Study Program

University

City

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University of Potsdam

Potsdam

1991

Foundation year

19,652

No. of students (2026)

16%

of international students

187

Study Programs

123

Admission-free programs

English-only programs

University video

02:28 min

Where Knowledge Grows: Study at the University of Potsdam

01:26 min

Summer, Music, Campus Vibes: Campus Festival 2026

Highlights

Highlight #1

Germany's best young university: #1 nationally, #17 worldwide

THE Young University Ranking

Highlight #2

Study Europe with the EDUC alliance: eight universities, coordinated from Potsdam

European Digital UniverCity

Highlight #3

Study in a research network: over 30 non-university institutes as university partners

Science city Potsdam

The University of Potsdam is a public university and, with around 19,650 students, the largest institution of higher education in the state of Brandenburg. Founded in 1991, it is now one of Germany's most research-intensive young universities, ranked #1 in Germany in the THE Young University Ranking 2024. Seven faculties – from the Law Faculty and the Faculty of Arts to the Faculty of Science and the Digital Engineering Faculty run jointly with the Hasso Plattner Institute – cover a broad range of subjects, including Brandenburg's only university-based teacher training.

Studies take place at three locations: Am Neuen Palais right next to Sanssouci Park, in Golm in the region's largest science park, and at Griebnitzsee near Babelsberg.

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Top study programs

Top 10
study programs (by popularity)

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Public Health, Exercise, and Nutrition (PEN)

Master of Science

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Master of Science

General Management

Master of Business Administration

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Polymer Science

Master of Science

International Relations

Intercultural Communication and Management

Master of Arts

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Top 50

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Seven reasons to study at Uni Potsdam

Study in Potsdam, live with Berlin

Palace gardens, lakes and a lively cultural scene on your doorstep – and Berlin with its clubs, museums and jobs just half an hour away. The best of two cities. → More Info

Top positions in leading rankings

Germany’s best young university in the THE Young Ranking, top 250 worldwide in the THE World University Ranking, top 15 in the Humboldt Ranking: measurable quality. → More Info

Launch your start-up with Potsdam Transfer

#5 in Germany's Start-up Radar 2025: Potsdam Transfer's Startup Service advises you for free, helps with EXIST grants and supported 28 start-ups in 2025 alone. → More Info

Tuition-free in all regular degree programs

No tuition fees in any regular program – not even for students from non-EU countries. Only continuing-education programs are excluded. → More Info

Research density that’s hard to match

One of Germany’s densest research hubs: 33 non-university institutes such as PIK, GFZ and Max Planck partner with the university – often right next to campus. → More Info

An international community on all three campuses

Students from 117 countries shape life on all three campuses. The Buddy Program brings you together – with 96 partner universities, a semester abroad is close. → More Info

Award-winning equal opportunities

The TOTAL E-QUALITY award nine times in a row and the top group in the CEWS gender equality ranking for the third time running: equality here is lived practice. → More Info

Rankings

International

in Germany

Humboldt Ranking 2023

#14

in Germany

DAAD Gesamtförderbeträge 2026

#30

in Germany

Webinars with MyGermanUniversity

Upcoming webinars

Info events by the University

Open Start-up Consultation – Potsdam Transfer

8 December 2026, 11:00 AM (CET)

On campus

Open Start-up Consultation – Potsdam Transfer

Got a business idea or thinking about going freelance alongside your studies? Just bring it along to the University of Potsdam's Startup Service: At the free open start-up consultation, you'll discuss your idea with the start-up advisors from Potsdam Transfer, get your questions answered and find out about next steps and funding options – no registration needed.

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16 December 2026, 04:00 PM (CET)

Online

Global Design Thinking Workshop

Want to go through the entire Design Thinking process in an international team – with no prior experience required? That's exactly what the Global Design Thinking Workshop (GDTW) at the HPI d-school offers: a six-day intensive program during the lecture-free period, open to students of all disciplines and academic levels. The workshop is held entirely in English; on completion you receive a certificate and 3 ECTS credits – and participation is free of charge for University of Potsdam students. In this online info session, Dr. Claudia Nicolai, Academic Director of the HPI d-school, walks you through the program: structure, how the sprint works in practice, workload and learning experience. You can put your questions to her directly. The next workshop takes place in March 2027.

