Dortmund is the eighth largest city in Germany, and has a population of around 590,000. The city sits on the Emscher and Ruhr rivers, and is widely considered the cultural and commercial hub of the eastern Ruhr.
The city was founded around 882, and has a long and colourful history. Through the 13th and 14 Centuries, Dortmund was the ‘chief city’ of the Rhine, and was then largely destroyed during the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). The city faced similarly bad luck during World War II, when it became one of the most heavily bombed German cities. This was due to the city’s status as one of the country’s most important coal, steel and beer centres.
Since this city centre devastation, Dortmund has been rebuilt, and continues to play an important role in the advancement of Germany as a whole. The city is widely recognised as a very innovative, sustainable and digital place, and performs well in quality of life rankings.
TU Dortmund is a technical university that was founded in 1968. It has over 35,000 students, and offers around 80 bachelor and master degrees. The university is the location of one of two installations of a H-Bahn (also known as the hanging railway) in Germany, which links the North and South campuses.
TU Dortmund is well known for its courses in the physics, electrical engineering, chemistry and economics fields. The university was at the forefront of bringing the Internet to Germany in the 1980s, and the Computer Science department continues to work on groundbreaking technologies.
Below are the top-ranked Dortmund 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 University Ranking 2025 | THE World University Ranking 2025 |
| TU Dortmund | 801-850 | 401-500 |
Public universities in Germany do not charge domestic and international students tuition fees. You will have to pay a semester fee to your university, this is normally between 300 and 500 EUR. Private universities can set their own fees, so normally cost more, especially for international students.
In terms of living costs, Dortmund is relatively affordable compared to other German cities. TU Dortmund suggests that you need at least 853 EUR per month to cover your rent, groceries, health insurance and travel. You will need to provide evidence of this money at the Immigration Office in order to be able to enter the country.
READ MORE: Scholarships and Funding for International Students
Around Dortmund you will find many interesting attractions. These range from green spaces and gardens, to museums and sports clubs. Many of these attractions are either free to visit, or will offer discounted tickets to students.
The Botanischer Garten Rombergpark is an arboretum and botanical garden that is home to may tropical plants, such as palm trees, succulents, camellias and jasmine, among others. Rombergpark is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world, and is located next to the Dortmund Zoo. The zoo specialises in the keeping and conservation of the giant anteater, the tamandua, and the giant otter.
As well as these outdoor spaces, Dortmund is also known for its sports pedigree. The city calls itself Sportstadt (City of Sports), and is home to many high performing teams, in various sports. These include the Borussia Dortmund handball team, Borussia Dortmund football club, the Dortmund Giants American football team, and the Dortmund Wanderers baseball team.
See all universities in Germany.
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