Top 10 Best Universities for Chemistry in Europe in 2025

Author: Layla Filiciotto — Last update: 11 December 2024

Chemistry is everywhere. It’s in the air we breathe, in the things we touch, inside us. Studying Chemistry means having a different perspective of the world around us.

And the good news: Not only is Chemistry an exciting subject to study, it’s also a great career choice!

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💭 Is Chemistry the right choice for you?

Chemistry is a challenging subject at every level of study, and it certainly doesn’t suit everyone. Behind what sometimes seems like magic there is a lot of theory and rigorous lab work. And if you’re allergic to Mathematics, it’s a subject you may struggle with. But if you want to see more in the world than what you can see with your eyes, Chemistry could be the right choice for you.

If you like challenges that require you to use different tools (including your brain!) to solve, Chemistry can be an exciting field.

But, especially at the undergraduate level, be warned: The first year will be tough! You’ll learn so many new things that it can feel overwhelming and not make much sense at first. Don’t give up too early, though! If you keep at it, you will see how it all connects and view the world with new eyes. And then, even previously simple things like cooking dinner can become an enthralling Chemistry lesson.

🏆 Top Universities to Study Chemistry in Europe in 2025:

Below, we have listed the best European universities for chemistry, using the official rankings from ARWU, QS and THE.

University	Country	ARWU	QS	THE
ETH Zurich	Switzerland	15	8	9
University of Cambridge	United Kingdom	20	3	5
University of Oxford	United Kingdom	39	5	8
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne	Switzerland	44	9	19
University of Strasbourg	France	47	24	-
Imperial College London	United Kingdom	51-75	11	11
The University of Manchester	United Kingdom	51-75	19	51
Paris-Saclay University	France	51-75	75	32
University of Groningen	Netherlands	51-75	75	82
Technical University of Munich	Germany	76-100	20	22

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🌍 Where can you study Chemistry in Europe?

Europe is full of great universities that offer Chemistry degrees at all levels - Bachelor, Master or PhD. Below are a few universities worth checking out:

Universities that offer Chemistry Bachelors:

Find Bachelors in Chemistry

Universities that offer Chemistry Masters:

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🏛️ What will I study? Modules & Topics:

Chemistry is a broad and versatile science that overlaps with fields such as biology, physics, environmental science, and engineering.

Some of the typical modules you can study include:

Organic Chemistry – the study of carbon-containing compounds, from fuels to pharmaceuticals
Inorganic Chemistry – the study of metals, minerals, and other non-organic substances
Physical Chemistry – the exploration of matter's physical properties and how they interact with energy
Analytical Chemistry – techniques and methods for identifying and quantifying substances in various samples
Biochemistry – the study of chemical processes within living organisms
Environmental Chemistry – understanding chemical processes in nature, pollution, and sustainable practices
Polymer Chemistry – the synthesis and properties of large molecules with various industrial applications
Quantum Chemistry – the study of atomic and molecular systems through quantum mechanics
Industrial Chemistry – the application of chemistry to large-scale manufacturing and production processes
Medicinal Chemistry – the design and development of pharmaceutical compounds
Materials Science – exploring chemical properties and uses of different materials, such as metals, ceramics, and nanomaterials
Chemical Engineering – applying chemical processes for practical applications in industry

Many of these will be covered when you do a Bachelor in Chemistry. And when you decide to pursue a Master in Chemistry, you might be able to specialise further in one of these areas.

🤔 What should I know about doing a PhD in Chemistry?

A PhD in Chemistry means to take on a challenge, hit your head against the wall a couple of times (over many years) and write the most difficult book in your life: your doctoral thesis. Along the way, you’re usually required to publish scientific papers (usually up to 3) - and that’s an easy goal for some to hit, while others spend more years to get there.

The chances of success with your doctorate studies rely on many factors like: How new is the challenge? How creative are you in coming up with methods? And, of course, luck is a factor. Sometimes, if it’s a topic that has been studied for decades, it may be difficult to find a new angle worthy of research and publication. At this stage, you will have an idea of what’s new and exciting – follow your gut and never stop trying!

