Technische Universität Darmstadt

Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany

Founded: 1877
Students: 24,437
International: 28%
Programmes: 115
Taught in English: 43

Overview Programmes115 Admissions & fees Scholarships11 Accommodation Campus & life

About Technische Universität Darmstadt

Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) is one of Germany's leading technical universities, founded in 1877 as the first university in the world to award electrical engineering degrees. It is a member of the TU9 consortium of German technical universities and of the Rhine-Main Universities strategic alliance together with Goethe University Frankfurt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.

As of winter semester 2025/26, TU Darmstadt enrolls 24,437 students across 13 departments and over 130 degree programmes, with an annual budget of approximately €546.7 million. The university's research is organised around three fields: Energy and Environment, Information and Intelligence, and Matter and Materials, supported by 2 Clusters of Excellence, 11 Collaborative Research Centres, and 27 active ERC Grants.

With 28% of students coming from abroad, TU Darmstadt is one of Germany's most internationally diverse technical universities. It maintains partnerships in the European "Unite!" network spanning seven countries and coordinates student exchange across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

Founded in 1877 - the first university in the world to establish an electrical engineering faculty

Member of TU9, the consortium of Germany's nine leading technical universities

28% international students (WS 2025/26), making it one of Germany's most internationally diverse technical universities

21 fully English-taught Master's programmes including Computer Science, AI and Machine Learning, and IT Security

2 Clusters of Excellence, 27 active ERC Grants, and 11 Collaborative Research Centres

Ranked 1st worldwide in 'Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure' (THE Impact Ranking)

APS certificate required for applicants from India, China, and Vietnam

Key facts

Type: Universitäten
Founded: 1877
Students: 24,437
International: 28% Bildungsauslaender (students with non-German HZB) among 24,437 students (reporting year 2025/26)
Faculties: 13
Programmes: 115

Admissions & fees

What it costs

TU Darmstadt is a public university in Hessen. There is no tuition fee for any student regardless of nationality; Hessen does not charge non-EU tuition fees (unlike Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria). A semester contribution is charged each semester to cover the student union (AStA), the Studierendenwerk social services, and a semester ticket for local public transport. The exact current amount should be verified at the time of enrolment from the official fees page; historically it has been in the range of €300-€400 per semester. Living costs are estimated at approximately €992 per month (the statutory blocked-account reference figure), covering housing (€350-€650/month in shared apartments), food, health insurance (~€130/month), and other expenses.

Admission requirements

International applicants apply via TU Darmstadt's TUCaN online portal. After submitting the online application, a printed cover sheet and supporting paper documents must be posted to the International Admissions Office (Zulassung International, Karolinenplatz 5, 64289 Darmstadt) to meet the deadline. Required documents include certified translations of school-leaving certificate, grade transcripts, and (for Master's applicants) a bachelor's degree certificate and all semester transcripts. Notarisation is not required. Language requirements: German-taught programmes require DSH-2 or equivalent (TestDaF TDN 14-15, Goethe B2). English-taught programmes require IELTS 7.0, TOEFL iBT 95, PTE Academic 76, or Cambridge CAE (lower thresholds apply for a small number of STEM programmes: IELTS 5.5 / TOEFL iBT 72). APS certificate: Required for applicants holding Indian, Chinese, or Vietnamese qualifications. Not required for doctoral programmes or credentials from Hong Kong, Macao, or Taiwan. Master's admission: Requires a bachelor's degree in the same or a closely related field. External applicants must submit certified proof of degree completion by 15 January (winter semester) or 1 July (summer semester). Studienkolleg: A one-year preparatory programme (T-Kurs for STEM, G-Kurs for humanities) is available for applicants not meeting direct entry requirements.

Application deadlines

Application opens 1 June for the winter semester (October start) and 1 December for the summer semester (April start). Studienkolleg applications open on 15 March and 15 September respectively. Specific closing deadlines vary by programme and are published on individual programme pages in TUCaN. Master's degree-certificate proof deadline: 15 January (winter) and 1 July (summer) for external applicants.

How international applicants apply

TU Darmstadt does NOT use uni-assist. All applicants - German and international HZB alike - apply via the TUCaN online portal; international applicants follow the TUCaN document checklist (certified translations, passport copy etc.) and submit printed documents by post where the checklist requires it. APS certificate required for applicants with Chinese, Vietnamese or Indian school/university certificates. German-language bachelor/master programmes require DSH-2 (or recognised equivalent). The TUCaN portal opens early for international applicants (from 1 March 2026 for winter semester 2026/27) to support visa and residence applications.

