Top 10 Best Engineering Universities in Germany in 2024
by Yan Krukau
Germany is a world leader in engineering. German engineers (and Engineering courses) have a reputation for excellence that precedes them around the globe, thanks to their passion for detail and quality. They don’t cut corners and with the motto “so genau wie möglich, aber nur so genau wie nötig” (as accurate as possible, but only as accurate as necessary), they ensure no time is wasted.
If a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering is in your future, then Germany could be the country for you! With their vocational approach, universities in this country will ensure you have a strong theoretical knowledge and the practical skills to match.
Study Engineering: Find Bachelors & Masters
Germany has many English-taught programmes at Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral level. They rank highly for engineering on the scoreboard – with five universities in the top 100 and 12 in the top 300 of universities worldwide.
Here’s an overview of the top 10:
| Ranking in Germany | Institution | City | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Technical University of Munich | Munich | 84.4 |
| 2 |
Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) | Berlin | 79.1 |
| 3 |
KIT, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology | Karlsruhe | 79 |
| 4 |
RWTH Aachen University | Aachen | 78.3 |
| 5 |
Technische Universität Dresden | Dresden | 74.3 |
| 6 |
Technical University of Darmstadt | Darmstadt | 71 |
| 7 |
Universität Stuttgart | Stuttgart | 70 |
| 8 |
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München | Munich | 68.5 |
| 9 |
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin | Berlin | 68.3 |
| 10 |
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg | Nuremberg | 67.4 |
...and you will find a similar picture when looking at the rankings.
It’s not just a great education you’ll get if you choose Germany – engineering graduates are often scooped up by the many world-class engineering companies.
Apprenticeships and internships are popular in Germany, and sometimes students are hired straight from high school. There is a large engineering workforce in Germany, and they are internationally renowned for innovation. So not only will you get a great education, but you will also likely get a great jumpstart to your career too. Germany also has generous post-study job seeker visa rules that give you some time to find an employer after graduation.
When looking at courses in Germany, you will likely come across institutions names that include “Technische Universität”, “Universität” or “Technische Hochschule”. So, what is the difference?
All of these options are great choices for your engineering education as all educational institutions in Germany must meet very strict standards. The important thing for you to consider is what suits you and your style of learning best. Also, consider which programme best matches the skills you want to acquire for your future career.
50業子 Tip: Try to find on LinkedIn alumni or students who currently study at your desired university and ask about their personal experience.
At public German universities, Bachelors and Masters in Engineering are usually tuition-free - even for non-European students. There is a formal “administration fee” (also often called “semester fee”) that may range from €300 to €650. (Our guide on studying tuition-free in Germany has details about this, and the few exceptions that exist.)
You read this right: You can get an Engineering degree from a world-class university nearly for free. But note that getting into a tuition-free programme is going to be highly competitive, so be prepared for a challenging application process!
At private universities in Germany, you could pay between €9,000 and €20,000 per year.
Yes, if courses are in English, students are usually required to provide evidence of their language proficiency. You might be able to fulfill this requirement if you have a previous degree that was taught in English - or with an English test. Each institution sets its own rules. Prospective students should check the requirements on the official website of the specific university as there might be exceptions.
If you need to show a test result, the most commonly accepted tests are IELTS or TOEFL iBT. With an IELTS score of 6.5 or TOEFL iBT of 90 you should qualify for most universities' admission requirements. Some universities such as SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences might also accept Duolingo English Tests, Cambridge Certificates, or may ask you to complete their own English test.
Knowledge of German is not needed if a programme is fully taught in English. Of course, it helps later when you apply for internships or graduate jobs.
In addition to a high level of English, there are other admission requirements:
In very few cases, for programmes in Engineering Management or Technology Management, a GMAT score (or GRE) may be required or at least helpful to have.
Previous experience or knowledge of engineering is not required to enter a Bachelor’s degree programme, but make sure to do projects/internships during your studies so it’s easier to find a job after graduation.
Exact admission requirements vary between institutions, so again, always check the individual university’s application process.
There are many different degrees in Engineering, the one you choose all comes down to what you are interested in and what career you would like to have. However, like in most degree programmes, you can start broad and choose a speciality later on:
And the list goes on!
For some help exploring the different types of engineering, have a look at our article, ‘Study Engineering: Which subject should you choose?’.
Want to learn more?
Study Engineering: Find Bachelors & Masters in Germany
186 Engineering & Technology Programmes in Germany
