University of Göttingen (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen)
Quick Snapshot & Key Statistics
| Official Name | Georg-August-Universität Göttingen (University of Göttingen) |
| Institution Type | Public Comprehensive Research University |
| Established | 1737 (Founded by George II, King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover) |
| Motto | In publica commoda ("For the good of all") |
| Total Enrollment | ~28,000+ Students (~15% International Students from 130+ nations) |
| Academic Faculties | 13 Faculties | Over 210 Degree Programs |
| Nobel Laureates | Associated with 47 Nobel Laureates (e.g., Max Born, Werner Heisenberg, Otto Hahn, Max Planck, Stefan Hell) |
| Institutional Affiliations | German U15, Coimbra Group, ENLIGHT Alliance, Göttingen Campus Partnership |
| Main Location | Göttingen, Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), Germany |
| Global Rankings | Ranked Top 100–120 Worldwide (THE/ARWU) | Top 10 in Germany |
| Tuition Fees (Regular Degrees) | €0 / year (100% Tuition-Free for all EU & non-EU international students) |
| Semester Contribution | ~€380 to €410 per semester (Includes administrative fees & nationwide transit pass) |
About University of Göttingen
Founded in 1737 during the Age of Enlightenment, the University of Göttingen (Georg-August-Universität Göttingen) is one of Europe's most famous and historically significant research universities. Celebrated as a global birthplace of modern quantum physics, mathematics, and organic chemistry, Göttingen's scientific legacy is tied to 47 Nobel Laureates who studied, taught, or researched here.
Located in Lower Saxony, Göttingen operates within the Göttingen Campus network—a scientific ecosystem that tightly integrates university faculties with world-leading non-university research institutions, including 4 Max Planck Institutes, the German Primate Centre (DPZ), and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).
Why Choose University of Göttingen?
- One of Germany's oldest and most respected universities
- Home to more than 40 Nobel Prize laureates
- Strong international reputation for research
- Excellent research facilities
- Affordable public university education
- Wide range of academic disciplines
- Numerous English-taught Master's programmes
- Close collaboration with Max Planck Institutes
- Strong graduate employability
- International student-friendly environment
Location & Campus Structure of University of Göttingen
The University of Göttingen is integrated across several specialised campus hubs in Göttingen, Lower Saxony:
- Central Campus (Platz der Göttinger Sieben): Located near the historic Old Town (Altstadt). Houses the Central Lecture Hall (ZHG), the Göttingen State and University Library (SUB), and the Faculties of Humanities, Law, Social Sciences, Business, and Economics.
- North Campus (Nordcampus): A modern high-tech research campus in northern Göttingen housing Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Forestry, and neighbouring Max Planck Institutes.
- Medical Campus (Universitätsmedizin Göttingen - UMG): Houses the Faculty of Medicine, the University Hospital, preclinical institutes, and specialised cardiovascular research centres.
Popular & Unique Degree Programs
The University of Göttingen offers over 210 study programs across 13 academic faculties spanning four major scientific disciplines: the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Informatics sector includes the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Faculty of Chemistry, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Geoscience and Geography, Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, and Faculty of Physics; the Law, Economic Sciences, and Social Sciences sector features the Faculty of Law, Faculty of Business and Economics, and Faculty of Social Sciences; the Humanities and Theology sector consists of the Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Theology; and the medical sector is represented by the Faculty of Medicine.
Top English-Taught Master's Programs (International Favourites)
- M.Sc. Applied Computer Science: Advanced software engineering, high-performance computing, data science, and digital systems.
- M.Sc. Molecular Biology: Elite International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) program covering molecular genetics, biophysics, and cell biology.
- M.Sc. Neuroscience: Interdisciplinary IMPRS track bridging cellular neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, and computational modelling.
- M.Sc. Sustainable International Agriculture (SIA): Joint interdisciplinary program addressing global food security, organic farming, and agricultural economics.
- M.Sc. Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution: Advanced ecological research, evolutionary genetics, and conservation biology.
- M.Sc. Cardiovascular Science: Specialised medical research degree hosted at the University Medical Centre Göttingen (UMG).
Top German-Taught Degree Programs
- Human Medicine & Dentistry (Staatsexamen): Highly competitive clinical training operated at the University Medical Centre Göttingen (UMG).
- Law (Rechtswissenschaft - Staatsexamen): Historically prestigious law faculty renowned for European law, criminal law, and legal philosophy.
- B.Sc. / M.Sc. Physics (Physik): Legendary department maintaining direct ties to quantum mechanics research and local Max Planck Institutes.
- B.Sc. / M.Sc. Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology (Forstwissen): One of Europe's top centres for sustainable forestry, wood technology, and tropical forest management.
- B.A. / M.A. Cultural Anthropology & History: Renowned humanities programs working alongside digitised archives at the SUB library.
Language Requirements (English & German)
Language requirements depend on the primary medium of instruction for your chosen program.
