Rankings

Germany's most popular university for third time

Good things come in threes: The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (KU) has once again been awarded the title of "Most popular University in Germany" in the ranking of the online portal Studycheck. The KU had already taken the top spot in 2021 and 2022. The award is based on evaluations submitted by students and alumni on the portal. It is one of the surveys with the greatest reach in Germany. According to Studycheck, just over 78,000 experience reports from 2023 form the basis for the latest ranking. There are currently 900 ratings for the KU on the portal, 97 percent of participants would recommend the University for studying there.

Bavaria's Science Minister Markus Blume congratulates the University on its top ranking once again: "Congratulations! That is an impressive title – perhaps the most important ever. Because the students are the ones who have decided: The KU is Germany's most popular University for the third time and very deservedly so. A great staff-to-student ratio, a friendly atmosphere and at the same time outstanding cutting-edge academic quality – this combination makes Eichstätt simply unique. This is also worth a lot for the Free State of Bavaria: We are increasing our financial commitment for the KU!"

On Studycheck.de, students and alumni can rate their degree program and award ratings in various categories – up to five stars. It is also possible to leave a comment. Last November, for example, KU student Eva wrote about her degree program in Education at the KU: "I would choose this degree program again because it includes everything you need. The lecturers are great and the small group size is brilliant, as you receive individual attention. The choice of specialization is also a great option." The KU's degree programs received an average of 4.34 stars in the current ranking. The teaching staff are rated with an average of 4.4 stars, while the library achieves a top score of 4.6 stars. In the overall nationwide ranking, which also includes higher education institutions of all kinds, the KU took second place, while in the specific university ranking it came first – ahead of the University of Mannheim (which took the top spot in 2023) and Chemnitz University of Technology.

KU President Prof. Dr. Gabriele Gien emphasizes: "The ranking is a repeated award from our students, which we are very pleased about and which makes us proud. An attractive range of courses that addresses the current issues and challenges facing society – that has always been our focus at the KU. The title 'Most Popular University' is also a tribute to the great commitment of our students and staff. Our teaching staff and University Management will continue to do everything they can to maintain the good study conditions for which we have always been known in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt."

The spokespersons of the KU Student Representative Council are also delighted with the Studycheck ranking: "This reflects the positive climate and friendly atmosphere at our University. The renewed award motivates us to continue to represent the interests of the students and to fill our campus with life." The support of the Free State of Bavaria and the Church thus helps to ensure that the KU remains successful. "We are delighted to once again be recognized as the most popular University in Germany and hope that the KU will continue to be such an excellent place to study in the future."

Studycheck's award is part of a series of positive results in surveys on study quality such as the CHE ranking or the Bavarian Graduate Survey. In the graduate survey published in 2023 by the Bavarian State Institute for Higher Education Research and Planning, alumni from the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes were surveyed. Satisfaction among KU graduates rose from 79 to around 85 percent during the survey period, while overall satisfaction with studies fell from 72 percent to 67 percent over the same period at all universities surveyed. In this survey, the recommendation rate at the KU was a good eight percentage points above the Bavarian average.

Get to know the KU: Digital Taster Week and Open Day
Anyone who would like to find out more about the courses on offer and the study conditions at the KU has several opportunities in the near future. The Digital Taster Week will take place from March 4 to 8, 2024. Interested prospective students can find out more about studying at the KU from the comfort of their own home. Furthermore, the KU will be opening its doors to the campus on Saturday, April 20, 2024 for anyone who would like to get a personal impression of Germany's most popular University. Here, you will have ample opportunity to exchange ideas with students and lecturers. You can find the Digital Taster Week program at www.ku.de/schnupperwoche. The detailed program for the open day will be published here at the end of March: www.ku.de/infotag.