Around 5,250 students are beginning their studies at the University in Cologne this winter semester, which is significantly more than in previous years. The University of Cologne will welcome its new first-semester students at a festive event on Monday, 13 October 2025. The welcome ceremony will take place both on-site in the main lecture hall and via live stream in the lecture hall building or on YouTube, marking the official start of student life at the university. Members of the press are cordially invited.
The Rector of the University of Cologne, Professor Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies, Professor Dr Beatrix Busse, and the Executive Board of the Student’s Union (AStA) will personally welcome the first-semester students. The Mayor of the City of Cologne, Dr Ralf Heinen, will also give a welcome address to the new students.
When:
Monday, 13 October at 9:00 a.m.
Welcome ceremony for first-semester students, winter semester 2025/2026
University of Cologne, Albertus Magnus Platz, Main Lecture Hall, 50923 Cologne
The event will take place in person in the main lecture hall and via live stream in the lecture hall building or on YouTube.
The Bachelor’s degree programme in Business Administration is particularly popular, with 278 first-semester students enrolled, followed by the Bachelor’s degree programme in Biology with 257 first-semester students. A total of around 43,250 students are enrolled at the University of Cologne for the winter semester 2025/2026, with approximately 27,250, or around 63 per cent, being women. The total number of international students in Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes is currently around 4,750, which corresponds to approximately eleven per cent. Students at the University of Cologne come from 127 nations.
Media Contact:
Professor Dr Beatrix Busse
Vice-Rector for Teaching and Studies
prorektorat-lehre-studium@verw.uni-koeln.de
Press and Communications Team:
Jan Voelkel
+49 221 470 2356
Further information: