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Two people look out over Freiberg and the surrounding area from the Petri Tower.
©Silberstadt Freiberg / 599media, Paul Schmidt

Studying in Freiberg

Freiberg offers you 13 degree programmes in English at 1 higher education institution.

The “silver city” Freiberg, located in the middle of Saxony, offers you a great mix of nature and history. The surrounding beautiful landscapes, especially the Ore Mountains, invite you for a hike. And in the city itself, with its completely listed old town, you can discover many references to the region’s mining tradition. Living in Freiberg is also quite affordable compared with other German student cities.

If you choose to study in Freiberg, then you get to boast that you're studying at the oldest university dedicated to mining sciences in the world: the TU Bergakademie Freiberg which also happens to be the only higher education institution in town. Here, you can get degrees in various engineering disciplines, geosciences, geotechnics, mining and many more. Plenty of practical experience will prepare you for your future career. 5,000 students are enroled here and with only around 40,000 people living in Freiberg, you’ll easily see the influence students have on the town’s lifestyle. After class, simply walk to one of the different cafés, pubs and restaurants and experience the lively atmosphere! Or, if you’d rather relax outside, you can head to the Albertpark in the middle of the town and join friends for a picnic in the sun.

This former mining town has been around for 800 years and doesn’t disappoint when it comes to sites to admire. The city centre will give you a medieval feeling with half-timbered houses and the old city wall. Stroll through the picturesque old town alleyways, sample a true Freiberger Eierschecke (a cake) and you’ll quickly feel at home. Everything is reachable by foot, with a bicycle or public transportation.

Life in Freiberg

40,000 residents

  • High-speed train connections

    Dresden train station in 31 km distance

  • International airport

    Dresden airport in 38 km distance

  • Coast

    Baltic Sea in 350 km distance

  • Mountain range

    Ore Mountains in close vicinity

  • Other countries

    Czech Republic in 25 km distance

  • Attractions within 100 km

    • Chemnitz in 32 km distance

    • Rochlitzer Berg in 43 km distance

    • Kriebstein Castle in 27 km distance

1 higher education institution in Freiberg

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Subject groups of degree programmes in Freiberg

There is a wide range of degree programmes in Freiberg. Here you can see the main subject groups. Currently, degree programmes in Freiberg are mainly offered in the subject group Engineering Sciences, followed by Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Economic Sciences, Law. Find out more information here about the subject groups and degree programmes offered in Germany.
  • 0

    Agricultural and Forest Sciences

  • 0

    Humanities and Social Sciences

  • 29

    Mathematics, Natural Sciences

  • 0

    Art, Music, Design

  • 2

    Language and Cultural Studies

  • 0

    Medicine, Health Sciences

  • 9

    Economic Sciences, Law

  • 35

    Engineering Sciences

  • 0

    Teaching Degrees

View of the snow-covered rooftops of the Old Town in morning fog
©Silberstadt Freiberg / René Jungnickel

An impressive sight at any time of year: the historic town centre.

The Cathedral of St. Mary, initially built around 1180, is an important medieval landmark of Freiberg.

There is no doubt that Freiberg’s history surrounding mining heavily influences the region and the town. At Schloss Freudenstein, you can visit the Terra mineralia, which houses over 80,000 exhibits related to minerals, gemstones and meteorites from all over the world, plus it’s part of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Going deep underground is also an option. The Freiberg Silver Mine lets visitors explore parts of its 1,000 veins and numerous tunnels. Guided tours make sure you don’t get lost.

Yearly festivals also make up a big part of the entertainment in Freiberg. The Bergstadtfest attracts around 160,000 visitors each year and is a four-day festival that includes historical market stalls, a wine and beer village and the great traditional miners’ parade. During Christmas time, the Freiberger Christmas market takes place at the Obermarkt square. The old town is decorated with Christmas lights and figurines of angels and miners. If you’re feeling the dark wintertime this is a good way of brightening things up.

Escaping the stress of class can go in two different directions: either you head to nature or to the big cities. The beautiful city of Dresden is only 40 minutes away via train, while you can get to the Czech capital of Prague via a three-hour train. If nature is what you want then along with the aforementioned Ore mountains, Saxon Switzerland offers breathtaking landscapes and rewarding hikes.

The university offers numerous sports clubs and activities. For a small fee, it's easy to join in. To get to know your fellow students you can also take part in the various student initiatives that support different causes or organise events. The offerings in Freiberg near and far won’t keep you bored.

A young woman walks through the city
A young woman walks through the cityJan von Allwörden / DAAD

You can find more information at study-in-germany.de

For more information on living and studying in Freiberg, visit the city portraits at study-in-germany.de