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Last modified: 2026-09-30

# University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln)

The University of Cologne is one of Germany's largest universities and charges international students no tuition fees, because North Rhine-Westphalia never introduced them. Each semester you pay a contribution of $400 (€355.65) for winter 2026/27, which includes a nationwide public-transport pass. What sets Cologne apart is its admissions route for non-EU applicants: bachelor's applications go through uni-assist and must include a TestAS aptitude test certificate. Undergraduate teaching is in German, while most master's programmes at the Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences can be completed in English.

The main building of the University of Cologne. Photo: Raimond Spekking / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hauptgeb%C3%A4ude_der_Universit%C3%A4t_zu_K%C3%B6ln-5634.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Location | Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| History | founded 1388, closed 1798, re-established by the city's citizens in 1919 |
| Faculties | 6: Management, Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo); Law; Medicine; Arts and Humanities; Mathematics and Natural Sciences; Human Sciences |
| Degree programmes | 204 (university figure for 2024) |
| Tuition fees | none |
| Semester contribution | $400 (€355.65), winter 2026/27 |
| How international students apply | bachelor's: uni-assist plus TestAS; master's: uni-assist VPD, then the KLIPS 2.0 portal |
| Research | 5 Clusters of Excellence |
| Ranking | THE World University Rankings 2027: joint 163rd |

## What makes Cologne different {#section-1}

Cologne is known for economics and management, law, medicine and ageing research. Its WiSo faculty runs the CEMS Master in International Management, and five of the university's key research areas (ageing, behaviour, plant sciences, quantum technologies and the universe) host Clusters of Excellence. In November 2025 the university applied for University of Excellence status with its "Neue Universität" proposal; the Excellence Commission scheduled its decision for 2 October 2026.

For applicants from outside the EU, the more practical point is that Cologne's admission routes differ from its neighbours'.

| Your situation | Cologne's route | In practice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Your certificate gives direct access to a bachelor's (for example, after a year of university at home) | uni-assist application with TestAS and C1-level German (DSH-2) | book the TestAS well before the application window |
| Your certificate only gives access to a Studienkolleg | the university's own access exam, Studienstart International plus, instead of a Studienkolleg | one semester at the university instead of a foundation year, but DSH-2 German is required when you apply |
| You hold a bachelor's degree | uni-assist VPD first, then an application in KLIPS 2.0 | two stages: document check, then the programme's selection |

If the TestAS feels like an extra hurdle, compare Cologne with the nearby [University of Bonn](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-bonn) or the [University of Münster](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-muenster), both tuition-free with different admissions procedures.

## Bachelor's degrees: TestAS, German and uni-assist {#section-2}

All bachelor's, state examination and law programmes are taught in German. For non-EU applicants the process is:

1. Check your entry qualification with the uni-assist admission check or the anabin database. A school certificate from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan issued since 2015 normally gives indirect access only; a successfully completed first year at university in a related field gives direct access.
2. Take the TestAS, a standardised aptitude test for international applicants, in German or English, consisting of a core test and a subject module. Cologne rejects applications without it. The minimum percentile is the average of both modules: 40 for economics (WIWI module) and law (GKG module), 40 for most science programmes (MINT module), 45 for biology and 75 for biochemistry; other faculties' thresholds are listed in the university's table. Reaching the threshold only admits you to the selection. The test may be retaken, and both paper and digital versions count. Paper results take about four weeks and digital ones about three, so check dates and test centres on testas.de early.
3. Prove your German at DSH-2 level: TestDaF 4 in all parts, DSH-2, DSD II, telc C1 Hochschule, telc C2, Goethe C1, ÖSD C2 or the German part of a Feststellungsprüfung.
4. Apply online through uni-assist with a tabular CV in German, your school certificate with grades and translation, language certificate, TestAS certificate and passport copy. Nothing is sent by post. The deadline is 15 July for the winter semester and 15 January for the summer semester, based on the date of receipt. In 2026/27 uni-assist charges $85 (€75) for the first programme in a semester and $34 (€30) for each additional one.
5. Follow the decision in KLIPS 2.0, for which uni-assist forwards your application and the university emails your login.

