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

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 103K citations received by 3.93K academic papers made by 41 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

#19 in Europe

#53 in the World

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

2. University of Bremen

Bremen State | Bremen City

For Performing arts

#27 in Europe

#70 in the World

Enrollment: 17,984
Founded: 1971

3. University of Hamburg

Hamburg State | Hamburg City

For Performing arts

#35 in Europe

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

4. University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Performing arts

#40 in Europe

#104 in the World

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

5. Technical University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Performing arts

#47 in Europe

#113 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

#71 in Europe

#156 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

#203 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

8. Humboldt University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#102 in Europe

#250 in the World

Enrollment: 36,232
Founded: 1809

9. University of Bonn

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bonn

For Performing arts

#121 in Europe

#293 in the World

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

10. Ruhr University Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bochum

For Performing arts

#126 in Europe

#300 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

11. University of Freiburg

Baden-Wurttemberg | Freiburg im Breisgau

For Performing arts

#130 in Europe

#310 in the World

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

12. University of Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia | Cologne

For Performing arts

#136 in Europe

#317 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1388

13. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Rhineland-Palatinate | Mainz

For Performing arts

#138 in Europe

#325 in the World

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

14. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Baden-Wurttemberg | Karlsruhe

For Performing arts

#139 in Europe

#327 in the World

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

15. University of Leipzig

Saxony | Leipzig

For Performing arts

#140 in Europe

#328 in the World

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

16. RWTH Aachen University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Aachen

For Performing arts

#141 in Europe

#330 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

17. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Hesse | Frankfurt

For Performing arts

#152 in Europe

#352 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

18. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#156 in Europe

#361 in the World

Enrollment: 9,340
Founded: 1710

19. University of Konstanz

Baden-Wurttemberg | Konstanz

For Performing arts

#161 in Europe

#374 in the World

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

20. Kiel University

Schleswig-Holstein | Kiel

For Performing arts

#184 in Europe

#417 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

21. University of Munster

North Rhine-Westphalia | Munster

For Performing arts

#187 in Europe

#422 in the World

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

22. University of Marburg

Hesse | Marburg

For Performing arts

#193 in Europe

#433 in the World

Enrollment: 22,612
Founded: 1527

23. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dusseldorf

For Performing arts

#207 in Europe

#457 in the World

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

24. University of Potsdam

Brandenburg | Potsdam

For Performing arts

#208 in Europe

#459 in the World

Enrollment: 20,406
Founded: 1991

25. Saarland University

Saarland | Saarbrucken

For Performing arts

#214 in Europe

#484 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 16,300
Founded: 1948

26. University of Tubingen

Baden-Wurttemberg | Tubingen

For Performing arts

#216 in Europe

#491 in the World

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

27. Technical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Performing arts

#224 in Europe

#504 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

28. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena

Thuringia | Jena

For Performing arts

#228 in Europe

#519 in the World

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

29. University of Siegen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Siegen

For Performing arts

#230 in Europe

#526 in the World

Enrollment: 17,805
Founded: 1972

30. University of Wurzburg

Bavaria | Wurzburg

For Performing arts

#231 in Europe

#527 in the World

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

31. University of Bielefeld

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bielefeld

For Performing arts

#237 in Europe

#536 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,488
Founded: 1969

32. University of Ulm

Baden-Wurttemberg | Ulm

For Performing arts

#239 in Europe

#538 in the World

Enrollment: 10,164
Founded: 1967

33. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Bavaria | Erlangen

For Performing arts

#242 in Europe

#544 in the World

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

34. University of Giessen

Hesse | Giessen

For Performing arts

#243 in Europe

#545 in the World

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

35. Dresden University of Technology

Saxony | Dresden

For Performing arts

#250 in Europe

#556 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

36. Darmstadt University of Technology

Hesse | Darmstadt

For Performing arts

#251 in Europe

#557 in the World

Enrollment: 24,969
Founded: 1877

37. TU Dortmund University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dortmund

For Performing arts

#254 in Europe

#562 in the World

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

38. Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg

Saxony-Anhalt | Magdeburg

For Performing arts

#258 in Europe

#570 in the World

Enrollment: 13,143
Founded: 1993

39. University of Stuttgart

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Performing arts

#271 in Europe

#609 in the World

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

40. Braunschweig University of Technology

Lower Saxony | Braunschweig

For Performing arts

#277 in Europe

#624 in the World

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

41. Leibniz University of Hanover

Lower Saxony | Hanover

For Performing arts

#279 in Europe

#626 in the World

Enrollment: 28,018
Founded: 1831

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