Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) is a public research university in Bavaria with about 40,000 students, 650 professors and 275 degree programmes, 35 of them taught in English.[1] The aggregator xuanxiao.org lists it at 218th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.[2]
From the summer semester 2027, newly enrolling bachelor’s and master’s students from outside the EU/EEA pay €1,000 to €6,000 per semester, depending on the programme.[3] EU/EEA students pay only the €82 semester contribution.[3] Most programmes are taught in German; proof is usually DSH-2 or TestDaF level 4.[4]
Key facts
| Official name | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) |
| Location | Erlangen and Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany (administration: Freyeslebenstraße 1, 91058 Erlangen)[5] |
| Type | Public research university; the university calls itself the largest in northern Bavaria[1] |
| Founded | 1743 (academy founded in Bayreuth in 1742, moved to Erlangen in 1743); merged with the Nuremberg business college in 1961[6] |
| Students | About 40,000 (university brochure, status September 2025)[1] |
| Staff and professors | 16,000 employees and 650 professors[1] |
| Faculties | Five: Humanities, Social Sciences and Theology; Law and Economics; Medicine; Natural Sciences; Engineering[1] |
| Degree programmes | 275, of which 35 are taught in English and 10 lead to double degrees[1] |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | 218th (score 54.0; aggregator, not confirmed by the university)[2] |
| Cluster of Excellence | “Transforming Human Rights”, approved 22 May 2025, seven-year funding from 2026[7] |
| Semester contribution | €82 per semester (all students)[3] |
| Tuition, new non-EU/EEA students from summer semester 2027 | €1,000 to €6,000 per semester, depending on programme[3] |
| Application processing fee, non-EU applicants | €100 per application[8] |
| Official website | fau.eu |
Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.
About FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
FAU is a public research university with sites in Erlangen and Nuremberg.[1] It was founded as an academy in Bayreuth in 1742, received university status in February 1743 and moved to Erlangen in November 1743. In 1961 it took over the Nuremberg College of Economics and Social Sciences, which gave it its present name.[6]
FAU has five faculties: Humanities, Social Sciences and Theology; Law and Economics; Medicine; Natural Sciences; and Engineering.[1] It reports about 40,000 students, 650 professors and 16,000 employees (status September 2025).[1] FAU’s pages we read give no figure for international students, so we do not state one.
How is FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg ranked?
The aggregator xuanxiao.org lists FAU at 218th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, with a score of 54.0. We could not read QS’s own table (topuniversities.com blocks automated access), and we found no FAU press release for the 2027 edition, so treat the position as unconfirmed.[2]
On research, FAU hosts the Cluster of Excellence “Transforming Human Rights”, announced by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Council of Science and Humanities on 22 May 2025. Seven years of funding, “tens of millions of euros”, begin in 2026.[7] Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings.
What can you study at FAU?
FAU says it offers 275 degree programmes, 35 of them in English and 10 with double degrees, in full-time or part-time form in Erlangen or Nuremberg.[1] The five faculties cover the humanities, social sciences and theology, law and economics, medicine, natural sciences and engineering.[1]
German is the teaching language for most programmes. FAU lists these bachelor’s programmes in English, with no German required: Autonomy Technologies, Clean Energy Processes, International Business Studies, Artificial Intelligence and International Economic Studies (all B.Sc.).[4] For the wider picture, see our Germany guide and the Study in Germany guide.
How much does FAU cost?
Important change: as of the summer semester 2027, FAU charges tuition to newly enrolled students from non-EU/non-EEA states. Students already enrolled before that semester are not affected unless they change subject.[9][3]
| Level | Per semester (full-time) | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s | €1,000 | Business and Economics, Biology, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering |
| Bachelor’s | €2,000 | Psychology (B.Sc.), Physics, Computer Science, Materials Science |
| Bachelor’s | €3,000 | Mechanical Engineering, Electromobility, Molecular Medicine |
| Master’s | €2,000 | Economics, Chemistry, physics-related and humanities programmes |
| Master’s | €4,000 | Psychology (M.Sc.), Data Science, Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science |
| Master’s | €6,000 | Molecular Medicine (M.Sc.), Mechanical Engineering, Electromobility |
The amounts apply to the summer semester 2027 onwards and stay fixed for the whole course of study.[3] Part-time study is charged at half the amount.[3] The tuition page gives the full programme-by-programme list; check it for your exact amount.
