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
148Ranked
HA Hochschule Albstadt-Sigmaringen logo
#148 in Germany Germany
#148 in Germany · by research impact
27,476 citations · h-index 73
149Ranked
FW Fachhochschule Wedel logo
#149 in Germany Germany

Fachhochschule Wedel

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#149 in Germany · by research impact
26,921 citations · h-index 77
150Ranked
HW Hochschule Wismar, Fachhochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Gestaltung logo
#150 in Germany Germany
#150 in Germany · by research impact
25,574 citations · h-index 63
152Ranked
ST Steinbeis-Hochschule-Berlin logo
#152 in Germany Germany

Steinbeis-Hochschule-Berlin

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#152 in Germany · by research impact
22,366 citations · h-index 68
155Ranked
WH Westsächsische Hochschule Zwickau (FH) logo
#155 in Germany Germany
#155 in Germany · by research impact
19,785 citations · h-index 61
159Ranked
FF Fachhochschule Flensburg logo
#159 in Germany Germany

Fachhochschule 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
#159 in Germany · by research impact
16,880 citations · h-index 58
162Ranked
FS Fachhochschule Stuttgart, Hochschule der Medien logo
#162 in Germany Germany
#162 in Germany · by research impact
13,720 citations · h-index 53
165Ranked
PH Pädagogische Hochschule Schwäbisch Gmünd logo
#165 in Germany Germany
#165 in Germany · by research impact
11,060 citations · h-index 38
167Ranked
FN Fachhochschule Nordhausen logo
#167 in Germany Germany

Fachhochschule Nordhausen

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#167 in Germany · by research impact
9,695 citations · h-index 44
168Ranked
IU International University in Germany logo
#168 in Germany Germany

International University in Germany

Public University · 0 courses

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

Tuition (indicative)
Founded
Students
International
Admissions open
#168 in Germany · by research impact
9,210 citations · h-index 48

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.

Get your destination country university & scholarship updates

New scholarships, application deadlines and admission guides — a couple of emails a month, no spam.

Stay updated

Get admission alerts, scholarship deadlines & university news — free.