Top Universities for Masters Study in Germany – 2025
Don't miss our weekly Masters newsletter | Sign up now Don't miss our weekly Masters newsletter | Sign up now

Top Universities for Masters Study in Germany – 2025

Written by Mark Bennett

With over 500 universities offering more than 20,000 programmes, Germany has plenty of choice to offer postgraduate students!

This guide will cover the different types of universities in Germany, as well as an overview of the top institutions for Masters students in 2025.

There are four types of German university:

  • Research Universities (Universität) carry out academic research in various subjects. They award a range of Masters and PhD degrees.
  • Technical Universities (Technische Universität) traditionally specialise in science, technology and engineering research. Many now offer qualifications in other subject areas including the Humanities.
  • Universities of Applied Science (Fachhochschulen) focus on practical subjects such as Engineering, Business and Social Science. They are often partnered with commercial or professional organisations.
  • Colleges of Art, Film and Music offer specialised practical instruction in creative disciplines. Candidates are normally required to demonstrate appropriate creative skills and experience.

Germany is also renowned for its research institutes, such as those run by the Max Planck Society [link]. These often work in partnerships with universities, businesses and industry. However, they don't normally award qualifications below PhD level.

Universities in Germany are either public or private.

Public universities receive funding from one of Germany’s 16 states (lander). There are around 300 public universities, educating around 95% of students.

There are also around 120 private universities in Germany. These don’t receive state funding and are free to set their own tuition fees, meaning they are often more expensive than public universities.

The key difference between public and private universities is the fees they can charge – both are free to develop their own degree programmes and offer accredited courses.

Top 20 universities in Germany for a Masters

We've examined the latest international university rankings to identify the 30 best universities in Germany.

The table below lists the 30 best universities in Germany for Masters study according to global rankings. This information is based on the latest ranking tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). It is important to note that each ranking system has their own methodology, and different factors affect the final result for a particular university.


Top 20 German Universities in 2025
University THE 2025 QS 2026 ARWU 2024
Technical University of Munich 26 26 47
LMU Munich 38 - 43
Heidelberg University =47 80 50
Humbolt University of Berlin =84 130 -
University of Bonn 89 =220 61
RWTH Aachen University 92 =105 201-300
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin =93 - -
University of Tübingen =100 =215 -
Free University of Berlin =104 =88 -
University of Göttingen 121 243 151-200
University of Freiburg =128 - 101-150
University of Hamburg =132 193 201-300
Technical University of Berlin =140 145 201-300
University of Cologne =157 =272 151-200
TU Dresden =160 218 201-300
University of Würzburg =163 =416 201-300
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology =166 =98 201-300
University of Münster =188 350 151-200
Ulm University =199 =546 301-400
University of Mannheim =199 =416 -
Information in this table is based on the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their websites for more information.

Do rankings matter for postgraduate study?

Even though there are no postgraduate-specific rankings, university league tables can still be a useful tool for prospective Masters students. Our guide explains how to make the most of rankings as a postgraduate.

With seven universities in the 2025 Times Higher Education top 100, Germany is actually the best-ranked country outside the UK and USA.

This makes the country an excellent destination for postgraduate study. The fact that most Masters degrees in Germany charge no fees (and many are taught in English) makes things even better.

The CHE Ranking of German universities

International rankings are great if you want a broad evaluation of universities - or if you want to compare universities across countries. But many countries also have domestic rankings systems, focussing on their own universities.

The main league table of German universities is the CHE Ranking. Rather than producing an overall list of the 'best' German universities, the CHE Ranking looks at performance in 30 different subject areas.

This actually makes it much more useful as a tool for postgraduates. Looking at how a university performs in your specific subject is often more valuable than knowing how it sits in a broad league table.

After all, you aren't going to be studying a Masters in every subject a German university offers - so it's probably best to base your decision on one or two!

Browse Masters courses in Germany

Decided you want to study a Masters in Germany? Browse over 400 German Masters courses on FindAMasters today.

Do you want unbiased Masters information and advice? Sign up to our newsletter.

Do you want unbiased PhD information and advice? Sign up to our newsletter.

  • Learn about the latest funding opportunities and application tips
  • Weekly advice, student stories and the latest Masters news
  • Receive the latest Masters programmes straight to your inbox
  • Find out about upcoming postgraduate events including our study fairs
  • Learn about the latest funding opportunities and application tips
  • Weekly advice, student stories and the latest PhD news
  • Receive the latest PhD programmes straight to your inbox
  • Find out about upcoming postgraduate events including our study fairs
Continue with email

Mark Bennett

Mark joined FindAMasters to develop our first ever advice articles in 2013 and now serves as our Director of Audience & Editorial, making sure our websites and information are as useful as possible for people thinking about Masters and PhD study. He has a PhD in English Literature from the University of Sheffield, as well as Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Kent and the University of South Wales.


You may also like...

Applying for a Masters in Germany

Want to study a Masters in Germany? We have all the information about how to apply for a Masters course including the required documents.

Read more
Masters Scholarships in Germany - 2025

How much does it cost to study a Masters in Germany? Our guide covers fees, funding and living expenses.

Read more
Guide to German Student Visas

Our guide tells you exactly what kind of German student visa you need to study a Masters and what you need to apply for it.

Read more
Working in Germany: How To Find Work During and After Your Masters

We look at whether it's easy to get a job in Germany after your Masters and during your studies.

Read more
Load more...

Last updated: 30 July 2025