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4-29 January 2027

On campus

Discovery Days 2027

What does a real lecture feel like? Find out at the Discovery Days: Throughout January, all faculties of the University of Potsdam open their regular lectures and seminars to prospective students – from English and Mathematics to Chemistry, Law and teacher training. You put together your own schedule and attend exactly the classes that interest you. The Central Student Advisory Service adds a weekly changing supporting program with discussion rounds with current students, talks on teaching degrees and information on application and admission. Not sure which subject is right for you? Try the university's Online Self-Assessment (OSA) in advance.

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12 March 2027, 10:00 AM (CET)

Online

Master's Info Day 2027

From Bioinformatics and Digital Health to War and Conflict Studies: At the digital Master's Info Day, faculty and students present the University of Potsdam's master's programs in interactive Zoom sessions – covering content, objectives and career prospects. The supporting program via Zoom and YouTube livestream covers application and enrollment, living and studying in Potsdam, and studying with children, a disability or a chronic illness. Together with the International Office, there are English-language sessions specifically for international prospective students on visas, housing and financing your studies, and the Career Service adds a session on "Working in Germany". Everything takes place online – so you can join from anywhere in the world.

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11 June 2027, 09:00 AM (CET)

Online

University Open House 2027

Sports Management, Life Sciences or maybe Computational Linguistics? At the University Open House, all degree programs of the University of Potsdam present themselves in a single day and invite you to talk to them. There are also cross-disciplinary talks, for example on how to apply, on teacher training, on financial aid and scholarships or on studying abroad. At the info fair, central institutions such as the International Office, University Sports and the Central Student Advisory Service are on hand, along with the student services organization and the employment agency. In the afternoon, there are tours of the library and student residences as well as campus tours to the Golm and Am Neuen Palais locations. For prospective international students, the university offers an online advisory session the day before – in English on request.

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Special features

Mental Health Counseling for students

When studying becomes a burden: confidential support from the Central Student Advisory Service's counselors.

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Intercultural Competence Certificate

Center for Teacher Training and Education Research

International Student of the Month

University sports with around 600 courses

Part-time study in many programs

International Campus Ambassadors

International Summer Campus

Buddy Program for a smooth start

Two-subject bachelor's degree

Career Service for your career start

Finances

Tuition fees

Filter study programs

Non-EU Students

Scholarship and funding

The University Scholarship Potsdam

A university scholarship you can apply for even before you start: €300 per month for at least a year – open to admitted applicants, too. Plus networking with sponsors and the chance to join think tanks on future-oriented topics.

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Wide range of additional merit- and need-based scholarships

Financial support for the final stretch of your degree

Financial support and advice for international students

Testimonials

Jakob

Law

I knew early on that I didn't just want to understand things in theory – I wanted to actively help shape them.

Yasaman

Bachelor Computational Science

Computer science is shaping our society at a rapid pace – that's why I don't just want to be a user, but to understand what lies behind algorithms, data structures and software.

Luca

Teaching Degree in Chemistry/History

I'm grateful that I can study my subject combination at UP – that's not possible everywhere – and that I already had a relatively large practical component in my Bachelor's.

Josefine

Master Economic Policy & Quantitative Methods

I have the freedom to pursue my own projects tackling care-related old-age poverty – such as an estimation model showing how parental leave and employment choices shape pensions.

Peer

Master's in Linguistik im Kontext: Erwerb – Kommunikation – Mehrsprachigkeit

In my Master's in ‘Linguistics in Context’, I focus on the cultural dimension of language use, multilingualism and AI applications like chatbots in research and higher education.

Darya

Bachelor's in European Media Studies

In European Media Studies, I look at media from both a practical and a critical-analytical perspective. I'm particularly interested in how new technologies impact society.

Alexander

Master's in Business Informatics and Digital Transformation

To me, business informatics means interdisciplinarity and new perspectives – ever since I combined business, political science and computer science in my Bachelor's thesis.

Imge

Master Cognitive Systems

During my Bachelor's, I gained first practical experience as a student assistant. Today I work as a research assistant at DFKI in the field of Speech and Language Technology.