About Universität Hamburg
Universität Hamburg (University of Hamburg) was founded in 1919 and is the largest research and educational institution in northern Germany. It frames its mission around "Innovating and Cooperating for a Sustainable Future in a Digital Age" and is organized into eight faculties spanning law, business and economics, medicine, education, humanities, mathematics/informatics/natural sciences, psychology and human movement science, and the University of Hamburg Business School.
The University has held the status of a University of Excellence under the German Excellence Strategy since 2019, with four Clusters of Excellence: CLICCS (climate), CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter, Quantum Universe, and Understanding Written Artefacts. It holds quality certifications including the family-friendly higher education audit, an internationalization re-audit, the HRK Diversity Audit, and system accreditation.
With 42,707 students and 189 degree programs across its faculties, the University combines broad, research-adjacent study options with a strong record of external research funding.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1919
- Students
- 42,707
- Faculties
- 8
Founded in 1919; the largest university in northern Germany
University of Excellence since 2019 under the German Excellence Strategy
Four Clusters of Excellence: CLICCS, CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter, Quantum Universe, Understanding Written Artefacts
42,707 students across 8 faculties and 189 degree programs
Tuition-free public university — only a semester contribution (384 euros for summer semester 2026)
Audited as a family-friendly institution with HRK Diversity Audit and internationalization re-audit certifications
Admissions & costs
Tuition & fees
As a public university in Hamburg, Universität Hamburg charges no tuition fees for regular degree programs. Students pay only a mandatory semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag), which was 384 euros for the summer semester 2026. This contribution covers student services and a semester public-transport ticket; the exact components are published on the University's semester contribution webpage and are revised periodically.
Admission requirements
Universität Hamburg admits international degree-seeking students into bachelor's/Staatsexamen and master's programs via its online application system (no paper documents are submitted at application stage for bachelor/Staatsexamen; documents are uploaded if requested or upon enrollment). Non-exempted applicants to German-taught programs must prove sufficient German language knowledge by the enrollment deadline; exemptions apply to applicants with a German degree, a German-acquired qualification, or comparable prior study. A bonus-points system applies to non-EU bachelor applicants, incorporating grade conversion and possible bonus points for language skills or academic preparation. Applicants from India, China, and Vietnam should note that German universities and consulates generally require an APS certificate (Akademische Prüfstelle) for admission and the student visa; confirm the exact APS requirement with the University and the responsible APS office before applying.
Application deadlines
Winter semester: bachelor's/Staatsexamen 1 June to 15 July; master's programs 1 May to 15 June; international master's programs 15 February to 31 March. Summer semester: 1 December to 15 January. Deadlines vary by program and applicant type, so verify the specific program's dates on the University's deadlines page.
Languages of instruction
German; English
Campuses & locations
Main campus area in the Rotherbaum district near the city center, hosting many faculties and central facilities.
Science and research campus in the west of Hamburg, a hub for the natural sciences and large-scale research.
Living in Hamburg
Universität Hamburg is located in Hamburg, a city-state in northern Germany and Germany's second-largest city. The University's central campus sits around Von-Melle-Park in the Rotherbaum district near the city center, while its natural-science research is concentrated at Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld in the west of the city.
179
Accredited Programmes
93
Bachelor/Bakkalaureus
86
Master
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