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Meta title: TU Darmstadt: Admission, Programmes, Costs 2026/27
Meta description: TU Darmstadt guide: no tuition fees, $460 semester contribution, TUCaN applications, Studienkolleg, about 20 English-taught master's, deadlines and costs.
Last modified: 2026-09-30

# Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt)

TU Darmstadt is one of Germany's nine leading technical universities (the TU9 group), and it charges no tuition fees to anyone, including students from outside the EU: the state of Hesse does not levy them. What you do pay is a semester contribution of $460 (€402.68) for winter semester 2026/27, which already includes a public-transport pass valid across Germany. International applicants apply directly through the university's own TUCaN portal rather than uni-assist. Bachelor's degrees are taught in German; about twenty master's programmes, from Computer Science and IT Security to Aerospace Engineering, are taught in English.

The old main building of the Technical University of Darmstadt. Photo: Erkaha / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Technische_Universitaet_Darmstadt_Altes_Hauptgebaeude_Westfluegel_S1_02.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Location | Darmstadt, Hesse, in the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region |
| Founded | 1877 |
| Students | 24,437 in winter semester 2025/26, 28% of them international |
| Structure | 13 departments, 114 degree programmes |
| Tuition fees | none, for EU and non-EU students alike |
| Semester contribution | $460 (€402.68), winter semester 2026/27 |
| How to apply | TUCaN portal; master's applicants also post a paper set of copies |
| Ranking | THE World University Rankings 2027: joint 284th |
| Foundation route | own Studienkolleg with a T course (engineering and science) and a G course (humanities) |

## Who TU Darmstadt suits, and when to look elsewhere {#section-1}

Students choose Darmstadt for engineering, computer science and the natural sciences at a research university with no tuition bill. Its research strengths are visible in the Excellence Strategy: since 1 January 2026 it has led two Clusters of Excellence, Reasonable Artificial Intelligence (RAI) and The Adaptive Mind (TAM). Together with Goethe University Frankfurt and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz it forms the Rhine-Main Universities alliance, which applied for University of Excellence status in November 2025; the Excellence Commission scheduled its decision for 2 October 2026.

| A good fit if you | Consider alternatives if you |
| --- | --- |
| want an English-taught master's in computer science, AI, IT security, mechanical engineering or materials | need an English-taught bachelor's: Darmstadt has none |
| value tuition-free study and can budget around the visa benchmark of $1,130 (€992) a month | expect university-run housing: TU Darmstadt owns no residence halls |
| have finished school abroad and can start a Studienkolleg year with B1 German | want medicine or a state-examination law degree, which Darmstadt does not offer |
| want the Frankfurt Rhine-Main region but a mid-sized city | are looking for the very broad humanities range of a classical university |

For a classical university in the same region, see [Goethe University Frankfurt](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-goethe-frankfurt). Among technical universities, applicants usually compare Darmstadt with [TUM](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-tum), [RWTH Aachen](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-rwth-aachen-university) and the [University of Stuttgart](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-stuttgart); non-EU students pay tuition in Munich and Stuttgart but not in Darmstadt or Aachen.

## English-taught master's programmes {#section-2}

Undergraduate teaching is in German. English takes over at master's level. The table lists the programmes the university marks as English-taught, with their winter 2026/27 application windows, which have now closed but show the usual rhythm.

| Field | English-taught master's | Winter 2026/27 window |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Computing and data | Computer Science; Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; IT Security; Information and Communication Engineering | 1 June to 15 July |
| Engineering and materials | Aerospace Engineering; Mechanics; Materials Science; Bio-Materials Engineering; Business Administration and Engineering: Materials Science | Materials Science until 31 August; the rest until 15 July |
| Physics and mathematics | Physics; Mathematics; Particle Accelerator Science | 1 June to 31 August |
| Life and environmental sciences | Molecular and Cellular Biology; Synthetic Biology; Ecology and Biodiversity; Tropical Hydrogeology and Environmental Engineering | 1 June to 15 July |
| Business and society | Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management; Sustainable Urban Development; Cognitive Science; Data and Discourse Studies | Cognitive Science and Data and Discourse Studies until 31 August; the rest until 15 July |

Dates marked with an asterisk in the university's own table are cut-off deadlines that apply to everyone, internal applicants included. For several programmes TUCaN opens early for international applicants so there is time for a visa: for summer semester 2027 the portal has accepted them since 1 September 2026 (Energy Science and Engineering, Materials Science and Physics among them). General applications normally open on 1 December for the summer semester and on 1 June for the winter semester; exact dates are published each November and May.

