Which is the #1 university in Germany?
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1 Answer
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The Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) in Munich is the #1 ranked university in Germany, per Shiksha Rankings of German Universities.
It is a public university, known for its high quality of research work & being part of the the oldest higher educational institutes in Germany, having first opened its doors to the general public in 1472.
Globally, the institute ranks among the top 30 colleges & universities, per Global University Rankings given by Shiksha.
Securing admissions at LMU Munich is not easy, as it's acceptance rate of 10%, places it among the most selective universities in Germany.
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LMU Munich admits international students in two intakes: Summer and winter. For most undergraduate and postgraduate programs, students can apply between April and mid-July for the winter semester, and between November and January for the summer semester. The exact deadline depends on the programs and departments and may vary. Students can check the intakes and estimated deadlines below:
Program | Summer | Winter |
|---|---|---|
UG/PG | Nov-mid Jan | Apr-mid Jul |
Admission to LMU Munich at the undergraduate level does not depend on the Class 12 scores. However, students must aim high at least 70% or above to improve their chances for Studienkolleg admission. Completing higher secondary through popular boards like CBSE, ISC, or State Boards is not enough; students must attend one year of a bachelor's programme in India or attend a Studienkolleg in Germany. The final admission depends on the results of the foundation course.
International students can get admission to LMU Munich only if the programme is available in the German language. In that case, students must meet German language proficiency levels. However, for most English-taught programs, LMU Munich demands English language proficiency, where students must submit an IELTS, TOEFL, or other alternative score. The minimum IELTS score students must aim is 6.5 or higher, and a TOEFL score between 80 and 90.
International students can apply and register to LMU Munich via the International Office. General admission requirements for Indian students are given below:
- High school leaving certificate for UG courses
- A German language proficiency test
- Academic degree for admission to Master's courses
- APS Certificate
- Updated resume
- Letter of admission for the Master's programme from the degree programme coordinator
LMU acceptance rate for international students is around 10%. Whereas, the acceptance rate for TUM is around 8% - 10%. This means that both of these universities are very selective at the time of admission. Both universities are tuition free, located in Munich and part of Germany's elite Excellence Universities. However, which university to choose for higher studies and which one is better depends on students' preference, location, faculty, reputation and rankings of the university, campus environment, etc. A comparison of both these universities is given below:
Particulars | LMU | TUM |
|---|---|---|
QS Rankings 2026 | #58 | #22 |
Best courses | Law, Humanities, Medicine, Natural Sciences | Engineering, Business, Computer Science |
Language of instruction | German (With exceptions to a few Master's courses in English) | More English Taught Master's courses |
Tuition fee | No tuition fees (Semester fee applicable) | No tuition fees (Semester fee applicable) |
Strengths | 43 Nobel Laureates | AI, Data Science, Robotics |
Courses popular among Indian students | Medicine, Psychology, Public Health, Life Sciences | CS, Mechanical Engineering, AI |
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