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Study in Potsdam

Palaces, lakes and research institutes next door to Berlin, with the University of Potsdam, a film university and free tuition.

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Potsdam
Photo: Potsdam — Kai Vogel (opens in a new tab), CC0

In short

Potsdam has 12 universities and colleges offering 300 degree courses (154 Bachelor's, 143 Master's), and 29% of them are taught in English or bilingually. Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities in Brandenburg charge no tuition, including for non-EU students; you pay a semester contribution that includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket. Several private universities in Potsdam charge fees.

Potsdam is Brandenburg's capital, right on Berlin's south-western edge: quieter, greener and full of lakes and Prussian palaces. The University of Potsdam (with the Hasso Plattner Institute for digital engineering), the Film University Babelsberg and the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam are the main options. Berlin is under 30 minutes away by regional train.

Universities in Potsdam

Every university and college in Potsdam in our catalogue, biggest first.

See all 300 courses on the map

Cost of living

What studying in Potsdam costs, from the latest figures we could source.

Rent for a student flat
No figure yetNot covered by the MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 — check the local Studierendenwerk.
Tuition for non-EU students
€0 / 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

  • Potsdam is not in the MLP rent study; housing is tight and not much cheaper than Berlin (≈ €725 for a 30 m² flat).
  • The University of Potsdam has three campuses (Am Neuen Palais, Golm and Griebnitzsee); live near yours or near the S-Bahn.
  • Your semester ticket covers the trains into Berlin, so you get capital-city life without capital-city commuting costs.

Industries & employers

Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Potsdam.

  • Studio Babelsberg

    Film

    One of the world's oldest large film studios, in Potsdam-Babelsberg.

  • Hasso Plattner Institute

    IT & research

    Private computer-science institute and digital-engineering faculty of the University of Potsdam.

  • Research institutes

    Science

    The GFZ geosciences centre, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Max Planck institutes in Golm.

  • SAP

    Software

    Runs an innovation centre in Potsdam.

Culture & people

Potsdam was the summer residence of the Prussian kings, and its palaces and parks are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city mixes elegant villas, a Dutch Quarter of red-brick houses built in the 18th century and a large research community. The Glienicke Bridge, where East and West swapped spies during the Cold War, connects it to Berlin.

Babelsberg is where German cinema began: Metropolis was shot here, and the studio still makes international films. Lakes and forests surround the city, so summer means swimming, rowing and cycling.

Events & festivals

  • Tulip festival

    April

    Dutch-themed festival in the Dutch Quarter, with tulips and market stalls.

  • Music Festival Potsdam Sanssouci

    June

    Concerts in the palaces and gardens of Sanssouci.

  • Christmas markets

    Late Nov – Dec

    Markets in the centre and in the Dutch Quarter.

Places to see

  • Sanssouci

    UNESCO

    Frederick the Great's summer palace and its terraced vineyard gardens.

  • Dutch Quarter

    Neighbourhood

    Red-brick 18th-century houses, now cafés and shops.

  • Cecilienhof

    History

    Palace where the 1945 Potsdam Conference took place.

  • Filmpark Babelsberg

    Film

    Theme park next to the historic film studios.

  • Telegrafenberg

    Science

    Research campus with Erich Mendelsohn's Einstein Tower.

Getting around

Potsdam's trams and buses (ViP), the S-Bahn and regional trains to Berlin are covered by the Deutschland-Semesterticket included in the semester contribution. The regional express reaches Berlin Hauptbahnhof in about half an hour, and BER airport is about an hour away by train. Cycling along the lakes is the nicest way to get around.

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Studying in Potsdam: FAQ

Which universities are in Potsdam?

Potsdam has 12 universities in our catalogue, including the University of Potsdam, the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam, the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf and several private universities.

Can I study in English in Potsdam?

Yes, partly: 29% of Potsdam's 300 degree courses are taught in English or bilingually, for example in data science and geosciences.

Can I live in Potsdam and enjoy Berlin?

Yes. The Deutschland-Semesterticket covers the S-Bahn and regional trains, and Berlin's centre is about half an hour away, so many students commute both ways.

Do I pay tuition fees in Potsdam?

Not at public universities: Brandenburg charges no tuition for EU or non-EU students, only a semester contribution. Private universities in Potsdam charge fees.

More guides in Brandenburg

The whole state: Study in Brandenburg

Other university cities

Sources

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