TU Munich (TUM) – The Complete Admissions Guide 2026

You stand on the platform of Garching-Forschungszentrum station – the last stop on the U6 line, on the northern outskirts of Munich. Beyond the glass doors of the subway, a campus unfolds that looks like a science fiction movie set: concrete and glass blocks of laboratories stretch to the horizon, and among them – the dome of the FRM II neutron reactor, one of the most powerful in Europe. Students in WARR Hyperloop logo t-shirts pass PhD candidates with Max Planck Institute badges. Someone on a bench debugs code on a laptop with a ‘TUM.ai’ sticker, someone else cycles to the cafeteria for a 3.50 EUR lunch. This is no ordinary campus – this is Technische Universität München, the university that produced the founders of Celonis, FlixBus, and Lilium, and which has been educating world-changers since 1868.

TUM is number one in Germany – consistently, in every significant ranking. Ranked #28 globally in QS 2025, #1 among German universities in Times Higher Education, with 17 Nobel laureates in its history, and partnerships with the Max Planck Society, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, and Helmholtz Association. And on top of that, something that makes TUM absolutely unique among European technical universities: zero tuition fees for all students, regardless of nationality. The only fee is the Semesterbeitrag – approximately 144 EUR per semester, which includes a ticket for all public transport in Munich.

In this guide, I will walk you through the entire application process for TUM – from Vorprüfungsdokumentation and aptitude assessment, through the requirements for individual programs and the conversion of the Polish Matura exam, to the cost of living in Germany’s most expensive student city, scholarships, student life, and career prospects. I will compare TUM with ETH Zurich and RWTH Aachen so you can make an informed decision. If you are interested in engineering or computer science studies in Europe – and want to avoid tuition fees – this article is for you. You can find more about German universities in our guide to studying in Germany.

Rankings and Reputation – Why TUM is at the Top

TUM is not a university that “occasionally makes it into the top 50”. It is an institution that consistently dominates every significant ranking and maintains its leading position among over 400 German universities. In the QS World University Rankings 2025, TUM holds position #28 globally – ahead of the University of Tokyo, University of Toronto, McGill, King’s College London, and most continental European universities outside of ETH Zurich. In the Times Higher Education (THE) 2025, TUM ranks in the top 30 globally, again as the only German university in this bracket. THE particularly highly rates TUM’s research impact and its collaboration with industry – two pillars upon which the university’s identity is built.

In subject rankings, TUM is even stronger. Computer Science – top 25 globally and #1 in Germany – is a flagship discipline where TUM competes with Imperial College London, ETH Zurich, and EPFL. Mechanical Engineering – top 20 globally – benefits from the direct proximity of BMW, Audi, and MTU Aero Engines. Electrical Engineering – top 25 – with Siemens, Infineon, and Rohde & Schwarz within easy reach. TUM School of Management is the only business school at a technical university in Germany with Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA), ranking in the top 30 in the Business & Management category.

This places TUM in the same league as Europe’s best technical universities – ETH Zurich, EPFL, Imperial College London. With one fundamental difference: these three universities cost from several to tens of thousands of euros annually. TUM is free. For an international student aiming for the highest level of technical education in Europe, TUM’s value for money is simply unbeatable.

Applying to TUM – The German System Step-by-Step

Applying to Technische Universität München is not like UCAS, Common App, or the Polish IRK system (the national university admissions system). It’s a formal, multi-stage process that requires significant advance planning – at least 6–9 months before the start of your studies. The good news: if you understand the mechanism, the entire procedure becomes logical and predictable. The bad news: if you ignore even one step (e.g., VPD from uni-assist), your application will be rejected without consideration.

The first step is to check your diploma’s recognition in the Anabin database (anabin.kmk.org). The Polish Matura exam has H+ status, which means direct recognition – you don’t need to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory college) or take any additional entrance exams. This is a significant advantage for Polish candidates, as many countries (e.g., China, India) require a one-year preparatory course. As a holder of the Polish Matura exam with H+ status, you have direct access to German universities, provided you meet the program requirements.

