Freie Universität Berlin is a leading research institution. It is one of nine German universities successful in all three funding lines in the federal and state Excellence Initiative, thereby receiving additional funding for its institutional future development strategy.

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, also known as LMU, is with more than 44,000 students the second-largest university in Germany. Some 16 percent of students come from abroad. According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the LMU is one of the highest ranked German university.

Located in Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany, the University of Hamburg (Universität Hamburg) is also one of Germany’s largest universities with around 38,000 students. 150 different buildings scattered around the city form the core of the University of Hamburg although its main campus is located in Von-Melle-Park and the surrounding district of Eimsbüttel.

The University of Leipzig is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the second-oldest university in Germany founded at the beginning of the 15th century. It has a long tradition of globally oriented and culturally comparative historical research and tertiary-level teaching. With about 25.000 students Universität Leipzig is Saxony’s second largest university.

The University of Stuttgart (Universität Stuttgart) is one of the most renowned technical universities in Germany with highly ranked programs in civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering. It is located in Stuttgart, in the southern part of Germany. Established in 1829, its current structure is organized in 10 faculties.

The University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln) despite being one of the oldest universities in Europe is also one of the largest universities in Germany with over 44,000 students. The University devotes its attention to research and development. Its international standing is being supported by the many projects it carries out via the German Research Foundation and the European Union.