University in Germany
Bremen, Bremen, Germany
University profile
The University of Bremen (Universität Bremen) is a public, medium-sized university in the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen in north-west Germany. It was founded in 1971 as a reform university and still works to the principles of the "Bremen Model": interdisciplinary work, research-based projects, practical orientation and responsibility towards society. In 2025 it had 18,719 students, and it offers more than 100 Bachelor's and Master's programmes as well as the state examination in law.
Teaching and research are organised in twelve faculties: Physics/Electrical Engineering (01), Biology/Chemistry (02), Mathematics/Computer Science (03), Production Engineering (04), Geosciences (05), Law (06), Business Studies and Economics (07), Social Sciences (08), Cultural Studies (09), Linguistics and Literary Studies (10), Human and Health Sciences (11) and Pedagogy and Educational Sciences (12). Teacher education is a long-standing strength.
Research is concentrated in five high-profile areas: Marine, Polar and Climate Research (MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences); Materials Science and Technologies (MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes); Minds, Media, Machines; Social Change, Social Policy, and the State; and Health Sciences. From 2012 to 2019 the university held the title University of Excellence, and from 1 January 2026 it hosts two Clusters of Excellence: "The Ocean Floor - Earth's Uncharted Interface" and "The Martian Mindset: A Scarcity-Driven Engineering Paradigm". It works closely with non-university institutes nearby, 13 of which formed the U Bremen Research Alliance in 2016.
The campus is compact, bringing together lecture halls, laboratories, the State and University Library (SuUB), refectories and cafeterias, shops and a bank, study spaces for project work, counselling services, the University Sports Association programme and music, theatre and art groups. Student housing is available through the Studierendenwerk Bremen and private providers on and near campus, such as Galileo Residenz and CAMPUS VIVA.
The university is international in outlook: 3,642 international students (19.5 per cent excluding Erasmus students) study there, people from around 100 countries study and work on campus, and the International Office, founded in 1986, maintains partnerships with over 400 universities. It belongs to the YUFE (Young Universities for the Future of Europe) and YERUN networks and is a member of the German Research Foundation (DFG) since 1986. The University of Bremen does not charge tuition fees; students pay a semester fee.
The University of Bremen does not charge tuition fees. Every student pays a semester fee (Semesterbeitrag), which is not tuition: for winter semester 2026/27 it is 443.40 euros, made up of 130.00 euros Student Service (Studierendenwerk), 21.00 euros AStA students' union fee, 226.80 euros Deutschlandsemesterticket, 2.60 euros Kultursemesterticket and a 63.00 euro administrative fee. Payment is due by 15 August for the winter semester and 15 February for the summer semester.
Each winter semester students can apply for one of more than 100 Deutschlandstipendien. The national scholarship pays 300 euros per month, half from private sponsors and half from the federal government. Selection considers academic performance, social engagement and personal circumstances. Details: Deutschlandstipendium.
The Tandem Scholarship Programme (first-generation students, funded by the German University Foundation) and the GEH DEINEN WEG scholarship and mentoring programme (students with a migration background) are promoted by the university, alongside the 13 major German funding organisations represented by liaison lecturers. Information on BAföG, scholarships and student jobs is at Student Financing and Jobs. The university advises proving living costs of at least 992 euros per month for international students.
Browse the scholarships listed for University of Bremen and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for University of Bremen →Applicants from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland whose entrance qualification was not issued in Germany usually first apply to uni-assist for a preliminary review documentation (Vorprüfungsdokumentation, VPD), valid for one year; the university recommends applying for the VPD by 6 June for the winter semester and by 1 December for the summer semester, as processing takes at least four weeks. With the VPD, applicants apply directly through the university's moin portal; there is no application fee at the university. Application deadlines for regular programmes are 15 July (winter semester) and 15 January (summer semester). Graduates of a Studienkolleg with a Feststellungsprüfung certificate, or applicants holding a recognition notice from a German authority or another German university, can apply without a VPD. EU applicants and others treated as Bildungsinländer apply directly in moin. Programmes are open-admission or restricted-admission (NC); Psychology also uses the BaPsy-DGPs aptitude test, and many programmes have programme-specific requirements such as language skills or internships. Documents not in German or English must be translated by a sworn translator in Germany.
For almost all undergraduate programmes, German at level C1 is required for enrolment; conditional admission without it is not possible. Accepted proofs include TestDaF (16 points in total, at least 3 in each of the four parts), DSH-2 or DSH-3 (DSH-1 is not sufficient), Goethe-Zertifikat C1 or C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, DSD II, ÖSD C1 or C2, the German assessment test of a Studienkolleg, or a school or university qualification taught in German. Exemptions are rare and are decided by the Sprachenzentrum Bremen. International degree programmes may have other language requirements.
Applicants with a German entrance qualification who still need German can enrol in preparatory studies (SOLO or the mentoring programme PALS) for up to four semesters while attending a German course of at least 20 hours per week. There is no application deadline, the application via moin is free, and enrolment is possible until 31 December (winter semester) or 30 June (summer semester). The :prime programme covers the Studienkolleg entrance exam for the public universities in Bremen.
Master's programmes last two to four semesters and require a relevant Bachelor's degree. International applicants apply directly to the university through moin, one programme at a time. Typical documents are the transcript of records, degree certificate if available, a tabular curriculum vitae and a letter of motivation; some programmes also require language certificates, proof of subject-specific credits, letters of reference or an entrance or aptitude test (for example Applied Geosciences, Marine Geosciences, Space Engineering, Production Engineering, Business Psychology). Deadlines, prerequisites and language levels (German C1 for German-taught programmes, with the same accepted certificates as above) are set per programme in the Master's portal; 5 per cent of places in Master's programmes are reserved for hardship cases.
Doctoral procedures follow the Promotionsordnung of each faculty. Acceptance as a doctoral candidate by the faculty's doctoral committee, or a supervision commitment from a professor, is needed for enrolment, which is possible at any time. The Bremen Early Career Researcher Development (BYRD) advises on doctoral studies. Foreign degrees must be recognised for admission.
A student visa is issued by the German representation in the applicant's country of residence; a tourist visa cannot be converted into a student residence permit. Citizens of EU states need no entry visa.
Study programmes offered at University of Bremen.
Experiences shared by students of University of Bremen.
Studied here? Share your experience to help other applicants.
Book a free consultation with our expert counsellors and take the first step towards your dream university.
Copyrights © 2026 StudyMapped. All rights reserved.
Enter your credentials to continue.
Join us and start your study abroad journey.
