Sustainable Chemistry University of Wuppertal

The Sustainable Chemistry Bachelor's programme will provide you with the skills to evaluate chemical syntheses and processing methods. Taught in English, it will equip you with the technical knowledge, theoretical understanding, and laboratory skills to contribute to the development of a sustainable society and industry. As a participant in the programme, you will develop a thorough comprehension of creating sustainable chemicals, materials, and processes, focusing primarily on the principles of sustainable chemistry. You will learn concepts like the destiny of chemicals and their toxicological effects on the environment and human health. Upon completion of our programme, you will have the capability to assess chemical syntheses and material production in alignment with the UN's sustainability goals, the principles of green chemistry, and the basic principles of life cycle assessment.

The Bachelor's programme is led by professors and experienced researchers in chemistry as well as industrial scientists and specialists in toxicology. We incorporate problem-based learning sessions to enhance your scientific skills.

• The programme comprises lectures and seminars as well as practical laboratory courses.
• The programme consists of 22 mandatory courses (in total 158 ECTS) as well as an industrial internship (10 ECTS) and the Bachelor's thesis (12 ECTS).

An industrial internship is a mandatory component of the curriculum and is to be completed during the sixth semester. The objective of this internship is to enhance the student's professional competencies beyond the domain-specific expertise, while acquiring a fundamental understanding of the routine responsibilities of chemists in a corporate setting. This internship can be undertaken at a company in Germany or abroad.

The application period depends on the type of university entrance qualification and therefore differs between applicant groups:

• Applicants with a non-German university entrance qualification can apply between 15 May and 15 July.
• Applicants with a German university entrance qualification (Abitur) have an extended application period and can submit their application between 15 May and 15 October.

The Sustainable Chemistry programme does not impose any admission restrictions, including the requirement of a specific grade point average (GPA) or the completion of a specific course of study. Only a university entrance qualification is necessary to enter the Sustainable Chemistry programme.

The semester fee at the University of Wuppertal is 337 EUR. This includes the so-called "Deutschlandticket". This allows students to travel free of charge on buses, trams, subway trains and regional trains operated by Deutsche Bahn and other regional transport companies throughout Germany.

Housing costs in Wuppertal are typical for a major German city, but they are cheaper than in cities such as Munich, Berlin or Cologne. The monthly rent for a room in a hall of residence is between 200 and 420 EUR, and the monthly rent for a room in a shared flat is between 300 and 500 EUR. An apartment of one's own costs at least 400 EUR.

You should expect to spend around 600 to 1,250 EUR per month on living and studying. In addition to rental costs, you will also need money for living expenses: from food, clothes, books for university and leisure activities to sports, cell phone contracts and going out. The costs for public transport throughout Germany are included in the semester fee and do not have to be paid separately.

Part-time jobs, for example in the catering industry, are easy to find at short notice and offer a good initial opportunity to earn some extra money as your studies progress. The career service of the university maintains a job board where you can search for jobs.

Every year, a Recruiting Day takes place, where students can establish contacts with the regional business community. There are about 38,000 companies in the region surrounding Wuppertal.

Another option is student work at the university itself.

Life is not always straightforward and without stumbling blocks. Not giving up, facing these challenges on your own path in life requires courage, perseverance, creativity and determination. The Studienstiftung der Bergischen Universität Wuppertal promotes these qualities, the corresponding positive attitude to life and rewards them with its scholarship programme, which is aimed at students whose academic success is at risk for economic reasons.

Scholarships (like the "Deutschlandstipendium" or "Studienabschlussstipendium") are awarded with special consideration given to personal circumstances and/or social commitment.

The Career Service of the University of Wuppertal advises on questions of career orientation and career planning and supports students entering the world of work with advice and events such as job talks, excursions to local companies, recruiting days or workshops on skills.

Career Service of the University of Wuppertal

If you study in Germany, you don't automatically get a place in a student hall of residence. Please note that you have to take care of that on your own.

Living in Wuppertal is still quite cheap compared to the neighbouring cities of Düsseldorf or Cologne. The "Studierendenwerk" in Wuppertal offers 1,217 places in seven modern halls of residence near campus, for which you should ideally apply four to six months before the start of the semester. The "Studierendenwerk" also provides information on housing offered by private tenants or on online platforms.

