All Levels
DAAD scholarships for international students
All funding: varies by programme
University of Cologne
Cologne, Germany
"One of Germany's largest and oldest research universities"
At a Glance
Accept Rate
—
Avg Salary/Yr
—
Ranking
#269 (QS)
PSW VISA
18 months
About University of Cologne
The University of Cologne was founded in 1388 and re-established in 1919, and is one of Germany's largest universities. It has six faculties offering about 100 to 137 degree programmes and hosts five Clusters of Excellence under the German Excellence Strategy. Its campus sits in the Lindenthal district, and studying is free of tuition fees.
Rankings & Recognition
#269
Ranked #269 in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
Accreditations & Memberships
Public University
QS 2026 Performance Breakdown
Score out of 100 across each QS evaluation pillar, with University of Cologne's global standing for that metric.
Academic Reputation
#
Employer Reputation
#
Faculty Student Ratio
#
Citations per Faculty
#
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Key Facts
1388
Founded
#269
QS 2027 Rank
Public University
Type
Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia
Location
approx. 45,000
Total Students
approx. 5,000
International Students
Popular Programs
Management Economics and Social Sciences
Law
Medicine
Arts and Humanities
Mathematics and Natural Sciences
Human Sciences
Application Details
Intakes
Winter (Oct) and Summer (Apr)
Application Route
uni-assist VPD then KLIPS 2.0
Master Deadlines
15 Jul winter / 15 Jan summer
VPD Processing
approx. 4-8 weeks
Standardized Test Requirements
| Test | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
|
TestDaF
|
TDN 4 |
|
DSH
|
DSH-2 |
|
Goethe-Zertifikat
|
C1 |
Study Abroad & Visa Details
Visa Approval Rate
92%
I-20 Processing
National visa (type D)
Post-Study Work
18 months
Green Card Pathway
EU Blue Card
Financials
Application Fee
N/A
Avg Scholarship
DAAD / university awards
Career Outcomes
N/A
Graduate Employment
18 months
Post-Study Work
Where Graduates Land
N/A
Faculty & Alumni
Academic Staff — approx. 616 professors
Student-Staff Ratio — N/A
—
Notable Alumni
Kurt Alder
Peter Gruenberg
Heinrich Boell
Karl Carstens
Campus & Location
Urban campus of about 100 hectares in the Lindenthal district of Cologne.
Campus Details
Lindenthal
(Cologne)
Campus Forecast
Cologne
North Rhine-Westphalia
Main campus
Student residences
Mild temperate climate
Student Life & Housing
Housing
Koelner Studierendenwerk with 50+ residences
Rent filters range from approx. EUR 100 to 400 per month
Average student rent in Cologne approx. EUR 367 per month
Dining
Check university site
Health & Wellness
Health insurance is compulsory for students
Activities & Clubs
Check university site
Diversity & Demographics
Intl. Students
approx. 5,000
Main Intl. Regions
N/A
Cost Deep-Dive
Tuition Bachelor (approx.)
EUR 0 (semester fee only)
Tuition Master (approx.)
EUR 0 (semester fee only)
Semester Fee
approx. EUR 300 / semester
Blocked Account (visa)
EUR 11,904 / year
Health Insurance
Compulsory (approx. EUR 120 / month)
Intakes & Deadlines
Winter and summer intakes. For master's, the winter deadline is generally 15 July (15 June for most WISO programmes) and the summer deadline is 15 January; a uni-assist VPD is required first. Year not stated on the page.
Scholarships at University of Cologne
2 scholarships available
These are general eligibility guidelines. Always confirm exact requirements with the university's admissions office or your Sukhada counsellor.
Academic Requirements
Undergraduate
School cert (HZB) plus language proof
Postgraduate
Recognised bachelor; VPD via uni-assist
English Proficiency
TestDaF
DSH
Goethe-Zertifikat
Required Documents
Passport copy
Application form (uni-assist or university portal)
School-leaving certificate (HZB) or degree
Academic transcripts
APS certificate (applicants from India, China, Vietnam)
Language proof (German or English)
CV and motivation letter
Blocked account proof (EUR 11,904 per year)
Health insurance proof
Photo
Application Process
1
Choose programme
Check the course list, teaching language and entry rules on the UzK international pages.
2
Prepare documents
Get certified copies, the APS certificate (for India), a language certificate and a CV with motivation letter.
3
Apply online
Apply through uni-assist (or the university portal if the programme says so) and pay the uni-assist fee.
4
Admission decision
The university checks your file and sends the admission letter (Zulassung).
5
Money & insurance
Open a blocked account (EUR 11,904 per year) and take German health insurance.
6
Visa & enrol
Apply for a German national student visa (type D), then enrol and register your address after arrival.
Campus & Location
Urban campus of about 100 hectares in the Lindenthal district of Cologne.
Bachelor's
3
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
Bachelor's
Quantitative Biology (B.Sc.)
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
Bachelor's
English Studies 2-Subject (B.A.)
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
Bachelor's
Wirtschaftsinformatik (B.Sc.)
Master's
5
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
Master's
Computational Sciences (M.Sc.)
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
University of Cologne
📍 Cologne
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