🏛️ How to pick the right university for a Chemistry degree:

Choosing the right university is not always easy because there are so many things to consider. The most important factors are:

Location of the university: Personal choices (family, partners) might limit your choice of university. You should also consider your finances for the tuition fees and living expenses in the country/city where the course is taught. If you still want to go abroad but don’t have the means to, you can always check if a scholarship is provided or, instead of enrolling for the full degree abroad, apply for an Erasmus placement during your studies.
University ranking: Larger companies often put a lot of stock in the education of their new employees - both the ranking of the university and your grade. The better your university’s reputation, the better the chances of reaching the interview step. Study.eu Tip: If your applications to higher-ranked universities are unsuccessful, don’t worry: Give it your best effort and impress future employers with your study success!
Location of possible industrial placements: Many students seek out industrial placement (or internships) that are relevant for their studies and desired career path. That’s obviously a lot easier if chemical companies are located in, or close to, your place of study. It’s hard to get a full overview of where potential employers are, but if you’ve already narrowed your choices down to a few places, it’s easy to compare them in job websites.
Elective courses/specialization: You might already have an idea of what type of chemist you would like to be. Then you should look at the course curriculum: Different curricula focus on different aspects. Do you want to cure people? Go for a degree programme that covers a lot of pharmaceutical, organic or bio-chemistry. Do you want to help mitigate the climate catastrophe our planet is facing? Look for sustainable/green chemistry and catalysis. Do you want to solve complex challenges? Choose a course with plenty of analytical chemistry/spectroscopy. Are you still deciding? Then pick a degree that offers a lot of elective courses that allow you to make choices as your understanding of Chemistry grows.

💸 Tuition fees for Chemistry degrees:

Tuition fees for Chemistry programmes at public universities in Europe range from €0 to €4,000 for EU/EEA or Swiss students, while non-EU students typically pay between €4,000 and €13,000.

The cost of tuition varies significantly by country. Switzerland and the UK generally have higher fees and offer fewer scholarships, so they can be expensive countries for international students. In more affordable countries such as Germany and Austria, non-EU students may be able to study at little or almost no cost. However, spots in these tuition-free programmes are competitive, so you should be ready for a rigorous application process.

📝 What are similar subjects I could study?

If it squirms, it’s biology. If it stinks, it’s chemistry. If it doesn’t work, it's physics. And if you can’t understand it, it’s mathematics.

— Magnus Pyke, British scientist

All fields within STEM - Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics - are more or less related, and all are important. But if Chemistry is not quite what you want to study at university, you might consider these subjects instead:

Chemical Engineering: If you want to make chemistry “bigger” (consider more the thermodynamics and changes in flows at an industrial scale), chemical engineering is more suited for you. You should also not be afraid of derivatives, integrals and reading complex graphs.
Materials Science & Engineering: Material Science and Chemistry are getting more similar by the day. Where chemists consider the molecular level, the material scientists take those molecules and consider their applications. In a Material Science degree, you might have five modules about plastics and only one about chemistry - in a Chemistry degree it would be the opposite!
Physics: While Physics tries to explain matter in terms of substance and energy - and deduct universal laws -, Chemistry focuses specifically on how substances interact with each other and/or with energy.
Biology: You could say: Biology deals with all that is living, while Chemistry deals with all that can kill or help the living. Biology and Chemistry courses overlap in many areas, and modules in biochemistry and perhaps biocatalysis will be part of both.With biocatalysis mentioned in the section above, biology and chemistry are moving closer together towards sustainability.

For a handy if not completely serious summary, also check out this xkcd comic.

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323 Chemistry Programmes in Europe

Layla is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) and focuses on biomaterials in her work. She is highly experienced in various areas of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and spent many years studying and researching all over Europe. Originally from Italy, she holds a BSc in Industrial Chemistry from the University of Messina and an MSc in Catalysis from Cardiff University (UK). She obtained her PhD in Chemistry at the University of Córdoba (Spain) with a focus on sustainable chemical-industrial processes.