Climate & Earth System Science, Physics & Nanoscience, Informatics & Data Science
Founded in 1919, Universität Hamburg is one of Germany’s largest universities and a leading research institution, offering comprehensive programs including strong faculties in mathematics, informatics, natural sciences (MIN), and engineering (informatik-technologie).
Universität Hamburg was founded in 1919, after a long debate in the city, and it was the first university in Germany set up by a citizens’ initiative rather than a prince. It has about 43,000 students and 7,000 staff, and around one student in ten comes from abroad. The main campus is around the Von-Melle-Park in the Rotherbaum district, with other sites in Bahrenfeld, Bundesstraße and the medical campus at Eppendorf.
It is a broad university with strong research in climate, physics, linguistics, Asian and African studies, law, economics and the natural sciences. The Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, CEN, works with the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, and the Cluster of Excellence on climate research makes Hamburg one of the leading places for the topic in Europe. Hamburg also hosts the Center for the Study of Manuscript Cultures.
On the physics side, the university works with DESY, the German electron synchrotron in Bahrenfeld, and with the European XFEL, a large X-ray free-electron laser. Otto Stern, who received the 1943 Nobel Prize in Physics, built a molecular beam laboratory here in the 1920s, and the former chancellor Helmut Schmidt studied economics in the city after the war. The medical faculty belongs to the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Public universities in Hamburg charge no tuition for most students, but a semester contribution of a few hundred euros covers administration and a regional transport ticket. Check the current tariff. Most bachelor’s programmes are in German, and a range of master’s programmes are in English. Popular subjects have admission limits.
Hamburg is a port city with a lively cultural scene and high rents. The harbour, the Alster lakes and the city’s media industry shape student life. The university offers many research-oriented master’s programmes, and students can follow courses at partner institutions in the city.
Domains taught:
Aerospace, 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, Industrial Design, Life Sciences, Manufacturing, Marine Science, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Project Management, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Sound Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics, Transportations
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of German U15, EUGLOH European University Alliance. Strong collaborations with research centers in Hamburg (e.g., DESY, Max Planck Institutes).
Research:
Climate modeling & Oceanography, Particle physics & Laser science, AI & Scientific computing, Infection research & Structural biology.
Famous Alumnis:
Wolfgang Pauli, Otto Stern (Nobel laureates)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
7000
Current students***:
43000
Foreign students***:
10%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Largest university in Hamburg, strong in climate science, physics (DESY connection), and informatics.
Cons
Very large university, engineering is primarily focused on informatics and some MIN-faculty related areas.
Best For
Leading comprehensive university with strengths in climate science, physics, informatics, and marine research.
The comparison with Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel is straightforward on subjects, since both focus on astroscience, marine science and aerospace, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is smaller, enrolling about 27,000 students against roughly 43,000 here.
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München works in much the same fields, chiefly astroscience, marine science and bioinformatics, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
In terms of fields, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen is the nearest neighbour, with astroscience, aerospace and food science again at the core; it is smaller, enrolling about 26,000 students against roughly 43,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster sits close to this institution on astroscience, bioinformatics and geotechnics; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie sits close to this university on astroscience, aerospace and transportations; it is also a public institution, and runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Students considering a move abroad can look at Rijksuniversiteit Groningen in the Netherlands, where astroscience, marine science and bioinformatics also form the core, and it is slightly smaller, at about 37,000 students against roughly 43,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Seen from abroad, Aix-Marseille Université (France) is a close relative on subject matter, since sound engineering, astroscience and marine science are central to both, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and is larger, enrolling about 78,000 students against roughly 43,000 here.
Université de Bordeaux offers an international parallel to this institution, with astroscience, marine science and aerospace as common ground; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Looking internationally, Università di Pisa in Italy is where astroscience, marine science and aerospace get a comparable treatment; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
In Japan, University of Tsukuba teaches much the same core subjects, astroscience, aerospace and food science, and it is smaller, enrolling about 17,000 students against roughly 43,000 here, and is also a public institution.
*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
Where is Universität Hamburg?
The central address is Mittelweg 177 in the Rotherbaum district. The main campus is around the Von-Melle-Park.
When was it founded?
In 1919, after a citizens' initiative.
How large is it?
About 43,000 students and 7,000 staff.
What is the university known for?
Climate research, physics, linguistics, Asian and African studies, law and economics.
Which institutions does it work with?
DESY, the European XFEL, the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf.
Which Nobel laureate worked there?
Otto Stern, who received the 1943 Nobel Prize in Physics, worked in Hamburg in the 1920s.
Which politician studied there?
The former chancellor Helmut Schmidt studied economics in Hamburg.
Is there tuition?
Public universities in Hamburg charge no tuition for most students. A semester contribution applies and includes a regional transport ticket. Check the current tariff.
In which language are courses taught?
Mostly in German at bachelor level, with a range of master's programmes in English.
Is Hamburg expensive?
Rents are high, but the city offers a large cultural scene and a major port.
*: 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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