40 Best Acting (Performing arts/Drama theatre) schools in Germany

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Germany ranked based on their research performance in Performing arts. A graph of 105K citations received by 3.96K academic papers made by 40 universities in Germany was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. Free University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#21 in Europe

#59 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,908
Founded: 1948

2. University of Bremen

Bremen State | Bremen City

For Performing arts

#28 in Europe

#71 in the World

Enrollment: 17,984
Founded: 1971

3. University of Hamburg

Hamburg State | Hamburg City

For Performing arts

#34 in Europe

#83 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

4. University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Performing arts

#40 in Europe

#102 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

5. Technical University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Performing arts

#49 in Europe

#116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

6. Heidelberg University - Germany

Baden-Wurttemberg | Heidelberg

For Performing arts

#73 in Europe

#159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

7. University of Gottingen

Lower Saxony | Gottingen

For Performing arts

#85 in Europe

#210 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

8. Humboldt University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#103 in Europe

#253 in the World

Enrollment: 36,232
Founded: 1809

9. Ruhr University Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bochum

For Performing arts

#118 in Europe

#289 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

10. University of Bonn

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bonn

For Performing arts

#120 in Europe

#291 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 38,043
Founded: 1818

11. University of Leipzig

Saxony | Leipzig

For Performing arts

#130 in Europe

#306 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 31,088
Founded: 1409

12. University of Freiburg

Baden-Wurttemberg | Freiburg im Breisgau

For Performing arts

#132 in Europe

#315 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 23,938
Founded: 1457

13. University of Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia | Cologne

For Performing arts

#136 in Europe

#320 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Founded: 1388

14. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Baden-Wurttemberg | Karlsruhe

For Performing arts

#139 in Europe

#329 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Enrollment: 23,321
Founded: 2009

15. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Rhineland-Palatinate | Mainz

For Performing arts

#140 in Europe

#330 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 33,132
Founded: 1946

16. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#156 in Europe

#360 in the World

Enrollment: 9,340
Founded: 1710

17. RWTH Aachen University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Aachen

For Performing arts

#158 in Europe

#364 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

18. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Hesse | Frankfurt

For Performing arts

#160 in Europe

#366 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

19. University of Konstanz

Baden-Wurttemberg | Konstanz

For Performing arts

#162 in Europe

#372 in the World

Enrollment: 10,939
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 1966

20. Kiel University

Schleswig-Holstein | Kiel

For Performing arts

#188 in Europe

#426 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

21. University of Munster

North Rhine-Westphalia | Munster

For Performing arts

#193 in Europe

#436 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 43,728
Founded: 1780

22. University of Marburg

Hesse | Marburg

For Performing arts

#194 in Europe

#437 in the World

Enrollment: 22,612
Founded: 1527

23. University of Potsdam

Brandenburg | Potsdam

For Performing arts

#203 in Europe

#451 in the World

Enrollment: 20,406
Founded: 1991

24. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dusseldorf

For Performing arts

#208 in Europe

#461 in the World

Enrollment: 37,473
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 1965

25. Technical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#213 in Europe

#481 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

26. Saarland University

Saarland | Saarbrucken

For Performing arts

#215 in Europe

#485 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 16,250
Founded: 1948

27. University of Tubingen

Baden-Wurttemberg | Tubingen

For Performing arts

#219 in Europe

#496 in the World

Enrollment: 28,238
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1477

28. University of Siegen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Siegen

For Performing arts

#229 in Europe

#521 in the World

Enrollment: 17,805
Founded: 1972

29. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena

Thuringia | Jena

For Performing arts

#232 in Europe

#526 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 17,345
Founded: 1558

30. University of Bielefeld

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bielefeld

For Performing arts

#240 in Europe

#542 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 23,342
Founded: 1969

31. University of Wurzburg

Bavaria | Wurzburg

For Performing arts

#241 in Europe

#543 in the World

Enrollment: 27,149
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1402

32. Darmstadt University of Technology

Hesse | Darmstadt

For Performing arts

#242 in Europe

#545 in the World

Enrollment: 24,969
Founded: 1877

33. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Bavaria | Erlangen

For Performing arts

#245 in Europe

#552 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 39,658
Founded: 1743

34. University of Giessen

Hesse | Giessen

For Performing arts

#246 in Europe

#554 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 27,184
Founded: 1607

35. Dresden University of Technology

Saxony | Dresden

For Performing arts

#248 in Europe

#558 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

36. TU Dortmund University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dortmund

For Performing arts

#251 in Europe

#563 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 34,616
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1968

37. Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg

Saxony-Anhalt | Magdeburg

For Performing arts

#258 in Europe

#578 in the World

Enrollment: 13,143
Founded: 1993

38. University of Stuttgart

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Performing arts

#273 in Europe

#612 in the World

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

39. Leibniz University of Hanover

Lower Saxony | Hanover

For Performing arts

#277 in Europe

#630 in the World

Enrollment: 28,018
Founded: 1831

40. Braunschweig University of Technology

Lower Saxony | Braunschweig

For Performing arts

#278 in Europe

#632 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 17,794
Founded: 1745

The best cities to study Performing arts in Germany based on the number of universities and their ranks are Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, and Munich.