Departments need six to eight weeks to review a master's application. You can apply before you hold your bachelor's certificate: after admission for a winter semester you have until 1 September of the following year to submit it, and until 1 March after a summer-semester admission. Our guide to [English-taught master's degrees in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-germany-in-english) explains how to read module requirements.

## Applying through TUCaN, step by step {#section-3}

Applicants with German and foreign qualifications use the same portal and the same deadlines. For a master's programme:

1. Submit the online form in TUCaN for your chosen programme.
2. Print the cover sheet (Antrag auf Zulassung/Einschreibung) from "My Application".
3. Check the document list shown for your programme: typically degree certificate and transcript, a language certificate and, depending on the department, a motivation letter, CV, equivalence table or online self-assessment.
4. Post simple copies with the cover sheet to TU Darmstadt, Zulassung International, Karolinenplatz 5, 64289 Darmstadt. The application is only complete once the paper set arrives before the deadline.
5. Track your status in TUCaN; missing documents can be emailed with your application number.

Some bachelor's programmes also generate a printed form that must reach the university by post; TUCaN tells you after submission. Copies do not need notarisation. Documents in English or German are accepted as they are; other languages need a translation certified by a German embassy or consulate, or made by a sworn translator in Germany. That differs from universities working through uni-assist, which accept translations made in Russia only with a notarised translator's signature.

## Can you start a bachelor's straight after school? {#section-4}

With an 11-year school certificate from Russia, Belarus or Kazakhstan issued since 2015, not directly: the anabin database classifies it as access to a Studienkolleg only. There are two routes.

Studienkolleg Darmstadt. A two-semester foundation year at the university ending with the Feststellungsprüfung assessment exam. The T course prepares for engineering and science degrees, the G course for the humanities. B1 German is enough to apply, for example Goethe-Zertifikat B1 or B2, telc B1 or B2, ÖSD B1 or B2, DSD I, or a TestDaF total of at least 12. Windows run from 15 March to 15 April for the winter intake and 15 September to 15 October for the summer intake. See our guide to the [Studienkolleg](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-studienkolleg-germany).

A year at university at home. One successfully completed year at an accredited university in a related field gives direct access to a bachelor's in the same area; switching fields means going through a Studienkolleg.

Applicants from Kazakhstan holding a NIS Grade 12 Certificate with the right exam subjects may have direct access to STEM programmes; see our guide on [studying abroad from Kazakhstan](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-study-abroad-from-kazakhstan).

## Language requirements {#section-5}

German-taught programmes require DSH-2. Without taking the DSH you qualify with a TestDaF total of at least 16 (one score of 3 may be offset by a 5), DSD II, Goethe C1 or C2, ÖSD C1 or C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, a Feststellungsprüfung or UNIcert III. Conditionally admitted students with a B2-level certificate can sit the DSH at Studienkolleg Darmstadt for a fee. Our overview of [German language tests](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-german-language-tests-testdaf-dsh-goethe) compares the options.

English-taught master's programmes generally require IELTS 7.0, TOEFL iBT 95 or PTE Academic 76, or confirmation that your whole degree was taught in English. Mechanics, Mathematics and Particle Accelerator Science accept IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72.

## Costs in Darmstadt {#section-6}

### What you pay the university

| Winter 2026/27 semester contribution | Amount |
| --- | --- |
| Deutschland-Semesterticket (regional public transport across Germany) | $260 (€226.80) |
| Studierendenwerk (student services) | $120 (€103) |
| Administrative fee | $57 (€50) |
| Student body, cultural passes, bike hire and hardship fund | $26 (€22.88) |
| Total if paid by 15 September | $460 (€402.68) |

The amount is recalculated every semester. Continuing students who pay after 15 September add a $34 (€30) late fee; first-year students follow the payment dates in their admission letter. The exact amount must arrive, and when paying from outside the SEPA area the sender covers all bank charges.