Overview of dorms
Online application form dorms
Private accommodation offers

The University of Wuppertal is a modern university in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). With its diverse range of English- and German-language courses, its personal study atmosphere and its lively campus, the University of Wuppertal is popular with students from all over the world.

More than 150 university partnerships worldwide form its international network. Cooperation focuses on Asia (especially China), Latin America and the USA. The international partnerships not only promote the exchange of students and lecturers, but also joint research projects. The University of Wuppertal itself is a popular place to study: 110 countries are represented here.

With its nine faculties, 31 departments and 44 research institutes, the university offers a wide range of courses in the natural sciences, engineering, economics and humanities as well as in the fields of education, design and architecture. Around 23,000 students benefit from the top-class academic approach to teaching. The university's language institute offers German courses at all levels.

The University of Wuppertal has three campuses in the city of Wuppertal. The main Grifflenberg campus is located above the city of Wuppertal, as is the Freudenberg campus, which is just a few minutes' bus ride away. The Haspel campus, on the other hand, is located directly in the valley in Wuppertal-Unterbarmen. A dense network of public transportation makes it easy to travel between the campuses.

The university offers a lot of services especially for international students:

• Admission via TestAS (for study programmes held in German + to the corresponding language proficiency for the programme), attending a  “Studienkolleg” is not necessary!
• Application via uni-assist
• Consulting for interested students and assistance during the application process
• Pre-study and accompanying courses in German as a foreign language at all levels, also online and/or in the evening
• Student counselling with individual consultations and workshops on time and self-management, stress management, exam anxiety, concentration techniques, etc.
• International Students Team that offers social evenings and excursions in the region
• International Office that organises welcome events and a buddy programme 
• Opportunities for funding your studies through student jobs and scholarships
• Intercultural and job training, an annual recruiting day, monthly excursions and contacts with local businesses, individual career counselling also at the weekend
• Service team from the city of Wuppertal that places international students in training or work
• University sports offer more than 60 types of sports, and they host student health weeks twice a year
• University library with reading room, 160 work stations, three soundproofed group study rooms
• University church with get-togethers — open to all confessions

Interested in studying in Wuppertal? Visit our upcoming online seminars!

Discover the University of Wuppertal (video)

Website of the University of Wuppertal for international students

Wuppertal is one of Germany’s largest university towns with some 350,000 inhabitants. It is situated in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), which is economically the most significant German state with an outstanding educational and cultural landscape. Wuppertal is located in the heart of Europe's largest metropolitan region (close to cities such as Düsseldorf or Cologne), which offers a high recreational value as well as job opportunities. 

The city of Wuppertal is an interesting mixture of an outgoing metropolis and a cosy village with a lot of leisure facilities. Due to the excellent train and transport network, you can travel within one hour from Wuppertal to Cologne, Bonn, Dortmund, Düsseldorf and many other cities.

One of the biggest attractions in Wuppertal is the suspension railway line ("Schwebebahn"), which carries passengers 12 metres above the Wupper River from the city centre to the surrounding city districts. The cars are suspended from a rail with wheels integrated into the roof, which makes you feel as if you are floating in the air.

This former industrial city looks back on an eventful history. The water power of the Wupper River was in every respect the formative element for the town. It is the basis of Wuppertal’s unique industrial history. The German philosopher Friedrich Engels is one of Wuppertal’s most famous sons, and you can learn more about his life and achievements at the Engels House. The Von der Heydt Art Museum is worth visiting for its impressive architecture alone, as is the Historische Stadthalle Wuppertal, which is acoustically among the best concert halls in Europe. Enjoy the easy-going atmosphere of the city on a long stroll through the city centre (especially the Luisenviertel) and the many gardens, parks and woods. Wuppertal is one of the greenest major cities in Germany. Five Wuppertal parks are part of the European Garden Network EGHN – more than in any other European city.

All in all, Wuppertal is a great place for recreation and relaxation. If you like hiking and enjoying nature but also want the experience of city life, you’ll find ideal conditions for studying here.

City Portrait Wuppertal

Wuppertal – the city of stairs

Tourism in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)