University in Germany
Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
University profile
The Universität zu Lübeck is a foundation university in the Hanseatic city of Lübeck in Schleswig-Holstein, on the Baltic coast about 45 minutes by train from Hamburg. It began in 1964 as the Medizinische Akademie Lübeck and describes itself as a life science university, working at the interface of medicine, natural sciences, computer science and engineering. Its motto in the mission statement is "Im Focus das Leben", and teaching, research and patient care share one campus.
Instead of faculties, the university is organised into three sections: Medicine, Informatics/Technology and Natural Sciences, the latter two together forming the MINT sections. Centres such as the Centre for Infection and Inflammation Research (ZIEL), the Center for Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), the Zentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz Lübeck (ZKIL), the Zentrum für Bevölkerungsmedizin und Versorgungsforschung (ZBV) and the Zentrum für Kulturwissenschaftliche Forschung Lübeck (ZKFL) shape the research profile. The Section of Medicine is responsible for Humanmedizin and the health science programmes (Pflege, Hebammenwissenschaft, Ergotherapie, Logopädie, Physiotherapie and the Master Gesundheits- und Versorgungswissenschaften). Informatics/Technology has more than 40 professors, and the Section of Natural Sciences covers Biophysik, Infection Biology, Medizinische Ernährungswissenschaft, Molecular Life Science and Psychologie.
The university has 6,374 students, 151 professors and 37 degree programmes. It teaches from one central campus at Ratzeburger Allee 160 and is part of the Hanse Innovation Campus Lübeck with the Technische Hochschule Lübeck, the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) Campus Lübeck, Fraunhofer IMTE, Fraunhofer MEVIS and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). The Zentrale Hochschulbibliothek (ZHB) on the campus is open seven days a week, and the Hochschulsport offers a course programme each semester.
Student life centres on a compact campus with short distances and direct contact with professors. Lübeck has an UNESCO-listed old town, the Trave and Wakenitz rivers and Travemünde on the Baltic coast. Student housing includes 549 places in four halls of residence, mostly run by the Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein, plus a university guest house for short stays. The Student Representatives (AStA), student councils and a Lübeck Social Community support social life.
International students can study in German-taught programmes, or in English-taught Master programmes such as Artificial Intelligence, Infection Biology, IT-Security, Robotik und Autonome Systeme and Nutritional Medicine. The International Office and the Propädeutikum International prepare applicants with TestAS preparation, subject courses and German courses up to TestDaF level. Since 1 January 2015 the Universität zu Lübeck has been a foundation university under public law, the first in Schleswig-Holstein.
There are no tuition fees at the Universität zu Lübeck. Each semester students pay a Semesterbeitrag of 440.60 EUR, which includes a student-body share and the Deutschland-Semesterticket for public transport; this figure includes the one-time enrolment fee of 40 EUR for first enrolments. The semester contribution is not tuition. Living costs are estimated by the university at about 900 EUR per month for accommodation, health insurance and personal expenses.
The Studienfonds gGmbH, wholly owned by the university, gives a micro-grant of 250 EUR per month for one year (renewable), with income-dependent repayment after graduation. Eligible: students from the 3rd Bachelor semester, the 1st clinical year in Medicine, or the 1st Master semester. Documents: CV and motivation letter. Deadlines: 1 March (summer semester) and 1 September (winter semester).
STIBET I (DAAD funds) supports international students and doctoral candidates with good results and strong international engagement with about 400 EUR per month for four months (2026 deadline extended to 25 August 2026). The Notfallstipendium is a one-off 500 EUR for international students in financial hardship. The Überbrückungsbeihilfe helps non-EU students preparing for final examinations (apply three months before). The Karin-Schütz-Stiftung supports needy students and doctoral candidates (deadline 15 January; medical students only after the Physikum). The university cannot fund a full degree; applicants are referred to the DAAD scholarship database and StipendiumPlus, and applications must be made before arrival.
Travel scholarships come from the Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer, and the Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein offers a one-off Studienstarthilfe of 1,000 EUR for first-year students from low-income households. BAföG and several foundations are listed by the Studierenden-Service-Center. For doctoral candidates the CDSL awards Promotionsstipendien through institutes, and the Exzellenzmedizin scholarship supports medical doctoral projects.
Financing your studies | Scholarships for international students | Studienfonds
STIBET I Scholarship for Particularly Engaged International Students and Doctoral Candidates →
Studienfonds Lübeck Micro-Funding (income-contingent) →
Promotionsstipendium Lübecker Exzellenzmedizin (Doctoral Scholarship for Medical Students) →
Browse the scholarships listed for University of Lübeck and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for University of Lübeck →Applicants need a Hochschulzugangsberechtigung comparable to the German Abitur. If the foreign school certificate is not equivalent, applicants can obtain access through the Feststellungsprüfung at a Studienkolleg; the Studienkolleg responsible for Lübeck is in Hamburg, and admission to the Studienkolleg does not mean admission to the university. Subject-restricted certificates stay restricted in Germany. The DAAD admission database and anabin show how a certificate is rated.
