59 Best universities for Media Studies 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 Media Studies. A graph of 129K citations received by 11.1K academic papers made by 59 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.

1. Free University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Media Studies

#76 in Europe

#223 in the World

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

2. University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Media Studies

#87 in Europe

#242 in the World

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

3. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Rhineland-Palatinate | Mainz

For Media Studies

#106 in Europe

#281 in the World

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

4. University of Hamburg

Hamburg State | Hamburg City

For Media Studies

#108 in Europe

#289 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

5. University of Munster

North Rhine-Westphalia | Munster

For Media Studies

#116 in Europe

#316 in the World

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

6. University of Bremen

Bremen State | Bremen City

For Media Studies

#136 in Europe

#374 in the World

Enrollment: 17,984
Founded: 1971

7. University of Mannheim

Baden-Wurttemberg | Mannheim

For Media Studies

#138 in Europe

#380 in the World

Enrollment: 11,532
Founded: 1907

8. Humboldt University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Media Studies

#146 in Europe

#400 in the World

Enrollment: 36,232
Founded: 1809

9. University of Leipzig

Saxony | Leipzig

For Media Studies

#155 in Europe

#423 in the World

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

10. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Hesse | Frankfurt

For Media Studies

#170 in Europe

#452 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

11. University of Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia | Cologne

For Media Studies

#182 in Europe

#486 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Founded: 1388

12. Heidelberg University - Germany

Baden-Wurttemberg | Heidelberg

For Media Studies

#191 in Europe

#519 in the World

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

13. University of Bonn

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bonn

For Media Studies

#197 in Europe

#528 in the World

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

14. University of Tubingen

Baden-Wurttemberg | Tubingen

For Media Studies

#217 in Europe

#579 in the World

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

15. University of Bielefeld

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bielefeld

For Media Studies

#233 in Europe

#613 in the World

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

16. Technical University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Media Studies

#236 in Europe

#621 in the World

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

17. University of Gottingen

Lower Saxony | Gottingen

For Media Studies

#240 in Europe

#630 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

18. Ruhr University Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bochum

For Media Studies

#245 in Europe

#641 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

19. University of Konstanz

Baden-Wurttemberg | Konstanz

For Media Studies

#247 in Europe

#646 in the World

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

20. TU Dortmund University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dortmund

For Media Studies

#250 in Europe

#654 in the World

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

21. Technical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Media Studies

#252 in Europe

#660 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

22. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Baden-Wurttemberg | Karlsruhe

For Media Studies

#257 in Europe

#679 in the World

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

23. University of Duisburg - Essen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Essen

For Media Studies

#264 in Europe

#689 in the World

Enrollment: 43,281
Founded: 2003

24. University of Erfurt

Thuringia | Erfurt

For Media Studies

#273 in Europe

#717 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 6,052
Founded: 1994

25. University of Freiburg

Baden-Wurttemberg | Freiburg im Breisgau

For Media Studies

#275 in Europe

#720 in the World

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

26. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Bavaria | Erlangen

For Media Studies

#279 in Europe

#734 in the World

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

27. Dresden University of Technology

Saxony | Dresden

For Media Studies

#283 in Europe

#754 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

28. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dusseldorf

For Media Studies

#284 in Europe

#757 in the World

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

29. University of Kassel

For Media Studies

#287 in Europe

#763 in the World

Enrollment: 21,352
Male:Female: 50:50
Founded: 1971

30. University of Bamberg

Bavaria | Bamberg

For Media Studies

#289 in Europe

#765 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 11,000
Founded: 1972

31. University of Giessen

Hesse | Giessen

For Media Studies

#292 in Europe

#778 in the World

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

32. University of Potsdam

Brandenburg | Potsdam

For Media Studies

#295 in Europe

#790 in the World

Enrollment: 20,406
Founded: 1991

33. University of Trier

Rhineland-Palatinate | Trier

For Media Studies

#299 in Europe

#797 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 11,564
Founded: 1970

34. University of Augsburg

Bavaria | Augsburg

For Media Studies

#301 in Europe

#807 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 19,975
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 1970

