University of Cologne

A second oldest university of Germany, the University of Cologne is a public university in Cologne, Germany. It is famous for being one of the largest universities in Germany. More than 50,000 students are there at UoC. Out of this, over 5,000 are international students.

Do you know? The University of Cologne is a member of Coimbra, EUniWell, and German U15. It is to be noted that German U15 is an association of 15 leading universities that have a strong research tradition. U15 universities are famous for cutting-edge teaching, excellent teaching, and strong innovation.

A few of the reasons to study at Cologne University are-

• No tuition fee - The University of Cologne does not charge any tuition fee. But, the students have to pay a social contribution fees. Apart from this, the students have to pay a living cost. The cost of living in Cologne is around EUR 1,200 (Around INR 1.31 L).
• Very selective university - The University of Cologne acceptance rate stands at 20%, making it a very selective university. For admission to the Bachelor's courses, the students must have a German language proficiency. This can be proven by submitting TestDAF, DSH 2, Telc C2, etc. For admission to the Bachelor's degree courses, a TestAS Certificate is required. TestAS is a centralized aptitude test for international students.
• English-taught courses - Cologne University offers 370+ courses. But, in English language, 28+ courses are available. Study areas for the Master's courses in English are Business Administration, Economics, Business Analytics, Sociology, Computational Sciences, etc. Details about University of Cologne courses are given below on this page.
• Research Excellence - Research is at the heart of Cologne University. Key research areas at this university are Quantum Matter and Information, Global South Studies, Social and Economic Behaviour, Aging Associated Diseases, etc. There are 5 clusters of excellence and 18 research centers at the UoC.

As per University of Cologne reviews posted by students on Shiksha, the university has been rated 3.7 out of 5. Few of Indian students' reviews for UoC are-

• The Uni of Cologne is academically oriented. Professors and university's staff are very helpful
• For the value for money component, the University of Cologne has been rated 5 out of 5 as per Shiksha Popularity rankings. The University of Cologne is a budget friendly university as compared to British or U.S. based universities, as there is no tuition fee charged from international students.

University of Cologne Facts

Here are some facts about the University of Cologne-

History

In 1388, the University of Cologne was established. On January 6, 1389, the university delivered its first lecture. In 1901, the university established it's first faculty and since then it has been offering wide range of courses in six faculties, building up a strong international community. In 2019, the university celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Check out the videos below of the University of Cologne for more information:

Foreign students who want to take admission to the University of Cologne UG courses, they have to appear for TestAS (Test for Academic Studies). This is a centralised, standardized study aptitude test for foreign students. This test can be taken in English or German language. It can taken only at centralized test centers.

The test comprises of a core test and subject specific test module. Before applying to the UG courses of the University of Cologne, students have to take this test and submit the certificate to Uni-Assist with the application. Regardless of the course level, an important of the University of Cologne admission process is to submit the APS certificate. 

• University of Cologne application deadline for international students is Jan 15, 2027 for Summer Semester.

A second oldest university of Germany, the University of Cologne is a public university in Cologne, Germany. It is famous for being one of the largest universities in Germany. More than 50,000 students are there at UoC. Out of this, over 5,000 are international students.

Do you know? The University of Cologne is a member of Coimbra, EUniWell, and German U15. It is to be noted that German U15 is an association of 15 leading universities that have a strong research tradition. U15 universities are famous for cutting-edge teaching, excellent teaching, and strong innovation.

