 From 1857 to 1862 he obtained his education at the universities of Erlangen, Bonn and Göttingen, and afterwards spent several years working as a tutor in Sicily.In 1868 he was appointed head teacher at the Katharineum in Lübeck, where in 1880 he succeeded Johann Friedrich Breier (1813–1880) as director.Thomas Mann portrayed Julius Schubring in his first novel, "Buddenbrooks" as the head teacher, Prof. Wulicke.