Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Berlin, Germany • Founded 1809 • World Rank #313
Updated May 2026
Overview
Established in 1809, the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Humboldt University of Berlin) is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Berlin (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants).
Officially recognized by the Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung, Berlin (Senate Department for Science, Health, Nursing and Gender Equality of Berlin), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin) is a very large-sized coeducational German higher education institution. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU Berlin) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.
This 214-year-old German higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on students' past academic records and grades. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.
HU Berlin also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, online courses and distance learning opportunities, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
The geographic and contact details below cover where Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is and how to reach its administrative offices. Campus emergency contact is typically distinct from general inquiries.
Academic Details
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's scale, faculty balance, and academic recognition. Staff-with-doctorate share often signals research culture more reliably than headline research output figures.
Academic Structures
The schools and colleges that constitute Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's academic body are organised below. Each often controls its own admissions criteria, scholarships, and programme entry standards.
Unit 11 items
- Charité - Berlin University Medicine
- Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture
- Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences I
- Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences II
- Faculty of Philosophy I
- Faculty of Philosophy II
- Faculty of Philosophy III
- Faculty of Philosophy IV
- Faculty of Theology
Degrees
Also Combined Bachelor's degrees; Also State Examination Certificate (Staatsexam) in Law and Psychotherapy. Certificates (Zertifikat) in German Law and International Development Studies.
Bachelor's 59 programs
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Administration
- African Studies
- Agriculture
- American Studies
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Biology
- Biophysics
- Business Administration
- Business Education
- Catholic Theology
- Chemistry
- Communication Studies
- Computer Science
- Cultural Studies
- Eastern European Studies
- Economics
- Educational Sciences
- English
- Ethnology
- European Studies
- French
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- German
- Greek (Classical)
- Health Education
- History
- Horticulture
- Hungarian
- Information Management
- Information Sciences
- Information Technology
- Islamic Theology
- Italian
- Latin
- Library Science
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Media Studies
- Modern Languages
- Music
- North African Studies
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Sciences
- Protestant Theology
- Psychology
- Regional Studies
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
- Russian
- Scandinavian Languages
- Slavic Languages
- Social Sciences
- Spanish
- Special Education
- Sports
- Teacher Training
Master's 89 programs
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Adult Education
- African Studies
- Agricultural Economics
- Agricultural Education
- Agriculture
- American Studies
- Ancient Civilizations
- Aquaculture
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Biology
- Biophysics
- Business Administration
- Business Computing
- Business Education
- Central European Studies
- Chemistry
- Classical Languages
- Comparative Law
- Computer Education
- Computer Science
- Continuing Education
- Cultural Studies
- Eastern European Studies
- Economics
- Educational Sciences
- English
- English Studies
- Ethnology
- European Studies
- Fishery
- Foreign Languages Education
- French
- French Studies
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- Geography (Human)
- German
- Greek (Classical)
- Health Education
- History
- Horticulture
- Humanities and Social Science Education
- Industrial Management
- Information Sciences
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- International Studies
- Latin
- Law
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Management
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Media Studies
- Modern Languages
- Molecular Biology
- Music
- Native Language Education
- Natural Resources
- Neurosciences
- North African Studies
- Optics
- Philology
- Philosophy
- Physical Education
- Physics
- Polymer and Plastics Technology
- Production Engineering
- Psychology
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
- Religion
- Religious Education
- Rural Studies
- Safety Engineering
- Scandinavian Languages
- Science Education
- Slavic Languages
- Social Sciences
- South Asian Studies
- Southeast Asian Studies
- Special Education
- Sports
- Statistics
- Theology
- Translation and Interpretation
- Urban Studies
Doctoral 41 programs
Doctoral programmes train independent researchers, leading to academic, scientific, and senior advisory careers.
- African Studies
- Agriculture
- Archaeology
- Asian Studies
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Cultural Studies
- Dentistry
- East Asian Studies
- Economics
- Educational Sciences
- English
- Ethnology
- Gender Studies
- Geography
- German
- History
- Horticulture
- Information Sciences
- Law
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Media Studies
- Medicine
- Natural Sciences
- Philosophy
- Physics
- Political Sciences
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
- Romance Languages
- Science Education
- Slavic Languages
- Sociology
- Southeast Asian Studies
- Sports
- Theology
Other 1 program
- Protestant Theology
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung, Berlin.
