Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München brand mark

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Munich, Germany Founded 1472 World Rank #144

Updated May 2026

Overview

English Name: Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Local Name: Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
Acronyms: LMU
Founded: 1472
Institution Type: University
Control Type: Public
Entity Type: For-profit
World Rank: #144
Rank in Germany: #2
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München brand mark

Established in 1472, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) is a for-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Munich (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants), Bavaria.

Officially recognized by the Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst (Bavarian State Ministry for Science and Art), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) is a very large-sized coeducational German higher education institution. Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) 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 552-year-old German higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic records and grades. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.

LMU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, sports facilities, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.

Location & Contact

Where to find Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, plus its phone, email, website, and social media links. Confirm the published channels here are current before sending application materials.

Address: Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
Postal Code: 80539
Phone: +49 (89) 21800
Fax: +49 (89) 2180 3656
Social Media:

Academic Details

Enrolment scale, staff balance, and accreditation context for Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München are below. Female student percentage signals admissions reach and shapes the student-life environment.

Academic Year: October to July (October to February; April to July)
Recognition: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst
Admission Requirements: Secondary school certificate (Reifezeugnis) or equivalent
Total Students: 52,425
Student Enrollment: 35
Academic Staff Range: 1,000-1,499
Academic Staff with Doctorate: 768
Campus Setting: Urban
Memberships & Networks
European University Association (EUA) League of European Research Universities (LERU)

Degrees

Also State Examination Certificate (Staatsexam) in Dentistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science and Law; Teacher Training Certificate (Lehramt)

Bachelor's 70 programs

Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.

  • American Studies
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Archaeology
  • Art Education
  • Art History
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Asian Studies
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Business Education
  • Catholic Theology
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Classical Languages
  • Cognitive Sciences
  • Communication Studies
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computer Science
  • Cultural Studies
  • Eastern European Studies
  • Economics
  • Education of the Handicapped
  • Educational Sciences
  • English
  • Ethnology
  • Fine Arts
  • Finnish
  • Geography
  • Geophysics
  • German
  • Greek (Classical)
  • History
  • Information Technology
  • Insurance
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Latin
  • Law
  • Library Science
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Media Studies
  • Meteorology
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Modern Languages
  • Multimedia
  • Music
  • Neurosciences
  • Oriental Studies
  • Pedagogy
  • Philology
  • Philosophy
  • Phonetics
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Protestant Theology
  • Psychology
  • Religion
  • Religious Studies
  • Romance Languages
  • Slavic Languages
  • Sociology
  • South Asian Studies
  • Speech Therapy and Audiology
  • Statistics
  • Theatre
  • Theology
Master's 95 programs

Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.

  • American Studies
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Mathematics
  • Archaeology
  • Art History
  • Asian Religious Studies
  • Astrophysics
  • Biochemistry
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Business Education
  • Central European Studies
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Cognitive Sciences
  • Communication Studies
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computer Science
  • Cultural Studies
  • Earth Sciences
  • Eastern European Studies
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Educational Administration
  • Educational Research
  • English
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Management
  • Environmental Studies
  • Epidemiology
  • Ethnology
  • European Languages
  • European Studies
  • Finnish
  • Folklore
  • Foreign Languages Education
  • Gender Studies
  • Geochemistry
  • Geography (Human)
  • Geological Engineering
  • Geology
  • Geophysics
  • German
  • Germanic Studies
  • Greek
  • Greek (Classical)
  • History
  • Human Resources
  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
  • Insurance
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Journalism
  • Latin
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Logic
  • Management
  • Mathematical Physics
  • Mathematics
  • Media Studies
  • Meteorology
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Multimedia
  • Music Education
  • Musicology
  • Neurosciences
  • Occupational Health
  • Pharmacy
  • Philology
  • Philosophical Schools
  • Philosophy
  • Phonetics
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Psychology
  • Public Health
  • Public Relations
  • Publishing and Book Trade
  • Religious Studies
  • Romance Languages
  • Scandinavian Languages
  • Slavic Languages
  • Social Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Software Engineering
  • Speech Studies
  • Speech Therapy and Audiology
  • Statistics
  • Theatre
  • Translation and Interpretation
Doctoral 98 programs

Doctoral programmes train independent researchers, leading to academic, scientific, and senior advisory careers.

