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Study in Bodenseekreis district

Bodenseekreis is a Lake Constance district combining university life in Friedrichshafen, engineering employers and lakeside towns.

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Wide panorama of Friedrichshafen's waterfront seen from Lake Constance
Photo: --Böhringer (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Bodenseekreis is a rural district (Landkreis) in Baden-Württemberg with 220,804 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Zeppelin University (Friedrichshafen). Summers average 18.5 °C and winters 1.2 °C, with about 953 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Bodenseekreis district in numbers

Population

220,804Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

664.77 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

332Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

1Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Zeppelin University

Typical student rent

€337–€420 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Warm rent including utilities for a furnished room in a four- or five-person shared flat at Wohnanlage Fallenbrunnen, Friedrichshafen; the undated Seezeit price listing was checked in November 2026. This is a residence-specific range, not a district market average.

Average temperature

9.8 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

953 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,776 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

95 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

About Bodenseekreis district

Bodenseekreis stretches along the northern shore of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg and inland into rolling countryside. Its mix of towns, villages, orchards, vineyards and hop fields gives it both an urban and a rural character (district portrait (opens in a new tab)).

Tourism is only part of the story: vehicle and mechanical engineering, electronics and aerospace are important industries here (district portrait (opens in a new tab)). Friedrichshafen's airship history is explored at the Zeppelin Museum, while Überlingen offers a historic centre enclosed by former town fortifications (Zeppelin Museum (opens in a new tab), Überlingen Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Bodenseekreis district, biggest first.

Zeppelin University makes Friedrichshafen the most straightforward starting point for studying within the district; its housing guidance identifies accommodation beside the Fallenbrunnen campus (ZU housing (opens in a new tab)). For study in nearby Konstanz or Weingarten, choose accommodation around the actual campus journey. The Friedrichshafen–Konstanz catamaran takes about 52 minutes between harbours, before onward travel, and requires a separate ticket (Bodensee Tourism (opens in a new tab), district transport plan (opens in a new tab)). This is a promising choice if you value lakeside surroundings and a smaller student setting; check the commute before committing to a lease.

Find a course in Bodenseekreis

Housing

Plan for competition around semester starts: ZU explicitly suggests temporary sublets as a way to bridge the initial rush (ZU housing (opens in a new tab)). Seezeit allocates residence rooms by lottery, so an application should accompany a private housing search (Seezeit (opens in a new tab)).

The typical student rent we found, and what that figure covers, is in the key facts.

How to find a place

  • Apply directly to Seezeit for Wohnanlage Fallenbrunnen and keep looking elsewhere while allocation is pending (Seezeit (opens in a new tab)).
  • Check ZU's physical noticeboard at the Fallenbrunnen campus reception for shared rooms and temporary sublets (ZU housing (opens in a new tab)).
  • Use WG-Gesucht and the regional housing classifieds in Schwäbische Zeitung and Südkurier, all recommended by ZU (ZU housing (opens in a new tab)).
  • For a temporary arrival base, ask Friedrichshafen's tourist information about off-season accommodation; ZU also identifies subletting as a practical bridge (ZU housing (opens in a new tab)).

Student residences

Cost of living

Useful budget anchors are Seezeit's €850 room/apartment deposit and the €63 monthly Deutschlandticket price for 2026 (Seezeit (opens in a new tab), bodo (opens in a new tab)). Cross-lake commuting adds a separate expense: the catamaran lists a personal student monthly pass at €113, with fares effective from April 2026 (catamaran fares (opens in a new tab)). Budget separately for your programme's tuition and fees. There is insufficient verified evidence here to promise that everyday living is cheaper than in a large German city.

Jobs & employers

Manufacturing, aerospace and tourism create different routes into local employment (district portrait (opens in a new tab)). Airbus explicitly includes Friedrichshafen among its German locations for internships and working-student positions; local hotel careers pages cover restaurant, kitchen and reception work (Airbus student careers (opens in a new tab), Hotel Maier careers (opens in a new tab)). Ask about student-compatible hours and language requirements for each role.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Local buses and regional trains form part of the bodo transport network; the Deutschlandticket covers eligible local and regional services (bodo tariff (opens in a new tab)). Friedrichshafen Stadt is the main rail interchange, with connections along the lakeshore and towards Ulm; DB currently shows direct regional journeys to Ulm taking about 65–67 minutes (district rail information (opens in a new tab), Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The catamaran reaches Konstanz in about 52 minutes harbour to harbour, but is outside the Deutschlandticket (Bodensee Tourism (opens in a new tab), district transport plan (opens in a new tab)). Check the return journey carefully: its winter timetable has reduced Sunday and public-holiday service (Konstanz Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Bodensee-Airport Friedrichshafen (FDH)