A few of the reasons to study at Cologne University are-

• No tuition fee - The University of Cologne does not charge any tuition fee. But, the students have to pay a social contribution fees. Apart from this, the students have to pay a living cost. The cost of living in Cologne is around EUR 1,200 (Around INR 1.31 L).
• Very selective university - The University of Cologne acceptance rate stands at 20%, making it a very selective university. For admission to the Bachelor's courses, the students must have a German language proficiency. This can be proven by submitting TestDAF, DSH 2, Telc C2, etc. For admission to the Bachelor's degree courses, a TestAS Certificate is required. TestAS is a centralized aptitude test for international students.
• English-taught courses - Cologne University offers 370+ courses. But, in English language, 28+ courses are available. Study areas for the Master's courses in English are Business Administration, Economics, Business Analytics, Sociology, Computational Sciences, etc. Details about University of Cologne courses are given below on this page.
• Research Excellence - Research is at the heart of Cologne University. Key research areas at this university are Quantum Matter and Information, Global South Studies, Social and Economic Behaviour, Aging Associated Diseases, etc. There are 5 clusters of excellence and 18 research centers at the UoC.

As per University of Cologne reviews posted by students on Shiksha, the university has been rated 3.7 out of 5. Few of Indian students' reviews for UoC are-

• The Uni of Cologne is academically oriented. Professors and university's staff are very helpful
• For the value for money component, the University of Cologne has been rated 5 out of 5 as per Shiksha Popularity rankings. The University of Cologne is a budget friendly university as compared to British or U.S. based universities, as there is no tuition fee charged from international students.

University of Cologne Facts

Here are some facts about the University of Cologne-

History

In 1388, the University of Cologne was established. On January 6, 1389, the university delivered its first lecture. In 1901, the university established it's first faculty and since then it has been offering wide range of courses in six faculties, building up a strong international community. In 2019, the university celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Check out the videos below of the University of Cologne for more information:

Indian student can avail DAAD Prize sponsored by German Academic Exchange Service at University of Cologne. Since 1995, the University of Cologne has been awarding it and had so far honoured students from 20+ countries. The prize is awarded to Indian students for special academic achievements.

• Deutschlandstipendium is also available for international students of the University of Cologne. This is for first-year and Master's students. They receive Euros 300 per month for at least two semesters. For this, students have to apply by the specified scholarship deadline.

Cologne Uni offers 350+ programs at UG, PG, and doctoral levels for its Indian students. The courses at the Uni of Cologne are offered via 6 faculties in the study areas such as Social Sciences, Law, Humanities, Economics, Natural Sciences and Medicine.

University of Cologne Popular Programs

Note that out of 350+ courses at the University of Cologne, 28 courses are taught in English. Most of these are Master's courses. The top programs opted by Indian students at Cologne University are listed below-

• M.Sc. in Business Administration
• MSc in Economics
• MSc in International Management
• Master of Science in Chemistry
• Master of Science in Business Analytics and Economics

Note: For admission to the courses taught in English at the Uni of Cologne, the students are required to submit a German language proficiency score. But for the courses taught in English, mostly Master's courses, there are no formal German language proficiency requirements. For these courses, students can submit English language proficiency scores.

Is there any fees at Cologne University?

Cologne University Germany has a wide alumni network of graduates worldwide which further adds to its rising popularity. It has proved valuable to the dreams of many notable personalities. Some of the well-known names are mentioned below-

Alumni Name	Profession/Designation	Image
Jörg Hubert Meuthen	A German Economist, Academic and Politician He is serving as an Independent Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Germany since 2017
Lena Therese Meyer-Landrut (also known by the mononym Lena)	A German Singer
Anke Christina Fischer	A German Comedian, Actress, Voice Actress and Television Presenter
Heinrich Theodor Böll	A German Writer
Marietta Slomka	A German Journalist She has been the anchor of the TV news show heute-journal since 2001
Mark Benecke	A German Forensic Biologist
Richard David Precht	A German Philosopher and Author
Anne Will	A German Television Journalist and Host of the Eponymous Political Talk Show

University of Cologne grads work for leading sectors such as Research, Education, Business Development, Healthcare Services, Operations, etc. University of Cologne graduates are constantly in high demand worldwide. As per the Times Higher Education Graduate employability rankings 2026, the University of Cologne ranks at #13 in Germany and #138 in 2026.

