With a long tradition of shaping the future, Heidelberg University sees itself as an internationally oriented research and teaching institution that offers a rich range of subjects and disciplines.
- #43 Ranking
- 32 Bachelors
- 1,405 Academic Staff
- 19,530 Students
- 3,711 Students (int'l)
- 10,742 Students (female)
- Public Institution Type
Bachelor's programmes
Humanities (20)
- B.A. American Studies
- B.A. Ancient History
- B.A. Anthropology
- B.A. East Asian Studies
- B.A. English Studies
- B.A. History
- B.A. Japanese Studies
- Bachelor Protestant Theology
- B.Sc. Religious Studies
- B.A. South Asian Studies
- B.A. Translation Studies
Social Sciences (16)
- B.A. American Studies
- B.A. Anthropology
- B.A. East Asian Studies
- B.Sc. Economics
- B.A. European Art History
- B.Sc. Geography
- B.A. Japanese Studies
- B.Sc. Political Science
- B.Sc. Psychology
- B.A. Sociology
- B.A. South Asian Studies
Computer Science & IT (3)
Natural Sciences & Mathematics (3)
- B.Sc. Chemistry
- B.Sc. Earth Sciences
- B.Sc. Economics
Arts, Design & Architecture (2)
Environmental Studies & Earth Sciences (2)
- B.Sc. Earth Sciences
- B.Sc. Geography
Journalism & Media (2)
Education & Training (1)
- B.A. Education Studies
Medicine & Health (1)
About
History
Heidelberg University – also known as Ruperto Carola – was established in 1386 and is Germany’s oldest university. It is also one of the strongest research universities in all of Europe. In 1386, Ruprecht I, Elector Palatine, received the Pope’s permission to establish the university in his residential city of Heidelberg.
Education
The University believes the training of its students and young researchers from the Bachelor phase onward is equally as important as its academic and social responsibilities. On the basis of the accredited quality management system heiQUALITY, the Ruperto Carola's working continuously on the development of its study programmes. By applying new concepts for research-based teaching, it fosters early integration into research issues and processes. Depending on the subject area, students can move directly into related MSc or PhD programmes, as the graduate schools already support.
Research
As a research university with international reach, Heidelberg University holds the strong theoretical and methodological competence evident in its subjects and disciplinary cultures as fundamental to its scientific endeavours. In addition to its disciplinary strengths, however, the university also acknowledges its social responsibilities and special potential to effectively address, through interdisciplinary cooperation, complex problems critical to the progress of humanity.
Career
Heidelberg University is a comprehensive university with a pronounced research orientation and international outlook. With approx. 30,000 students and 8,400 staff members, including numerous top-ranking researchers, it is a renowned institution worldwide and is also of outstanding economic significance for the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. The university offers interesting jobs and career opportunities, not only for academics.
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2021
GSSA 2021
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2021. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 8 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
University Ranking
World University Rankings by Times Higher Education
2023
43 -1
2022
42
2021
42
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
2023
65 -2
2022
63 1
2021
64
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University
2022
70 -13
2021
57
2020
57
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report
2023
-
2022
-
2021
54
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
Services
Housing services
Student residences at Heidelberg University are administered by the Studierendenwerk, an independent organization providing various services to the student population. Although the number of available rooms is quite limited (only 15 per cent of all Heidelberg students can be housed in student residences), the International Relations Office cooperates with the Studierendenwerk to secure rooms in student residences for international exchange students coming to Heidelberg.
ICT services
Students and staff of Heidelberg University can use WLAN on their laptops at the Multimedia Centre. A valid student / university staff member card is required. All library users can access WLAN on their laptops anywhere in the library. Library card holders can use computers in the Information Centre and the Reading Room to access the internet.
Accreditation
Heidelberg University has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, formerly the North Central Association, since 1913 and was included on the Association's first published list of accredited institutions.
Student Reviews
Heidelberg- Physics
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
There are a lot (!) of options to choose from, which is very nice. But this also makes it stressful and hard to choose. I really like this University and had all the support I needed.
Heidelberg a great place to be
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
Heidelberg University is a great facility which has a lot to offer. There is a variety of courses and interdisciplinary possibilities. The research is in some areas really excellent. Nethertheless teaching and student care could be improved a bit.
Tough but rewarding
Anonymous rated 4 out of 5 stars
The program itself was very intensive and educating. My vision and academic thinking skills, as well as writing abilities developed throughout the study. Administration and bureaucratic relations with the University may sometimes be painful. One has to master in German language to be able to have a smooth learning process, otherwise the overall content is too heavy to...
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