Germany’s popular cities for foreigners and tourists are also among the best destinations for international university students according to a recent global ranking.
Munich and Berlin both ranked among the top ten best cities in the world to attend university in the coming year, according to an international ranking by QS.
QS Top Universities maintains a number of rankings including their World University Ranking and their Best Student Cities ranking, which looks at factors including a city’s diversity of students, its desirability, its job market and affordability.
According to QS’s ranking Munich scored 4th highest in the world following Seoul, Tokyo and London. Compared with London, Munich received higher scores for desirability and affordability.
Berlin also claimed a spot in the world’s top ten, tying with Paris for 7th place – behind Sydney and Melbourne and just ahead of Zurich. Compared to Paris, Berlin was ranked higher for “student view” (based on students’ ratings as well as the number of students who remain in the city after graduation) and affordability.
No other German cities even came close to claiming top spots in the QS ranking. Stuttgart was next in line, but ranked 119th overall. It earned a decent score for desirability, but scored closer to average in the other categories.
Study in Munich
The Bavarian state capital is home to two universities that consistently rank among Germany’s best – and often among the world’s best in international rankings as well. Those are the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU).
RANKED: The ‘best’ universities in Germany for 2025
Munich scored exceptionally well for employer activity and desirability, according to the QS ranking, hinting at the city’s relatively good job prospects for recent graduates and also the quality of life that it offers.
Regular readers of The Local will know that Munich is also among Germany’s more expensive cities. The city itself and some of its surrounding regions consistently rank among the country’s most expensive places to live, and have some of the the highest property prices.
A study comparing the costs of student housing across Germany, conducted earlier this year, found that prices were highest in Munich. Students here can expect to pay €750 to €800 a month on average for a single room in a shared flat.
Interestingly, Munich’s score for affordability was nearly equivalent to that of Seoul in the QS ranking.
While the costs of housing and basic expenses may be a bit higher than in some other international student hubs, tuition is essentially free for undergraduate students at German public universities, which can amount to significant savings compared with some other programmes around the world.
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Of course, most degree programmes at German public universities would be taught primarily in German. Students typically need at least C-level language skills to apply to these programmes.
Beyond the universities themselves, Munich can be an exciting city for students and young professionals.
The university population here is relatively diverse with about a quarter of university applicants coming from abroad each year.
Also the city’s local communities, its nightlife and its proximity to the Alps mean there’s plenty to do on the weekends and during breaks for people of all dispositions.
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Study in Berlin
Berlin earned a perfect score in the “student view” category, which suggests that students themselves rate the city quite highly and also that many who come here to study end up sticking around.
Compared to other German cities, Berlin’s massive foreign population means that English speakers have a much easier time getting around.
Also it’s increasing popularity as an international study destination has encouraged local universities to offer more courses in English.
Of course, German is still the standard language at public universities here. If you’re looking for an English language degree programme, you’d be advised to search for what’s available here before committing to the German capital as your destination of choice. Keep in mind that programmes at private universities (which can be more likely to offer English courses) are not free.
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Among Berlin’s top universities are the Technical University (Technische Universität – TU), Humboldt University (HU), the Free University (Freie Universität – FU) and Berlin’s Charité University Hospital.
Student housing in Berlin is marginally cheaper than in Munich on average, but the city’s severe housing shortage means that finding a suitable or longer-term rental can feel like an impossible task.
READ ALSO: How the price of student housing compares across Germany
Compared to Munich, Berlin is a much bigger city in terms of population. It lacks access to nearby mountains, but is surrounded by patches of forest, farmland and plenty of lakes. Of course the “poor but sexy” capital is perhaps best known for its nightlife, as well as supporting a vast arts scene and niche communities engaged in just about any given hobby you can think of.