Mathematics and physics give Georg-August-Universität Göttingen much of its reputation. Britannica records that its Mathematical Institute was headed at various times by Carl Friedrich Gauss and David Hilbert, with Dirichlet and Riemann also among its heads, and that the physics faculty counted the Nobel Prize winners Max Born and Werner Heisenberg among its members. The university is based in Göttingen, Germany.
It was established by King George II of Great Britain in his capacity as Elector of Hanover, and the university gives 1737, the year teaching began, as its founding date. Wikipedia places the founding decision in 1734. This Enlightenment-era origin, connected to the Hanoverian crown, shaped the university’s early focus on the sciences and the humanities.
Today the university offers subjects in 13 faculties and enrols more than 26,000 students, medicine included. It is part of the Göttingen Campus, which links the university with independent research institutions in the city. Prospective students and researchers can find degree programmes, admission rules and research profiles on the university’s own website, uni-goettingen.de.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Food Science, Geotechnics, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of German U15, Coimbra Group, The Guild. Numerous Nobel laureates associated. Strong links with Max Planck Institutes in Göttingen.
Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is the closest peer in the sciences, with physics and astronomy, chemistry and geosciences, and molecular life sciences.
For neuroscience alongside machine learning, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen adds life and earth sciences.
Freie Universität Berlin teaches physics and chemistry, biology and life sciences, and mathematics and computer science in the capital.
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn pairs mathematics and physics with life and medical sciences.
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster is another comprehensive university whose fields include chemistry, physics and geosciences, and mathematics and computer science.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Radboud Universiteit in the Netherlands focuses on neuroscience, artificial intelligence and chemistry.
Jagiellonian University, in Kraków, Poland, teaches physics and astronomy, chemistry, and computer science and mathematics.
University of Innsbruck in Austria covers physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology next to law and the humanities.
Princeton University in the United States stands out in mathematics and the physical sciences.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was the University of Göttingen founded?
Teaching began in 1737, which the university and Britannica give as its founding year, while Wikipedia dates the founding decision to 1734. The founder was George II as Elector of Hanover.
Which mathematicians worked there?
According to Britannica, Carl Friedrich Gauss and David Hilbert were among the heads of the Mathematical Institute. Wikipedia also lists both among its notable figures.
Which Nobel laureates are linked to its physics?
Max Born and Werner Heisenberg are named by Britannica and by Wikipedia. Both won the Nobel Prize in Physics, Heisenberg in 1932 and Born in 1954.
How is the university organised?
It offers its subjects across 13 faculties. The university site and Wikipedia both give this number.
How many students study there?
More than 26,000 when medical students are counted; the university website speaks of about 28,000. Its statistics list about 23,000 for winter semester 2025/26 without medicine, so figures vary with the counting method.
What is the Göttingen Campus?
It is a network in which the university cooperates with independent research institutions located in the city. It is mentioned both on the university website and by Wikipedia.
Where should applicants check requirements?
Entry rules, language levels and fees differ for each degree. The university website at uni-goettingen.de lists programmes and contacts.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
Innovation.world is not affiliated with this school/university. We recommend to contact them directly on their website for any special request.
To complete or correct any information here or share your opinion, please comment below or > send us a direct message <.
