Bremen is a large industrial city in north-western Germany, with an overall urban population of about 570,000 residents. Bremen is home to Germany’s second-largest port, and is located along the river Weser. The city has a high number of immigrant residents, nearing 36.5 percent of the city’s population. Bremen is also a popular city for international tourists because nearly two-thirds of Bremen residents are excellent English speakers.
Bremen is situated near multiple other German cities in the northwestern region including Hamburg, Dortmund and Essen. Alongside being a major economic centre with many headquarters of multinational companies, Bremen is also a famous centre of German culture and has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as many other museums, cafes and monuments that showcase the best of German heritage and history.
Bremen’s large student population means international students will have great opportunities to socialise off campus and seek thrilling adventures all over Bremen, and in the nearby German countryside. Moreover, even non-German speaking international students can study in Germany because most of the country’s universities offer a majority of courses in English.
Originally established as a teacher training institute in 1971, the University of Bremen is now home to over 20,000 enrolled students including more than 2,000 international students. The university is well-known for its focus on world-class research, especially in the fields of natural sciences and engineering. In fact, the University of Bremen is one of only 11 German universities recognised by the government as a ‘University of Excellence.’
International students at the University of Bremen can support their world-class academics and research with high-quality internships at the nearby Technology Park Bremen, home to over 400 corporations and more than 6,000 employees. The University also offers a wide variety of student exchange programs via partnerships with leading global universities including the University College London, the University of Buenos Aires and La Trobe University, Melbourne.
Located a two-hour drive south of Bremen in the nearby town of Hanover, Leibniz University was founded with just 64 students in 1831. Today, Leibniz University is one of Germany’s largest institutes and hosts nearly 30,000 enrolled students including more than 4,000 international admits.
Leibniz is a member of the TU9, an alliance of the nine leading Institutes of Technology in Germany. Research at Leibniz University is focused on areas including Biomedical Research and Engineering as well as Optical Sciences. Leibniz University primarily operates on an urban campus in Hanover, alongside four additional campuses in and around the Hanover region.
Constructor University is a private English-speaking university founded in 2001. Today, Constructor University is home to over 1,500 international students from more than 110 countries worldwide. Constructor University is well-known for its vibrant campus life, with excellent opportunities for entertainment and socialising on its 75-acre campus every week.
Constructor University’s small class sizes allow for greater one-on-one attention from its world-class professors, and the university even gives international students a chance to either complete an internship or spend a semester abroad during your fifth semester.
The City University of Applied Sciences in Bremen was established in 1982 after the merger of four local universities of applied sciences. Today, with its primary campus in Bremen’s Neustadtswall neighbourhood, the City University of Applied Sciences hosts nearly 9,000 enrolled students every year.
The University of Applied Sciences is well-known for the high quality of its technical facilities and is a member of the UAS7, an alliance of seven leading German Universities of Applied Science.
Below are the top-ranked Bremen universities for international students, with their ranks in two of the world’s most well-respected international university rankings, the QS 2025 University World rankings and the Times Higher Education 2025 Rankings.
For more information about rankings systems and methodologies see our University rankings explained guide.
| University | QS World Ranking 2025 | Times Higher Education Ranking 2025 |
| Leibniz University Hannover | =426 | 351-400 |
| University of Bremen | =592 | 301-350 |
In contrast to the ever-increasing tuition fees at universities for international students over most of Europe, Germany’s free public tuition program makes the country more and more popular among international students every year.
Since 2014, Germany has charged zero tuition fees for domestic as well as international undergraduate students at its public universities. So international undergraduate students can study for free at public universities in Bremen, and need to only pay a small semester fee of between 300 and 400 US Dollars per annum.
As for residential costs for international students in Bremen, the University of Bremen notes that a student needs about 950 US Dollars per month for a normal student life. Additionally, in order to get a student visa which is required for non-EU international students at German universities, you are required to show proof of minimum funds for a one-year stay in Germany. Currently, this figure is about 11,300 US Dollars a year or 940 US Dollars a month. This figure includes 450-600 US Dollars per month for shared accommodation, 300-350 US Dollars for food-related expenses, 50-60 US Dollars for public transport, around 60-80 US Dollars for monthly utilities and another 80-100 US Dollars for miscellaneous expenses.
Bremen offers a wide range of activities for you to enjoy away from the classroom, from sightseeing tours of the city to multiple hikes in the nearby regions. Bremen airport, situated outside the city, connects you to all major travel destinations in Europe and worldwide via major hubs such as Amsterdam and Berlin.
Below are a few of Bremen’s must-see sights for international travelers and students:
Bremen offers international students the chance to live and study in a world-class European city at an extremely affordable cost of living with zero tuition fees for most courses, especially for international undergraduate students.
See all universities in Germany.
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