Non-EU applicants with a foreign entrance qualification apply for the first subject semester through uni-assist; Infection Biology applicants who are not German also apply this way. Applicants who are German, EU citizens, Bildungsinländer, university transfers, Studienkolleg graduates, Master applicants with a German Bachelor degree and applicants for higher semesters use the university's online application portal. Medicine is applied for through hochschulstart.de, and for Psychologie applicants register on hochschulstart.de first. First-semester Bachelor study starts in the winter semester only. The deadline for the winter semester is 15 July for Bachelor and Medicine; for German and EU applicants the portal window is 1 May to 15 July for restricted programmes (Psychologie, Medizinische Ernährungswissenschaften, Molecular Life Science, Physiotherapie, Pflege) and 1 May to 15 September for the others. Higher semesters: 15 July (winter) and 15 January (summer).
Biophysik, Informatik, IT-Sicherheit, Medizinische Informatik, Medieninformatik, Entrepreneurship in digitalen Technologien, Infection Biology, Mathematik in Medizin und Lebenswissenschaften and Robotik und Autonome Systeme are open without Numerus clausus. Medicine, Molecular Life Science, Psychologie and Medizinische Ingenieurwissenschaft are restricted. Places for foreign applicants are 5 per cent of places in Medicine and 8 per cent in Molecular Life Science, Psychologie and Medizinische Ingenieurwissenschaft, allocated by grades and country quotas.
Applicants not from a German-speaking country and without a Studienkolleg Feststellungsprüfung need TestDaF with level 4 in all four parts, DSH with at least DSH-2, or telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule with at least grade good. Exemptions apply for the Deutsches Sprachdiplom of the KMK (second level), the Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung or the Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom of the Goethe-Institut (now Goethe-Zertifikat C2), and an Abitur from a recognised German school abroad. The university is a TestDaF test centre and offers preparatory German courses from B1+.
English-taught programmes require level B2. Accepted proofs include TOEFL iBT 72 or better (until 20 January 2026; from 21 January 2026 a score of 4 or better on the new scale), IELTS 5.5 or better, Pearson PTE Academic 59 or better, Cambridge First Certificate (grade B or C), TOEIC (Listening and Reading 785, Speaking 160, Writing 150), telc B2, UNicert II, a German Abitur with at least seven years of English, or a degree taught in English. Native speakers need no proof.
Master applicants submit CV, motivation letter, Bachelor certificate and transcript, proof of German (not required for English-taught Masters) or English B2, and for several programmes (Artificial Intelligence, Biophysik, Informatik, Infection Biology, Medizinische Informatik, Molecular Life Science, Nutritional Medicine, IT Security) the Bachelor thesis or a three-page summary. Robotik und Autonome Systeme and IT-Sicherheit require an eligibility form, and IT-Sicherheit also an E-test. Psychologie requires proof of application subjects and methods ECTS. Minimum grades stated for international applicants are 2.7 for Medizinische Ingenieurwissenschaften, Mathematik in Medizin und Lebenswissenschaften, Informatik, Molecular Life Science, Robotik und Autonome Systeme, Entrepreneurship in digitalen Technologien, IT-Sicherheit and Infection Biology, and 2.3 for Artificial Intelligence. Applicants from China, Vietnam and India need the APS certificate. First-semester Master deadlines: winter semester 1 May to 15 July and summer semester 5 November to 15 January for German and EU applicants; via uni-assist for non-EU applicants, winter semester 15 February to 1 April and summer semester 1 September to 15 October (Artificial Intelligence: 1 May to 15 July and 1 November to 15 January).
Doctorates are supervised through the Center for Doctoral Studies Lübeck (CDSL). The Section of Medicine awards Dr. med., Dr. med. dent. and Dr. rer. hum. biol. in a structured doctorate; the MINT sections award Dr. rer. nat., Dr.-Ing., Dr. phil. and Ph.D., as individual or structured doctorates (Ph.D. structured only). Structured doctorates have at least a two-person supervision team, regular supervision meetings and an individual curriculum under the Promotionsordnung. Doctoral candidates must be health insured to enrol.
With an admission letter applicants can apply for a study visa; a three-month Schengen visa cannot be extended for study. Enrolment requires proof of health insurance through the German statutory insurer (Meldung 10, operating number H 0001115), passport copy, entrance qualification and proof of payment of the semester contribution and enrolment fee.
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