Who pays and who does not
The fee applies if you study for a bachelor’s or master’s degree, are not a German, EU or EEA citizen, have no German university entrance qualification and have no “established ties” to Germany (broadly, five years of living and legal employment in Germany, or a parent who did so for three of the last six years).[3] No fee applies to State Examination programmes, doctoral candidates, exchange students such as Erasmus students, and students on leave. A master’s student who completed an FAU bachelor’s first, or a bachelor’s at another German university, is generally exempt.[3]
Semester contribution and other costs
All students pay the semester contribution to the student services of €82 per semester, regardless of tuition.[3] Non-EU applicants also pay a processing fee of €100 per application.[8] Living costs are on top. See the Germany guide and the Study in Germany guide.
How do you apply to FAU?
International applicants apply through FAU’s campo portal. Separate pages describe the procedure and documents for bachelor’s and State Examination programmes and for master’s programmes.[8] After a successful application you receive an admission letter (Zulassungsbescheid) and then enrol.[8]
Applicants from non-EU states pay a processing fee of €100 per application, and tuition fees may also apply.[8] Students who pay tuition pay through the ePayBayern system within ten working days of receiving the payment notice; enrolment is not processed without payment.[3]
We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by programme. Check the dates for your programme before you start.
Which language level do you need?
With few exceptions, German is the teaching language at FAU.[8] Accepted German proof includes DSH level 2, TestDaF level 4 in each of the four parts, Goethe-Zertifikat C2, ÖSD C2, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, and DSD II (B2 in all parts). The German part of the Feststellungsprüfung from a Studienkolleg also counts.[4]
Bachelor’s applicants who lack proof can apply with German at level B2 (the CEFR scale runs from A1 to C2) and must then pass the DSH immediately before starting.[4] For master’s programmes the required German level varies, and FAU refers to an information sheet for each programme. Proof of German is not required for the English-taught bachelor’s programmes listed above.[4] English requirements for English-taught master’s programmes are set per programme; the pages we read do not give one level for all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does FAU charge tuition fees?
Who is exempt from FAU’s tuition fees?
EU/EEA citizens, holders of a German entrance qualification, people with established ties to Germany, doctoral candidates, exchange students and students in State Examination programmes, among others.[3] Students enrolled before the summer semester 2027 are not affected unless they change subject.[3]
Do I need German to study at FAU?
How is FAU ranked?
An aggregator lists FAU at 218th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.[2]
How do I apply to FAU as an international student?
Through the campo portal. Non-EU applicants pay a €100 processing fee per application.[8]
More about studying in Germany
- Germany: best universities
- Study in Germany: complete guide
- Cost of Studying Abroad
- International Student Scholarships
- University Ranking Methodology
More university profiles in Germany
- Freie Universität Berlin
- Heidelberg University
- Humboldt University of Berlin
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- RWTH Aachen University
- Technical University of Berlin
- Technical University of Munich
- TU Darmstadt
- TU Dresden
- University of Bonn
- University of Cologne
- University of Freiburg
- University of Göttingen
- University of Hamburg
- University of Mannheim
- University of Münster
- University of Stuttgart
- University of Tübingen
Sources
[1] FAU: Zahlen, Daten, Fakten (university brochure) (PDF, status 9/2025)
[2] xuanxiao.org: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (aggregator; QS publishes at topuniversities.com, which blocks automated access) (QS 2027 rank 218, score 54.0; the site states its rankings were fetched on 30 Sep 2026)
[3] FAU: Tuition fees for students from non-EU states (page without a date; fees from summer semester 2027)
[4] FAU: German language courses, German language proficiency and language certificates (page without a date; linked documents are from 2025)
[5] FAU: Imprint (page without a date; postal address of the university)
[6] Wikipedia: University of Erlangen–Nuremberg (history; secondary source)
[7] FAU, Human Rights: Transforming Human Rights becomes Cluster of Excellence (news item of 22 May 2025)
[8] FAU: Application and enrollment for international applicants (page without a date)
[9] FAU: Introduction of tuition fees for international students from non-EU states (news item of 7 Jul 2026, updated 14 Jul 2026)
Figures may change; check official sources before you decide. How we compile our data · Found an error? Tell us.