Languages of instruction

The majority of degree programmes are taught in German. TU Darmstadt offers 21 fully English-taught Master's programmes, including Aerospace Engineering, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Computer Science, IT Security, Physics, and Materials Science. Several additional Master's programmes use mixed German/English instruction. German-taught programmes require DSH-2 or equivalent; English-taught programmes require IELTS 7.0, TOEFL iBT 95, PTE Academic 76, or Cambridge CAE.

Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.

Student accommodation

What Technische Universität Darmstadt publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.

The university's housing page

Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.

Open housing page

Room types mentioned

What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.

Residence Hall/Dormitory Shared Flat (WG) Apartment/Flat

From the university

Start early

Halls of residence in Germany are allocated by waiting list and are usually oversubscribed. Apply as soon as you hold an admission letter, and keep looking on the private market in parallel.

Ask the International Office

They answer housing questions from admitted students.

Housing & support pages [email protected]

Living in Darmstadt

Rent is the largest part of the blocked account, and it varies far more by city than by university.

Cost of living guides

Campuses & locations

Campus Stadtmitte

Main city-centre campus; location of the International Counter (karo 5, Karolinenplatz 5) and central administration

Campus Lichtwiese

Engineering and natural-sciences campus east of the city centre

Campus Botanischer Garten

Adjacent to the botanical garden; biology and related disciplines

Campus Hochschulstadion

Sports and physical education facilities

Campus Windkanal / Griesheim

Aeronautics and fluid-dynamics research site

Living in Darmstadt

Darmstadt is a city of approximately 165,000 inhabitants in the southern Rhein-Main metropolitan region, around 30 km south of Frankfurt am Main. It is known as a centre of science and technology - home to the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, and several Fraunhofer Institutes alongside TU Darmstadt. The city is well connected to Frankfurt Airport via bus and offers a lively student culture shaped by its large university population, with affordable living costs relative to Frankfurt.

Student life & support

TU Darmstadt does not operate its own student residences; degree-seeking international students must find private accommodation. The Housing International Office (located in karo 5, Karolinenplatz 5) provides guidance, housing lists, and scam awareness advice. Room rentals in shared apartments average approximately €500/month in Darmstadt. The International Student Services (ISS) office supports international students from pre-arrival through the full duration of study, covering visa procedures, bank account setup, health insurance, and orientation. A dedicated International Counter is available in person and via video call at karo 5. German language preparatory courses are offered through the PreCIS and PreBachelor programmes. The university also coordinates the International Summer University and a range of exchange and double-degree programmes.

International Office [email protected] International students page →

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Technische Universität Darmstadt

About Technische Universität Darmstadt

Key facts

Study programmes

Aerospace Engineering, M.Sc.

Angewandte Geowissenschaften, B.Sc.

Angewandte Geowissenschaften, M.Sc.

Angewandte Linguistik, M.A.

Angewandte Mechanik, B.Sc.

Architektur, B.Sc.

Architektur, M.Sc.

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, M.Sc.

Autonome Systeme und Robotik, M.Sc.

Autonome Systeme, M.Sc.

Bahnverkehr, Mobilität und Logistik, M.Sc.

Bauingenieurwesen - Civil Engineering, M.Sc.

Bauingenieurwesen und Geodäsie, B.Sc.

Baurecht und Bauwirtschaft, M.Sc.

Bildungswissenschaften, M.A.

Bio-Materials Engineering, B.Sc.

Bio-Materials Engineering, M.Sc., M.Sc.

Biologie, B.Sc.

Biologie, M.Sc.

Biomolecular Engineering - Molekulare Biotechnologie, B.Sc.

Biomolecular Engineering - Molekulare Biotechnologie, M.Sc.

Business Administration and Engineering: Materials Science, M.Sc.

Chemie, B.Sc.

Chemie, M.Sc.

Admissions & fees

What it costs

Admission requirements

Application deadlines

How international applicants apply

Languages of instruction

Scholarships at Technische Universität Darmstadt

Deutschlandstipendium at TU Darmstadt

EPOS Scholarship (DAAD Development-Related Postgraduate Courses)

Erasmus+ Student Mobility (European Exchange)

HessenFonds Scholarship

Leistungsorientiertes Studienabschluss-Stipendium (Merit-Based Completion Scholarship)

Motivationsstipendium

Prof. Sorin Huss Fund

Prof. Sorin Huss Fund (Childcare Support)

PROMOS Scholarship (Outbound Mobility)

Scholarships for More Equal Opportunities (STIBET)

Thomas Weiland Foundation Scholarship

Student accommodation

The university's housing page

Room types mentioned

From the university

Campuses & locations

Living in Darmstadt

Student life & support

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Interested in Studying at Technische Universität Darmstadt?

Interested in Studying at
Technische Universität Darmstadt?