Computer Science & AI, Mechanical & Process Engineering, Electrical Engineering & Information Technology
The world’s first chair in electrical engineering was created in Darmstadt in 1882, and in 1883 the city’s Technische Hochschule opened what is described as the first faculty and degree course in that field. Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) had been raised from the Polytechnische Schule to a Technische Hochschule in 1877.
The Hochschule gained the right to award doctorates in 1899 and took the name Technische Universität Darmstadt in 1997. Since 2005 it has operated largely autonomously under a state autonomy law. It teaches more than 100 degree courses in 13 departments, ten of them in engineering, natural sciences and mathematics and three in the social sciences and humanities.
The university has about 24,000 students and sites in Darmstadt that include Stadtmitte and Lichtwiese. It belongs to the TU9 association of German technical universities, to the Rhine-Main-Universities alliance together with Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Goethe University Frankfurt, and since 2019 to the European university alliance Unite!. The mix of technical departments with a smaller group of social science and humanities departments means that engineering students share a campus with historians, economists and political scientists, and the university’s own pages explain how each department fits into that structure.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, AI and Machine Learning, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Engineering, Fluid Dynamics, Geotechnics, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Metrology, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of TU9, T.I.M.E., CESAER, CLUSTER. Strong industry collaborations (e.g., Merck, Continental, Deutsche Bahn) and research partnerships.
Research:
Cybersecurity & AI, Energy Systems & Future Mobility, Materials Science & Engineering, Aerospace & Astronautics, Information & Communication Technology.
Famous Alumnis:
Peter Grünberg (Nobel laureate), Gerhard Herzberg (Nobel laureate)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4500
Current students***:
25000
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Highly ranked technical university, strong in computer science and engineering, significant research output, autonomous university status.
Cons
Located in Darmstadt (smaller city, but part of Rhine-Main tech region), can be very competitive.
Best For
Leading technical university strong in computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main belongs to the same Rhine-Main-Universities alliance, with Physics & Geosciences, Biosciences & Chemistry and Computer Science.
Technische Universität Berlin teaches Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science & Electrical Engineering.
Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden is a technology university with Engineering and Natural Sciences.
TU Wien in Austria brings together Architecture and Planning, Chemistry and Civil Engineering in Vienna.
Politecnico di Milano in Italy teaches Engineering, Architecture and Design.
*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 TU Darmstadt founded as a Hochschule?
It was elevated to a Technische Hochschule in 1877 from the earlier Polytechnische Schule. It was renamed Technische Universität in 1997.
What is TU Darmstadt known for historically?
It set up the world's first chair of electrical engineering in 1882 and the first electrical engineering faculty and degree programme in 1883. These steps shaped the university's engineering reputation.
How is the university organised?
There are 13 departments, ten covering engineering, natural sciences and mathematics and three in the social sciences and humanities. Together they offer more than 100 courses of study.
What does autonomy mean for TU Darmstadt?
From 2005 a state autonomy law made it largely autonomous, so it handles its own budget and property. It was among the first German universities to take that step.
Which networks does it belong to?
It is a member of TU9, of the Rhine-Main-Universities alliance with Mainz and Frankfurt, and of the European alliance Unite! since 2019. These networks support joint degrees and research projects.
How large is the student body?
Roughly 24,000 students are enrolled, according to recent university figures. The figure has stayed in the mid-20,000s in recent years.
Where do prospective students find fees and application rules?
The university's website lists application deadlines, language requirements and semester contributions for each programme.
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Engineering, Innovation, Sustainable Development
*: 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.
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