35. University of Siegen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Siegen

For Media Studies

#303 in Europe

#817 in the World

Enrollment: 17,805
Founded: 1972

36. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena

Thuringia | Jena

For Media Studies

#311 in Europe

#846 in the World

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

37. University of Koblenz-Landau

Rhineland-Palatinate | Koblenz

For Media Studies

#312 in Europe

#848 in the World

Enrollment: 15,757
Founded: 1990

38. Ilmenau University of Technology

Thuringia | Ilmenau

For Media Studies

#316 in Europe

#866 in the World

Enrollment: 4,889
Founded: 1953

39. University of Marburg

Hesse | Marburg

For Media Studies

#324 in Europe

#889 in the World

Enrollment: 22,612
Founded: 1527

40. University of Passau

Bavaria | Passau

For Media Studies

#335 in Europe

#929 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 11,846
Founded: 1973

41. Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg

Saxony-Anhalt | Halle

For Media Studies

#337 in Europe

#938 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 19,387
Founded: 1817

42. Saarland University

Saarland | Saarbrucken

For Media Studies

#338 in Europe

#939 in the World

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

43. University of Wurzburg

Bavaria | Wurzburg

For Media Studies

#364 in Europe

#1051 in the World

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

44. Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt

Bavaria | Eichstatt

For Media Studies

#373 in Europe

#1088 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 4,910
Founded: 1980

45. University of Bayreuth

Bavaria | Bayreuth

For Media Studies

#381 in Europe

#1110 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 12,773
Founded: 1972

46. Darmstadt University of Technology

Hesse | Darmstadt

For Media Studies

#387 in Europe

#1131 in the World

Enrollment: 24,969
Founded: 1877

47. Leuphana University of Luneburg

Lower Saxony | Luneburg

For Media Studies

#392 in Europe

#1149 in the World

Enrollment: 9,620
Founded: 1946

48. Kiel University

Schleswig-Holstein | Kiel

For Media Studies

#393 in Europe

#1158 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

49. Leibniz University of Hanover

Lower Saxony | Hanover

For Media Studies

#394 in Europe

#1160 in the World

Enrollment: 28,018
Founded: 1831

50. University of Stuttgart

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Media Studies

#395 in Europe

#1168 in the World

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

51. European University Viadrina

Brandenburg | Frankfurt

For Media Studies

#404 in Europe

#1195 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 5,210
Founded: 1991

52. RWTH Aachen University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Aachen

For Media Studies

#426 in Europe

#1261 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

53. University of Regensburg

Bavaria | Regensburg

For Media Studies

#431 in Europe

#1280 in the World

Enrollment: 20,702
Founded: 1962

54. Chemnitz University of Technology

Saxony | Chemnitz

For Media Studies

#432 in Europe

#1281 in the World

Enrollment: 9,873
Founded: 1836

55. University of Hohenheim

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Media Studies

#442 in Europe

#1311 in the World

Enrollment: 8,392
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 1818

56. University of Paderborn

North Rhine-Westphalia | Paderborn

For Media Studies

#446 in Europe

#1339 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 19,110
Founded: 1972

57. Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

Lower Saxony | Oldenburg

For Media Studies

#453 in Europe

#1365 in the World

Enrollment: 15,899
Founded: 1973

58. University of Hildesheim

Lower Saxony | Hildesheim

For Media Studies

#456 in Europe

#1374 in the World

Enrollment: 8,307
Founded: 1978

59. University of Wuppertal

North Rhine-Westphalia | Wuppertal

For Media Studies

#496 in Europe

#1571 in the World

Enrollment: 22,601
Founded: 1972

The best cities to study Media Studies in Germany based on the number of universities and their ranks are Berlin, Munich, Mainz, and Hamburg.

Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in Germany

Anthropology112

Broadcast Journalism39

Classics and Ancient History78

Communications and Public Relations106

Criminology and Criminal Justice51

Early Childhood Education37

Education Majors107

Forensic Science33

Gender Studies73

Human Rights Law35

Intellectual Property and Patent Law38

International Law43

International Relations and Diplomacy38

Journalism and Digital Media65

Law Enforcement34

Library and Information science104

Military science37

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution52

Occupational Safety and Health30

Political Economy64

Political Science174

Public Policy / Administration69

Radio and Television broadcasting37

Special Education40

Sports / Exercise science49

Theology / Divinity / Religious studies107

Urban and Regional planning53