Educads

326 Best Public Universities in Germany

Of the 326 Public universities in Germany, Technical University of Munich ranks highest at #22 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come Technische Universität München (QS World #22) and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (QS World #54). The universities on this list offer 2,904 matching courses between them.

326 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
122Ranked
TH Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt logo
#122 in Germany Germany
#122 in Germany · by research impact
59,342 citations · h-index 95
126Ranked
HV Hochschule Vechta logo
#126 in Germany Germany
#126 in Germany · by research impact
50,854 citations · h-index 94
127Ranked
HL Handelshochschule Leipzig logo
#127 in Germany Germany

Handelshochschule Leipzig

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#127 in Germany · by research impact
50,422 citations · h-index 101
128Ranked
HF Hochschule für Philosophie München logo
#128 in Germany Germany

Hochschule für Philosophie München

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#128 in Germany · by research impact
49,304 citations · h-index 87
130Ranked
HE Hochschule Esslingen logo
#130 in Germany Germany

Hochschule Esslingen

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#130 in Germany · by research impact
47,411 citations · h-index 91
135Ranked
UF Universität Flensburg logo
#135 in Germany Germany

Universität Flensburg

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#135 in Germany · by research impact
36,379 citations · h-index 82
138Ranked
CB Cologne Business School logo
#138 in Germany Germany
#138 in Germany · by research impact
32,179 citations · h-index 81
139Ranked
PH Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg logo
#139 in Germany Germany
#139 in Germany · by research impact
31,350 citations · h-index 79
143Ranked
FB Fachhochschule Brandenburg logo
#143 in Germany Germany

Fachhochschule Brandenburg

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#143 in Germany · by research impact
30,713 citations · h-index 59
144Ranked
TH Technische Hochschule Brandenburg logo
#144 in Germany Germany

Technische Hochschule Brandenburg

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#144 in Germany · by research impact
30,713 citations · h-index 59

How these universities are ranked

38 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #22 (Technical University of Munich) to #601 (Universität des Saarlandes); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. Heidelberg University has the largest research record in this group, with 44,319,490 citations and an h-index of 1,646. 124 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 326 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Bavaria (2), Baden-Württemberg (1) and North Rhine-Westphalia (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is Heidelberg University, founded in 1386. Technical University of Munich is the largest, with 52,000 students.

What the courses look like

By level: 1,570 bachelor's, 1,177 master's, 56 professional and 17 phd / doctorate. The most common subjects are Business & Management (619), Engineering (542), Computer Science & IT (266) and Social Sciences & Psychology (219). The usual length is 4 years and 1–2 years. 95% are full-time and 26 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (75% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (72% of courses with a stated intake). Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg offers the widest choice, with 138 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 5 of these universities. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich is the least expensive at USD 600 a year and Heidelberg University the most at USD 3,000; the middle of the range is about USD 600. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public in Germany?

Technical University of Munich (QS World #22), Technische Universität München (QS World #22) and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (QS World #54) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public in Germany?

Of those with published fees, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich is the least expensive at about USD 600 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public in Germany?

326 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public course take in Germany?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 1–2 years the next most common.

When do Public courses start in Germany?

Fall is the main intake — 75% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Public online with a university in Germany?

26 of these courses are listed as online.

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