### Monthly living costs

| Item | Per month (university estimate) |
| --- | --- |
| Room in a shared flat | $400–740 (€350–650); about $570 (€500) on average |
| Food | $140–340 (€120–300) |
| Statutory health insurance | about $150 (€130) |
| Phone and internet | $23–100 (€20–90) |
| Study materials | $11–57 (€10–50) |
| Broadcasting fee | $21 (€18.36) per household |

For the visa you must show $1,130 (€992) a month, or $13,520 (€11,904) for the first year. With two semester contributions, budget at least $14,430 (€12,709) for year one if the contribution stays the same. Our guide to the [blocked account](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-blocked-account-germany) explains the options.

## Housing: the university has no residence halls {#section-7}

Admission does not come with a room. Residence halls in the city belong to Studierendenwerk Darmstadt, and most students rent on the private market. The university's international housing advisers help newly enrolled students search, run webinars on the local market and pass on offers from private landlords when available. Their practical advice:

- Widen the search. Griesheim, Mühltal and Roßdorf are no further from campus than some city districts, and towns such as Ober-Ramstadt, Weiterstadt or Seeheim-Jugenheim are 20 to 35 minutes away, often at lower rents.
- Budget for one-off costs. A deposit is usually one to three months' basic rent, sometimes plus a payment for furniture left by the previous tenant.
- Start early. Demand in Darmstadt is high. Our guide to [student housing in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-housing-germany) covers scams to avoid.

## Campuses {#section-8}

Stadtmitte, in the city centre, is the oldest campus and home to the karo 5 student service centre and the University and State Library. Lichtwiese, on the south-eastern edge of the city, was built in the 1960s for engineering and science institutes. Smaller sites include the Botanical Garden campus (biology and earth sciences), the university stadium, and the August Euler airfield with a wind tunnel in Griesheim, used by more than ten institutes. Frankfurt is reachable by regional train, covered by the semester ticket, and the university belongs to the Unite! alliance of European technical universities.

## Planning for 2027 {#section-9}

| Stage | Summer semester 2027 | Winter semester 2027/28 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Studienkolleg | 15 September to 15 October 2026 | usually 15 March to 15 April 2027 |
| Early master's window for international applicants | from 1 September 2026 (selected programmes) | not applicable |
| Bachelor's with selection (NC or aptitude procedure) | no intake | usually 1 June to 15 July 2027 |
| Bachelor's without admission limits | only selected programmes | usually 1 June to 31 August 2027 |
| Master's | usually from 1 December 2026 | usually 1 June to 15 July or 31 August 2027 |

Most bachelor's programmes start only in winter. The university publishes the 2027/28 dates in May 2027.

## What applicants from Russia and the CIS should plan for {#section-10}

- Visa. Residents of Russia apply for a national study visa at the German Embassy in Moscow, booking through RK-Termin; the Consulate General in St Petersburg closed on 18 September 2026 and the embassy now covers its district. A biometric passport has been required for entry since 1 January 2026. Processing usually takes six to eight weeks and never less than four. See our [German student visa guide](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-visa-germany).
- Proof of funds. Statements from Russian bank accounts are no longer accepted; use a blocked account with a provider outside Russia, a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from a sponsor in Germany, or a confirmed scholarship.
- Paying the contribution. Transfers go to the university's German account; lawful routes include an account in a country where you legally reside or payment by relatives abroad. See [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia).
- Scholarships. The university's funding pages mention DAAD programmes. Russia's Ministry of Justice added DAAD to its list of undesirable organisations in February 2026, so we do not recommend its programmes to Russian citizens; applicants from other CIS countries can use them on the usual terms.
- Work. Non-EU students may work 140 full or 280 half days a year; student assistant jobs at the university do not count towards the limit. More in our guide to [working while studying in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-working-while-studying-in-germany).

## Mistakes to avoid {#section-11}

- Looking for TU Darmstadt in uni-assist: the university only accepts applications through TUCaN.
- Treating the online form as a finished master's application: the posted paper set must arrive in time.
- Using translations certified only by a Russian notary: TU Darmstadt wants embassy-certified translations or a sworn translator in Germany.
- Applying in the last week: a six-to-eight-week review can leave too little time for the visa.
- Leaving housing until after the visa: the university states plainly that admission does not include a room.

