Germany - Higher Education Institutions

Types of Institutions in Germany

Higher education in Germany is divided under public and private state recognized institutions. There are 355 officially recognised institutions of higher education in 165 towns and cities throughout Germany. The following types of universities exist in Germany:

1.    Universities (Universität) or Technical University (Technische Hochschule)
2.    Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule)
3.    Colleges of art / Colleges of music (Kunsthochschule/Musikhochschule)
4.    Private and Church Sponsored Institutions

Universities (Universität) or Technical University (Technische Hochschule) : These are traditional universities and since some of them have a strong technical focus and are called Technical University (TU) or Technische Hochschule (TH). However, Universities today also focus heavily on social sciences and humanities. Research and teaching are closely interlinked in these Universities. The departments that include in most of the Universities are humanities, cultural sciences, law, natural sciences and economics, and teacher training. Some universities focus in one area of specialization. These include Hannover Medical School, the University of Lübeck, School of Veterinary Medicine, the German Sports University in Cologne and the University of Administrative Sciences Speyer.

List of universities

Some of the important universities in Germany

1.   Aachen University of Technology
2.   Berufsakademie Ravensburg

3.   Christian-Albrechts-Universit?t
4.   Dortmund University

5.   Dresden Technical University

6.   Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald

7.   Europa-Universit?t Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)

8.   Fachhochschule Fulda

9.   Fachhochschule Karlsruhe

10.  Fachhochschule Reutlingen, Hochschule f?r Technik und Wirtschaft

11.  Frankfurt University

12.  Freie Universit?t Berlin

13.  Friedrich Schiller Universit?t, Jena

14.  GISMA Business School

15.  Heinrich-Heine-Universit?t D?sseldorf

16.  Humboldt-University, Berlin

17.  Institut f. Semantische Informationsverarbeitung

18.  Institut fur Lasertechnik

19.  Johannes Gutenberg Universit?t, Mainz

20.  Julius-Maximilians-Universit?t, W?rzburg

For a complete list of universities, click here

Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Sciences)

Universities of Applied Sciences are known as Fachhochschulen (FHs) in Germany. As the name suggests, a lot of focus is given on practical knowledge. Universities of Applied Sciences were formed out of demand for trained professionals in the international competitive market. The German universities of applied sciences are a result of the educational policy debates of the 1960s. There are156 nation-wide universities of Applied Sciences including 27 in eastern Germany (as of January 2003).

The courses in FHs are tailor-made for future job requirements. The course structure therefore proves advantageous not only to students but also for future employers. Employers also get trained and skilled people. Lecturers at Universities of Applied Sciences are normally experienced practitioners. Most often they are managers of companies who know exactly what companies want from their future employees. So the training is flexible with international focus.

Teaching methodology is strongly oriented focused towards the current demands of the economy. Since the establishment of the first universities of applied sciences in the 1970s, this new type of university has become very popular among students and companies, especially those in engineering and business. About 70% of engineering students study in these Universities and in business about 50% of the students study in Universities of Applied Sciences.

Some of the important Universities of Applied Sciences are:

1.    Fachhochschule Aachen
2.    Fachhochschule Aalen

3.    Fachhochschule Amberg-Weiden

4.    Technische Fachhochschule Berlin

5.    Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft Berlin

6.    Fachhochschule Coburg

7.    Hochschule Bremerhaven

8.    Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main

9.    Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden (FH)
10.   Fachhochschule für Sozialwesen Esslingen

11.   Muthesius-Hochschule Fachhochschule für Kunst und Gestaltung Kiel

12.   Fachhochschule Hannover

13.   Fachhochschule Osnabrück

For the complete list of Universities of Applied Sciences, click here

Colleges of art, film and music

Colleges of art, film and music form a major portion in German institution of higher education. If you wish to make a career as a painter, musician, composer or actor, Germany is the place. There are about 52 state-recognised colleges of art, music and painting. Practical training with some of the famous directors is provided by some of the renowned schools in Germany. Foreign students enroll in a variety of music colleges in Germany. Admission to these colleges is very difficult and limited seats are available. For particularly talented people can be admitted without a university entrance.

List of Colleges

1.    The Ludwigsburg Film Academy
2.    The Academy for Television and Film in Munich
3.    Academy of Film and Television in Potsdam-Babelsberg
4.    University of Music Carl Maria von Weber
5.    Dresden, Cologne University of Music
6.    Folkwang Hochschule in Essen
7.    College of Music Hanns Eisler Berlin
8.    Stage Dance Academy of Dance Dresden University of Music and Performing Arts in Frankfurt / Main

For the complete list of Universities of Colleges of Art, Music and Film, click here

Church maintained Colleges and Private Universities

Germany has about 41 church run institutions of higher education. These institutions offer degree programs and are recognized by the state. These are run either by the Catholic or the Protestant group. Male and female students can get training to be a pastor or a teacher in three universities run by the protestant church. Students can also study church music at five schools sponsored by the protestant church. Additionally, there are 13 colleges (Fachhochschule) sponsored by the Protestant Church which offer courses in Social Welfare Education, Nursing and Religious Education.

The Catholic Church also sponsors eight colleges, which train students in the fields of Social Work, Nursing and Religious and Parish Education. The School for Church Music in Rottenburg is the only Catholic institution which offers courses in church music.

The church sponsored universities have their own method of selection of students. It is done mainly through interview process where students have to prove their affiliation with the church. However, the College for Jewish Studies, Heidelberg, is open to students of all denominations, religions and faiths.

Currently, there are 50 recognized private universities and colleges in Germany. They are either financed by private sector, foundations or partly by state. The significant part of private colleges is that students pay at least a part of their tuition fees. Private schools admit students based on excellent grades. 

Some of the important Church financed and private universities:

1. Jacobs University Bremen
2. International School of Management (ISM) in Dortmund
3. Provadis School of International Management and Technology in Frankfurt/Main
4. The Bucerius Law School in Hamburg
5. The Europa Fachhochschule Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Campus Cologne

For a complete list of universities in Alphabetical Order, click here.