Materials Science Technical University of Darmstadt

Courses are held in English (100%). Students can choose to write the Master's thesis in English or German.

Functional materials such as energy materials, magnetic, or electronic materials are essential for the society of the 21st century.

The Master's programme places specific emphasis on the structure, synthesis, analysis, modelling, and characterisation of functional materials, such as ceramics, inorganic and organic semiconductors, thin films, energy materials, metals, and nanomaterials.

Compulsory courses cover fundamental aspects such as surface and interface science, theoretical materials science (including quantum mechanics, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and continuum mechanics), materials analytics, and sustainable materials science.

Two lab courses and the Advanced Research Lab – an independent research project in one of our research groups to prepare for the Master's thesis – are compulsory, too.

A wide range of elective courses provides the possibility to delve into various fields of specialisation. You can, for instance, focus on materials for energy applications, ceramics, thin magnetic films for spintronics, high-performance alloys, materials characterisation, or modelling of advanced functional materials. Given the approximately 50 elective courses offered at our institute, plus countless more provided by other TU Darmstadt institutes, many more specialisations are possible. We strongly encourage students to choose a professor as their mentor and discuss their specialisation.

You will join one of the research groups in the department for the Advanced Research Lab and your Master's thesis (not necessarily the same group for both).

While it is technically possible to start the MSc Materials Science in summer semester, the whole curriculum is tailored for a start in winter.

Opening and closing dates of the application periods may vary from year to year and depend on where you obtained your Bachelor’s degree. Please always consult the service page of the TU Darmstadt Office for International Admission for binding information.

Typically, the application windows are as follows:

• 1 June – 31 August for admission to the subsequent winter semester
• 1 December – 1 March for admission to the subsequent summer semester

For international applicants, additional early-bird application windows apply:

• 1 March – 30 May for admission to the subsequent winter semester
• 1 September – 30 November for admission to the subsequent summer semester

Applications will be processed as quickly as possible after receiving the complete application. The whole process may take up to eight weeks. Therefore, we strongly encourage early applications.

Compulsory courses:

First semester:

• Research lab I (4CP)
• Quantum Mechanics OR Micromechanics (6CP)
• Functional Materials (6CP)
• Surfaces and Interfaces (5CP)

Second semester:

• Research lab II (4CP)
• Theoretical Methods in Materials Science (6CP)
• Advanced Characterisation Methods in Materials Science (6CP)
• Sustainable Materials (6CP)

Third semester:

• Advanced Research Lab (research internship, 15 CP)

Fourth semester:

• Master's thesis (30 CP)

Between 22 and 26 CPs of elective courses in materials science must be completed before starting the Master's thesis. Topics include:

• Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
• Solid State and Structural Chemistry of Materials
• Advanced Microscopy
• Ceramic Materials
• Engineering Microstructures
• Semiconductor Interfaces
• Chemical Sensors
• Mechanical Properties of Metals and Ceramics
• Surface Science
• Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes
• Materials Chemistry in Electrocatalysis
• Electrochemistry in Energy Applications
• High Pressure Materials Synthesis
• Phase Transitions in Materials
• Density Functional Theory
• and many more...

Between 6 and 10 CPs of general studies, i.e. elective courses not related to materials science, must be completed before starting the Master's thesis. Topics include:

• Project Management
• Cognitive Science
• Philosophy
• Economics
• and many more...

The Technical University of Darmstadt stands for openness and an international focus in study, teaching, and research. TU Darmstadt is open to students and scientists from all over the world. It promotes the international mobility of its members and is involved in networks with renowned partners worldwide. For more information, please visit: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/universitaet/international/index.en.jsp

There are numerous possibilities for spending part of your studies abroad. For more information, please visit: https://www.mawi.tu-darmstadt.de/studium/im_studium/auslandsstudium/index.en.jsp

Research internships

A mandatory research internship (Advanced Research Lab) is scheduled for the third semester. This internship can be done at the university, at a research institute, or a research-oriented company.

The Master's thesis consists of a six-month research project. This can be done at the university, a research institute, or a research-oriented company.

Only one of the Advanced Research Lab and Master's thesis project may be carried out externally (i.e., outside the university), not both.

No tuition fees

The registration fee totals approx. 350 EUR per semester. This includes administrative fees and the semester ticket ("Deutschlandticket"). The validity area of the semester ticket will be expanded to encompass all transportation organisations and lines participating in the "Deutschlandticket" offer throughout Germany.

Registration fees

Estimated living expenses are about 900 EUR per month. Please note that these costs are just a rough estimation and can vary greatly depending on your way of life, your accommodation, etc.

Costs and budget

Bachelor's degree in materials science or equivalent (e.g. materials science & engineering with a significant proportion of natural sciences, physics, or chemistry with a focus on physical chemistry, or similar)

Note that students with a distinct engineering background often do not have sufficient knowledge in the fields of natural and materials science to get admission. However, we thoroughly evaluate each application individually.

For more information on the requirements, please consult our FAQ section, (especially Q7).

The MSc Materials Science degree is taught in English. To be accepted for the study programme, our regulations require knowledge of the English language at least on a UNIcert III level (C1).

For equivalent proofs (TOEFL, TOEIC or similar) please consult the official list of the "TU Sprachenzentrum" (click here for the PDF). Also note the possibility of proving that your Bachelor's (or previous Master's) medium of instruction was English.

As with any other formal question, please contact the TU Office for International Admission in case of doubt.