University of Cologne Placement Rate

University of Cologne graduates work for top companies such as Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, EY, Bayer, Deutsche Bank, RTL Group, etc. Also, Non-EU students can work up to 140 full days (4-8 hours per day) or 280 half days (1-4 hous per day) per year. This condition is also applied to paid and unpaid internships. Check details about Part Time Work in Germany for International Students.

ROI after Education at University of Cologne

The graduates of the University of Cologne can apply for an 18-month permit to find work. For this, the students must have a valid residence permit. Salary details for the Uni of Cologne courses are given below.

Foreign students who want to take admission to the University of Cologne UG courses, they have to appear for TestAS (Test for Academic Studies). This is a centralised, standardized study aptitude test for foreign students. This test can be taken in English or German language. It can taken only at centralized test centers.

The test comprises of a core test and subject specific test module. Before applying to the UG courses of the University of Cologne, students have to take this test and submit the certificate to Uni-Assist with the application. Regardless of the course level, an important of the University of Cologne admission process is to submit the APS certificate. 

• University of Cologne application deadline for international students is Jan 15, 2027 for Summer Semester.

For the University of Cologne admissions to UG courses, students have to apply via Uni-Assist. Then, students have appear for TestAS (entrance exam for UG studies). For all the Master's degree programs, a preliminary VPD is required to apply. The processing time for the applications is 4-6 weeks. After this, apply through the university's application portal.

University of Cologne Application Deadlines

Cologne University offers admission for Indian students in two intakes namely Summer and Winter each year. A few of the University of Cologne deadlines are given below-

University of Cologne Eligibility

For admission to the University of Cologne UG courses, Indian students have to appear for TestAS. This is centralized aptitude test for international students. Also, for admission to Bachelor's courses, the students have to submit German language test scores such as DSH 2 / TestDAF / Telc C1 or C2. Documents required to apply to this university are-

• High school certificate / Bachelor's degree
• Transcripts of previous studies
• APS Certificate
• Official academic transcripts
• Proof of English Language Proficiency (IELTS – 5.5 to 7.0 or equivalent)
• Financial documents

In the Shiksha Popularity rankings, University of Cologne ranks at #15 in the National Universities rankings. In the world rankings, the University of Cologne ranking is #161. Some of the University of Cologne subjects have also been ranked in Shiksha Popularity rankings. These rankings are #9 for LLM, #9 for M.A, #15 for Sciences, #26 for MS, etc.

By Other Ranking Bodies

The QS world rankings for 2027 have been released. In 2027, the University of Cologne QS ranking is #269. In 2026, this university ranked at #272 in QS rankings. A major improvement in the university's rank can be observed. As per Times Higher rankings, the University of Cologne ranking is #164 by THE in 2026, globally. Check the List of Top Universities & Colleges in Germany.

Subject Rankings

As per the Financial Times, the University of Cologne ranking for MIM course is #37 in 2025. Subject rankings as per Times Higher Education rankings 2026 are given below-

The University of Cologne is one of the best universities to continue higher education for Indian students. University of Cologne Campus is one of the best campuses worldwide. Home to nearly 44,000, the university offers facilities such as clubs & organizations, housing, campus dining, health & wellness, etc. UoC is known for offering state-of-the-art facilities and providing its students with an experiential learning environment. Some of the international student associations at University of Cologne are-

• International Student Association Cologne - ISAC
• ASA - African HG
• SAMBO - Southeast Asian HG
• ZAG Central Asian - HG
• TUSCO - Turkish HG

Sports facilities - In co-operation with the General University Sports Centre of the German Sport University Cologne, the Uni of Cologne offers the largest sports programme in Germany. Courses in 150+ sports take place near the campus of Cologne Uni.

University of Cologne Location

UoC is located at Albertus-Magnus-Platz, 50923 Köln, Germany. Students can check the University of Cologne photos from Shiksha's gallery.