  • Albanian
  • American Studies
  • Ancient Civilizations
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Linguistics
  • Arabic
  • Archaeology
  • Art Education
  • Art History
  • Asian Religious Studies
  • Astronomy and Space Science
  • Biological and Life Sciences
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Business Education
  • Canon Law
  • Catholic Theology
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Classical Languages
  • Communication Studies
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computer Education
  • Computer Science
  • Contemporary History
  • Cultural Studies
  • Dentistry
  • Earth Sciences
  • Economic History
  • Economics
  • Education
  • Educational Psychology
  • English
  • English Studies
  • Ethnology
  • European Languages
  • European Studies
  • Finnish
  • Folklore
  • Foreign Languages Education
  • Geography
  • Geography (Human)
  • German
  • Germanic Studies
  • Greek
  • Greek (Classical)
  • History
  • Humanities and Social Science Education
  • Islamic Studies
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Jewish Studies
  • Latin
  • Law
  • Linguistics
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics Education
  • Media Studies
  • Medicine
  • Medieval Studies
  • Meteorology
  • Middle Eastern Studies
  • Modern History
  • Mongolian
  • Multimedia
  • Music Education
  • Musicology
  • Natural Sciences
  • Neurosciences
  • Nordic Studies
  • Orthodox Theology
  • Persian
  • Pharmacy
  • Philology
  • Philosophy
  • Phonetics
  • Physics
  • Political Sciences
  • Prehistory
  • Protestant Theology
  • Psychology
  • Religious Studies
  • Romance Languages
  • Scandinavian Languages
  • Slavic Languages
  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology
  • South Asian Studies
  • Spanish
  • Special Education
  • Speech Studies
  • Statistics
  • Technology
  • Theatre
  • Tibetan
  • Turkish
  • Veterinary Science
Other 27 programs
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business Administration
  • Catholic Theology
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Cultural Studies
  • Earth Sciences
  • Eastern European Studies
  • History
  • Law
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Medicine
  • Modern Languages
  • Natural Sciences
  • Orthodox Theology
  • Pedagogy
  • Pharmacy
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Protestant Theology
  • Psychology
  • Religion
  • Statistics
  • Theology
  • Veterinary Science

Faculties & Divisions

All faculties operate under Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst.

Biology (Faculty) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biology
  • Botany
  • Genetics
  • Zoology

Common Career Paths

  • Biologist
  • Lab Technician
  • Research Scientist

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Business Administration (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Business Administration

Common Career Paths

  • Business Analyst
  • Operations Manager
  • Strategy Consultant

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Catholic Theology (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Catholic 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.

Chemistry and Pharmacy (Faculty) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Biochemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Nutrition
  • Pharmacy

Common Career Paths

  • Pharmacist
  • Clinical Pharmacist
  • Pharmaceutical Researcher

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Economics (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Economics

Common Career Paths

  • Economist
  • Policy Analyst
  • Financial Consultant

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Geosciences (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Earth Sciences

Common Career Paths

  • Research Scientist
  • Lab Technician
  • Analyst

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

History and the Arts (Faculty) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Art History
  • History
Languages and Literatures (Faculty) 9 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Classical Languages
  • Comparative Literature
  • English
  • German
  • Indic Languages
  • Nordic Studies
  • Phonetics
  • Romance Languages
  • Slavic Languages

Common Career Paths

  • Translator
  • Interpreter
  • Language Teacher

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, Computer Science and Statistics (Faculty) 4 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics
  • Science Education
  • Statistics

Common Career Paths

  • Software Engineer
  • Data Scientist
  • Systems Analyst

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Medicine (Faculty) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Dentistry
  • Medicine

Common Career Paths

  • Physician
  • Medical Researcher
  • Clinical Specialist

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Philosophy, Philosophy of Science and Religious Science (Faculty) 2 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Philosophy
  • Religious Studies

Common Career Paths

  • Research Scientist
  • Lab Technician
  • Analyst

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Physics (Faculty) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Astronomy and Space Science
  • Meteorology
  • Physics

Common Career Paths

  • Physicist
  • Research Scientist
  • Data Analyst

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Protestant Theology (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Protestant 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.

