View from the Wiwili Bridge towards the Sacred Heart Church in Freiburg

Studying in Freiburg

Freiburg offers you 23 degree programmes in English at 7 higher education institutions.

A small historic city with miniature streams, cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses, Freiburg is also future-focused on ecological issues and sustainable development. Everyone gets around on bicycles and students can take their pick of clubs, pubs and cafés in the city centre. There are also carnival parades in February, wine festivals through late summer, or the famous Christmas market.

In this student city of about 230,000 inhabitants, all distances are short and you can easily reach most things on foot – but watch out for the “Bächle”, the small streams that run through the old part of town. (It is said that if you accidentally step into one of these streams, you will marry someone from Freiburg). If you get a bike, you can ride to the nearby vineyards and also reach the foothills of the Black Forest. Especially on hot summer days, you can catch a cool breeze here.

The best view over the city is observed from the top of the Schlossberg, a hill right next to the city centre. You can hike up or, if you’d rather not, take the Schlossberg cable car. From up there, you can see the green hills of the Black Forest that surround Freiburg, and the Gothic cathedral that dominates the city skyline is also clearly visible. Around this impressive landmark, the farmer’s market takes place practically every day, where you can sample fruit and vegetables from the region as well as specialities from Baden cuisine or from neighbouring France at quite affordable prices.

Rents in this city, which is very popular with students, are above average, unfortunately. On the other hand, you can still find inexpensive pubs and cafés – or take something with you and have a picnic with friends along the Dreisam. This small river is framed by green lawns that invite you to dangle your feet in the water.

Life in Freiburg

236,000 residents

High-speed train connections
In close vicinity
International airport
Basel Mulhouse Freiburg Airport in 51 km distance
Coast
Mediterranean Sea in 400 km distance
Mountain range
Black Forest in 40 km distance
Other countries
France in 18 km distance
Attractions within 100 km
- Schauinsland summit in 11 km distance
- Strasbourg (France) in 65 km distance

Study in Freiburg

7 higher education institutions in Freiburg

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Subject groups of degree programmes in Freiburg

There is a wide range of degree programmes in Freiburg. Here you can see the main subject groups. Currently, degree programmes in Freiburg are mainly offered in the subject group Teaching Degrees, followed by Language and Cultural Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences. Find out more information here about the subject groups and degree programmes offered in Germany.

3
Agricultural and Forest Sciences
65
Humanities and Social Sciences
47
Mathematics, Natural Sciences
42
Art, Music, Design
76
Language and Cultural Studies
20
Medicine, Health Sciences
37
Economic Sciences, Law
13
Engineering Sciences
113
Teaching Degrees

Market stalls with fruit and vegetables at the Münster farmers' market

Dive into the colourful atmosphere at the Münstermarkt and buy some fresh food.

Freiburg ranked third on the Lonely Planet “Best in Travel 2022” list of the ten best cities to visit.

Located in southwestern Germany, just a stone's throw from France and Switzerland, Freiburg is one of the sunniest cities in Germany. This is probably one reason why Freiburg is a centre of modern solar energy research. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, e.g., is located in the city and you can choose special courses of study in this field.

Since the 1970s, Freiburg has set out to become an environmentally friendly city. The locals as well as the city administration and Freiburg's businesses emphasise and live ecological values and sustainability. This is reflected in small things such as the extensive network of cycle paths, but also in entire city districts. For example, the Vauban district was rebuilt on the site of a former French military base. This sustainable model district, where private cars have been practically banned, attracts architects and urban planners from all over the world. There is also a cluster called Green City Freiburg where companies and research institutions in the environmental field network and jointly promote technology transfer.

The higher education institutions and research institutes are not only a major element of the local economy they also shape the city’s looks. It is in particular the buildings of the University of Freiburg, which was founded as early as the 15th century, that help form the architectural character of the city centre. The innovative higher education landscape is attractive to students and researchers from all over the world and together they contribute to the lively and international character of the city.

If you've had enough studying and are interested in soccer, why not get a ticket to go see the local team, SC Freiburg? With a small budget and still modest ambitions, the team has established itself as a fixture in the 1. Bundesliga. It's hard not to notice when it’s a home game: the fans will flood the city centre in the team colours of black, white and red.

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

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

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