University of Witten/Herdecke
Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) is a private, state-recognised non-profit university in Witten (North Rhine-Westphalia). It offers Medicine and Dentistry (state exam), Psychology and Nursing Science, as well as Business & Society programmes, and includes the interdisciplinary “Studium fundamentale” for all students.
Facts about the university
| Ownership | Private, North Rhine-Westphalia |
|---|---|
| City | Witten |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Students | ≈ 2,317 |
| Programmes | 1 programme |
About the university
University profile
Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) is a private, state-recognised and non-profit university located in Witten in the Ruhr area of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was recognised by the state in 1982 and began teaching in 1983, often described as a milestone for private higher education in Germany.
Faculties and study areas
UW/H is organised into two faculties: Health and Business & Society. Health studies include Human Medicine and Dentistry (both leading to the German state examination), as well as Psychology/Psychotherapy and Nursing Science. The Business & Society faculty connects management and entrepreneurship with perspectives from philosophy, politics and economics, supporting interdisciplinary problem-solving.
Teaching concept and learning culture
A defining feature is the university’s learning approach (often referenced as “Wittener Didaktik”), which combines academic depth with personal development. In health programmes, teaching emphasises problem-based and case-based learning in small groups and early practice-oriented elements. Admission is typically based on a multi-step selection process that can include personal interviews to assess motivation and suitability.
Studium fundamentale and student support
All students take part in the Studium fundamentale, an interdisciplinary component offering up to around 100 seminars per semester across topics such as ethics, society, arts and sustainability. UW/H is also known for its social study financing model (“Reverse Generational Contract”), offering different payment options including income-dependent later repayment. For international experience, the International Office supports incoming and outgoing mobility, including a broad partner network across continents.
Career perspective
Graduates typically move into clinical and patient-centred professions (medicine, dentistry, psychology, nursing), as well as leadership, entrepreneurship, policy, consulting or sustainability-focused roles in business and society-related fields.
Faculties
The faculty determines the campus, the language of its programmes and the admission committee that evaluates your grades. Requirements can differ between faculties of the same university.
All faculties →Programmes
1 programme →If you don't meet the requirements yet
Two typical stops: a school certificate without direct admission and German below the required level. Both can be solved within a year, but plan them before you apply, not after a rejection.
Questions about University of Witten/Herdecke
Are there programmes in English?
Universities nearby
University chosen — next come the programme and the deadlines
Requirements and deadlines differ within one university. We will pick 3–5 programmes for your certificate and language and plan everything back from the deadline.