In their first semester, direct-access students (except future teachers and law students) take the compulsory Studienstart International integrale programme with subject-specific German and study-skills seminars. Medicine applicants use the separate Studienstart International Medizin route. Our guide to [applying through uni-assist](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-german-universities-uni-assist) explains the platform.

## Studienstart International plus: a route without a Studienkolleg {#section-3}

If your certificate only qualifies you for a Studienkolleg, Cologne offers its own access examination. It has two parts: a successful TestAS and one semester of the Studienstart International plus programme at the university, where you take introductory courses in your chosen subject alongside academic German and study-skills seminars. Pass, and you continue straight into the same degree without reapplying. There is no fee, and your place in the subject is held for you.

The limits matter:

- intake is for the summer semester only, with a uni-assist deadline of 15 January;
- it is available for the WiSo, Arts and Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Human Sciences faculties; law and teacher-training degrees are currently excluded;
- DSH-2 German is required at application, whereas a regular Studienkolleg starts from B1 or B2;
- changing subject is only possible in limited cases, and moving to another university on the strength of this exam is usually not possible.

If you cannot reach C1 German by the deadline, the standard route is a Studienkolleg elsewhere; see our [Studienkolleg guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studienkolleg-germany).

## Master's degrees: VPD first, then the application {#section-4}

Stage 1: VPD from uni-assist. The preliminary review documentation (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) confirms that your bachelor's degree qualifies you for a master's. In the uni-assist portal choose "Uni zu Köln – VPD" and "alle Fächer – Master". Uploads need no certification: school certificate, degree certificate or current transcript, the grading system of your university and an official translation if documents are not in German or English. Processing takes four to eight weeks, and the VPD is not an application in itself; request it too late and you will have to apply for the following semester. Once issued, Cologne accepts it indefinitely as long as your qualification does not change.

Stage 2: KLIPS 2.0. With the VPD you apply for a specific programme, uploading its own required documents; the programme's admissions committee then assesses your subject background.

| Programmes | Winter semester | Summer semester |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Most master's programmes | portal opens early June; deadline 15 July | deadline 15 January |
| WiSo master's programmes | portal opens early April; deadline 15 June | 15 January where a summer intake exists |
| International Management (CEMS MIM) and Economic Research | portal opens early January; deadline 31 March | check the programme page |
| Environmental Sciences (IMES, JIMES) | deadline 15 May | check the programme page |

## English-taught master's programmes {#section-5}

The main English-taught offer is at the WiSo faculty, which says most of its master's programmes can be completed entirely in English or bilingually without proof of German. They include International Management (CEMS MIM), Business Administration, Business Analytics and Econometrics, Economics, Economic Research, Health Economics, Information Systems, Political Science, Sociology and several double master's degrees with partner universities. English requirements are set by each admissions committee. Other faculties also run English-taught programmes, such as Environmental Sciences, so confirm the language on the programme page. See our overview of [English-taught master's degrees in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-germany-in-english).

## What studying in Cologne costs {#section-6}

### Semester contribution, winter 2026/27

| Component | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Deutschland-Semesterticket | $260 (€226.80) |
| Cologne Student Services (KStW) | $120 (€110) |
| Student union (AStA) | $15 (€13.25) |
| Student councils | $4 (€3.60) |
| University sports | $2 (€2) |
| Total | $400 (€355.65) |

### Monthly budget

The university estimates a Cologne student's spending at about $1,360 (€1,200) a month, based on German Student Services survey data and a 2025 Moses Mendelssohn Institute analysis:

| Item | Per month |
| --- | --- |
| Rent including utilities | $680 (€600) |
| Food | $230 (€200) |
| Health insurance and medical costs | $170 (€150) |
| Leisure, sport and culture | $81 (€71) |
| Clothing | $53 (€47) |
| Semester contribution spread per month | $68 (€60) |
| Phone and internet | $37 (€33) |
| Study materials | $23 (€20) |

The visa and residence permit require $1,130 (€992) a month, but the university's own estimate is higher. A realistic yearly budget is about $16,350 (€14,400); the visa minimum plus two semester contributions is $14,320 (€12,615). The university recommends keeping the full annual amount in the blocked account, since it must be shown again at each residence permit renewal. See our [blocked account guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-blocked-account-germany).

