Bielefeld University
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Bielefeld University

🇩🇪 Germany / North Rhine-Westphalia / Bielefeld
Public Est. 1969

About

Bielefeld University is a public university in Bielefeld, Germany. Founded in 1969, it is one of the country's newer universities, and considers itself a "reform" university, following a different style of organization and teaching than the established universities. In particular, the university aims to "re-establish the unity between research and teaching", and so all its faculty teach courses in...

Bielefeld University is a public university in Bielefeld, Germany. Founded in 1969, it is one of the country's newer universities, and considers itself a "reform" university, following a different style of organization and teaching than the established universities. In particular, the university aims to "re-establish the unity between research and teaching", and so all its faculty teach courses in their area of research. The university also stresses a focus on interdisciplinary research, helped by the architecture, which encloses all faculties in one great structure. It is among the first of the German universities to switch some faculties to bachelor's/master's degrees as part of the Bologna process.

Ranking Overview

Ranking Snapshot

Ranked Top 201 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems

THE #201–250 (2023)
US News #687 (2026)

Ranked in 31 subject rankings

QS QS World University Rankings
# 1001-1200
2027
THE Times Higher Education World University Rankings
# 201–250
35
51.2
2023
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities
# 701-800
100
2025
US News U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
# =687
38
47.4
2026

Key Facts

Students
23,342
Student-Staff Ratio
66.6 : 1
Int'l Students
7%
Female : Male
58 : 42
Staff
3

Historical Trend

Longitudinal View
QS QS
THE THE
ARWU ARWU
US News US News
1 201 401 601 801 1001 1150 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Rank
:
Score:

Top Subjects

Best-performing areas
151-200
Statistics & Operational Research
Top 200
151-200
Philosophy
Top 200
190
Arts and Humanities
Top 200
201-300
Computer Science
201-300
Economics & Econometrics
201-300
Law & Legal Studies
201-300
201-300
Sociology
201-300
Education & Training
201-300
201-230
History
=258
Neuroscience and Behavior
301-400
301-400
Biotechnology

Subject Rankings

Detailed breakdown

ARWU

18 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Mathematics 76-100 - 2025
Statistics & Operational Research 151-200 - 2025
Computer Science 201-300 - 2024
Economics & Econometrics 201-300 - 2025
Law & Legal Studies 201-300 - 2023
Politics 201-300 - 2025
Sociology 201-300 - 2025
Education & Training 201-300 - 2025
Psychology 201-300 - 2025
Ecology 301-400 - 2023
Biotechnology 301-400 - 2025
Artificial Intelligence 301-400 - 2025
Physics & Astronomy 401-500 - 2025
Chemistry 401-500 - 2021
Biological Sciences 401-500 - 2020
Agricultural Sciences 401-500 - 2022
Clinical Medicine 401-500 - 2024
Public Health 401-500 - 2024

US News

12 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Mathematics =121 47.4 2026
Arts and Humanities 190 47.4 2026
Neuroscience and Behavior =258 47.4 2026
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health =334 47.4 2026
Psychiatry/Psychology =353 47.4 2026
Social Sciences and Public Health =486 47.4 2026
Plant and Animal Science =551 47.4 2026
Biology and Biochemistry =630 47.4 2026
Clinical Medicine =708 47.4 2026
Physics & Astronomy =736 47.4 2026
Environment/Ecology =905 47.4 2026
Chemistry =1,042 47.4 2026

QS

9 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Philosophy 151-200 - 2026
History 201-230 - 2023
Psychology 301-350 - 2026
Mathematics 351-400 - 2026
Arts & Humanities 451-500 - 2020
Economics & Econometrics 551-700 - 2026
Physics & Astronomy 601-675 - 2026
Biological Sciences 651-700 - 2025
Medicine 701-850 - 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ranking of Bielefeld University?

Bielefeld University's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank 1001-1200, THE Rank 201–250, ARWU Rank 701-800, US News Rank =687.

When was Bielefeld University founded?

Bielefeld University was founded in 1969.

What are the top subjects at Bielefeld University?

Top subjects at Bielefeld University include: Mathematics, Statistics & Operational Research, Philosophy, Arts and Humanities, Computer Science.

Where is Bielefeld University located?

Bielefeld University is located in Bielefeld, Germany.