- Founded
- 1818
- Students
- 31,318
- International
- 17%
- Programmes
- 247
- Taught in English
- 58
About Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, founded in 1818, is one of Germany's largest and most research-intensive universities. It holds the status of a University of Excellence - one of only eleven in Germany - and is the only German university with eight Clusters of Excellence. With over 200 degree programmes across seven faculties, the university enrolls around 31,318 students, of whom approximately 5,285 are international.
In recent decades, the University of Bonn has produced more Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winners than any other German university. It holds 69 ERC Grants (including completed projects) and 23 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prizes, underpinning its standing as a leading research university in Europe. Its annual budget exceeds 835 million euros, with over 214 million euros in third-party research funding.
The university is spread across multiple campuses in and around the city of Bonn, with around 349 buildings, 67 of which are listed historic monuments. The historic baroque main building at Am Hof, a former electoral palace, serves as the university's symbolic centre.
Founded 18 October 1818 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III as sixth Prussian university (predecessor Kurkoelnische Akademie raised to university rank 1786)
University of Excellence: most successful university in Excellence Strategy cluster line - eight clusters funded in May 2025 round
Seven Nobel laureates among alumni/faculty incl. Harald zur Hausen, Wolfgang Paul, Reinhard Selten
7 faculties: Protestant Theology, Catholic Theology, Agriculture/Nutrition/Engineering, Mathematics/Natural Sciences, Medicine, Philosophy, Law/Economics
Key facts
- Type
- Universitäten
- Founded
- 1818
- Students
- 31,318
- International
- ~5,285 international students (~17%)
- Faculties
- 7
- Programmes
- 247
Study programmes
247 accredited degrees at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, 58 of them taught in English.
Showing 25–48 of 247 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) does not charge tuition fees for bachelor's or consecutive master's programmes at public universities, regardless of nationality. All enrolled students pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) each semester; the exact current amount was not published on the pages fetched during this extraction - check the Student Registry page or contact the university directly for the latest figure. NRW has not introduced a separate non-EU tuition fee (unlike Baden-Württemberg's €1,500/semester levy or Bavaria's fees introduced from WS 2025/26).
Admission requirements
International applicants must hold a school-leaving or bachelor's degree recognised as equivalent to the corresponding German qualification. For German-taught programmes, proof of German language proficiency is mandatory - typically DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4 in all four components. English-taught master's programmes generally require IELTS or TOEFL; specific thresholds vary by programme. Applicants whose prior qualifications are from India, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), or Vietnam must additionally obtain an APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate before applying; the German visa authority will also require it. The university's Central Study Advisory and Counseling Service ([email protected], +49 228 73-7080) and the Student Registry for International Applicants ([email protected], +49 228 73-4464) are the correct first contacts for admission queries. Admission to restricted programmes (Numerus Clausus) is handled via the national Hochschulstart portal or directly by the university.
Application deadlines
Re-registration deadlines for continuing students: 31 August (winter semester) and 28/29 February (summer semester). Specific application deadlines for new applicants - including international applicants - are published on the university's Application Deadlines page (accessible via the Studying section of uni-bonn.de) and vary by programme and admission type (open admission vs. restricted/NC). The university's lecture periods are: Summer 2026: 14 April - 24 July; Winter 2026/27: 12 October - 5 February 2027.
How international applicants apply
Not used - the University of Bonn does not work with uni-assist. International applicants apply directly in Bonn's own online application/enrollment portal; non-EU/EER applicants with a foreign higher-education entrance qualification must submit an application even for open-admission subjects. Some local-NC subjects run through hochschulstart DoSV (registration there, application still via the Bonn system), and medicine/dentistry/pharmacy are allocated via the central ZV of hochschulstart for German/EU-equal applicants. German B2 required at application, DSH-2/C1 at enrolment.