## Housing: apply before you apply to study {#section-7}

The university states plainly that student housing in Cologne is scarce and expensive, with demand peaking at the start of each semester, so start looking while you prepare your application.

| Option | Monthly cost | What to know |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KStW residence hall (90+ buildings, about 5,000 rooms for all Cologne universities) | $220–570 (€190–500) | apply three to six months ahead, even before applying to study, and confirm your application monthly via the emailed link |
| Private student residence | $450–910 (€400–800) | furnished, more often available |
| Room in a shared flat | $510–850 (€450–750) | usually advertised a few months before move-in |
| Own flat | from $740–790 (€650–700) | usually unfurnished |

Lindenthal, Sülz and Ehrenfeld are close to the university; Hürth, Frechen and Bergisch Gladbach are cheaper and well connected. The university's "Wohnen für Hilfe" scheme offers a room with an older person in exchange for household help, roughly one hour a month per square metre. At the start of each semester the student union runs emergency sleeping places. The key anti-scam rule: in Germany rent is paid after the lease is signed, and keys are never posted abroad. More in our [student housing guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-housing-germany).

## Work and scholarships {#section-8}

Non-EU students may work 140 full or 280 half days a year; internships count towards the limit, student assistant jobs do not. One rule often missed: if your visa was issued on the basis of a scholarship, you may not take a job without permission. University scholarships are usually about $340 (€300) a month and are advertised annually; the university says funding for an entire degree is exceptional, and scholarships in general go mainly to master's and doctoral students. The university also points to the DAAD scholarship database. Russia's Ministry of Justice listed DAAD as an undesirable organisation in February 2026, so we do not recommend its programmes to Russian citizens; applicants from other CIS countries face no such restriction. See [working while studying in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-working-while-studying-in-germany).

## Visa and payment notes for applicants from Russia {#section-9}

- Residents of Russia apply for a study visa only at the German Embassy in Moscow via RK-Termin; the St Petersburg consulate stopped operating on 18 September 2026.
- Funds are shown with a blocked account from a provider outside Russia or a formal declaration of commitment; Russian bank statements are not accepted.
- uni-assist accepts translations made in Russia only if a notary certifies the translator's signature, and the embassy also requires notarised translations.
- The contribution is paid to the university's German account; see [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia) and our [German student visa guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-germany).

## Common mistakes {#section-10}

- Applying for a bachelor's without a TestAS certificate: the application is not considered, and the next test date may fall after 15 July.
- Planning to reach C1 German after admission: DSH-2 or an equivalent is needed in the application, including for Studienstart International plus.
- Requesting the VPD two weeks before the deadline: it will be issued, but only in time for the next semester.
- Forgetting the monthly confirmation of a KStW housing application.
- Missing WiSo's early deadlines: CEMS MIM closes on 31 March.

## FAQ {#section-11}

### How much does it cost to study at the University of Cologne?

There are no tuition fees for any nationality. Each semester you pay a contribution of $400 (€355.65) for winter 2026/27, including the Deutschland-Semesterticket, and the university suggests budgeting about $1,360 (€1,200) a month for living costs.

### Is the TestAS mandatory for the University of Cologne?

Yes, for non-EU applicants to bachelor's programmes and to Studienstart International plus. The certificate is uploaded with the uni-assist application, and the minimum percentile ranges from 40 to 75 depending on the subject.

### Can I enter the University of Cologne without a Studienkolleg?

Yes, if your German is already at DSH-2 level. Cologne admits such applicants to the one-semester Studienstart International plus, after which they continue in their chosen degree; the intake is in the summer semester only.