Agriculture and Horticulture (Faculty) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Agriculture
- Horticulture
Common Career Paths
- Agricultural Scientist
- Agronomist
- Farm Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts and Humanities I (Faculty) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Ethnology
- European Studies
- History
- Library Science
- Philosophy
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Editor
- Cultural Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts and Humanities II (Faculty) 6 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- American Studies
- English Studies
- Linguistics
- Philology
- Romance Languages
- Slavic Languages
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Editor
- Cultural Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts and Humanities III (Faculty) 9 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- African Studies
- Archaeology
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Cultural Studies
- Gender Studies
- Media Studies
- Musicology
- Social Sciences
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Editor
- Cultural Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts and Humanities IV (Faculty) 3 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Educational Sciences
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
- Sports
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Editor
- Cultural Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Economics and Business Administration (Faculty) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Business Administration
- Economics
Common Career Paths
- Business Analyst
- Operations Manager
- Strategy Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Law (Faculty) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Law
Common Career Paths
- Lawyer
- Legal Consultant
- Compliance Officer
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Mathematics and Natural Sciences I (Faculty) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- Physics
Common Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Statistician
- Actuary
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Mathematics and Natural Sciences II (Faculty) 5 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Computer Science
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
- Psychology
Common Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Statistician
- Actuary
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Theology (Faculty) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Theology
Common Career Paths
- Religious Educator
- Pastoral Counsellor
- Faith Community Leader
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Humboldt (Graduate School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Safety Engineering
- Service Trades
International Humboldt (Graduate School) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Electronic Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Mathematics
- Natural Sciences
Mathematics (Graduate School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Berlin
Common Career Paths
- Data Analyst
- Statistician
- Actuary
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Mind and Brain (Graduate School) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Behavioural Sciences
- Neurosciences
Social Sciences (Graduate School) 1 subject offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Berlin
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Policy Analyst
- Social Worker
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Programs Offered
Every programme Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin offers, searchable by name and grouped by level. Pathway programmes leading from foundation to bachelor entry are sometimes listed separately from full degree programmes.
174 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Germany
Bachelor's Degree 58 programmes
Showing 10 of 58.
Master's Degree 116 programmes
Showing 10 of 116.
How to apply to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
A practical five-step guide to applying to Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, from programme research through submission and follow-up.
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1
Browse the programme catalogue
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's catalogue includes 174 programmes. Browse by level, identify candidates matching your prior qualifications, and note their entry requirements for the next step.
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2
Check eligibility for your chosen programme
Entry requirements vary by programme and degree level. Verify academic minimums, language tests (if international), and any additional documents required for Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's admissions process.
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3
Get your documents ready
Typical documents include academic transcripts, identity proof (passport or national ID), language proficiency test scores, a personal statement or motivation letter, and recommendation letters. International applicants should account for translation and notarisation time.
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4
Apply through the official channel
Submit your completed application through Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's official website at www.hu-berlin.de. Most institutions use an online portal — register an account, complete the application form, and upload your prepared documents. Keep copies of all submissions and confirmation receipts.
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5
Reach out and track your application
Follow up to confirm your application was received and is being processed. Reach the institution by phone at +49 (30) 2093 0. Admissions teams may request interviews or additional documents — respond promptly to keep your application active.
Frequently Asked Questions about Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Common questions students ask about Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin — answers pulled straight from the institution's published profile.
When was Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin founded?
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin was established in 1809 (approximately 217 years ago).
Where can I find Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin?
The institution is located in Berlin, Germany.
What is Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's control type?
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin operates as a public institution.
How many students does Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have?
The institution has a student body of 30,000-34,999.
How is Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ranked?
It ranks #313 globally and #15 in Germany.
What programmes are available at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin?
Programmes at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin cover bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
How many faculties does Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have?
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin has 11 academic units.
Who recognises Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin?
The institution holds recognition from Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege und Gleichstellung, Berlin.
Where can I learn more about Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin?
The institution's website is www.hu-berlin.de.
Top-Ranked Universities in Germany
Germany's leading universities appear below, useful for benchmarking Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin's academic standing. Use this list as the upper-bound reference for academic prestige within Germany.
Members of European University Association (EUA)
Joint research grants among European University Association (EUA) members create funded collaborations that often extend to graduate-student opportunities. The network listed below collaborates regularly with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Faculties at nearby universities
If you're weighing Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin against other institutions in the area, these neighbouring universities offer overlapping faculties and similar admissions cycles. They are useful for shortlisting based on travel distance or campus environment.
Where Else to Study Education & Teaching
Cohort intake size shapes class culture meaningfully in Education & Teaching. Some Germany institutions accept a few dozen, others hundreds — the difference affects peer-learning depth and faculty access.
Universities Compared with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Comparable peer metrics — selectivity, yield, faculty awards — give a fuller picture than headline rankings alone. The universities below cluster around Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin on most of these signals.
Studying in Germany: guides and resources
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