Psychology and Educational Sciences (Faculty) 3 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Educational Sciences
  • Pedagogy
  • Psychology

Common Career Paths

  • Teacher
  • Educational Administrator
  • Curriculum Specialist

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Social Sciences (Faculty) 7 subjects offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • American Studies
  • Behavioural Sciences
  • Mass Communication
  • Media Studies
  • Political Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology

Common Career Paths

  • Researcher
  • Policy Analyst
  • Social Worker

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Study of Culture (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Cultural Studies
Veterinary Science (Faculty) 1 subject offered

Specialisations & Subjects

  • Veterinary Science

Common Career Paths

  • Veterinarian
  • Animal Health Specialist
  • Wildlife Researcher

Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.

Programs Offered

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München's programme finder filters by name across all degree levels. Departmental admissions criteria sometimes differ from institutional minimums — verify against the programme page before relying on either.

221 programmes on record. Each level below shows a sample. Compare these on the programs page All programs in Germany

Bachelor's Degree 72 programmes

Bachelor's Degree in Ägyptologie und Koptologie
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Bachelor's Degree in Alter Orient
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Bachelor's Degree in Anglistik
English Language Studies
Bachelor's Degree in Antike und Orient
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Bachelor's Degree in Archäologie: Europa und Vorderer Orient
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Bachelor's Degree in Betriebswirtschaftslehre
Business Administration
Bachelor's Degree in Bioinformatik
Computer Sciences
Bachelor's Degree in Biologie
Biological Sciences
Bachelor's Degree in Buchwissenschaft
Library Science
Bachelor's Degree in Buddhistische und Südasiatische Studien
Humanities & Cultural Studies

Showing 10 of 72.

Master's Degree 149 programmes

Master's Degree in Ägyptologie und Koptologie
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in Albanologie
Linguistics & Language Studies
Master's Degree in Altorientalistik
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in American History, Culture and Society
Humanities & Cultural Studies
Master's Degree in Archäologie, klassische
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in Archäologie, provinzialrömische
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in Archäologie, Vor- und Frühgeschichtliche
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in Archäologie, vorderasiatische
Classical Studies & Ancient History
Master's Degree in Astrophysics
Physics & Astronomy
Master's Degree in Beratungslehrkraft
Education & Teaching

Showing 10 of 149.

How to apply to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Practical steps to apply to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, suitable as a starting checklist before contacting the admissions team directly.

  1. 1
    Research programmes at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

    Use the programme finder to browse Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München's 221 active programmes. Filter by keyword or scan by degree level. Read curriculum details on each programme's dedicated page if available.

  2. 2
    Review admissions criteria

    Programme-level requirements at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München typically include academic transcripts, language proficiency proof, identity documents, and a personal statement or interview. Confirm specific requirements with the admissions office.

  3. 3
    Gather supporting documents

    Prepare academic transcripts, ID/passport copies, language proficiency proof, a personal statement, and reference letters. International candidates may need apostilled or notarised translations — start early to avoid deadline pressure.

  4. 4
    Lodge your application

    Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München processes applications through www.lmu.de. Create an account, fill out the application form, and submit your documents. Note application deadlines, which vary by intake and programme.

  5. 5
    Confirm receipt and track progress

    Confirm receipt of your application with the admissions office and keep an eye on your portal for status changes. Reach the institution by phone at +49 (89) 21800. Quick responses to any follow-up requests keep your application moving smoothly through the review process.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Below are the key facts most prospective students ask about Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, drawn directly from institutional records.

In what year was Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München established?

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München was founded in 1472 (approximately 554 years ago).

In which city is Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München?

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is based in Munich, Germany.

Is Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München a public or private institution?

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is a public institution.

How many students study at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München?

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München has approximately 35,000-39,999 students.

Where does Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München stand in university rankings?

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München is ranked #144 globally and #2 in Germany.

What qualification levels does Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München offer?

Programmes at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München cover bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.

Who recognises Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München?

The institution holds recognition from Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst.

Where can I learn more about Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München?

The institution's website is www.lmu.de.

Members of European University Association (EUA)

The universities below share Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München's European University Association (EUA) membership, often coordinating on academic standards. Coordination simplifies credit transfer and joint-programme delivery between member institutions.

Faculties at nearby universities

Cross-border or within-state choices: the universities near Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München may fall under different governance, fee structures, or visa rules. Confirm the regulatory context for each option separately.

Where Else to Study Education & Teaching

Education & Teaching is taught at multiple universities across Germany — these alternatives to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München are worth weighing. Each programme reflects different academic traditions, industry connections, and research priorities.

Universities Compared with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Application tier strategy benefits from including peer institutions to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München: safety, target, and reach picks within a comparable academic band keep your outcomes diversified.

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