The University of Cologne is one of the oldest public research universities in Germany, established in 1388. In the latest THE Rankings 2025, Cologne is ranked #157 internationally and #14 in Germany. In QS World University Ranking 2025, Uni Cologne is ranked at #285 globally.
Being a public university, the University of Cologne fees for international students is zero. International students do not have to pay any tuition fees, except a semester fee of 304.75 EUR (29,622 INR) per semester. However, you need to pay around 986 EUR (95,839 INR) per month for the annual living expenses. To get into this university, you must provide 10+2 school qualification for undergraduate programs. For graduate courses, you need 81-90% in bachelor’s degree from a recognized Indian institute. Additionally, you need to have German and English language proficiency scores, such as, TestDaF Level 4 or equivalent, IELTS 5.5-7.0 or equivalent.
See More: University of Cologne Reviews and Ratings
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The University of Cologne offers 369 courses through its 6 faculties: i) Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, ii) Faculty of Law, iii) Faculty of Medicine, iv) Faculty of Arts and Humanities, v) Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and vi) Faculty of Human Sciences. MS in International Management, Executive MBA, MS in Information Systems, and MS in Physics are among the flagship masters courses of this university.
Other popular University of Cologne masters courses are as follows.
The University of Cologne offers the MBA degree as Master of Science in Business Administration. It is a full-time, 4 semester long postgraduate program, with Corporate Development, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain Management specializations in English. The Accounting & Taxation specialization is available in both German and English. University of Cologne MBA fees for international students is around 610 EUR (semester fees only).
Read More: University of Cologne MBA
University of Cologne Germany also offers a part-time Executive MBA of 18 months. The program is taught in English and the tuition fee is 44,500 EUR (apply by April 30, 2025, and get a discount of 3,000 EUR).
Know More: EMBA from the University of Cologne
The University of Cologne acceptance rate for international students is around 20%, portraying a highly competitive admissions process. The university offers 2 intakes for international students: Winter and Summer semester intakes. The University of Cologne application deadline for international students are as follows:
| Intake Sessions | Application Opens | Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Winter Semester 2025 | Beginning of June | July 15, 2025 |
| Summer Semester 2026 | Beginning of January | January 15, 2026 |
| MBA | – | June 15, 2025 |
| Executive MBA | – | August 11, 2025 |
Must Read: Application Deadlines for German Universities in 2025
Note: Refer to the official course page if you do not meet the above requirements.
Note: While applying for VPD, select Hochschule Uni zu Köln – VPD as your university. Once you receive your VPD (Preliminary Review Documentation), you need to apply via the University of Cologne application portal- Klips 2.0.
Also Read: University of Cologne Admissions 2025
There are no English-taught undergraduate programs of study at the University of Cologne. Students must therefore demonstrate excellent German-language skills when they apply. For the postgraduate programs taught in English, the following minimum test scores are required:
The University of Cologne German language requirements are as follows.
Must Read: Exams Required to Study in Germany
The University of Cologne fees for Indian students is around 610 EUR per semester, only for the semester contributions; tuition fees are zero. Apart from this, they need to pay around 986 EUR for the monthly living expenses in Germany. Refer to the estimated breakdown below to know more.
| Particulars | Cost Per Month in EUR |
|---|---|
| Rent | 442 |
| Utilities | 200 |
| Clothes | 47 |
| Study Materials | 20 |
| Semester Fee | 53 |
| Health insurance, Medical fee | 120 |
| Phone and Internet | 33 |
| Leisure/Culture/Sports | 71 |
The University of Cologne has a scholarship program for both German and international students. These academic merit based awards are of 3 types, all paying 300 EUR (26,910 INR) per month. The 3 types of grants are:
Many international students depend on a job/ a scholarship/ a loan to finance their studies in Cologne. The university can assist you in getting externally-funded scholarships in Germany. Search the DAAD Scholarships Database to know more.
Note: You can only avail partial scholarships in Cologne. Full-ride scholarships are awarded in exceptional cases. Scholarships are mostly awarded to advanced students pursuing Master and PhD programs. Freshmen students have relatively little chance of getting a scholarship.
University of Cologne QS ranking is #285 in the World University Ranking category. In the current THE World University Ranking 2025, the University of Cologne is ranked 157th internationally and 14th in Germany. More details on the University of Cologne ranking trends are as follows.
| Ranked By | 2025 Rank | 2024 Rank | 2023 Rank | 2022 Rank | 2021 Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QS | #285 | #268 | #335 | #311 | #282 |
| THE | #157 | #160 | #146 | #172 | #145 |
The University of Cologne offers a globally ranked education (#157 THE 2025, #285 QS 2025) at zero tuition cost, making it a top choice for Indian students seeking affordability and quality. With a 20% acceptance rate, admissions are competitive, especially for popular master’s programs like International Management, MBA, and Physics. While students pay a semester fee of 304.75 EUR and monthly living costs of ~986 EUR, partial scholarships (300 EUR/month) are available for advanced students. Strong academics (81–90% in bachelor’s), German (TestDaF Level 4) and English proficiency (IELTS 5.5–7.0), plus an APS certificate are key admission requirements. Currently, the university has 45,187 students, including 5,074 international students.
Ques: Is University of Cologne prestigious?
Ques: Is it hard to get into Cologne University?
Ques: Is Cologne a good place to study?