### How do I apply for a master's at Cologne with a foreign degree?

First obtain a VPD from uni-assist, which takes four to eight weeks, then apply for your programme in KLIPS 2.0. The general deadline is 15 July for the winter semester; WiSo programmes close on 15 June and CEMS MIM on 31 March.

### Does the University of Cologne teach in English?

Not at bachelor's level, where all programmes are in German. At master's level most WiSo programmes, including Economics, Business Analytics and Econometrics and CEMS MIM, can be taken in English.

### Is it hard to find accommodation in Cologne?

Yes. The university itself describes student housing in Cologne as scarce and expensive. A KStW residence room costs $220–570 (€190–500) and a shared-flat room $510–850 (€450–750); apply for halls three to six months before your start date.

### How can StudyU help with an application to Cologne?

Programme selection, a TestAS and German-language plan, preparation of uni-assist and KLIPS 2.0 documents and budget planning are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission is decided by the university, the visa by the German embassy and housing offers by KStW or landlords.

## Sources {#section-12}

- [University of Cologne: profile](https://uni-koeln.de/universitaet/ueberblick/profil) and [research profile](https://uni-koeln.de/forschung/ueberblick/forschungsprofil)
- [Bachelor's applications for non-EU citizens with direct access: TestAS, German, deadlines](https://uni-koeln.de/index.php?id=6944)
- [Studienstart International plus for applicants with Studienkolleg-level access](https://uni-koeln.de/index.php?id=6943)
- [Master's applications with a foreign degree: VPD, KLIPS 2.0, deadlines](https://www.uni-koeln.de/studium-lehre/international/studium-in-koeln/internationale-bewerbungen/master-studieninteressierte)
- [WiSo faculty master's programmes](https://wiso.uni-koeln.de/en/studies/master)
- [Semester contributions since 2015](https://studsek.uni-koeln.de/studium/rueckmeldung__semesterbeitrag/uebersicht_semesterbeitraege_seit_dem_sommersemester_2015/index_ger.html)
- [Costs and funding](https://uni-koeln.de/studium-lehre/international/studium-in-koeln/kosten-finanzierung) and [housing in Cologne](https://uni-koeln.de/studium-lehre/international/studium-in-koeln/wohnen-in-koeln)
- [uni-assist handling fees](https://www.uni-assist.de/en/faqs/pay-all-fees/) and [document rules for Russia](https://www.uni-assist.de/en/tools/info-country-by-country/details-country/country/ru/)
- [TestAS dates and registration](https://www.testas.de/en/participants/my-testas/testas-dates-and-registration)
- [DFG press release on the Excellence Strategy, 11 March 2026](https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/pressemitteilungen/2026/pressemitteilung-nr-04)
- [THE World University Rankings 2027: University of Cologne](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/university-cologne)
- [German Embassy in Moscow: long-term visas](https://germania.diplo.de/ru-ru/service/05-visaeinreise/langfristigeraufenthalt/1224364-1224364) and [document list for study visas (PDF)](https://germania.diplo.de/resource/blob/1611632/41c7219b0e955033b4b9132f6d53927b/studium-data.pdf)

Euro amounts are converted at the ECB reference rate for 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355), the most recent rate when we checked sources on 30 September 2026. For other universities and general rules, see [studying in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-germany). To plan your route to Cologne, [send us a request](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply).

[During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.](https://www.studyu.org/en/apply)

## Next steps

- [University of Münster (Universität Münster)](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-muenster)
- [Studying in Germany for international applicants](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-germany)
- [Blocked Account in Germany 2026: Amount, Opening Steps and Alternatives](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-blocked-account-germany)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)
- [Master's in Germany in English: How to Find a Programme, Which Tests You Need and What It Costs](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-germany-in-english)
- [Applying to German Universities: uni-assist, VPD and hochschulstart Step by Step](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-german-universities-uni-assist)

Updated: September 2026