TU Dortmund is a publicly owned technical university established in 1968, in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia state. It is a member of the "University Alliance Ruhr" with Ruhr University Bochum and University of Duisburg-Essen that enables it to enhance its research, exchange of students, and presence. There are approximately 30,000-35,000 students, of which approximately 5,800 (≈19–20%) are foreign students from over 120 nations. This gives a solid mix of diversity and global perspective.

Faculties, Specialties & Degree Programs

TU Dortmund offers around 80 Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, across many fields: engineering, natural sciences, computer science, spatial planning, architecture, economics, psychology & education, social sciences, rehabilitation sciences, human sciences, arts & sports, etc. Some of its programs are unique—for example, Spatial Planning, which is less common, journalism and statistics also have robust offerings.

One strong plus is that there are about 15 Master’s programs / specialisations offered entirely in English, which is great if you don’t (yet) know German well. Many other programmes are taught in German or bilingual. So, depending on your language strengths and goals, there are good options.

Accreditations & Quality Assurance

One example of formal external recognition is the Master’s programme “Spatial Planning for Regions in Growing Economies”, which holds accreditation from ASIIN, a highly regarded accreditation agency in engineering, mathematics, natural sciences and informatics in Germany. Programs generally follow German national standards. The university has systems for internal quality and continuous improvement.

Support, Facilities & Student Life

TU Dortmund has two campuses: the larger North Campus and a smaller South Campus, with some facilities in the nearby technology park and throughout the city. One notable feature is the H-bahn, an elevated monorail system connecting the two campuses — runs regularly, so there's no problem transferring between them. The North Campus hosts the central library, major lecture halls, cafeterias; the South Campus is quieter.

If you’re an international student, there’s a strong support system: the International Office handles admissions, visa, enrollment and integration; there are “Buddy” programmes, orientation events like Come2Campus to help new students settle in; social & cultural events; refugee counselling; and counseling for financial & social matters. The Center for Higher Education (zhb) provides foreign language support, digital teaching, disability & studies services, academic teaching development, continuing education, etc.

Student life seems vibrant: there are sports offerings (many classes and sports disciplines), student clubs (including international ones), social events, cafeterias; and because Dortmund is a large city, you’ll also have cultural, leisure & transport infrastructure.

Location, Transport & Lifestyle

Dortmund is located in the Ruhr area, a big urban agglomeration well connected with the other German cities. Campuses are well connected by public transport: S-Bahn, buses, and intramural transit (H-bahn) between the campuses. Living costs are less than in major cities such as Munich or Frankfurt, but with the same level of academic quality and living comforts. Being located in the heart of an industrial & technological region provides additional potential for internships and cooperation with industry. Although I didn’t find exact living cost numbers in the official summary I checked, the infrastructure and student support system suggest manageable costs.

Language Requirements & Admissions

If you are applying from abroad, you may be required to demonstrate German language proficiency for German-taught programmes (e.g. DSH-2, TestDaF, etc.), unless the programme is in English. There are recognised certificates accepted. For English-taught, they may require English language qualifications (depending on the programme). Also, for many German programmes, proof of equivalency of your previous secondary education is needed.

Why Choose TU Dortmund

If you are applying from abroad, you will probably have to provide proof of competence in German for programmes taught in German (e.g. DSH-2, TestDaF, etc.), except where the programme is in English. You get an environment where research, industry, and academic rigor meet, yet the lifestyle is livable and friendly for internationals. It’s especially good if you want specialized fields (like spatial planning, data science, engineering) and prefer somewhere with good infrastructure and reasonable costs.