Academic Index Last updated: June 22, 2026

44 Best Universities in North Rhine-Westphalia

Exploring the academic landscape of North Rhine-Westphalia, our index provides a definitive ranking of the top 44 higher education institutions. By assessing 791.3K research papers and their 20.32M citations, we reveal the most impactful research centers.

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1

Cologne

University of Cologne

#11 in Germany #57 in Europe

33% Acceptance

52,204 Enrollment

1388 Founded

2

Aachen

RWTH Aachen University

#12 in Germany #59 in Europe

35% Acceptance

47,521 Enrollment

1870 Founded

3

Bochum

Ruhr University Bochum

#21 in Germany #91 in Europe

28% Acceptance

42,954 Enrollment

1962 Founded

4

Essen

University of Duisburg – Essen

#31 in Germany #156 in Europe

51% Acceptance

43,281 Enrollment

2003 Founded

5

Dusseldorf

Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

#32 in Germany #157 in Europe

51% Acceptance

37,473 Enrollment

1965 Founded

6

Bielefeld

University of Bielefeld

#34 in Germany #164 in Europe

50% Acceptance

23,342 Enrollment

1969 Founded

7

Dortmund

TU Dortmund University

#41 in Germany #193 in Europe

59% Acceptance

34,616 Enrollment

1968 Founded

8

Wuppertal

University of Wuppertal

#54 in Germany #304 in Europe

40% Acceptance

22,601 Enrollment

1972 Founded

9

Paderborn

University of Paderborn

#58 in Germany #321 in Europe

60% Acceptance

19,110 Enrollment

1972 Founded

10

Siegen

University of Siegen

#59 in Germany #322 in Europe

54% Acceptance

17,805 Enrollment

1972 Founded

11

Hagen

University of Hagen

#65 in Germany #431 in Europe

43% Acceptance

71,351 Enrollment

1974 Founded

12

Witten

Witten/Herdecke University

#68 in Germany #457 in Europe

50% Acceptance

2,894 Enrollment

1982 Founded

13

Cologne

Cologne University of Applied Sciences

#85 in Germany #637 in Europe

51% Acceptance

27,000 Enrollment

1971 Founded

14

Munster

Munster University of Applied Sciences

#91 in Germany #725 in Europe

40% Acceptance

15,000 Enrollment

1971 Founded

15

Dusseldorf

University of Applied Sciences Dusseldorf

#94 in Germany #732 in Europe

32% Acceptance

11,170 Enrollment

1971 Founded

16

Sankt Augustin

Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences

#104 in Germany #818 in Europe

51% Acceptance

8,000 Enrollment

1995 Founded

17

Dortmund

University of Applied Sciences and Arts

#121 in Germany #889 in Europe

68% Acceptance

14,373 Enrollment

1971 Founded

18

Bielefeld

Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences

#122 in Germany #892 in Europe

60% Acceptance

8,633 Enrollment

1971 Founded

19

Lemgo

Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences

#130 in Germany #935 in Europe

40% Acceptance

5,938 Enrollment

1971 Founded

20

Essen

University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management

#139 in Germany #1006 in Europe

43% Acceptance

47,098 Enrollment

1993 Founded

21

Cologne

Cologne Business School

#153 in Germany #1121 in Europe

33% Acceptance

1,123 Enrollment

1993 Founded

22

Dusseldorf

Dusseldorf Art Academy

#155 in Germany #1132 in Europe

31% Acceptance

577 Enrollment

1773 Founded

23

Kleve

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences

#161 in Germany #1195 in Europe

68% Acceptance

6,723 Enrollment

2009 Founded

24

Gelsenkirchen

Gelsenkirchen University of Applied Sciences

#171 in Germany #1280 in Europe

33% Acceptance

8,357 Enrollment

1992 Founded

25

Cologne

Academy of Music and Dance in Cologne

#191 in Germany #1510 in Europe

44% Acceptance

1,568 Enrollment

1925 Founded

26

Iserlohn

University of Applied Sciences Europe

#200 in Germany #1613 in Europe

56% Acceptance

2,906 Enrollment

2000 Founded

27

Krefeld

Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences

#208 in Germany #1662 in Europe

68% Acceptance

14,511 Enrollment

1971 Founded

28

Iserlohn

Southern Westphalia University of Applied Sciences

#221 in Germany #1696 in Europe

32% Acceptance

11,448 Enrollment

2002 Founded

29

Bochum

Bochum University of Applied Sciences

#223 in Germany #1701 in Europe

19% Acceptance

6,047 Enrollment

1972 Founded

30

Alfter

Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences

#236 in Germany #1729 in Europe

38% Acceptance

914 Enrollment

1973 Founded

31

Dusseldorf

Robert Schumann University of Music Dusseldorf

#245 in Germany #1746 in Europe

43% Acceptance

923 Enrollment

1935 Founded

32

Paderborn

University of Applied Sciences

#256 in Germany #1777 in Europe

56% Acceptance

2,102 Enrollment

1993 Founded

33

Cologne

Koln University of Applied Sciences

#267 in Germany #1823 in Europe

34% Acceptance

4,742 Enrollment

1971 Founded

34

Bruhl

European University of Applied Sciences

#276 in Germany #1898 in Europe

35% Acceptance

1,599 Enrollment

2001 Founded

35

Bielefeld

University of Applied Sciences for Medium-Sized Companies

#281 in Germany #1918 in Europe

36% Acceptance

1,584 Enrollment

2000 Founded

36

Bochum

Georg Agricola University of Applied Sciences

#288 in Germany #1950 in Europe

27% Acceptance

2,178 Enrollment

1816 Founded

37

Dusseldorf

IST University of Applied Sciences

#291 in Germany #1954 in Europe

19% Acceptance

1,134 Enrollment

2013 Founded

38

Munster

Academy of Fine Arts Munster

#292 in Germany #1958 in Europe

14% Acceptance

359 Enrollment

1972 Founded

39

Bochum

Protestant University of Applied Sciences Rhineland-Westphalia-Lippe

#316 in Germany #2125 in Europe

40% Acceptance

2,000 Enrollment

1971 Founded

40

Bonn

College of the Sparkassen-financial Group

#327 in Germany #2197 in Europe

67% Acceptance

919 Enrollment

2003 Founded

41

Wuppertal

College of Theology, Wuppertal/Bethel

#336 in Germany #2296 in Europe

60% Acceptance

129 Enrollment

1935 Founded

42

Hamm

University of Applied Sciences, Hamm

#352 in Germany #2437 in Europe

44% Acceptance

495 Enrollment

2005 Founded

43

Munster

University of Philosophy and Theology in Munster

#354 in Germany #2459 in Europe

33% Acceptance

62 Enrollment

1971 Founded

44

Sankt Augustin

College of Philosophy and Theology, St. Augustine

#360 in Germany #2583 in Europe

36% Acceptance

104 Enrollment

1925 Founded