Technical University of Munich

Founded in 1868, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is one of Germany's leading universities for research and teaching in the natural and engineering sciences, and it has repeatedly been funded as a University of Excellence. On its own figures page, TUM states that it ranks #25 worldwide and #1 in Germany in the QS World University Rankings 2027. In the winter semester 2025/26, TUM had 51,954 students, around 45 percent of them international students from some 140 countries, studying across roughly 180 degree programmes.

TUM is organised into seven schools covering computation, information and technology; engineering and design; natural sciences; life sciences; medicine and health; management; and social sciences and technology. Its research is closely connected to industry and to Munich's ecosystem of technology companies, research institutes and start-ups, which gives students access to internships, working-student jobs and applied thesis projects alongside their studies.

The university's main locations are in central Munich, the Garching research campus north of the city, and Weihenstephan in Freising, with further sites in Heilbronn and Straubing. For South Asian students, TUM combines a top-ranked technical education with a large, well-organised international community and dedicated support through its Global & Alumni Office. Munich is one of Germany's most expensive student cities, so early housing applications matter, but it also offers strong part-time work and graduate employment opportunities in engineering, IT and research.

TUM calls itself an entrepreneurial university: students are encouraged to turn research into applications, and the university supports founders through its affiliated innovation ecosystem. Its combination of fundamental research, applied engineering and close contact with major employers makes it a common first choice for applicants who want a German degree with strong international recognition.

Since winter semester 2024/25, TUM charges tuition to international students from non-EU/EEA countries: €2,000 or €3,000 per semester for Bachelor's programmes and €4,000 or €6,000 per semester for Master's programmes, depending on the programme (TUM has announced higher rates of €2,300/€3,400 and €4,600/€6,800 from winter semester 2027/28). EU/EEA students pay no tuition. All students additionally pay a semester fee of €97 per semester at the Munich, Garching and Weihenstephan campuses.

International applicants apply online through TUM's application portal TUMonline. If your school-leaving certificate or first degree was obtained outside Germany, TUM first checks whether it qualifies you for direct admission; many applicants with foreign certificates need a preliminary review (VPD) from uni-assist before TUM can assess the application. Applicants from India, China and Vietnam must also obtain an APS certificate.

Application windows depend on the programme: for winter-semester entry, most master's programmes close by the end of May and bachelor's programmes by mid-July, so always confirm the exact dates on your programme's page. For English-taught programmes, TUM's general English floor is IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88, although individual programmes can ask for more. German-taught programmes require recognised German proof such as DSH or TestDaF.

TUM offers around 180 degree programmes across its seven schools, including more than 100 master's programmes. Bachelor's teaching is mostly in German, with a small number of English-taught options, while a large share of the master's portfolio is taught fully in English.

Popular English-taught master's fields for international students include informatics and computer science, data engineering and analytics, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and automotive engineering, management and technology, mathematics, physics, and biomedical and life-science programmes. Doctoral studies are organised through the TUM Graduate School. Because aptitude assessments are common in popular master's programmes, your bachelor's subjects and grades are checked closely against each programme's requirements — TUM publishes a competence profile for every programme so you can compare before applying.

TUM points international students to several funding routes. The Deutschlandstipendium pays €300 per month and is awarded to around 800 TUM students a year on merit and engagement, regardless of nationality. TUM's own Scholarship for International Students provides one-time payments of roughly €500 to €1,800 per semester for students with good results and demonstrated financial need.

Because TUM now charges tuition to non-EU students, it also runs tuition fee waivers for eligible international students. Beyond TUM, the DAAD scholarship database is the main route to German government and foundation funding, and many students support themselves with working-student jobs in Munich's tech sector.