25 Best universities for Astrophysics and Astronomy in North Rhine-Westphalia

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in North Rhine-Westphalia ranked based on their research performance in Astrophysics and Astronomy. A graph of 2.43M citations received by 73.9K academic papers made by 25 universities in North Rhine-Westphalia 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. University of Bonn

Bonn

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#4 in Germany

#28 in Europe

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

2. Ruhr University Bochum

Bochum

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#8 in Germany

#54 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

3. University of Cologne

Cologne

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#10 in Germany

#59 in Europe

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

4. RWTH Aachen University

Aachen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#12 in Germany

#63 in Europe

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

5. University of Munster

Munster

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#20 in Germany

#105 in Europe

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

6. TU Dortmund University

Dortmund

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#28 in Germany

#140 in Europe

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

7. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#32 in Germany

#156 in Europe

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

8. University of Bielefeld

Bielefeld

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#35 in Germany

#167 in Europe

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

9. University of Duisburg - Essen

Essen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#40 in Germany

#183 in Europe

Enrollment: 43,281
Founded: 2003

10. University of Wuppertal

Wuppertal

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#43 in Germany

#199 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,601
Founded: 1972

11. University of Paderborn

Paderborn

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#48 in Germany

#263 in Europe

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

12. University of Siegen

Siegen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#49 in Germany

#289 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,805
Founded: 1972

13. Folkwang University of the Arts

Essen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#64 in Germany

#402 in Europe

Enrollment: 1,506
Founded: 1927

14. Aachen University of Applied Sciences

Aachen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#70 in Germany

#492 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 13,671
Founded: 1971

15. Witten/Herdecke University

Witten

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#74 in Germany

#604 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 2,894
Founded: 1982

16. German Sport University Cologne

Cologne

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#75 in Germany

#606 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 6,000
Founded: 1947

17. University of Hagen

Hagen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#76 in Germany

#617 in Europe

Enrollment: 71,351
Founded: 1974

18. Munster University of Applied Sciences

Munster

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#84 in Germany

#742 in Europe

Enrollment: 15,000
Founded: 1971

19. Cologne University of Applied Sciences

Cologne

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#86 in Germany

#812 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,000
Founded: 1971

20. University of Applied Sciences Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#104 in Germany

#961 in Europe

Enrollment: 11,170
Founded: 1971

21. University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management

Essen

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#105 in Germany

#967 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,263
Founded: 1993

22. Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences

Sankt Augustin

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#108 in Germany

#983 in Europe

Enrollment: 8,000
Founded: 1995

23. Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences

Lemgo

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#118 in Germany

#1062 in Europe

Enrollment: 5,938
Founded: 1971

24. University of Applied Sciences and Arts

Dortmund

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#123 in Germany

#1107 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 14,373
Founded: 1971

25. Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences

Bielefeld

For Astrophysics and Astronomy

#126 in Germany

#1121 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 8,633
Founded: 1971

Closest to North Rhine-Westphalia states to learn Astrophysics and Astronomy

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Hesse	10	7
Rhineland-Palatinate	9	15
Lower Saxony	12	18
Bremen	3	27
Thuringia	4	24
Saxony-Anhalt	3	47
Hamburg	5	6
Baden-Wurttemberg	18	2
Brandenburg	11	14
Saxony	6	21
Bavaria	17	1
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern	3	44