69 Best universities for Public Policy / Administration 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 Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 353K citations received by 13.9K academic papers made by 69 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 Public Policy / Administration

#72 in Europe

#199 in the World

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

2. University of Mannheim

Baden-Wurttemberg | Mannheim

For Public Policy / Administration

#91 in Europe

#249 in the World

Enrollment: 11,532
Founded: 1907

3. University of Konstanz

Baden-Wurttemberg | Konstanz

For Public Policy / Administration

#101 in Europe

#279 in the World

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

4. Heidelberg University - Germany

Baden-Wurttemberg | Heidelberg

For Public Policy / Administration

#112 in Europe

#315 in the World

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

5. University of Bremen

Bremen State | Bremen City

For Public Policy / Administration

#116 in Europe

#322 in the World

Enrollment: 17,984
Founded: 1971

6. University of Hamburg

Hamburg State | Hamburg City

For Public Policy / Administration

#118 in Europe

#324 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

7. University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Public Policy / Administration

#124 in Europe

#352 in the World

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

8. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Hesse | Frankfurt

For Public Policy / Administration

#126 in Europe

#359 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

9. Humboldt University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Public Policy / Administration

#132 in Europe

#371 in the World

Enrollment: 36,232
Founded: 1809

10. University of Bonn

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bonn

For Public Policy / Administration

#149 in Europe

#421 in the World

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

11. University of Potsdam

Brandenburg | Potsdam

For Public Policy / Administration

#152 in Europe

#424 in the World

Enrollment: 20,406
Founded: 1991

12. Hertie School of Governance

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Public Policy / Administration

#156 in Europe

#436 in the World

Enrollment: 586
Founded: 2003

13. University of Gottingen

Lower Saxony | Gottingen

For Public Policy / Administration

#179 in Europe

#486 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

14. University of Freiburg

Baden-Wurttemberg | Freiburg im Breisgau

For Public Policy / Administration

#190 in Europe

#517 in the World

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

15. Technical University of Munich

Bavaria | Munich

For Public Policy / Administration

#199 in Europe

#529 in the World

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

16. University of Bielefeld

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bielefeld

For Public Policy / Administration

#201 in Europe

#535 in the World

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

17. University of Duisburg - Essen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Essen

For Public Policy / Administration

#208 in Europe

#557 in the World

Enrollment: 43,281
Founded: 2003

18. University of Cologne

North Rhine-Westphalia | Cologne

For Public Policy / Administration

#211 in Europe

#563 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Founded: 1388

19. Technical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Public Policy / Administration

#214 in Europe

#568 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

20. University of Marburg

Hesse | Marburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#218 in Europe

#576 in the World

Enrollment: 22,612
Founded: 1527

21. University of Munster

North Rhine-Westphalia | Munster

For Public Policy / Administration

#225 in Europe

#596 in the World

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

22. German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer

Rhineland-Palatinate | Speyer

For Public Policy / Administration

#232 in Europe

#607 in the World

Enrollment: 295
Founded: 1947

23. Darmstadt University of Technology

Hesse | Darmstadt

For Public Policy / Administration

#233 in Europe

#609 in the World

Enrollment: 24,969
Founded: 1877

24. Ruhr University Bochum

North Rhine-Westphalia | Bochum

For Public Policy / Administration

#254 in Europe

#662 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

25. University of Tubingen

Baden-Wurttemberg | Tubingen

For Public Policy / Administration

#255 in Europe

#664 in the World

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

26. Leuphana University of Luneburg

Lower Saxony | Luneburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#256 in Europe

#665 in the World

Enrollment: 9,620
Founded: 1946

27. Leibniz University of Hanover

Lower Saxony | Hanover

For Public Policy / Administration

#257 in Europe

#669 in the World

Enrollment: 28,018
Founded: 1831

28. University of Kassel

Hesse | Kassel

For Public Policy / Administration

#258 in Europe

#677 in the World

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

29. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Bavaria | Erlangen

For Public Policy / Administration

#261 in Europe

#693 in the World

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

30. University of Bamberg

Bavaria | Bamberg

For Public Policy / Administration

#265 in Europe

#716 in the World

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

31. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Public Policy / Administration

#279 in Europe

#758 in the World

Enrollment: 9,340
Founded: 1710

32. Kiel University

Schleswig-Holstein | Kiel

For Public Policy / Administration

#281 in Europe

#765 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

33. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dusseldorf

For Public Policy / Administration

#292 in Europe

#792 in the World

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

34. University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg

Hamburg State | Hamburg City

For Public Policy / Administration

#296 in Europe

#800 in the World

Enrollment: 2,587
Founded: 1972

35. University of Trier

Rhineland-Palatinate | Trier

For Public Policy / Administration

#299 in Europe

#805 in the World

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

36. Dresden University of Technology

Saxony | Dresden

For Public Policy / Administration

#310 in Europe

#850 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

37. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Baden-Wurttemberg | Karlsruhe