The local airport is in Friedrichshafen. Friedrichshafen Flughafen railway station is directly opposite the terminal, approximately two minutes away on foot (Condor airport guide (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Friedrichshafen-Unterraderach (6 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

1.2 °C

57 mm rain a month

2.1 h sun a day

Spring

9.7 °C

77 mm rain a month

5.9 h sun a day

Summer

18.5 °C

110 mm rain a month

7.7 h sun a day

Autumn

9.7 °C

74 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cold winters, a gradual spring warm-up and pleasantly warm summers, with rain worth planning for even in the warmer months. Bring waterproof clothing as well as summer clothes. The cultural calendar gives the year distinct rhythms: late-winter Fasnet, summer waterfront performances and September wine festivities (Überlingen Tourism (opens in a new tab), Kulturufer (opens in a new tab), Meersburg wine festival (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local traditions include Swabian-Alemannic Fasnet, particularly visible in Überlingen's masked Hänsele figures, processions and street celebrations (Überlingen Tourism (opens in a new tab)). In summer, Friedrichshafen's Kulturufer brings music, theatre, cabaret and street performance to the waterfront (City of Friedrichshafen (opens in a new tab)).

Expect a smaller nightlife scene: ZU itself describes Friedrichshafen's nightlife as difficult to compare with that of big cities (Zeppelin University (opens in a new tab)). If frequent club nights are central to your plans, weigh this alongside the appeal of living near the lake.

English-taught classes do not necessarily mean an English-only degree: ZU's undergraduate admissions page says its bachelor's programmes cannot be completed entirely in English and requires C1 German for degree-seeking applicants (ZU undergraduate programmes (opens in a new tab)). For everyday independence, aim for conversational German and keep improving it for housing and work; this is practical advice rather than an admission requirement. Local dialects belong to the Lake Constance Alemannic area, with transitions towards Swabian (dialect background (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Meersburg townscape with its castle and parish church

    Meersburg townscape with its castle and parish church

  • Reconstructed Stone Age houses at the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen

    Reconstructed Stone Age houses at the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen

Student experiences

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Studying in Bodenseekreis district: FAQ

Is Bodenseekreis a good place to live as a student?

It is worth considering if you want a local base for Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen and enjoy a smaller setting. Accommodation is available beside the Fallenbrunnen campus, while nightlife is more limited than in major cities (ZU housing (opens in a new tab), ZU on local nightlife (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Bodenseekreis?

Yes. Zeppelin University is in Friedrichshafen. International applicants should check programme language requirements: its undergraduate admissions page requires C1 German for degree-seeking applicants (Zeppelin University (opens in a new tab)).

Can I commute from Friedrichshafen to Konstanz for university?

The catamaran connects the harbours in about 52 minutes, but you must allow extra time to reach your campus (Bodensee Tourism (opens in a new tab)). It requires a separate ticket and is not included in the Deutschlandticket (district transport plan (opens in a new tab)).

How much does student accommodation in Friedrichshafen cost?

Seezeit lists rooms in four- and five-person shared flats at Fallenbrunnen for €337–€420 monthly including utilities, checked in November 2026. These are residence prices, not an average for private rooms across the district (Seezeit (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Bodenseekreis?

Airbus identifies Friedrichshafen as a location for internships and working-student roles (Airbus (opens in a new tab)). Local hospitality employers also recruit for restaurant, kitchen and reception work; ask whether available hours fit your studies (Hotel Maier (opens in a new tab)).

Does the Deutschlandticket cover transport in Bodenseekreis?

It covers eligible local buses and regional trains under the applicable tariff rules (bodo (opens in a new tab)). It does not cover the Friedrichshafen–Konstanz catamaran or walking aboard the Meersburg–Konstanz ferry as a foot passenger (district transport plan (opens in a new tab)).

More guides

Sources & photo credits

Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.

Sources

Photo credits

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