In short
Tübingen has 3 universities and colleges offering 280 degree courses (104 Bachelor's, 160 Master's), and 36% of them are taught in English or bilingually. A student flat costs about €538 a month (30 m² flat incl. utilities (WG room ≈ €466), MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Tuition for non-EU students: €1,500 — Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester at public universities, including the University of Tübingen; a second degree costs €650 per semester. EU students pay only the semester contribution.
Tübingen is a small, picturesque university town on the Neckar where students make up a large share of the population. The University of Tübingen, founded in 1477 and a University of Excellence, shapes everything — from the medieval old town to the hilltop clinics and science campus. It is also a growing centre for artificial intelligence research through the Cyber Valley network.
Universities in Tübingen
Every university and college in Tübingen in our catalogue, biggest first.
- Website of University of Tübingen (opens in a new tab)
University of Tübingen
University 276 courses
Hochschule für Kirchenmusik Tübingen
Art & music college 4 courses
- Website of Hochschule für Kirchenmusik der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Württemberg (opens in a new tab)
Hochschule für Kirchenmusik der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Württemberg
Art & music college 0 courses
Cost of living
What studying in Tübingen costs, from the latest figures we could source.
- Rent for a student flat
- ≈ €538 / month30 m² flat incl. utilities (WG room ≈ €466), MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026
- Tuition for non-EU students
- €1,500 / semesterPlus the semester contribution every student pays. The rules are summed up in In short.
- Proof of funds for a visa
- €992 / monthThe proof of funds German missions currently ask of student-visa applicants (€11,904 a year) — confirm with the German embassy or consulate handling your application.
Good to know
- Rooms are scarce at semester start — apply to Studierendenwerk halls as soon as you are admitted and consider Reutlingen or Rottenburg.
- The town is hilly: the clinics and science campus are up on the Morgenstelle, so plan bus routes or bring a bike with gears.
- Book a punt (Stocherkahn) trip with friends — it is the classic Tübingen summer afternoon.
Industries & employers
Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Tübingen.
Max Planck Institutes & Cyber Valley
Research & AI
Max Planck institutes for intelligent systems and biology, plus Europe's large AI research consortium.
Erbe Elektromedizin
Medical technology
Surgical-equipment maker headquartered in Tübingen.
Walter AG
Tooling
Precision cutting-tool maker headquartered in Tübingen.
Bosch
Semiconductors
Chip fab in Reutlingen, about 15 km away.
Culture & people
Tübingen's old town is a maze of half-timbered houses, steep lanes and student pubs, centred on the Marktplatz and the Neckarfront with its colourful houses and the poet Hölderlin's tower.
Life revolves around the university: students make up a large share of the population, so cafés, cinemas and parties follow the semester calendar. The atmosphere is green, politically engaged and very academic.
Events & festivals
Stocherkahnrennen
Corpus Christi (May/June)
The punt race on the Neckar — losers must drink cod-liver oil.
chocolART
December
A chocolate festival that fills the old town for a week.
Christmas market
Late Nov – Dec
Stalls in the old town around the Marktplatz.
Places to see
Neckarfront & Hölderlin Tower
River
The town's postcard view of colourful houses above the river.
Hohentübingen Castle
Castle
Renaissance castle housing the university's museum of ancient cultures.
Platanenallee
Park
Plane-tree avenue on the Neckar island, perfect for evening walks.
Hohenzollern Castle
Day trip
Hilltop castle of the Hohenzollern dynasty, about 30 minutes away.
Getting around
Buses (naldo network) connect the old town, station and hilltop campuses. Regional trains reach Stuttgart in about an hour, and Stuttgart Airport is about 45 minutes away by express bus. Check whether your semester contribution includes a semester ticket; the Deutschlandticket costs €63 a month.
Student experiences
First-hand posts from students in Tübingen, read by our team before they appear.
Loading experiences…
Studying in Tübingen: FAQ
Is Tübingen a good place to study?
Yes, if you want a classic student town. The University of Tübingen is a University of Excellence, the old town is beautiful and lively, and students set the rhythm of the town.
Can I study in English in Tübingen?
Yes. 36% of the courses in our Tübingen catalogue are taught in English or bilingually, including Master's programmes in machine learning, neuroscience and the life sciences.
Is Tübingen expensive for students?
It is moderate for Baden-Württemberg: a 30 m² student flat costs about €538 a month and a shared-flat room about €466 (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026), but rooms are hard to find at semester start.
Do I pay tuition fees in Tübingen?
Non-EU students pay €1,500 per semester, as at all public universities in Baden-Württemberg. EU students pay only the semester contribution.
More guides in Baden-Württemberg
The whole state: Study in Baden-Württemberg
Other university cities
Sources
- MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW / MLP) (opens in a new tab)
- University of Tübingen — tuition fees for international students (opens in a new tab)
- University of Tübingen — Stocherkahnrennen (opens in a new tab)
- University and course numbers: the Where Is My Uni? catalogue, rebuilt from official university data.
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