University of Cologne

Cologne  Germany

Take your career to the next level at one of the most prestigious European universities! Founded in 1388, the University of Cologne (UoC) has produced several Nobel and Leibniz Prize winners and is part of the only economic cluster of excellence in Germany as well as various international networks. The Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (also known as “WiSo Faculty“) is part of the University of Cologne and has over a century of experience in educating new generations of business professionals, social analysts and political experts. Students benefit from a theory- and method-based teaching approach combined with research and application. Our excellent performance in prestigious rankings underlines the competitiveness of the WiSo Faculty in the national and international higher education landscape. Become a part of our mission: developing knowledge and people for a better world!

Why study at the University of Cologne?

The UoC holds top positions in numerous rankings and has educated more board members from DAX, MDAX and SDAX-listed companies than any other German University.

The University of Cologne offers a unique multi-disciplinary platform where excellent researchers and capable students work together for a better future.

No tuition fees - Invest in an excellent education and your future without paying a fortune.

45,000

postgraduate students

18

courses

2

Scholarships listed on FindAMasters

#1

in Sociology and #3 in Management in the current Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking).

Cologne  Germany

main campus

Business & Management (5) Economics (10) Mathematics (25) Geography (17) Politics & Government (30) Sociology (33) Psychology (31) Nursing & Health (27) Finance (14) Computer Science (8) Medicine (26)

About the University of Cologne

The aim of the WiSo Faculty is to create a unique platform for excellent research and teaching. We address current challenges in management, economics and the social sciences with outstanding scientific research. We provide a unique multi-disciplinary platform where excellent researchers and capable students work together with organisations to generate and share relevant knowledge.

The Faculty offers 14 English-language and 5 bilingual consecutive Master's programmes in Business Administration, Economics and Social Sciences as well as five Double Master's Programmes in Business Administration, Economics, European Studies, Health Economics & Management and Demography & Social Inequality. In addition, the Faculty's Business School offers the internationally oriented Cologne Rotterdam Executive MBA.

The majority of our temporary lecturers are specialists and leaders with valuable experience from diverse working environments. Sector- industry-specific, up-to-date knowledge can be passed on to our students. True to the WiSo Faculty‘s motto “Today’s ideas. Tomorrow’s impact.”, this ensures that our interdisciplinary programme reflects the real world and ideally combines practice and theory. The traditional diversity of subjects, top-level research, practical relevance and internationality allow the WiSo-Faculty to stand up to national and international comparison and to achieve top positions in international research rankings.

Latest Scholarships



Studying at the University of Cologne means much more than just attending lectures and seminars. The University of Cologne offers diverse ways to spend your free time and has a very dynamic campus life. You can have a say yourself and participate in a variety of student initiatives, which are independently organised by the students. Internship placement, congress organisation or subject-related offers - student associations offer many opportunities to gain practical experience as well as to benefit from networks.

Moreover you can join the Collegium musicum. Whether vocal or instrumental, jazz, music theatre or new music – the ensembles offer a broad spectrum of musical activities.

A brilliant way to stay healthy and to meet new people at the same time offers the University’s sports programme. UniSport² provides quantitative and qualitative high-class sports courses. The perfect balance on stressful study and working days! Moreover it never gets boring in a vibrant city like Cologne. With approximately 90,000 students at 14 state and private universities Cologne has a larger student population than any other German city. It offers a wide range of cultural and leisure activities. Moreover a variety of big companies are located in and around Cologne as well as leading research institutions.

But the most important thing: People in Cologne love their joyful way of living, which manifests itself in the diverse blend of various cultures and philosophies in life, as well as an openness to the new. Come here and see for yourself!



"I have learned a lot in my Master’s studies. I got to run my first experiment. My Master’s studies made me understand what I want to do in my life."

"The University of Cologne and our faculty in particular, develops academically very strong talent. Looking back, I recognize and appreciate that I had an education that was highly focused on analysis and math."

"Combining economic theories with an approach to healthcare delivery and studying in two academic frameworks with different teaching styles, is what I benefited from the most. I really enjoyed the combination of theoretical teaching and practical training. Having completed the programme, I feel confident in my ability to apply my knowledge and skills to the healthcare challenges of the future."

"Cologne is a multi-faceted city, with loads to do. It’s a very welcoming place – very open towards international guests. Right from the start, I really appreciated the openness of the people of Cologne. If you take part in Cologne’s carnival festivities (which you have to!), you soon get infected by their love of life. The green parks and pretty lakes give the city additional appeal. I often miss Lindenthal, the green district where I used to live.
The WiSo Faculty campus is very international and helps every single student feel at home. I remember the uni ran lots of events for us at the start of our programme, especially for the international students. That sped up the process of getting to know other students and made it easier to settle down in our new home."

"The campus itself is organised in a way that offers a perfect environment for studies but also for free time. It’s located, in what I think is one of the best parts of the city, near parks to relax in after lectures. There are also libraries dotted around campus equipped with the latest literature. And there are several canteens that offer healthy food at affordable prices."

"To me, Cologne is the city with the warmest people and the nicest German accent!"


Public universities in Germany enjoy an excellent reputation and offer high-quality education and research. They are primarily funded by state funds from the federal states. Additionally, they receive money from research projects, third-party funding, and partially from tuition fees for international students and specific programs. German universities have modern research facilities and laboratories, providing students and researchers with excellent opportunities to work on innovative projects. Through close cooperation with industry and businesses, many universities offer internships, projects, and networks that facilitate students' entry into the professional world. Numerous scholarships and funding programs are available to support students financially, especially international students.

The following application deadlines apply to the study programs: International Management (CEMS MIM), Economic Research: Mid-January until 31 March, Double Master's Programme: April until 15 May. All other master's programmes: April until 15 June - Please note: Applicants with a bachelor's degree obtained outside Germany need an uni-assist preliminary review documentation (VPD). You can have your documents checked by uni-assist all year round, the VPD is not tied to an application semester. Experience shows that the processing time is 8 weeks.

You can find all important information about the application process here.

Yes, you can apply under certain conditions, even if you have not yet completed your Bachelor's degree. More information here.

If you have applied for the English-language Master's degree programs, no German language skills are required.


Main campus

University of Cologne

Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia

Germany