No German language skills are necessary (and thus, no German language certificate is needed).

Opening and closing dates of the application periods may vary from year to year and depend on where you obtained your Bachelor’s degree. Please always consult the service page of the TU Darmstadt Office for International Admission for binding information.

Typically, the application windows are as follows:

• 1 June – 31 August for admission to the subsequent winter semester
• 1 December – 1 March for admission to the subsequent summer semester

For international applicants, additional early-bird application windows apply:

• 1 March – 30 May for admission to the subsequent winter semester
• 1 September – 30 November for admission to the subsequent summer semester

Applications will be processed as quickly as possible after receiving the complete application. The whole process may take up to eight weeks. Therefore, we strongly encourage early applications.

Financial funding for international students in their final study phase: An application for “Leistungsorientierte Studienabschluss-Förderung” (financial funding for international students in their final study phase) can be submitted twice a year. Application periods: 1 to 15 April and 1 to 15 October

Deutschlandstipendium: The Deutschlandstipendium has been supporting outstanding students at universities with one year of financial assistance since 2011. An application is only possible once enrolled.

Students can be employed as tutors or student researchers, for example.

For more information, see: jobs & part-time work.

TU Darmstadt's International Affairs Department assists international students in their search for accommodation through its Housing Assistance Office. A major science hub, Darmstadt is home to multiple research institutions, three universities, and many high-technology companies, all of which attract people from around the world. A wide variety of accommodations that vary in size, furnishing, and rent are available in Darmstadt and its vicinity. As the university does not own or manage student housing, we support students in finding housing in private and public student dormitories or on the private market. In order to improve your chances in finding the optimal place to live, we recommend that you start your search early. We are happy to assist you in this process. Please make sure to register online on the housing assistance website for international students.

Our services include the distribution of an “Accommodation Guide” that includes links to private and public student dormitories, hotels and youth hostels, and a “Housing Guide” that provides tips on how to search for accommodation in Darmstadt.

TU Darmstadt Career Service

The TU Darmstadt International Student Service will be happy to assist you in all questions concerning life and studies in Germany/Darmstadt. Additionally, we, as the Materials Science department, are keen to make sure you have all you need for a carefree start in Darmstadt, e.g. in form of a welcoming event and a buddy programme specifically for our international Master's students.

TU Darmstadt

By choosing TU Darmstadt, you are making an investment in your personal and professional future. Committed to academic rigour, cutting-edge research, and interdisciplinary collaboration, TU Darmstadt provides its community with an environment that sparks innovation. Our challenging 113 academic programmes allow students to gain international experience at an early stage while preparing them for successful careers in research, education, and the private sector.

In addition to its acclaimed strengths in engineering and technology, TU Darmstadt offers prospective students a wide range of study programmes in the natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities.

Our subject profile:
50% Engineering
35% Natural Sciences
15% Humanities

Founded in 1877, TU Darmstadt is one of Germany's leading universities of technology and a member of TU9, a network of the most distinguished German institutes of technology. TU Darmstadt is also the coordinator of the European University UNITE! (University Network for Innovation, Technology and Engineering) – an alliance of nine leading European universities of technology.

TU Darmstadt has a global reputation for outstanding technology transfer through industrial partnerships, award-winning teaching facilities, and highly ranked research output. Its distinct focus on interdisciplinary cooperation works as a catalyst for innovative approaches to technology in research and everyday life applications.

Committed to an international orientation in teaching and research, as well as the promotion of values like open-mindedness and mutual respect, TU Darmstadt is home to a diverse community of students and researchers from 120 countries. With more than 300 partner universities around the globe and 40 double degree programmes as well as a strong network of industrial partners in the region, our alumni are sought-after professionals on the local, national, and international level. The QS Graduate Employability Ranking regularly ranks TU Darmstadt among the best universities in the world.

At TU Darmstadt, it is our priority to support international students in navigating this new environment. The International Student Services (ISS) team is happy to assist you before and during your stay.

With around 160,000 inhabitants and well over 40,000 students (roughly 26,000 of whom are at TU Darmstadt), the science city of Darmstadt offers a high quality of life as well as numerous cultural and tourist attractions in the immediate vicinity. Due to the city’s location in the centre of the dynamic Rhine-Main region and an excellent public transportation system, Darmstadt is well connected to destinations in Germany and around Europe.

A metropolitan high-tech centre in the heart of Europe, Darmstadt is the birthplace of numerous inventions that have changed our daily lives: from the radio-controlled clock, Plexiglas®, and the first enzyme-based washing agent to the liquid crystals in our mobile phones and notebooks. As the home of Art Nouveau, the internationally renowned European Space Agency, and research facilities like Fraunhofer Institutes, Darmstadt offers a creative and innovative milieu for living, studying and conducting research.

• Getting around: All TU students will be equipped with a semester ticket ("Deutschland Semester Ticket" in German). The "Deutschlandticket" entitles students to use all public transport in Germany.
• The University Sports Centre at TU Darmstadt gives students the opportunity to find a healthy balance between work and personal life. There are also plenty of opportunities to participate in activities at the university stadium or swimming pool. Entry is free of charge to both facilities. During the ongoing pandemic, students have the option of taking online classes.
• Finally, TUtor International is a project at TU Darmstadt supporting international students culturally, academically and socially. Our aim is to assist international students with their orientation and integration into student life and German society. As a multicultural and international team, we are well aware of the differences in cultural backgrounds, and we are here for you as companions and friends. 
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