German Language Requirements (German-Taught Programs)
For degree programs taught in German (including standard Bachelor's degrees and State Examination programs like Medicine, Dentistry, and Law), non-native applicants must prove C1 CEFR German proficiency:
- DSH: DSH-2 or DSH-3.
- TestDaF: Minimum level of 4x4 (TDN 4 in all 4 examination sections).
- telc: telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule.
- Goethe-Zertifikat: Goethe-Zertifikat C2.
English Language Requirements (English-Taught Programs)
For international Bachelor's and Master's degree programs taught in English, applicants must submit proof of B2 or C1 CEFR English proficiency:
| IELTS Academic | Overall 6.5 or 7.0 (program-dependent) |
| TOEFL iBT | 80 to 95 points or higher |
| Cambridge English | C1 Advanced (CAE) or C2 Proficiency (CPE) |
| PTE Academic | 62 to 65 points or higher |
Fee Structure at University of Göttingen
As a public research university in Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), University of Göttingen does NOT charge tuition fees for standard Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree programs for any student, regardless of citizenship.
Bachelor's Programmes
- Tuition Fee: No tuition fees
- Semester Contribution: Approximately €380–€410 per semester
Master's Programmes
- Tuition Fee: No tuition fees
- Semester Contribution: Approximately €380–€410 per semester
Mandatory Administrative & Living Costs at University of Göttingen
- Semester Contribution (Semesterbeitrag): ~€380 to €410 per semester (paid twice a year for re-registration).
- Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) for Visa: Non-EU international students must deposit €11,904 per year into an official Blocked Account to draw €992 per month for living costs.
- Monthly Living Costs in Göttingen: Göttingen is an affordable, student-friendly town. On average, students spend between €800 and €1,000 per month.
Research & Industry Partnerships
University of Göttingen collaborates with:
- Max Planck Society
- German Primate Centre (DPZ)
- Leibniz Association
- Fraunhofer Society
- Sartorius
- KWS Group
- Continental
- Bosch
- German Aerospace Centre (DLR)
- University Medical Centre Göttingen
These collaborations provide students with opportunities for internships, research projects, innovation, and career development.
Let's plan your path to studying at University of Göttingen
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Göttingen Campus is an institutional partnership uniting the University of Göttingen, the University Medical Centre (UMG), 4 Max Planck Institutes, the German Primate Centre (DPZ), and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR). Students gain direct access to joint research labs, shared instrumentation, cross-institution seminars, and co-supervised Master's and PhD theses.
The four co-located institutes are: MPI for Multidisciplinary Sciences, MPI for Dynamics and Self-Organization, MPI for Solar System Research, and MPI for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity.
The German Primate Centre (DPZ) – Leibniz Institute for Primate Research is a unique national research centre located on the North Campus. It conducts non-human primate research in neurobiology, infectious disease transmission, and primate conservation, operating joint professorships with Göttingen's biological and medical faculties.
MBExC (Multiscale Bioimaging: From Molecular Machines to Networks of Excitable Cells) is a Cluster of Excellence at Göttingen. It uses optical nanoscopy, X-ray tomography, and molecular modelling to investigate the functional biology of heart muscle cells and neurons.
Yes. University of Göttingen has partnerships with hundreds of universities worldwide, allowing students to study abroad through exchange programmes such as Erasmus+ and other international agreements.
The Gänseliesel ("Goose Girl") is a historic fountain located in front of the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus). According to university tradition, every student who successfully passes their doctoral exam (PhD) climbs the fountain to kiss the bronze statue and place flowers on her basket.
The Göttingen State and University Library (SUB) is one of the largest and most prestigious academic libraries in Germany, holding over 9 million media units. It houses precious historical artefacts, including an original Gutenberg Bible on vellum listed in UNESCO's Memory of the World register.
Yes. Students have access to startup support, innovation centres, mentoring, and entrepreneurship programmes designed to help transform research ideas into successful businesses.
International Max Planck Research Schools (IMPRSs) are elite dual graduate programs co-operated by the university and Max Planck Institutes. Famous tracks at Göttingen include IMPRS for Molecular Biology, IMPRS for Neurosciences, and IMPRS for Solar System Science.
XLAB is one of Germany's largest hands-on science training centres located on the North Campus. It offers state-of-the-art laboratory workshops in physics, chemistry, biology, and computer science for high school students, undergraduates, and international teacher training.
Located on the North Campus, MPS designs scientific instruments for space missions such as ESA and NASA probes to study solar physics, planetary atmospheres, comets, and asteroidal interiors, offering joint astrophysics thesis opportunities for Göttingen students.
ENLIGHT is a European University initiative connecting Göttingen with 8 European partner universities including Ghent, Uppsala, Bordeaux, and Groningen. It enables seamless student mobility, joint online international modules, and interdisciplinary challenge-based summer schools.
Forum Wissen is the university's interactive science museum and knowledge communication centre located near the main station. It presents how scientific knowledge is generated, tested, and questioned across historical collections and current campus research.
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Photo credits: University of Göttingen library by Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0; Leibniz Supercomputing Centre, Garching by Michael Brenner, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons. All image credits
