Academic Institutions in Germany

Imagine a student with two application letters in his hand one of them is Universität and the other one is Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften. Both of them are higher education institutions but what is the difference between them? Here a question arises: What are the different types of university institutions in Germany and which one really suits my goals? When you start to study in German you will find that there are different types of university institutions. They include: Universität, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften that is universities of applied sciences and Kunst-, Musik- und Filmhochschule refer to academies of arts, music, and film.   Finding the differences between types of universities can help you to find the right study program in Germany.

Here you can find Three types of institutions in Germany:

university	Explanation
Universität	Universities that are research-driven institutions and focus on theoretical approaches not practical. Student at this university can study at a different level. Study on Doctoral degree is also possible there.
Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften	This university has research results and refers to UAS. The curricula at this university are project courses in cooperation with companies, mandatory internships, and classes with professional teachers from the best industries. Study on different levels is available at this university except doctoral degree actually few universities of applied sciences offer doctoral studies.
Kunst-, Musik- und Filmhochschule	This university offers artistic training and helps students to obtain artistic talents. Talents include design, architecture, photography, or dance. at this institute scientific programs related to researching the respective arts or pedagogical programs related to arts will teach. doctorate degrees are approximately possible.

 

Universities (Universitäten): Research and Theory-Focused Education

Traditional universities are research-oriented institutions and offer theoretical academic training in almost all fields of study, even those fields which need state examination such as medicine, law, and teaching.  Universitäten doesn’t have practical training. The only What distinguishes these institutions from other institutions is that they have the right to award doctoral degrees to students, and students studying at these universities can continue their studies at the doctoral level if they wish. Teaching staff requirements for these universities are Scientific qualification and including doctorate degree & habilitation.

Degrees offered at this university include Bachelor’s, master’s, state examination and doctorate degrees. This institute also offers a range of subjects including medicine, law, pharmacy, teaching, etc.

Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen / HAW)

Fachhochschulen are the second most popular type of higher education institution in Germany after universities.  it is a type of university in Germany which focuses on practical courses and practical research, usually people abbreviate Fachhochschulen to “FH”. during several year “Fachhochschulen” changed and their names becom “Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften” (University of Applied Sciences), abbreviated “HAW”, or to a name combining “Hochschule” with their main academic field, such as “Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft” (HTW).

Academic degrees earned at “Fachhochschulen” and “Universitäten” are equal and at this university students can study for a Bachelor’s, master’s however, “Fachhochschulen” usually do not award PhDs.

Semesters at this university that are practical, industry-oriented education, often are with mandatory internship semesters and smaller class sizes than traditional universities.

FH degrees are equal to university degrees, and many international students choose this institute specifically because it leads more directly into the job market and they will hace more opportunities to get a proper job and this is a common misconception that these universities are a “lesser” option for students.

There are some differences higher education institutions in Germany:

•  Universities of Applied Sciences have smaller-sized classrooms than university so this university is perfect for students who feel more comfortable in this kind of class.
• Students at Fachhochschule can expect an application-oriented academic training that integrates practical phases, such as research projects in cooperation with companies or internships, into the course structure but Universität is not practical and is only theoretical.
• At the first type of university in German called Universities is it possible to continue higher education like PhD and students can receive doctorate degrees but at Fachhochschule there are no doctorate degrees.

 

Below is a Compare between two types of universities in Germany:

Comparing Factor	University	University of applied sciences
Typical class size	Bigger classroom size	Small classroom size
doctoral-degree rights	students can receive a doctorate degree.	Not opportunity to get doctorate degrees

 

Technical Universities and the TU9 Alliance

The Technical Universities in Germany as abbreviation TUs – are a destination of dreams for many international students. These kinds of universities are perfect at engineering and natural sciences fields.

TU9 universities Germany technical universities are an alliance of nine of technical universities and include below oldest and the most popular universities:

•  RWTH Aachen
• Technical University of Berlin
• Technical University of Darmstadt
•  Technical University of Dresden
• Technical University of Braunschweig
•  Leibniz University Hannover
• Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
•  Technical University of Munich
•  University of Stuttgart

These universities are the most highly regarded universities globally and are considered as top choice for students. A degree from one of these top universities opens up great career options for you. They have the right to award doctorates and primarily offer natural sciences and engineering subjects.

Type subject which can be found at technical universities include the following:

• Computer Science,
• Engineering,
• Natural Sciences,
• Data and Analytics,
• Information Technology,
• Mathematics,
• Architecture.

A significant factor that attracts many students to technical universities is that these kinds of universities enjoy an outstanding reputation, and also foster top-class networks with industry partners in and outside of Germany.

