Faculty of Medicine, University of Ulm

The University of Ulm was founded in 1967 as a medical-natural science university and is the youngest of the four medical faculties in Baden-Württemberg. Pre-clinical teaching started in winter semester 1969/70 and clinical training followed in 1972. Teaching follows the standard programme with pre-clinical phase, clinical phase, and Praktisches Jahr; 355 study places in Humanmedizin and 52 in dentistry are available per cohort, with around 2,700 students enrolled in both subjects combined.

Research is focused on four clinical-scientific priorities: ageing research, haemato-oncology, neurodegeneration, and trauma research, complemented by paediatric and adolescent medicine. Ulm is home to the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), as well as the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Ulm. The university hospital has 1,274 beds, 30 clinics, and 16 institutes across the Oberer Eselsberg, Michelsberg, and Safranberg campuses. This location suits you if you want to connect with a focused research profile and learn within a manageable cohort on a compact campus. Those seeking a very broad humanities and social science environment will find it more readily at a comprehensive university.

Study places are allocated nationally via hochschulstart.de, distributed through the top-grade quota, the additional aptitude quota, and the university's own selection procedure. In Ulm's selection procedure, Abitur grade and TMS result carry approximately equal weight, with further criteria such as completed vocational training in healthcare also considered. In the additional aptitude quota, the Abitur grade is not considered — school-grade-independent criteria, with a strong emphasis on the TMS, are decisive.

No tuition fees are charged by the state faculty. The semester contribution and the administrative fees standard in Baden-Württemberg are due; non-EU students are subject to a separate fee arrangement in the state.

Medicine at a University Founded for Medicine

The University of Ulm was deliberately founded in 1967 as a medical-natural science institution and is the youngest state university in Baden-Württemberg. Its motto Sciendo, Docendo, Curando — Knowledge, Teaching, Healing — captures its profile well: Humanmedizin, dentistry, and molecular medicine sit close together, and the faculty has been strongly biomedically oriented from the outset. According to its own figures, 355 Humanmedizin places are available annually; the standard study duration is given as twelve semesters, plus the time to the third section of the medical licensing examination.

Teaching, Practice, and Examinations

The first two years cover the natural science and pre-clinical foundations, supplemented by patient-oriented seminars that introduce clinical questions at an early stage. After the first section of the medical licensing examination, four clinical years follow. The core of the med@ulm teaching concept is small groups, structured mentoring, a training hospital with simulation units, virtual reality formats, and communication training with actor patients, as well as around 70 clinical electives from which you can build your own profile — for example in trauma care, cardiology, neurology, or digital medicine.

Practical training takes place at the university hospital with its approximately 29 clinics, spread across the Oberer Eselsberg, the Michelsberg (women's and children's hospital), and the Safranberg (psychiatry); since 2021, the neurology and orthopaedics departments of the RKU are also included. The Praktisches Jahr consists of three blocks at the hospital or at academic teaching hospitals. The programme concludes with the Staatsexamen and Approbation.

Science City Above the Danube

The campus is on the Oberer Eselsberg, around 620 metres above sea level and thus above the city itself; Ulm is said to be Germany's highest-situated university, and it also has the country's highest-situated tram stop. That tram is the key practical factor: it connects the Wissenschaftsstadt with the hospital campuses, the city centre, and the main station, so you can get by without a car. The campus is compact — faculty, university hospital, and research institutes are close together, meaning short distances between lectures, laboratories, and wards.

The city is smaller than the university's reputation might suggest. The Minster with the tallest church spire in the world, the Fischerviertel, and the Danube promenade define the centre; across the river is already Bavarian Neu-Ulm. Albert Einstein was born here. In terms of housing, you benefit from not being in a metropolitan area: rents are noticeably lower than in Stuttgart or Munich, though campus-adjacent rooms are still in demand, so many students look in the Weststadt or in Neu-Ulm. As a major ICE hub, Stuttgart and Munich are just over one hour away.

What makes studying medicine in Ulm distinctive?

Under the med@ulm label, Ulm consistently emphasises small groups, mentoring, and early simulation training. This includes a training hospital, virtual reality formats, and communication exercises with actor patients. Around 70 clinical electives allow you to build your own focus during your studies.

How many study places are available?

The faculty states 355 Humanmedizin places per year. Allocation for the first semester runs via hochschulstart; higher semesters are handled directly by the university. Cut-off grades vary annually, so no fixed figure is given here.

Where does clinical training take place?

The university hospital comprises around 29 clinics spread across the Oberer Eselsberg, the Michelsberg (women's and children's hospital), and the Safranberg (psychiatry). Since 2021, the neurology and orthopaedics departments of the RKU are also integrated. The Praktisches Jahr is completed at the university hospital or at an academic teaching hospital.

How strong is the research profile?

Research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of ageing and age-related diseases including haematology and oncology, as well as trauma and musculoskeletal research, supported by several collaborative research centres. Those aiming for molecular medicine or an experimental doctorate will find a suitable environment here.

Can I study in Ulm without a top Abitur grade?

Allocation follows the national procedure of top-grade quota, additional aptitude quota, and the university's own selection, in which tests and professional experience also count. There are no guarantees, and reliable figures can only be given for a specific year. Medschool Experts advises on NC-free alternatives in Germany and abroad, not on applications to state German faculties.