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Kaiserslautern from above with surrounding green fields and forests
©Stadt Kaiserslautern

Studying in Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern offers you 20 degree programmes in English at 2 higher education institutions.

Have you ever heard of the “Red Devils from the Betzenberg”? If not, then you should watch a match in the stadium and cheer with the locals for their football club. Home to higher education institutions, research organisations as well as large companies, “K-town” is also renowned as a centre for science and technology. And if you like being outdoors, the Palatinate Forest is right at your doorstep.

Besides football fans, Kaiserslautern is probably best known for Ramstein Air Base. With 100,000 inhabitants and around 14,000 students, the city is very diverse and has more to offer than you might think at first glance. The proximity to France and Luxembourg and the US military base gives the city its international character.

In Kaiserslautern, you have the choice between the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau and the University of Applied Life Sciences Kaiserslautern. In addition, you will find several renowned research institutions of the Max Planck and Fraunhofer societies in the city. The city is constantly developing in the area of science, and the IT sector in particular is important here. It is not for nothing that Kaiserslautern calls itself "Silicon Woods" and compares itself to Silicon Valley in California. "Woods" refers to the city's location on the northern edge of the Palatinate Forest.

Life in Kaiserslautern is affordable. Since rents for shared rooms and flats here are reasonable when looking at comparable German cities, you will find plenty of affordable housing. Most students travel by bike, so you don't need a car in Kaiserslautern. If you don’t feel like taking the bike, you can use the well-developed bus network or take a train.

Life in Kaiserslautern

101,000 residents

  • High-speed train connections

    In close vicinity

  • International airport

    Frankfurt airport in 90 km distance

  • Coast

    North Sea in 340 km distance

  • Mountain range

    Palatinate Forest in close vicinity

  • Other countries

    France in 35 km distance

  • Attractions within 100 km

    • German Wine Route in close vicinity

    • Dahner Felsenland in 35 km distance

    • Hambach Castle in 30 km distance

2 higher education institutions in Kaiserslautern

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Subject groups of degree programmes in Kaiserslautern

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

    Agricultural and Forest Sciences

  • 16

    Humanities and Social Sciences

  • 38

    Mathematics, Natural Sciences

  • 3

    Art, Music, Design

  • 0

    Language and Cultural Studies

  • 3

    Medicine, Health Sciences

  • 18

    Economic Sciences, Law

  • 76

    Engineering Sciences

  • 57

    Teaching Degrees

Fountain on Martinsplatz square, in the background people sit outside in cafés.
©Stadt Kaiserslautern

St. Martins Platz with its bars and restaurants is a relaxed meeting place.

With around 50,000 US Americans, the Kaiserslautern region is one of the largest American settlements outside the USA.

Nature lovers can take a deep breath in K-Town. In addition to the city forest, there are other parks here, such as the Betzenberg Wildlife Park, the Japanese Garden and the colourful Garden Show, where you can relax after your classes. If the green spaces in the city are not enough, the Palatinate Forest is perfect for hiking and cycling. In addition to well-signposted paths, several picturesque castles await around Kaiserslautern, such as Trifels Castle, Gräfenstein Castle and Spangenberg Castle. The Humbergturm, the unofficial landmark of the city, is a 36-metre-high observation tower. It’s well worth a visit, as from up here, there are breathtaking views of the city.

Besides the Lauter River and several streams that flow through the city, you have numerous opportunities around Kaiserslautern to relax by the water in the summer. When temperatures are high, most students seek out swimmable lakes to escape the heat. Your next day off is best spent at the Clausensee, the Bärenloch or the Sägmühlweiher. Don't forget to pack a towel!

Kaiserslautern's calendar of events has a lot to offer. Summer highlights include the Old Town Festival and the Barbarossa Festival, also called "Swinging Lautern". The "Lautrer Kerwe" - the largest folk festival in the Western Palatinate, which takes place in May and October on the Messeplatz, is by far the most popular festival among students and is reminiscent of the Oktoberfest in Munich.

When it comes to nightlife, there is something for everyone in Kaiserslautern. In the old town, there are many bars, clubs and pubs where you can spend the night with friends on the weekend, but also during the week. Most of the pubs and comfortable restaurants can be found in Steinstraße.

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 Kaiserslautern, visit the city portraits at study-in-germany.de