Next, you must obtain Vorprüfungsdokumentation (VPD) – preliminary document review – from the uni-assist organization (uni-assist.de). VPD is a formal document confirming that your qualifications are sufficient to undertake studies in Germany. You register on uni-assist.de, submit translated documents (Matura certificate + school leaving certificate), pay 75 EUR for the first application (30 EUR for each subsequent university), and wait 4–6 weeks for verification. Therefore, start this process no later than January – if you leave it until June, it might be too late.

The application process itself takes place via TUMonline (campus.tum.de) – TUM’s own admissions portal. You create an account, select your study program, fill out the form with personal data, education, and qualifications, and then upload documents in PDF: your Matura certificate with a sworn translation, VPD from uni-assist, language certificate, CV (Lebenslauf), and motivation letter (Motivationsschreiben). For many programs, TUM uses Eignungsfeststellung (aptitude assessment) – a holistic evaluation of aptitude that considers not only your average grade but also grades in key subjects, analytical profile, experience, and motivation. For some programs, this may include an online interview.

Language requirements depend on the program. Informatics (BSc) – TUM’s flagship program – is taught entirely in English and requires TOEFL iBT 88+ or IELTS Academic 6.5+. Prepare with prepclass.io, which offers full TOEFL and IELTS practice tests with AI feedback. Most other BSc programs are taught in German and require TestDaF TDN 4, DSH-2, or Goethe-Zertifikat C1. You can find more about choosing a language test in our TOEFL vs IELTS comparison.

Key deadlines: May 31 for some programs (e.g., Management & Technology), July 15 for most BSc programs for the winter semester (start: October). Most undergraduate programs start exclusively in the winter semester – only a few programs are offered for the summer semester (start: April). Apply as early as possible to allow time to supplement any missing documentation. You can find more about converting Polish Matura exam results to foreign systems in our separate guide.

Study Programs – What to Study at TUM?

TUM is not a university that is equally strong in everything – it has clear domains of dominance, where it is absolutely the best in Germany and competes with global leaders. Choosing a program at TUM is also a decision about which industrial ecosystem you want to operate in after graduation, as the connections between TUM departments and Bavarian industry are incredibly strong.

Informatics (Computer Science) is TUM’s flagship program and one of the greatest rarities in German higher education: a public BSc program taught entirely in English at the country’s #1 university. Six semesters at the Garching campus cover algorithms, data structures, programming (Java, C++, Python), operating systems, databases, AI, machine learning, computer vision, and cybersecurity. In the fifth and sixth semesters, you choose a specialization: Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Data Science, Computer Graphics, or IT Security. The program is intensive – the dropout rate in the first year is about 30% – but those who complete it have open doors to Google Munich (an office with over 1,500 employees), Microsoft, BMW Autonomous Driving, Siemens Digital Industries, and hundreds of AI startups. Median starting salary for graduates: 55,000–65,000 EUR gross annually.

Mechanical Engineering (Maschinenwesen) is TUM’s second pillar, taught in German, with direct ties to the Bavarian automotive and aerospace industries. Specializations include Automotive Engineering (BMW, Audi – both companies within an 80 km radius), Aerospace Engineering (Airbus, MTU Aero Engines), Production Engineering, and Mechatronics. A mandatory 6-week industrial internship guarantees exposure to real-world production during your studies. TUM has agreements with hundreds of companies, and Fakultätstag – job fairs organized on campus – is one of the largest recruitment events in Germany.

TUM School of Management stands out from typical business schools by being part of a technical university – and its flagship program Management & Technology (TUM-BWL) combines 40% engineering with 40% management and 20% interdisciplinary projects. This hybrid program educates individuals who understand both technology and business – a profile sought after by McKinsey, BCG, Roland Berger, and tech companies. The program is taught in a hybrid mode (German + English, B2 required in both languages) and has the highest admission thresholds at TUM – a Numerus Clausus (NC) of 1.5–1.7 on the German scale. Only TUM School of Management and Mannheim Business School hold Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA) in Germany.

