An applicant who sees “Technische Universität”, “Technische Hochschule” and “Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften” in one search result is looking at two institution types, not three. The name is a hint, not a guarantee, so the institution’s own page is the final check.
What each abbreviation stands for
- TU (Technische Universität): DAAD says some universities specialise and call themselves technical universities. A TU is a university.
- FH (Fachhochschule) and HAW (Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften): the same institution type under an older and a newer name. DAAD says the common term has become “university of applied sciences”.
- TH (Technische Hochschule): the Hochschulkompass says some Fachhochschulen have recently renamed themselves HAW or Technische Hochschule, mostly to reflect an academic and structural reorientation. So a TH may be a former FH. The official sources do not define TH as a third type.
If you need to know what a particular TH is, open its page or ask its international office. Do not assume.
How universities and applied sciences differ
DAAD and the Hochschulkompass describe the same split:
| University (including TU) | University of applied sciences (FH/HAW) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Theory and research | Practice and professional application |
| Subjects | Usually a wide range, or a specialised field for a TU | A narrower range, often engineering, business, social work or media |
| Practice | Varies by programme | Work placements, longer project phases or practical semesters, often in companies |
| Doctorates | Hochschulkompass says only universities confer them | See the note below |
DAAD adds that HAW/FH internships or practical semesters tend to be compulsory, class sizes are relatively small and professors must have years of vocational experience.
A point where the two sources differ
The Hochschulkompass says only universities have the right to award doctorates. DAAD says Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from HAW/FH are equivalent to those from traditional universities, so their graduates can embark on a PhD, and that more HAW/FH are gaining the right to run their own doctoral programmes. If a PhD is your goal, check the specific institution and its state rules before choosing.
Entry requirements differ too
DAAD says a higher education entrance qualification is required to enrol at a HAW/FH. Depending on the subject, applicants often also need to show a preliminary internship, vocational training or a one-year internship in the field. Some applicants take a Studienkolleg, a foundation year, to acquire the skills they need. Check the admission requirements of each degree programme with the institution’s international office.
Choosing between them
Ask these questions in this order:
- Do I want research and theory, or a degree built around applied work?
- Is the programme I want offered at both types, and how do their curricula differ?
- What practical phases does the programme require, and in which language?
- If I want a PhD, what route does this institution offer?
For the next decision, funding, see public vs private universities. For the visa step, see the student visa guide. Master’s applicants from India can also use the Master’s checklist.
SGC can help you organise the programme comparison and your documents. Each institution decides admission, and the type of institution does not predict the result.