Studying in Wuppertal

A city on the Wupper River with an industrial charm and multicultural flair: that describes Wuppertal. It is also well known for its suspension railway that mostly cruises over the Wupper. Less known, but noticeable, are the many stairs that make up the city. So much so, that it could even win a record for German city-with-the-most-stairs. One famous example is the Tippen-Tappen-Tönchen with 103 steps. Well, up you go!

Due to the mountainous terrain, you’ll likely find yourself riding your bike less than you would in other German student cities. However, this shouldn’t be an obstacle, as you are easily able to get to lecture halls, libraries and other facilities by public transportation. The University of Wuppertal has approximately 21,000 students over three premises, and the Kirchliche Hochschule Wuppertal (Protestant University Wuppertal) has a central campus for nearly 200 students, just to name some of the institutions in the city.

Are you looking to go out to larger neighbouring cities like Düsseldorf on the weekends? You can, but it’s not a must. Start your evening in the Luisenviertel! There are many pubs and bars here, and you’ll even find clubs for dancing. "A bit like Berlin" is what they say about the nightlife here.

Besides parties, Wuppertal also offers a lot of enriching experiences. The Tanztheater Wuppertal, an artistic marriage of dance and theatre founded by dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, is well established. As are the Schauspielhaus, a Wuppertal theatre, and the Von der Heydt-Museum. The culture and feel of the city are often compared to Berlin, with some describing Wuppertal as more independent and less “pretentiously cool”.

A newish site worth seeing is the OpenAir Museum, which displays murals by international street artists, created in the city, to convey the local identity.