Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1, Hamburg, Germany
Career Counselling
Universität Hamburg is a prominent institution of higher education located in Germany’s second largest city. With over a century of history, the University of Hamburg is now home to almost 44,000 students, of whom approximately 15% are international, and 58% identify as female. It is a highly selective University, with an acceptance rate lower than 25%.
Academic and research activities at the University of Hamburg are divided into 8 Faculties (Law, Business, Economics & Social Sciences, Medicine, Education, Humanities, Mathematics, Informatics &am...
| Establishment year | 1919 |
| Total Students | 43,587 |
| International Students | 5,949 |
| QS World University Rankings 2024 | 205 |
| Campus Size | N/A |
| Total Number of Campuses | 1 |
| University Website | https://www.uni-hamburg.de/en.html |
| No. of Schools and Divisions | 8 Faculties with 27 Departments within |
| Nobel Prize Winner Alumni | 4 |
| No. of Education Programs | 74 (undergraduate), 89 (Master’s) |
| Student to Faculty ratio | 6.8:1 |
Universität Hamburg offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses through 8 Faculties, which are further subdivided into 27 Departments.
International candidates must submit certificates of education completion as part of the application process. During the eligibility check phase, these are carefully scrutinized to make sure that they conform to the standards laid out by the University. To complete this process, applicants must upload their high school secondary leaving certificates (if applying to Bachelor's degree programs) or undergraduate degree certificates (if applying to Master's programs). The verification is completed on the relevant University portal. In case the certificate is not successfully verified, the candidate may have to complete a one year preparatory course at the University in order to join a full time degree program.
Most University of Hamburg degree programs are taught in German. Therefore, applicants must prove that they have a level of proficiency of at least B2 in the language, though some programs explicitly require C1. A few programs at both Bachelor’s (Business Administration, Psychology) and Master’s (Business Mathematics, Medieval Studies) levels are taught in English. Individual course pages have details of the TOEFL and IELTS scores needed. If the proficiency level of an applicant is close to the required level, he or she may be given a conditional offer. After this, the student can enroll in additional language classes to run in parallel with the first semester of the Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program.
Applicants can submit their applications online to the University of Hamburg only during the defined admission periods. The application window for the Summer Semester opens on December 1 of the previous year, and ends on January 15. For the Winter Semester, the application window is open between June 1 and July 15. All applications must be submitted via the online portal of the University of Hamburg.
These steps are involved in the application process for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs:
After the application is submitted, the University contacts all applicants within a few weeks with their results. Successful candidates may enroll by paying the first semester fees and choosing their course load. With this document, they can apply for a long term German student visa and travel to Hamburg.
In accordance with the law for German Government Higher Education Institutions, the University of Hamburg does not collect tuition fees from students. All domestic and international students must pay the semester contribution fee twice a year. The amount payable is 339.90 Euros. The main components of this fee are:
The University of Hamburg estimates that the total living cost is 950 Euros per month, on average. Housing expenses in Germany’s second largest city range from 300 to 500 Euros per month, and several low cost student living options are available. Other living expenses range from 400 to 700 Euros per month, with food costing approximately 300 Euros per month, and transportation, shopping, and study materials taking up the remainder.
The University of Hamburg does not have one central campus; its buildings, laboratories, and lecture halls are spread throughout the city, with most Faculties having centralized locations. The Main Building, which houses the Faculty of Humanities, is one of the most famous structures in Hamburg, with a huge domed cupola. The campus also has several cafes, restaurants, parks, and performance venues. Political activism is an important feature of life on campus, and helps students develop their social conscience and debating skills.
The two main bodies of the University of Hamburg Students’ Union are the Student Parliament and Council. Students run the clubs under University Music and Theater, including a choir, an orchestra, a big jazz band, dance classes, and dramatic performances. There are more than 100 sports groups on campus that take advantage of the world class indoor and outdoor sporting facilities. From mainstream sports like football and basketball to niche pursuits like fencing and parkour to fitness classes in yoga and aerobics, the University of Hamburg ensures that there are qualified coaches and state of the art venues for each. Access to sports venues and University gyms is free, and is covered by the administrative fee paid each semester.
Other prominent student associations include Kalliope, the University Theater, which organizes weekly drama recitals during the summer months; the University Players, an all-English theater group, PIASTA, which facilities intercultural events and learning; the Green Office, which works on sustainability initiatives; and Kopfzeile, the student magazine of the University of Hamburg.
International students who have been enrolled at the University of Hamburg for at least two semesters can apply for the Merit Scholarship if their academic performance is excellent. It is designed to allow the most talented foreign students to focus on their academics and research by taking care of their living costs. The amount awarded is variable, with the maximum being 1,000 Euros per month. The normal period for which the scholarship is awarded is 2 semesters, though an extension of up to two years can be granted in exceptional cases. The online application can be submitted twice a year, on April and October 15. Applicants must submit a detailed curriculum vitae, letter of motivation (personal statement), details of extracurricular and social activities, proof of achievements and certificates won during the course of study at the University of Hamburg, and two Letters of Recommendation from professors.
The most prestigious scholarship that is open to all students at the Universität Hamburg is the Deutschland Stipendium. This awards students 300 Euros per month during the duration of the academic year. It is awarded based on academic merit and future potential, with consideration given to a history of social work and students with disadvantages. International students in the final year of their postgraduate programs may apply for degree completion scholarships, which award candidates between 200 and 720 Euros per month for a period between six and twelve months. Awardees are selected based on academic merit and research potential.