Physics (Physik) at TUM provides access to research infrastructure most universities can only dream of. The FRM II neutron reactor, partnership with the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, collaboration with CERN – 5 Nobel laureates in physics associated with TUM is no coincidence. The program is taught in German, and admission thresholds are lower than for Informatics (NC ~2.8), making it an achievable option for Polish Matura exam holders with solid, though not top, results.

Electrical Engineering (Elektrotechnik) and Aerospace Engineering complete TUM’s portfolio – both taught in German, both with strong industrial ties. Siemens, Infineon, Rohde & Schwarz (electrical engineering), Airbus, MTU Aero Engines, DLR/ESA (aerospace) – these are not abstract ‘university partners’, but companies where students undertake internships and find employment after graduation. If you’re interested in engineering in Europe but are looking for a more affordable alternative to the UK, also check out our guides to Imperial College London and EPFL.

Cost of Study and Living – Free Tuition, Expensive City

Here lies TUM’s fundamental paradox: tuition fees are zero, but Munich is Germany’s most expensive student city. Understanding this dynamic is absolutely crucial for budget planning. Bavaria – the state where Munich is located – does not charge tuition fees to any students at public universities, regardless of nationality. This applies to both EU citizens and students from Asia, Africa, or America. The only fee is the Semesterbeitrag – approximately 144 EUR per semester (288 EUR annually), which includes the Semesterticket (unlimited public transport travel throughout the MVV network – U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams, buses), access to ZHS sports facilities, and a contribution to Studentenwerk München.

For comparison: neighboring Baden-Württemberg introduced tuition fees of 1,500 EUR/semester for non-EU/EEA students – Bavaria did not. TUM remains free for everyone.

But zero tuition fees do not mean zero costs. Munich has the highest rental prices of all German cities, and finding accommodation is one of the biggest challenges for new students. Studentenwerk München dormitories cost 300–500 EUR per month, but the waiting list is very long – apply immediately after receiving an offer from TUM. A WG (Wohngemeinschaft – shared flat room) is 500–700 EUR, and a private studio apartment – 750–1,000+ EUR. Garching, where the main technical campus is located, is slightly cheaper than the city center (400–600 EUR for a room), and the U6 subway line takes you to campus in 30 minutes from the center.

Food costs 250–350 EUR per month if you use the TUM mensa (lunch for 3–5 EUR – one of the best value-for-money options you’ll find in Munich) and cook for yourself with groceries from Aldi, Lidl, or Penny. Health insurance – mandatory for every student in Germany – costs about 120 EUR per month under public student insurance (TK, AOK Bayern, Barmer). Transport is included in the Semesterbeitrag – a saving of ~80 EUR per month.

Minimum budget: ~970 EUR/month (dormitory 400 EUR + food 250 EUR + insurance 120 EUR + other 200 EUR). Comfortable budget: ~1,300 EUR/month (shared flat 600 EUR + food 300 EUR + insurance 120 EUR + entertainment 280 EUR). Annually, this amounts to 11,600–15,600 EUR – a significant sum, but compare it to Imperial College London, where tuition fees alone for international students are 38,000 GBP, plus London living costs – the total annual bill exceeds 45,000 EUR. At TUM, the realistic cost is 3–4 times less, for comparable quality technical education.

Scholarships and Funding

Zero tuition fees are a huge budget relief, but living costs in Munich remain. Fortunately, there are several mechanisms that can cover part or all of your living expenses – from government scholarships to student job earnings.

Deutschlandstipendium is the most important scholarship at TUM – 300 EUR per month (3,600 EUR annually), co-financed by the federal government (150 EUR) and private partners (150 EUR – often BMW, Siemens, Allianz). It does not depend on nationality – it is available to international students on equal terms. Criteria: very good academic results (top 10–15%), social and extracurricular engagement. You apply via TUMonline, the deadline is usually in June/July. The chances of obtaining it are about 10–15% among applicants.

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is the largest scholarship organization in Germany. Their Study Scholarships offer ~934 EUR/month plus health insurance and travel costs – but are primarily available at the master’s and PhD levels. BSc scholarships from DAAD are rare. Apply on daad.de, deadline December/January.