## FAQ {#section-12}

### How much does it cost to study at TU Darmstadt as an international student?

There are no tuition fees for bachelor's or master's programmes, including for non-EU citizens. Each semester you pay only the semester contribution, $460 (€402.68) in winter 2026/27, which includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket.

### Do I apply to TU Darmstadt through uni-assist?

No. All applicants, international ones included, apply through the TUCaN portal. Master's applicants then post the printed cover sheet and simple copies of the documents listed in their TUCaN account.

### Can I study at TU Darmstadt straight after finishing school in Russia or Kazakhstan?

Not directly with a standard 11-year certificate. You need Studienkolleg Darmstadt and its Feststellungsprüfung, which you can start with B1 German, or one successfully completed year at a university at home in a related subject.

### Which programmes at TU Darmstadt are taught in English?

About twenty master's programmes, including Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, IT Security, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanics, Materials Science, Physics and Mathematics. All bachelor's programmes are taught in German.

### What IELTS score does TU Darmstadt require?

The general threshold is IELTS 7.0, TOEFL iBT 95 or PTE Academic 76. Mechanics, Mathematics and Particle Accelerator Science accept IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL iBT 72 instead.

### Does TU Darmstadt provide student housing?

No, the university has no residence halls of its own. Rooms are rented from Studierendenwerk Darmstadt or private landlords; a room in a shared flat averages about $570 (€500) a month, often less in surrounding towns.

### How can StudyU help with an application to TU Darmstadt?

Programme shortlisting, checks of module and language requirements, preparation of the TUCaN document set and visa budget planning are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Admission decisions rest with the university, visa decisions with the German embassy, and room offers with Studierendenwerk or landlords.

## Sources {#section-13}

- [TU Darmstadt: profile, facts and figures](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet/index.en.jsp)
- [TU Darmstadt: Excellence Strategy, RAI and TAM clusters, RMU-EXCITE application](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/forschen/cluster_projekte_projects_excellence/index.en.jsp)
- [DFG press release on Universities of Excellence, 11 March 2026](https://www.dfg.de/de/aktuelles/neuigkeiten-themen/pressemitteilungen/2026/pressemitteilung-nr-04)
- [Application for international students: documents, translations, language requirements, Studienkolleg](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/internationale_studierende/index.en.jsp)
- [Application deadlines](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/bewerbungsfristen/index.en.jsp): [bachelor's](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/bewerbungsfristen/bachelor_studiengaenge_1/index.en.jsp), [master's](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/bewerbungsfristen/bachelor_studiengaenge_2/index.en.jsp), [Studienkolleg](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/bewerbung_zulassung_tu/bewerbungsfristen/studienkolleg/index.en.jsp)
- [Semester fee, winter 2026/27](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieren_von_a_bis_z/artikel_details_de_en_286144.en.jsp)
- [Costs and budgeting in Darmstadt](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/internationale_studieninteressierte/organisation_des_aufenthalts_inbound/artikel_details_de_en_56836.en.jsp)
- [Housing support for international degree-seeking students](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/internationale_studieninteressierte/organisation_des_aufenthalts_inbound/artikel_details_de_en_379840.en.jsp)
- [Campus locations](https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet/campus/index.en.jsp)
- [THE World University Rankings 2027: TU Darmstadt](https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/technical-university-darmstadt)
- [German Embassy Moscow: national visa](https://germania.diplo.de/ru-ru/service/05-visaeinreise/langfristigeraufenthalt/1224364-1224364) and [study visa checklist (PDF)](https://germania.diplo.de/resource/blob/1611632/41c7219b0e955033b4b9132f6d53927b/studium-data.pdf)

Dollar amounts use the ECB reference rate of 29 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1355), the latest available on our check date of 30 September 2026. For other German universities and general admission rules, see [studying in Germany](https://www.studyu.org/en/country-germany). To discuss whether TU Darmstadt fits your plans, [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 Stuttgart (Universität Stuttgart)](https://www.studyu.org/en/university-stuttgart)
- [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)
- [German Language Tests for German Universities: TestDaF, DSH, Goethe and telc Compared (2026–2027)](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-german-language-tests-testdaf-dsh-goethe)
- [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)

Updated: September 2026