Please find useful information below about the University of Tübingen as an exchange destination. Learn more about the location, the campus, courses and student life!
The University of Tübingen, located in the picturesque town of Tübingen, Germany, is one of the country's oldest and most renowned universities. Founded in 1477, it has a rich history and is known for its excellence in research and teaching across various disciplines.
It's recognized for its strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and its commitment to fostering critical thinking and innovation among its students. The campus is characterized by its historic buildings, beautiful surroundings, and a vibrant academic community, attracting students and scholars from around the world. The University of Tübingen’s academic reputation, coupled with its cultural charm, makes it a highly esteemed institution in Germany and beyond. Learn more about the University of Tübingen here.
Consult University of Tübingen on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
The University of Tübingen is not a campus university but is spread throughout the town: Tübingen is one of five classical "university towns" in Germany.
The university uses various buildings in the old town of Tübingen, some of which date back to the foundation of the university. Today, these are mainly used by smaller humanities departments.
Northeast of the old town, the Wilhelmstraße area surrounding the street of the same name is home to larger humanities departments as well as the university's administration. The main university library and main refectory are also in this area.
A new campus for the sciences was built in the 1970s at Morgenstelle, a hill north of the historic centre of Tübingen. Facilities include a large refectory.
Tübingen has a prime location in the heart of the country's Baden-Württemberg region making it easily accessible by various modes of transport. The city benefits from an efficient network of trains, with its central station linking it to major German cities like Stuttgart and Munich. Additionally, Tübingen's bus network offers convenient intra-city travel, connecting the cobblestone streets of the old town with the modern outskirts.
This destination is only open to students in the School of History and students studying Modern Languages in the SLLF.
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
All courses as part of the School of History exchange will be taught in English. All courses as part of the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film exchange will be taught in German.
You should be able to get by easily in Germany as approximately 56% of Germans speak English as a second language. However, you are encouraged to learn some basic German phrases and greetings. This could be through language tandems or by enrolling in a German language course offered by the university.
The University of Tübingen offers more than 50 different courses per semester. You will find them on the website of the Division German as a Foreign Language and Intercultural Programs. Participants do not have to pay any fees, only course material, field trips etc. They offer free beginner’s courses in German for exchange students (A1/A2 level), but please be aware that spaces are limited, and UT cannot guarantee any spaces. In addition to pre-semester intensive languages courses, students can take up to three classes during the semester with German as a Foreign Language and Intercultural Programs.
Academic year
Summer semester runs from 1 April to 30 September every year.Winter semester runs from 1 October to 31 March of the following year.
Academic calendar for exchange students.
Classes end on the Sunday 13 weeks after the term starts (summer semester) and 18 weeks after the term starts in the winter semester.
Semester dates webpage.
As an exchange student, you can take courses across disciplines and faculties at the University of Tübingen: in other words, you are not limited to courses in your field of study but can combine classes from different subjects with language courses or other transdisciplinary offers. The condition is that the classes you are interested in have free spots. General course information and list of English taught classes.
You will find different types of classes at the University of Tübingen, and they come with a different workload. Many classes are graded, others are per se ungraded and you only "pass" or "fail" them. You should always ensure to take classes for which you receive a grade.
Only open to students in the School of History and the School of Languages, Linguistics and Film (Department of Modern Languages and Cultures).
Students must enrol on a full courseload: 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year (equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 Queen Mary credits for the full academic year). 1 ECT equates approximately to 28 working hours.
The University of Tübingen uses the following grading system:
1,0 / 1,3 (very good)1,7 / 2,0 / 2,3 (good)2,7 / 3,0 / 3,3 (satisfactory)3,7 / 4,0 (sufficient)5 (fail)
After successful completion of all requirements of the courses, students will receive a digital transcript by email. The transcript shows the course titles, teachers, the grading and ECTS credits earned.
The University of Tübingen advises that getting a room in Tübingen can take quite some time. They therefore recommend that students start their search early. They also strongly recommend students to opt for student housing because of the difficult and expensive private housing market in Tübingen.
University housing
The student dormitories are not administered by the university, but by the so‐called “Studierendenwerk”, the Student Services Organization, which is not affiliated with the university. However, the University of Tübingen has a yearly quota of rooms that are reserved solely for exchange students. More info: Accomodation. Please see for details of the dormitories the Overview of residence halls by the Studierendenwerk.
A room in a student residence hall / dormitory is good value for money and cheaper than the private rental market. Note that in Germany, all student residences are self-catered – you usually share a kitchen as well as sanitary facilities and have a single room on your own.
Students can apply for housing online directly on the Website of the Studierendenwerk. Contracts will be available for the duration of the whole semester only. There is a deposit of 600€ due upon arrival.
Important: the application deadline for the winter term is May 31st, for the summer term it's December 31st!
If you do not manage to get a place in the University of Tübingen affiliated dormitories, then there are other student accommodation providers you can investigate. Please see here.
Independent housing
Private renting is also an option. See here for the private accommodation service of the Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim.
Cost of living
Information about living costs in Germany and Tübingen can be found here. You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Tübingen here.
Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
The University of Tubingen has dedicated academic advisors for exchange students. See here for more information.
In order to support students, the University of Tübingen offers special counseling services to support students with disabilities or chronic illnesses that can be used at any stage of studies, or even before the start of studies. Please see here for more information.
The University of Tübingen offers a vibrant and diverse student experience that prepares all students to engage, transform, and thrive in an evolving global community. The practical, hands-on experience is gained through running student organizations, and the exchange with fellow students from all faculties through language courses, buddy programs, sports offers and various other forms of activities where you can make a lasting impact.
StudIT is a student led group that organises lots of activities and trips for international and exchange students.
Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter
The landing page for international exchange students at University of Tubingen.