Languages of instruction
Most bachelor's and consecutive master's programmes are taught in German. A growing number of master's programmes are taught fully in English, spanning STEM, economics, and humanities disciplines. The university accepts DSH and TestDaF as proof of German proficiency for German-taught programmes. Intensive German language preparatory courses and in-semester courses are offered at all CEFR levels. Contact the International Office or check the degree programme listings for current English-taught options.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
7 schemes run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
DAAD-STIBET I Scholarships (Global Exchange Program)
International students who come to Bonn from partner universities as part of the Global Exchange Program can obtain a DAAD-STIBET...
Amount: EUR 650 per month
Deadline: Via nomination during the Global Exchange Program application process
Bachelor, Master
Degree Completion Scholarship for international students (DAAD STIBET)
International students working toward a degree at the University of Bonn can apply for a Degree Completion Scholarship supporting...
Amount: Per DAAD STIBET guidelines (announced with each call)
Deadline: Next call expected December 2026 (subject to funding approval); 2026 s...
Bachelor, Master, State Examination
Deutschlandstipendium at University of Bonn
The national Germany Scholarship programme at the University of Bonn. Students receive EUR 300 per month, funded half by the feder...
Amount: EUR 300 per month
Deadline: Published with each annual call
Bachelor, Master
Equal Opportunity Scholarship for international students
Supports international degree-seeking students at the University of Bonn facing special circumstances and challenges while complet...
Amount: EUR 650 per month
Deadline: Published annually (last call closed 15 June 2025)
Bachelor, Master, State Examination
NRWege ins Studium scholarships for students with refugee background
NRWege ins Studium supports University of Bonn students with a refugee history through monthly scholarships and counselling on the...
Amount: EUR 300 per month top-up; up to EUR 992 per month for full scholarship...
Deadline: 15 August (annual call; last published deadline 15 August 2025)
Bachelor, Master, State Examination
Pathways to Research for University Students
A two-semester (12-month) support program for university students at Bonn that combines a monthly grant of EUR 300 with regular ev...
Amount: EUR 300 per month
Deadline: Next application period announced around autumn 2026
Bachelor, Master
Scholarship recognizing exceptional voluntary work or community engagement
For international degree students at the University of Bonn doing an exceptional amount of voluntary work - supporting other stude...
Amount: EUR 650 per month
Deadline: Published annually (last call closed 15 June 2025)
Bachelor, Master, State Examination
Student accommodation
What Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studierendenwerk Bonn
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 pageRoom types mentioned
What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.
From the university
Student housing is managed through the Studierendenwerk Bonn; availability is limited and early application is advised.
Campuses & locations
City-centre campus housing the baroque main building (former electoral palace), Faculty of Arts, and Faculty of Law
Interdisciplinary campus spanning over 15 hectares; includes recent additions such as the Rotation Building (opened 2024) and the Teaching and Research Forum
Home to parts of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences; new pharmacy and chemistry buildings under construction
Houses the University Hospital Bonn (UKB)
Home to the Faculty of Education
Agricultural teaching and research station maintained by the Faculty of Agriculture, located outside Bonn
Living in Bonn
Bonn is a mid-sized city of approximately 330,000 inhabitants on the Rhine in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, around 25 km south of Cologne. Formerly the capital of West Germany, it retains a significant international presence as the headquarters of numerous UN agencies and international organisations. The city is compact, walkable, and well connected by rail, with a reputation for a high quality of life, relatively affordable rents compared with Frankfurt or Munich, and a lively cultural scene anchored by three major museums (the Bundeskunsthalle, Kunstmuseum Bonn, and the Haus der Geschichte) and the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Student life & support
The International Office (Poppelsdorfer Allee 53 and 102, [email protected]) is the central contact point for international students before, during, and after their studies. It coordinates Welcome Days, a Study Buddy Programme pairing international students with local peers, and intercultural training events through Campus International. German language courses at all CEFR levels - including intensive pre-semester courses and DSH preparatory courses - are offered by the university's language centre. Student housing is managed through the Studierendenwerk Bonn; availability is limited and early application is advised. The university's library system comprises 58 libraries with approximately 5 million volumes.
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