Food Technology

The production of food is one of the most exciting and diverse industries in Germany – it is continuously growing and considered crisis-resistant. With a degree in food technology, you are not only part of this dynamic world but also actively shaping it. Whether it’s healthy nutrition, innovative processes and products, or sustainable solutions – you have the opportunity to set tomorrow’s trends. 

At TUM, you will not only receive a first-class education but also become part of an inspiring network of researchers, industry professionals, and fellow students. You will study at one of Europe's most prestigious universities and benefit from a wide range of additional training opportunities that open up excellent career prospects for you. Our combination of a strong scientific foundation, engineering expertise, and practical specialization options prepares you for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Here, you can unleash your creativity while actively shaping future-oriented topics such as sustainability, digitalization, and innovative product development.

Welcome to Weihenstephan – a place where tradition and innovation come together. As part of the TUM family, you will study at a leading hub for food technology and play an active role in shaping the future of nutrition. Here, you will benefit from over a thousand years of expertise and receive a first-class education in an inspiring environment. You will become part of a network of researchers, industry partners, and fellow students, with access to state-of-the-art laboratories and international connections that offer you outstanding career prospects. 

The food industry is one of the largest and most diverse economic sectors in Germany, employing around 570,000 people nationwide. In addition to traditional food manufacturers, this dynamic field also includes the beverage industry and suppliers of spices, additives, and packaging. 

With a Bachelor's degree in Food Technology from TUM, you will be well equipped to launch your career in this thriving industry. Your broad-based education opens up numerous career paths, whether in product and process development, plant engineering, quality assurance, logistics, packaging technology, or procurement – allowing you to shape the future of the food industry.  Exciting opportunities also await you in research and development, both at universities and in private-sector companies. 

Many graduates choose to further deepen their knowledge and enhance their expertise through a consecutive Master's program. The Master's in Food Technology at the TUM School of Life Sciences provides an excellent opportunity to do so, paving the way for a future-oriented career.

In the first two semesters of your studies, the focus is on the fundamentals of natural sciences and engineering. In addition to mathematics, physics, and cell biology, the subjects you take include an introduction to biotechnology and food technology. Accordingly, you will be guided step by step from the basics to specialization.

From the third semester onwards, you will deepen your knowledge of engineering sciences and food technology. You will deal with technical mechanics, mechanical engineering, equipment engineering, and food technology, as well as with fields such as biochemistry, microbiology, and food chemistry. In various laboratory internships, you can put your acquired knowledge into practice. During your six-week internship, you will be immersed in various fields of activity in the industry and will be able to gain valuable initial practical experience.

Elective modules taken during your studies enable you to pursue your interests and build the basis for your future dream job. In the sixth semester, you will deal with an academic topic of your choice and write your Bachelor's thesis.

Interested? Take a look at the curriculum for more details.

As a graduate of the Food Technology program, you will be well prepared to apply your knowledge in a practical and solution-oriented manner. You deeply understand the biological and chemical properties of food and its components and know how to process them in compliance with technological, hygienic, and legal requirements. You can plan production facilities, analyze and optimize every step of the food production process, and assess them from an economic perspective. With your expertise, you can conduct chemical, microbiological, sensory, and technical analyses of food, enabling you to develop innovative processes and products that advance the food industry. 

In addition to your technical expertise, you will acquire valuable key competencies. You will learn to work safely and responsibly in the laboratory, conduct scientific research, and develop creative solutions in interdisciplinary teams. Your practical experience gained through internships during your studies further enhances your profile, preparing you perfectly for direct entry into the workforce or further academic advancement through a Master’s program.

The TUM website on the application process provides a general overview. The following sections contain information specific to this degree program.
 

Application Requirements and Eligibility

Entrance Qualification

A higher education entrance qualification is the prerequisite for applying for a place in this degree program. This can be either a relevant school-leaving certificate or proof of sufficient professional qualifications. 

Admission Prerequisites

The admission to this degree program is unrestricted.
 

Verification of Language Skills

The language of instruction in this degree program is German. Therefore, it is necessary to prove sufficient German language skills with your application. Please check whether you need a language certificate and which types are accepted.

Preliminary Documentation (VPD)

Applicants who have obtained their higher education entrance qualification not at a German school require a preliminary documentation (VPD). First, you must apply for the VPD at uni-assist, and second, upload it with your application to your application account (see section “Online application” below). 

Please find further critical information on the TUM website for international applicants.

Application Period and Start of Program

The application period is from 15 May to 15 September each year for the following winter semester. We strongly recommend that international students apply as early as possible. You can start this program only in the winter semester. Please find the semester dates on the TUM website.

Semester fees and tuition fees at TUM

All students pay a semester fee for the Studierendenwerk.

Online Application 

You can only apply online via our application portal in TUMonline. There, you set up an applicant account (manual). Please upload all required documents to your applicant account by the end of the application period. Documents issued in languages other than German or English must be translated into German or English by a sworn translator. Both the original document and its translation must be uploaded as one PDF file. 

Enrollment

As soon as you have received a letter of admission for this degree program, you accept your study place in your applicant account. You then upload the remaining documents for enrollment and pay the semester fees. All relevant steps will be displayed in your TUMonline account. Additionally, you can learn the details of the enrollment procedure.

Questions

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact the student advisor (see end of this page).

• Curriculum
  The degree chart gives you an overview and recommendation, which modules you should take in which semester according to academic and examination regulations (FPSO).
  • Curriculum (from start of degree program WS 23/24)
  • Curriculum (from start of degree program WS 21/22)
     
• Timetable (TUM ID required for login):
  This timetable is intended to give you an overview of the planned compulsory and elective modules of a semester. It is for orientation purposes only and will not be updated during the semester! 
  
  Via TUMonline you can have a timetable created for each semester according to FSPO.
  
  You can also create your own individual timetable, which can contain not only the dates of the selected courses, but also your personal appointments.
  
  First steps with TUMonline

• General Academic and Examination Regulations at TUM (APSO)
• Academic and Examination Regulations (FPSO)

• Examination dates & registration via TUMonline

  In TUMonline you can register for the module examinations that accompany your studies. 

  Important: You can only take most of the exams if you have actively registered yourself via TUMonline within the registration period. The registration and deregistration period will be displayed at the exam date.

  Please note! In the basic and orientation exams (GOP) in the 1st and 2nd bachelor semester you will automatically be registered for all examinations during the respective semester, i.e. independent registration is not necessary in the 1st academic year.

• Further examination matters
  • Academic progress check
  • Examinations
  • Recognitions
  • Theses
• Board of Examination
  The board of examination is a committee consisting of university professors and lecturers of the degree program. The chairperson of the board of examination of your degree program is Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heiko Briesen. Applications to the board of examination are received by the secretary and submitted to the board of examination for decision. You can reach the secretary by sending an email to examination.co(at)ls.tum.de.