Public vs. Private Universities

There are two types of universities in Germany: public and private. Public institutions are funded by the government, while private universities are run through tuition fees and donations from alumni and businesses. A large number of German universities are public and funded primarily through taxes, which is why tuition is completely free or fare regardless of nationality.

Private universities are far less common and typically charge tuition. In most fields a public university degree carries equal or greater weight and they have more credibility.  But in some fields may private institutes have more credit, private institutions specializing in business and finance (recognized by top employers) can carry comparable or additional weight in that specific field. But this is specifically for this major, not in all cases.

Factor	Public Universities	Private Universities
Tuition Cost	Founded by taxes, little to no tuition at most institutions; students usually pay only a semester contribution fee.	Tuition fees are typically required and can range from several thousand to tens of thousands of euros per year.
Prevalence	The vast majority of Germany’s higher education is tended to this university.	A small minority of German universities enroll a much smaller share of students.
business/finance exception	Public university degrees are known as equal to or more prestigious than private university degrees across most fields.	In business and finance, a handful of specialized private institutions (e.g., WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, and EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht) have strong employer recognition giving them comparable or sometimes additional value in those specific industries.

 

Universities of Excellence and Other Prestige Groupings

Some universities list or are named as universities of excellence The Excellence originality provides an opportunity for healthy competition among top universities in Germany.

Universities are assessed based on their research output and proposed projects. Funding is then allocated to projects and initiatives dedicated to a specific field of study or research. The honor of being selected as a top university is a great honor and sometimes informally called Germany’s “elite” public universities.

The U15 group is research-intensive as another prestige grouping readers may encounter. U15 is an association of fifteen research-intensive universities and medical universities in Germany. As mentioned above, many German universities form alliances with nearby or thematically related universities in order to optimize their competitiveness with other university corporations in Germany. The U15 has also been a member of the Global Network of Research Universities since and includes university alliances from all over the world, including the UK, USA, Europe and Asia.

The U15 universities, like other alliances, have research centers and can work with industry partners to provide opportunities for students as internships and work placements and can improve students’ chances to find an appropriate job. These labels are an important factor of strong research funding and reputation.

Research Institutes: Beyond Traditional Universities

The German research landscape is much broader than traditional universities. Numerous research organizations around the world work closely with universities, especially at the doctoral level.

The most important of these partnerships are the Max Planck Society, which focuses on fundamental research, and the Fraunhofer Society, which focuses on applied research and industrial partnerships.

Within the framework of the Research and Innovation Pact, the Max Planck Society and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft continue to cooperate in research areas and disciplines. The two groups are particularly interested in working with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, with a focus on application. The two organizations have been in talks since spring 2004 to identify and support opportunities for cooperation at the interface of applied and fundamental research.

The Helmholtz Research Centre is Germany is the largest research organization that brings together 18 scientific-technical and biomedical research centers across Germany. It works on long-term research goals and the aim is to preserve and improve the foundations of human life. The Helmholtz Research Institutes set up and operate unique research infrastructures. They are an example of the division of tasks in the German research landscape and cooperation with German and foreign universities and research institutes. The Helmholtz invests its resources not in individual institutes, but in inter-institutional research programs. They want to provide a comprehensive response to complex problems arising from academia, society and the economy and to work with the best partners to develop systemic solutions.

These universities are not degree-granting universities in the traditional sense. they are often host doctoral researchers in close partnership with universities so application to this university is the big opportunity for those students who are interested in research base study.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of academic institutions exist in Germany?

There are 3 main types of university in German. They are University (German: Universität), University of applied sciences (German: Fachhochschule / Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften) and Academies of arts, music and film (German: Kunst-, Musik-, und Filmhochschule).

 

What is the difference between a Universität and a Fachhochschule?

 A Universität focuses on theoretical academic education and supports bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral (PhD) programs. On the other hand, Fachhochschule focuses on practical and career-focused education. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fachhochschulen are academically equivalent to university degrees, but these institutions do not provide doctoral degrees.

 

Are private universities in Germany worth it?

For most students, public universities are the best choice because they don’t have fee tuition and reputable degree but in some cases some majors in business and finance have strong employer recognition and industry networks that can provide good job opportunities for students.

 

What does TU9 mean and why does it matter?

Germany has many good universities. But there is a special group called the TU9 universities. These are the nine top technical universities in Germany. Many TU9 universities are ranked very high and having a degree from this university will make a strong educational background for student and increase career opportunities.

 

What is a German University of Excellence?

German University of Excellence are one of the most reputable universities in German judged according to their research outputs and future research plans, successful universities are granted more funds. To be recognized as a University of Excellence is seen as an indication of good research output and reputation internationally.