Architecture Schools and Programs in Germany

Architecture Studies in Germany

Berliner Dom, Berlin, Germany

Architecture in Germany is taught at universities, technical universities and universities of applied sciences, and the professional title is protected by law. Only people entered in the list of architects kept by a chamber of architects (Architektenkammer) may call themselves Architektin or Architekt. The length of the degree therefore matters as much as its name.

SpainExchange lists 8 schools in Germany under Architecture, one each in Aachen, Bonn, Hanover, Kassel, Munich, Stuttgart, Weimar and Wuppertal. Seven are universities with degree programmes. The eighth, the AIB - Akademie für Internationale Bildung in Bonn, is an academy for international education and not a university.

How the degree is organised

Architecture follows the bachelor's and master's structure. Most bachelor's degrees take six semesters and are followed by a four-semester master's degree. Examples from the schools listed here:

• The Universität Stuttgart offers a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Urban Planning: six semesters, taught in German, starting in the winter semester, with restricted admission
• Leibniz Universität Hannover has a six-semester Bachelor of Science in Architektur, taught in German, and a Master of Science that builds on it
• The Universität Kassel groups architecture, urban planning and landscape planning in one department. Its Bachelor of Science takes six semesters and includes a practice project module in the fifth semester; the Master of Science takes four semesters
• At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar the bachelor's degree takes six semesters, and students spend part of the third year at a partner university abroad. Its master's programmes include Architektur (M.Sc., in German, four semesters) and European Urban Studies (M.Sc., in English, four semesters)
• The Technische Universität München (TUM) is an exception: its Bachelor of Arts in Architecture takes eight semesters and carries 240 ECTS credits. The Master of Arts adds four semesters and 120 ECTS credits

The Faculty of Architecture of RWTH Aachen University lists a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. in Architecture and an M.Sc. in Urban Planning. The Bergische Universität Wuppertal teaches architecture at bachelor's and master's level in its Fakultät für Architektur und Bauingenieurwesen (faculty of architecture and civil engineering).

From the degree to the title of architect

The rules on the title are set by the federal states. Bavaria's chamber law, the Baukammerngesetz, is an example. It allows the title only to people entered in the Bavarian list of architects or the corresponding list of another state. To be entered, an applicant needs:

• a completed degree in architecture with a standard period of at least eight semesters of full-time study and at least 240 ECTS credits, which meets the requirements of EU Directive 2005/36/EC on professional qualifications
• at least two years of practical work after the degree, supervised by a member of the profession or by the chamber

A six-semester bachelor's degree is therefore not enough on its own under these rules, and students who want the title should plan for a master's degree as well. TUM states that graduates of its eight-semester bachelor's degree are qualified to obtain a licence as architects after at least two years of professional experience. Ask the chamber of the state where you intend to work which degrees it accepts.

Admission and language

The bachelor's degrees named above are taught in German. Hannover asks international applicants for German at C1 level, and Weimar for the DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) states that most higher education institutions require at least B2 level of the CEFR.

Places are limited almost everywhere. Stuttgart, Hannover and Kassel restrict admission. TUM and Weimar use an aptitude assessment; Weimar's has two parts, and the university recommends an architecture-related internship of up to 12 weeks before applying. The application deadline for the winter semester is 15 July at Stuttgart, TUM and Weimar.

A school-leaving certificate from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland that gives access to university there is usually accepted. Applicants with other certificates may first need a Studienkolleg, a preparatory course. Kassel requires applicants with a foreign school certificate to apply through uni-assist.

Costs and visa

According to DAAD, state higher education institutions generally charge no tuition fees for bachelor's degrees and most master's degrees. Baden-Württemberg, the state where Stuttgart is located, charges non-EU citizens €1,500 per semester. Fees for students from outside the EU and EEA may also apply in Bavaria; TUM lists tuition fees for international students next to a student fee of €97. All students pay a semester contribution of between €70 and €430. DAAD estimates living costs at between €900 and €1,200 per month.

Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland only need a valid identity card. Students who need a visa apply at the German embassy or consulate in their home country. As of 1 January 2025 they had to prove funds of €992 per month, and DAAD warns that a visa can take months to be issued.

Careers

The supervised practice required for the title comes after graduation. The specialisations of Kassel's master's degree show the range of work: urban design, design research, environmentally conscious planning and building, and construction economics and project development.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to become an architect in Germany?

Under Bavaria's chamber law, for example, at least eight semesters of full-time study with 240 ECTS credits, followed by at least two years of supervised practical work. Other federal states have their own laws.

Can I study Architecture in Germany in English?

The bachelor's degrees at the schools listed here are taught in German. Some master's programmes are in English, such as European Urban Studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.