Bavaria is the site of the esteemed Technical institution of Munich (TUM, previously Technische Universität München), a state research university dating from 1868. It expanded over time to become one of the top technical universities in Europe, with outstanding education, hard-line research, and close connections to innovation and industry.

Academic Profile & Excellence

TUM is structured into several "schools" (or faculties) and departments in the areas of Engineering & Design; Computation, Information and Technology; Natural Sciences; Life Sciences; Management; Medicine & Health; Social Sciences & Technology. Schools provide a broad selection of Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral degrees.

It is quite research-oriented. Some of its campuses, especially Garching and Weihenstephan (Freising), possess higher-level facilities, research institutes, and national/international collaboration.

Language of Instruction & Admission Requirements

TUM provides degree programmes in German, English, or bilingual (i.e. programmes/components taught in both languages). If a certain programme is fully in English or not will vary according to the school and field.

If you wish to apply, you will mostly have to demonstrate proficiency in the languages of the programme: for German-language ones a valid German certificate; for English-language or mixed ones, a demonstration of English ability (such as TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge etc.) or a verification that your previous education employed English. The university’s Language Certificates page (via its “Language Skill Navigator”) helps you figure out what’s needed.

Support for International & Exchange Students

TUM has various exchange programs (Erasmus+, TUMexchange, SEMP etc.) and supportive structures for incoming international students.

There is a “Welcome Office” / “Global & Alumni Office” that helps with arrival procedures, administrative formalities, housing, integration, etc.

Facilities, Campuses & Lifestyle

TUM is not confined to one single campus — it spans multiple locations across Bavaria

Munich (main/historic locations), with the School of Management, architecture, engineering faculties etc.

Garching (north of Munich) is a major research & engineering hub.

Freising-Weihenstephan for Life Sciences, especially for agriculture, biology, brewing and food engineering etc.

Other campuses/locations like Heilbronn, Straubing etc., for certain programmes and continuing education.

The facilities are modern and varied: extensive labs, libraries (branch libraries), student learning spaces ("StudiTUM" houses for group & solo study, lounges, etc.), sports centres, cafeterias/mensas, etc.

Housing is available via Munich Student Union and other halls of residence; there are over 10,000 rooms in such student halls, though demand is high, so applying early is advised.

Location, Cost & Life

Munich always scores well in the area of quality of life. It's big, has good domestic and international connectivity, plenty of cultural, outdoor, recreational opportunities. The city is pricey, relative to the smaller German towns, particularly rent. But the "beyond downtown Munich" areas (such as Freising or Garching) tend to have more reasonably priced living with still-good connectivity.

In Heilbronn or Straubing campuses, however, the lifestyle is less hectic and the cost of living lower than in the metropolis, so many students will find this to their benefit.

What Makes TUM a Strong Choice

From what I gathered, these are the biggest strengths of TUM

Leading research & reputation: Everyone knows it internationally; its degrees mean something.

Variety of programmes & flexibility: Whether engineering, data science, life sciences, management, or a combination field is your preference, there are numerous options.

Strong support for internationals: Formal offices, exchanges, language help, integration—all are structured.

Top-class facilities & infrastructure: Well-equipped modern labs, well-facilitated campuses, robust practice-oriented components.

Industry connections & networking: Bavaria and Munich are technology/start-up hubs; being surrounded by that setup provides access to internships, research collaborations, firms, etc.