TUM University Foundation Fellowships offer 500–1,000 EUR/month for outstanding international students. The departments of Informatics, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics also have their own programs funded by industrial partners (BMW Fellowship, Siemens Scholarship) – it’s worth inquiring directly with the department. Erasmus+ provides 300–500 EUR/month for an exchange semester (available after 1–2 years of study). The Robert Bosch Stiftung offers 750 EUR/month for students from Central and Eastern Europe in Germany. Polish sources – the Educational Entrepreneurship Foundation (FEP) and NAWA programs – can co-finance living costs (these are typically for Polish citizens).

But let’s be honest – the most effective ‘scholarship’ at TUM is student employment. As an EU citizen, you can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and full-time during holidays – without a work permit. Rates: Werkstudent (working student) in a tech company – 14–20 EUR/h, tutoring – 18–30 EUR/h, on-campus work (HiWi – Hilfswissenschaftler, research assistant) – 13–16 EUR/h. Working 15 hours a week at 16 EUR/h, you’ll earn ~960 EUR/month – which covers almost your entire student budget. Job offers: TUMjobs (jobs.tum.de), LinkedIn, Indeed, studentjob.de.

TUM vs ETH Zurich: ETH Zurich ranks higher (#7 vs #28 QS) and has 22 Nobel laureates. However: ETH requires German at C1 level for all BSc programs (TUM offers Informatics in English), living in Zurich is drastically more expensive (~22,000 EUR/year vs ~12,500 EUR), and Polish Matura exam holders must take a difficult Aufnahmeprüfung (entrance examination with a pass rate of ~20%). At TUM, the process is simpler – an aptitude assessment based mainly on documents. TUM wins on value for money, easier access, and English-taught Informatics.

TUM vs RWTH Aachen: RWTH ranks significantly lower (#106 vs #28), but Aachen is a radically cheaper city than Munich – a saving of ~300 EUR/month, or ~3,600 EUR annually. RWTH has strong mechanical and materials engineering, but does not offer Informatics in English and has a weaker startup ecosystem. If budget is an absolute priority, RWTH is a reasonable alternative. If you’re looking for the best career prospects and English-taught CS – TUM.

Student Life – Munich, the Alps, and Oktoberfest

Munich is not just Oktoberfest and BMW – it’s one of Europe’s strongest tech cities, with a quality of life that consistently places it in the top 5 global livability rankings. For a TUM student, this means something unique: a combination of intensive, world-class education with life in a city that offers the Alps an hour’s drive away, some of the best beer gardens in the world, and scenery that makes even the commute to a lecture enjoyable.

TUM has three main campuses, and your choice of program determines which part of Munich (and Bavaria) you will spend most of your time in. Innenstadt Campus (city center, Arcisstraße) – a 10-minute walk from Marienplatz – is home to architecture, medicine, and parts of chemistry. Historic buildings, city center life, cafes and beer gardens within easy reach. Garching Campus (17 km north of the city center) is the heart of technological TUM – Informatics, Mathematics, Physics, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Modern buildings, AI labs, the FRM II reactor, the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre. The U6 line takes you here in 30 minutes from the city center. Most technical students study in Garching – it’s a research campus comparable in scale to MIT. Weihenstephan Campus (Freising, 40 km) is for life sciences, biotechnology, and agriculture – a quieter, more intimate atmosphere.

Student organizations are one of TUM’s strongest points – over 200 active groups, including several world-renowned ones. TUM.ai is an artificial intelligence club organizing workshops, hackathons, and research projects in collaboration with Google and NVIDIA. TUfast Racing Team builds a Formula Student race car and competes at Silverstone and Hockenheim. WARR Hyperloop – the team that won the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition (Elon Musk personally presented the award) – is a symbol of the TUM spirit: ambitious students building future technologies. Fachschaften (student councils) organize Ersti-Rallyes (freshers’ integration events), coding nights, trips to the Alps, and the legendary Maibock – a May beer festival in the beer gardens.

