioned anywhere on the official international application pages.
Languages of instruction
German is the primary language of instruction. Admission to German-taught programmes requires DSH-2 or equivalent (TestDaF TDN 4 in all four sections, Goethe C2 (GDS), DSD II, or telc C1 Hochschule). DSH-1 alone is not accepted. Of 223 degree programmes, 25 are taught in English, concentrated primarily at master's level. The University Language Centre offers German courses for all levels, including an intensive pre-semester course in September (€80 fee; top performers receive a refund).
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena
5 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Bridge Scholarships (Exzellenzcluster Imaginamics)
The Exzellenzcluster 'Imaginamics: Practices and Dynamics of Social Imagining' awards Bridge Scholarships to support excellent Mas...
Amount: EUR 1,500 per month
Deadline: 11 June 2026 (for 2026/27 cohort)
Master (graduates transitioning to PhD)
Deutschlandstipendium at the University of Jena
State-funded programme supporting talented students; the University of Jena has participated since 2011 and around 60 to 65 studen...
Amount: EUR 300 per month
Deadline: Annual call for the winter semester; deadline for 2026/27 was 15 April...
Bachelor, Master
International Internship Funding (Auslandspraktika Finanzierung)
Funding options for international internships and practice semesters abroad, including DAAD Lehramt.International (for non-Europea...
Amount: Varies: DAAD up to full funding; Erasmus+ monthly rates; university-sp...
Deadline: Varies: DAAD deadlines; Erasmus+ ~6 months before; Sarajevo/Jerusalem...
Bachelor, Master, State Exam (Lehramt)
Promotionsstipendien (Doctoral Scholarships) Overview
Overview of doctoral scholarship opportunities at the University of Jena, including Landesgraduiertenstipendien (state graduate sc...
Amount: Varies by programme
Deadline: Varies by programme
Doctorate
University of Jena Funding Programmes (Förderprogramme der Universität Jena)
The University of Jena supports researchers with various funding programmes covering scholarships, travel and material costs, thir...
Amount: Varies by programme
Deadline: Varies by programme
Doctorate, Postdoc
Student accommodation
What Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studierendenwerk Thüringen
Not by the university. Apply to them directly, and expect a waiting list.
The university's housing page
Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.
Open housing pageHousing office: [email protected]
Room types mentioned
What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.
From the university
The International Office ([email protected], +49 3641 9-401521) at Universitätshauptgebäude, Room 0.17-0.18, Fürstengraben 1, supports all incoming international students with advice on enrolment, housing, and arrival procedures. Student accommodation is managed through Studierendenwerk Thüringen; applications for dormitory places should be submitted by 15 January (summer) or 15 July (winter).
Campuses & locations
The university is concentrated in the city of Jena, with the historic main building at Fürstengraben 1 and the modern Ernst-Abbe-Platz campus. A further campus development at Inselplatz is ongoing.
Living in Jena
Jena is a mid-sized university city of approximately 110,000 inhabitants in Thuringia, central Germany, situated in the Saale river valley. It has a strongly academic character, shaped by Friedrich Schiller University's 16,000+ students. The city is internationally recognised as a centre of precision optics and photonics, home to companies including Carl Zeiss, SCHOTT, and Jenoptik. Jena is compact and walkable; neighbouring cities Weimar (15 minutes by train) and Erfurt (25-30 minutes) are accessible free of charge with the student semester ticket. Cost of living is lower than Munich, Hamburg, or Frankfurt, making it one of the more affordable university cities in Germany.
Student life & support
The International Office ([email protected], +49 3641 9-401521) at Universitätshauptgebäude, Room 0.17-0.18, Fürstengraben 1, supports all incoming international students with advice on enrolment, housing, and arrival procedures. Student accommodation is managed through Studierendenwerk Thüringen; applications for dormitory places should be submitted by 15 January (summer) or 15 July (winter). Private rentals in Weimar and Erfurt are also feasible due to cheap regional train connections covered by the semester ticket. German language courses are offered by the University Language Centre at all levels; a September intensive course is available for €80. The university sports centre (UNISPORT) offers a wide range of recreational activities. The campus hosts students from over 100 countries, and intercultural training programmes are available through the International Office.
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