For Public Policy / Administration

#311 in Europe

#853 in the World

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

38. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena

Thuringia | Jena

For Public Policy / Administration

#315 in Europe

#861 in the World

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

39. University of Giessen

Hesse | Giessen

For Public Policy / Administration

#317 in Europe

#864 in the World

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

40. University of Stuttgart

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Public Policy / Administration

#324 in Europe

#891 in the World

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

41. University of Leipzig

Saxony | Leipzig

For Public Policy / Administration

#326 in Europe

#896 in the World

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

42. RWTH Aachen University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Aachen

For Public Policy / Administration

#327 in Europe

#897 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

43. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Rhineland-Palatinate | Mainz

For Public Policy / Administration

#328 in Europe

#898 in the World

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

44. Osnabruck University

Lower Saxony | Osnabruck

For Public Policy / Administration

#335 in Europe

#918 in the World

Enrollment: 13,628
Founded: 1974

45. TU Dortmund University

North Rhine-Westphalia | Dortmund

For Public Policy / Administration

#347 in Europe

#955 in the World

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

46. Hannover Medical School

Lower Saxony | Hanover

For Public Policy / Administration

#359 in Europe

#987 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 3,843
Founded: 1965

47. Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

Lower Saxony | Oldenburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#361 in Europe

#995 in the World

Enrollment: 15,899
Founded: 1973

48. Zeppelin University

Baden-Wurttemberg | Friedrichshafen

For Public Policy / Administration

#363 in Europe

#999 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 805
Founded: 2003

49. Braunschweig University of Technology

Lower Saxony | Braunschweig

For Public Policy / Administration

#376 in Europe

#1052 in the World

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

50. University of Hagen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Hagen

For Public Policy / Administration

#380 in Europe

#1070 in the World

Enrollment: 71,351
Founded: 1974

51. University of Siegen

North Rhine-Westphalia | Siegen

For Public Policy / Administration

#393 in Europe

#1111 in the World

Enrollment: 17,805
Founded: 1972

52. University of Erfurt

Thuringia | Erfurt

For Public Policy / Administration

#401 in Europe

#1127 in the World

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

53. University of Bayreuth

Bavaria | Bayreuth

For Public Policy / Administration

#404 in Europe

#1139 in the World

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

54. University of Wuppertal

North Rhine-Westphalia | Wuppertal

For Public Policy / Administration

#416 in Europe

#1173 in the World

Enrollment: 22,601
Founded: 1972

55. University of Wurzburg

Bavaria | Wurzburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#428 in Europe

#1225 in the World

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

56. European University Viadrina

Brandenburg | Frankfurt

For Public Policy / Administration

#431 in Europe

#1235 in the World

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

57. Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg

Saxony-Anhalt | Magdeburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#443 in Europe

#1264 in the World

Enrollment: 13,143
Founded: 1993

58. Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg

Saxony-Anhalt | Halle

For Public Policy / Administration

#445 in Europe

#1271 in the World

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

59. Berlin School of Economics and Law

Brandenburg | Berlin

For Public Policy / Administration

#453 in Europe

#1285 in the World

Enrollment: 12,246
Founded: 1971

60. University of Lubeck

Schleswig-Holstein | Lubeck

For Public Policy / Administration

#455 in Europe

#1296 in the World

Enrollment: 5,968
Founded: 1964

61. University of Augsburg

Bavaria | Augsburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#460 in Europe

#1308 in the World

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

62. University of Rostock

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Rostock

For Public Policy / Administration

#490 in Europe

#1416 in the World

Enrollment: 12,996
Male:Female: 50:50
Founded: 1419

63. University of Hohenheim

Baden-Wurttemberg | Stuttgart

For Public Policy / Administration

#505 in Europe

#1491 in the World

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

64. University of Regensburg

Bavaria | Regensburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#507 in Europe

#1494 in the World

Enrollment: 20,702
Founded: 1962

65. Saarland University

Saarland | Saarbrucken

For Public Policy / Administration

#517 in Europe

#1535 in the World

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

66. University of Koblenz-Landau

Rhineland-Palatinate | Koblenz

For Public Policy / Administration

#523 in Europe

#1552 in the World

Enrollment: 15,757
Founded: 1990

67. University of Greifswald

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern | Greifswald

For Public Policy / Administration

#541 in Europe

#1616 in the World

Enrollment: 10,366
Founded: 1456

68. Munich University of the Federal Armed Forces

Bavaria | Neubiberg

For Public Policy / Administration

#542 in Europe

#1627 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 1,084
Founded: 1973

69. University of Passau

Bavaria | Passau

For Public Policy / Administration

#555 in Europe

#1691 in the World

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

The best cities to study Public Policy / Administration in Germany based on the number of universities and their ranks are Berlin, Mannheim, Konstanz, and Heidelberg.