Munich after classes is a world of its own. Englischer Garten – a park larger than Central Park in New York – is where students surf the Eisbach wave (an iconic phenomenon: a standing river wave in the middle of the city), barbecue on the banks of the Isar, and play frisbee among strolling dogs. The Alps are an hour’s drive by car or regional train – TUM students go skiing, trekking, climbing, and paragliding on weekends. ZHS (Central University Sports) offers a gym, swimming pool, climbing wall, yoga, dance, and dozens of other disciplines for 10 EUR per semester – these are facilities from the 1972 Munich Olympics. Oktoberfest (September/October) is a once-in-a-lifetime experience – TUM students traditionally meet in the Augustiner and Paulaner tents, where 0.5L of beer costs 13–15 EUR, and the atmosphere is unforgettable. For the rest of the year, beer gardens – Augustiner-Keller, Hirschgarten (Munich’s largest, with 8,000 seats), Chinesischer Turm – are a natural extension of student life. Lunch at the mensa for 3.50 EUR, Döner kebab for 6 EUR, a pretzel with Weißwurst at the market for 5 EUR – Munich is expensive for rent, but student food is surprisingly affordable.

Career after TUM – An Employment Machine

TUM lies at the heart of the Bavarian industrial ecosystem – one of the strongest in Europe. Within a 50 km radius of the campus operate BMW, Siemens, Allianz, Munich Re, Google Munich, Apple Munich, Microsoft Munich, Airbus, MTU Aero Engines, and hundreds of startups. This is not an academic bubble detached from the job market – TUM and Munich’s industry form an organic whole.

UnternehmerTUM – the university’s entrepreneurship center – is the largest incubator in Europe. Over 80 startups annually go through its programs, and TUM alumni have founded companies collectively worth tens of billions of euros: Celonis (process mining, valued at $13B), FlixBus (transport), Personio (HR tech), Lilium (eVTOL), Isar Aerospace (rockets). If you have an idea for a tech startup – TUM is the best place in Europe to launch it.

TUM organizes Fakultätstag – one of the largest job fairs at German universities, with 500+ companies recruiting directly on campus. Google, Amazon, BMW, Siemens, McKinsey, BCG – company presentations with pizza, on-site interviews, signing contracts on the spot. For Informatics students, TUM’s Career Service organizes separate Coding Challenges and hackathons sponsored by tech companies.

And after graduation? As an EU citizen, you don’t need a special work permit in Germany. Non-EU students automatically receive an 18-month residence permit after graduation, and upon finding employment – an EU Blue Card with the possibility of permanent residency after 2 years. Germany has a deficit of 400,000 STEM specialists annually – TUM graduates are among the most sought-after in the job market. If you plan to prepare for exams before applying, check out prepclass.io for practicing TOEFL and IELTS with AI feedback.

Summary – Who is TUM For?

TUM is the best option in Europe for an international student who wants to study engineering or computer science at a world-class level – and pay zero tuition fees. The combination of a #28 global ranking, an English-taught Informatics program (the only one of its kind at Germany’s #1 public university), direct access to the ecosystem of BMW, Siemens, Google, and hundreds of startups, zero tuition fees, and a culture of entrepreneurship creates an offer that is unparalleled on the continent in terms of value for money.

TUM is not the ideal choice in every situation. If you’re looking for a BSc in English in a field other than Informatics – University of Amsterdam, TU Delft, or Maastricht University might be better options. If budget is an absolute priority and Munich is too expensive – RWTH Aachen or TU Berlin offer zero tuition fees in significantly cheaper cities. If you want the highest research prestige and aren’t afraid of a challenging entrance exam – ETH Zurich ranks higher. But if you’re looking for the optimal balance between quality, cost, language, and career prospects – TUM is the answer you’re looking for.

Next Steps

1. Check programs on tum.de/en/studies – pay attention to language requirements and deadlines for your program
2. Register on uni-assist.de and apply for VPD – allow 4–6 weeks for verification
3. Check diploma recognition on anabin.kmk.org – the Polish Matura exam has H+ status
4. Take a language exam – prepare for TOEFL/IELTS with prepclass.io or for TestDaF, if you’re applying for a German-taught program
5. Read about Matura exam conversion in our guide to the Polish Matura exam and studying abroad
6. Compare options – check out our guides to ETH Zurich, EPFL, Imperial College London, and studying in Germany

Good luck with TUM!