International Master's Programme in Language Science and Technology (LST) Saarland University

Based at one of the world’s leading centres for computational linguistics and language technology, the Master’s programme in 'Linguistics and Language Technology' focuses on basic, applied and cognitive research in the field of written and spoken language, and offers students a rich and stimulating environment thanks to state-of-the-art facilities. Students can focus on various fields of language processing such as computational linguistics, psycholinguistics, phonetics and speech science, or speech technology.

The four-semester consecutive Master's programme builds on the foundations established in a BSc programme on computational linguistics or a closely related subject such as computer science or (theoretical) linguistics.

Students select at least four core or foundation lectures (24 credit points) from the following categories:

• Foundations
• Computational Linguistics
• Computational Psycholinguistics
• Linguistics
• Machine Translation
• Speech Science and Speech Technology

The subsequent advanced study stage offers a range of seminars, software projects and advanced lectures from the categories listed above and also includes the compulsory Master's seminar, which prepares for the final thesis. In addition, students also need to attain between 6 and 18 credit points from courses in the fields of Computer Science or Cognitive Psychology.

Students receive close personal supervision in small learning groups and the teaching staff introduce students to their respective fields of research early on in the programme. A notable feature of the MSc programme in Saarbrücken is the close proximity of university institutes to a number of highly respected external research institutions located on campus. As part of Saarland Informatics Campus, the department collaborates closely with the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) as well as with the Max Planck Institute for Informatics (MPII) and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI-SWS).

Applicants must hold the German "Abitur", "Fachabitur", or an equivalent foreign high school graduation certificate attesting to the qualification for higher education.
Applicants must also hold a Bachelor's degree (BSc) or equivalent in (Computational) Linguistics, Language Technology, Cognitive Sciences, Computer Science, or another relevant discipline.

The semester fee is currently 394.30 EUR per semester. This fee includes a "Semester Deutschlandticket", which allows you to use public transport throughout Saarland and Germany.

More information: https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/study/organisation/fees/semester-fee.html

The cost of living for students in Saarbrücken in 2026 is moderate compared to many other major German cities. Students planning to study in Saarbrücken should budget for monthly expenses of around 950 to 1,050 EUR, including accommodation costs.

The Welcome Center at Saarland University provides information on working and living in Saarbrücken. For more information, please visit their website: https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/global/welcome-center/living-working.html.

There are opportunities to find part-time work both on campus and in Saarbrücken while you are studying. Positions as research assistants in academic departments are particularly popular. The department of Language Science and Technology hosts a number of research projects offering students the opportunity to work as student assistants. The university’s Career Centre can help you find a suitable job while you are studying.

The Career Centre at Saarland University offers advice (including tailored support for international students), workshops and career fairs. Internships, jobs and recruitment events are regularly advertised on the university’s career portal. Students interested in starting their own business will find the right ecosystem with Triathlon.

The University of Saarland operates several student halls of residence right on campus. Furthermore, Saarbrücken has a relatively affordable housing market. The university’s Welcome Centre offers assistance with finding accommodation.

Saarland University was founded in 1948 as a bilingual university under the auspices of the French government. The university has earned an international reputation for its research in computer science and informatics and for work in the life sciences and nanosciences. The university is distinguished by its close ties to France and its strong European focus. With its pronounced international focus and its strong ties to universities in Europe and around the world, Saarland University is more international than almost any other medium-sized German university. A distinctive feature of Saarland University is the broad range of cross-border academic programmes that lead to a double-degree qualification or even to a triple-degree qualification if a third foreign partner institution is involved.

Saarbrücken is one of the world's leading centres for language science and technology. With a total of 10 professorships, four degree programmes and more than 100 staff members in research and teaching, the Department of Language Science and Technology brings together a broad spectrum of linguistic disciplines (computational linguistics, language technology, psycholinguistics, phonetics, corpus linguistics and translation studies) with international expertise. This outstanding research environment, attracting lecturers and students from all over the world, is further enhanced by close ties with the neighbouring departments of computer science, psychology and the humanities, as well as with non-university research institutions such as the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the two Max Planck Institutes for Computer Science and Software Systems, which are interconnected within the Saarland Informatics Campus.

Small but mighty:
In the Saarland and its capital, Saarbrücken, French charm and a close-to-nature environment go hand in hand with a comparatively low cost of living. Here you will find warm and welcoming people and a vibrant cultural and leisure scene. The strategically favourable location in the France-Luxembourg-Germany border triangle is another plus point: distances within and outside the city are short, and you can reach Paris by ICE in less than two hours.