Ecological Engineering

Conflicting objectives and competition in the use of land and resources are increasing globally, e.g., with regard to agriculture and nature conservation. Students of the Master’s degree program in Ecological Engineering (M.Sc.) learn to counter these conflicts with the help of ecosystem management tools and to develop and implement concepts for ecologically and socially sustainable land use.

The degree program is highly interdisciplinary and combines aspects of biology, ecology, ecosystem sciences, physical geography, and land use sciences as well as environmental planning, environmental management, and environmental engineering. Students learn to design systems according to the ecosystem approach in such a way that the conservation of biological diversity, its sustainable use, and the fair compensation of the benefits from its use are on an equal footing. They deal with questions of ecology, biodiversity, climate change, geo-information systems, land management, modeling, and experimental design. They develop the necessary expertise to support administrative and political decisions with practical models based on a sound understanding of the interactions between ecological and socio-economic systems.

Graduates of the degree program are experts in investigating and controlling human influence on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. They are able to solve specific environmental problems and integrate technical solutions into the development of needs-based options for action based on an ecological understanding of the human-environment system. They are thus excellently qualified for further scientific work as well as for leading positions in environmental authorities, companies, or expert offices.

For a comprehensive description of the program, please refer to the degree program documentation:

• Degree program documentation for the Master’s program in Ecological Engineering (PDF, German)

Required language skills for admission:

You need sufficient German language skills if you wish to apply for this program. Evidence of your proficiency language has to be submitted before the end of the application deadline. Learn more about recognized certificates and other ways to prove your language skills.

This evidence of your language proficiency confirms that you comply with the minimum language requirements for admission to the program. Depending on the program and your individual background, it may be necessary for you to keep working on your language skills during your studies. Be sure to take a look at the services of our Language Center.  

Languages of instruction:

The languages of instruction for this program ist German. This means that you need to complete modules in both German and English in the course of your studies.

• Information on exams
• Information on studying abroad
• Information on internships

The tuition fees for international students from third countries for this degree program are 4,000 euros per semester. This amount is charged for full-time study. Tuition fees are charged proportionately for part-time study.

Many international students can have their fees waived or receive scholarships to finance them. You can find all information on waivers and scholarships here.

Please note: The semester fee as a contribution to the student union must be paid additionally. It varies depending on where you are studying. You can find all information on the semester fee here.

Minimum requirements to apply for a Master’s program at TUM are a recognized undergraduate degree (e.g. a Bachelor’s) and the successful completion of the aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment allows the TUM school to which you are applying to evaluate your individual talents and motivation for study.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents.

If you receive an offer of admission, you will additionally have to submit individual documents as notarized hardcopies by post to be enrolled.

Generally, applicants with a qualification for postgraduate studies (e.g. a Bachelor’s) obtained outside of the EU / EEA must have their documents reviewed in advance through uni-assist.

In detail:

• Applying for a Master’s program: Application, admission requirements and more 
• Important information about your application from the TUM school

• Degree Certificate and Diploma or Subject and Grade Transcript of Studies to Date
• Transcript of Records
• Proof of German Language Proficiency
• Complete and Current Résumé
• Letter of Motivation (optional)
• Passport
• Preliminary Documentation (VPD) if the qualification for graduate studies (e.g. a bachelor’s) was obtained outside the EU/EEA (from winter semester 2025/26: outside Germany)

We may require additional documents depending on your educational background and your country of origin. Complete the online application to receive a comprehensive list of the required documents.

• Application for Enrollment (signed)
• Degree Certificate and Diploma (certified copy)
• Transcript of Records (certified copy)
• Most Current Photo (as for ID)
• Digital notification of your health insurance status from a German public health insurance provider (requested by applicant)

We may require additional documents depending on the type of educational background you earned and your country of origin. After accepting an offer of admission in TUMonline, you will receive a list of documents you must submit to TUM in hardcopy for enrollment.

Application period for the winter semester: 01.04. – 31.05.

During the application period, you must apply through the TUMonline application portal and upload your application documents. Please be aware that we can only process your application if you upload all required documents within the application period.

We will review your application as soon as it is complete. Please check your TUMonline account regularly, to see if we have any queries to your documents or if you have to amend one or more documents.

After receiving admission, you will see in TUMonline which documents you have to submit for enrollment, and in which form. Please note that you always have to send the signed application for enrollment and all notarized hardcopies by post.

We recommend that you submit the documents for enrollment as soon as possible after receiving admission. If individual documents are not available by then, you can submit them up to 5 weeks after the start of the lecture period. You will, however, only be enrolled once we have received all documents.

You can check the status of your application at any time in your TUMonline account.

Selection takes place through an aptitude assessment procedure. The aptitude assessment is a two-part procedure after the submission of an official application to a program. In this procedure, the TUM school determines whether you meet the specific requirements for its Master’s degree program.

In the initial stages, the grades you obtained during your bachelor's program, as well as your written documents, will be evaluated using a point system. Depending on the amount of points accumulated, applicants are either immediately admitted, rejected, or invited to an admission interview.

• Aptitude Assessment for Master
• Description of the Aptitude Assessment (appendix 2, German) (PDF 284 KB)