Medizinische Fakultät Würzburg

The Medical Faculty of Würzburg is one of the most tradition-rich in Germany; X-rays were discovered here, and the faculty remains research-strong today, with expertise in immunology, infection research, oncology, and cardiovascular medicine. The university hospital has 1,438 beds; 321 study places are available per cohort. For those who wish to pursue research alongside their clinical training, structured Clinician Scientist and Medical Scientist programs with protected research time are in place.

One practically important feature is the study start: Würzburg admits students for both the winter and summer semesters. This means two entry points per year rather than just one, which can shorten waiting times after the Abitur. This location suits you if you want to get involved in research early and are looking for a mid-sized university city where campus, hospital, and city center are all close together.

Allocation runs nationwide through hochschulstart.de: 30 percent of places through the top Abitur grade quota, 10 percent through the Additional Aptitude Quota — in which the Abitur grade is not used — and 60 percent through the university's own selection process. Because Würzburg admits for both winter and summer semesters, the 321 places are distributed across two allocation cycles per year. The criteria and their weightings in the university selection process are set by the university in its regulations; at Bavarian faculties, the TMS result typically plays a role alongside the Abitur grade.

There are no tuition fees. The only payment required is the Julius Maximilian University's semester contribution, which is set anew each semester.

Studying Where X-Rays Were Discovered

Julius Maximilian University received its papal privilege in 1402, making it the fourth university to be founded on German soil; after an early interruption, Prince-Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn re-founded it in 1582. The connection between the medical faculty and the Juliusspital dates to 1581, giving the university hospital a history of more than 400 years. Among the university's 14 Nobel laureates is Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who discovered the rays named after him here in 1895 and received the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. The street on which the pre-clinical institutes are located is still called Röntgenring today.

Structure, Teaching Formats, and the Practical Year

The program is divided into the pre-clinical section, the clinical section, and the Praktisches Jahr. Semesters five through ten take you through 22 clinical specialties at the university hospital; in each specialty you earn a course certificate, and from the sixth semester onwards you additionally choose two elective events — either seminars or bedside teaching. Defining features include the Lehrklinik as a training center for practical skills, longitudinal modules spanning multiple semesters, simulation, standardized patients, and digital learning formats.

The Praktisches Jahr consists of three rotations. In addition to the university hospital — with its Center for Operative Medicine and Center for Internal Medicine — numerous academic teaching hospitals are available, including Leopoldina-Krankenhaus Schweinfurt, Klinikum Aschaffenburg-Alzenau, Klinikum Main-Spessart in Lohr, Caritas-Krankenhaus Bad Mergentheim, Klinikum Würzburg Mitte, König-Ludwig-Haus, Mainklinik Ochsenfurt, and Klinikum Ansbach, as well as teaching practices for general medicine. Rotations abroad at recognized hospitals are possible. The program concludes with the third section of the medical licensing examination, the Staatsexamen, and the Approbation.

The Main River, Vineyards, and Four Locations

Würzburg is a city made for walking: the Residence, the Marienberg Fortress, the Alte Mainbrücke where people stand on summer evenings with a glass of Franconian wine, and vineyards that reach right up to the residential neighborhoods. The university is spread across the city. The administration occupies the Neue Universität of 1896 on Sanderring; anatomy, physiology, and psychology are on Röntgenring; the natural sciences are at Hubland; and the university hospital is in the Grombühl district. In practice this means: during the pre-clinical section you are close to the city center, and in the clinical section daily life shifts to Grombühl.

The tram connects the locations reliably, and for journeys within the core city a bike usually suffices — as long as you avoid the hillier areas. Popular student neighborhoods are Sanderau, Frauenland, and Zellerau. The rental market is tight for a city of this size, dormitory places fill up quickly, and anyone searching only in September will pay a premium. On the other hand, Würzburg is an ICE rail hub: Frankfurt and Nuremberg are reachable in a short time, which makes weekend trips home considerably easier.

What makes Würzburg distinctive in medical history?

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen discovered X-rays here in 1895 and received the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. The university counts 14 Nobel laureates in its history in total. The connection between the faculty and the Juliusspital dates to 1581, making it one of the most tradition-rich hospitals in Germany.

How does the clinical section work?

It spans semesters five through ten and leads through 22 clinical specialties, each with a course certificate. From the sixth semester onwards you additionally take two elective events, either as seminars or as bedside teaching. Fixed registration deadlines apply before the start of each semester.

What is the Lehrklinik?

The Lehrklinik is the faculty's training center for practical medical skills. There you practice examination techniques, emergency procedures, and patient communication — with standardized patients and simulation models among other formats. This is complemented by longitudinal modules spanning multiple semesters.

Where can I do the practical year?

At the university hospital itself or at one of the academic teaching hospitals, for example in Schweinfurt, Aschaffenburg, Lohr, Bad Mergentheim, Ochsenfurt, or Ansbach. Teaching practices are also available for general medicine. Rotations abroad are possible at hospitals recognized by the state examination authority; Erasmus and PROMOS can support the funding.

How do I get a study place in Würzburg?

Through hochschulstart in the nationwide process, via the top Abitur grade quota, the Additional Aptitude Quota, and the university selection process. Reliable cut-off values exist only for a specific application year; blanket figures are misleading. Medschool Experts advises on NC-free medical study places in Germany and abroad and is not involved in applications through hochschulstart.