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Study in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district

Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald is a rural district around Freiburg, with Black Forest lakes, small towns and options for student commuters.

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Panoramic view from Hochfirst over Titisee towards Feldberg
Photo: Ch ivk (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald is a rural district (Landkreis) in Baden-Württemberg with 272,558 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district itself; the nearest is University of Education Freiburg in Freiburg im Breisgau, about 7 km away. Summers average 17.9 °C and winters 2.2 °C, with about 1,486 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district in numbers

Population

272,558Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,378.32 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

198Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Nearest university

University of Education Freiburg, Freiburg im BreisgauWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 7 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€8.63–11.02/m² basic rentSource (opens in a new tab)

Published base-rent values for apartments of 40 to under 50 m² in Müllheim, across the construction-age categories in Table 1 of the official Mietspiegel 2025, valid January 2026–December 2027. Before property-specific adjustments and operating costs; not an asking-rent average or WG-room price.

Average temperature

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

Rain

1,486 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,762 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district

Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald stretches from the Rhine and the French border into the Black Forest in southwestern Baden-Württemberg. It almost surrounds Freiburg im Breisgau, but Freiburg is a separate city and is not part of the district (district background (opens in a new tab)).

The district brings together very different settings: Breisach beside the Rhine, Müllheim in the Markgräflerland, and Titisee-Neustadt in the Black Forest. These towns also host district administration offices. Lakes such as Titisee and Schluchsee give the eastern part a strong outdoor recreation focus (district background (opens in a new tab), Hochschwarzwald tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

No university in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district itself — these are the nearest (straight-line distance).

There is no university in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. The nearest universities are in Freiburg, including the University of Freiburg, University of Education Freiburg and Hochschule für Musik Freiburg. Treat living here as a commuting choice: Kirchzarten has a short direct train journey to Freiburg, while any home requiring a connecting bus needs a careful door-to-door timetable check (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). The district may suit you if access to lakes and countryside matters more than living beside campus. Employer-based study is another possibility: IKA offers dual-study programmes combining work in Staufen with study at universities elsewhere (IKA training (opens in a new tab)).

  • University of Education Freiburg

    Freiburg im Breisgau · 7 km away · 78 courses

  • Hochschule für Musik Freiburg im Breisgau

    Freiburg · 8 km away · 32 courses

  • ISBA Internationale Studien- und Berufsakademie gGmbH

    Freiburg im Breisgau · 10 km away · 5 courses

  • University of Freiburg

    Freiburg · 10 km away · 210 courses

  • Katholische Hochschule Freiburg, staatlich anerkannte Hochschule - Catholic University of Applied Sciences

    Freiburg · 10 km away · 10 courses

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Housing

Start searching early and do not assume that living outside Freiburg guarantees an easy housing search. The Studierendenwerk describes limited supply around semester starts and explicitly recommends looking in surrounding communities, including Gundelfingen and Kirchzarten (SWFR housing advice (opens in a new tab)). Müllheim publishes its own official rent index, but this is a reference for qualifying apartments, not a student-room price guide (City of Müllheim (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

Cost of living

Transport is one expense you can price before moving: RVF currently lists its regional Semesterticket at €98 per semester for eligible students, while the standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month; prices checked in November 2026 (RVF Semesterticket (opens in a new tab), RVF Deutschlandticket (opens in a new tab)). For housing, distinguish basic rent from the total including additional charges: Müllheim’s official index excludes operating costs (Müllheim rent index (opens in a new tab)). Compare actual room offers and transport needs rather than assuming the district is cheaper than a large city.

Jobs & employers

Tourism supports hospitality, retail and health-related services, while local industrial employers provide technical and business experience (district tourism report (opens in a new tab)). Testo explicitly offers internships, working-student positions and thesis projects. IKA offers apprenticeships and dual study, so the district has options beyond casual tourism work (Testo students (opens in a new tab), IKA training (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

The Breisgau S-Bahn connects Freiburg with Breisach, Kirchzarten, Titisee, Neustadt and the route towards Seebrugg (DB regional network (opens in a new tab)). As a useful commuting benchmark, Kirchzarten–Freiburg Hauptbahnhof takes approximately 11–14 minutes on scheduled trains, before walking or onward campus travel (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses, S-Bahn and regional trains in second class, but not ICE, IC or EC services (RVF ticket rules (opens in a new tab)). Check your precise address and evening connections before choosing accommodation.

Main stations
Nearest airport

EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg

A practical international airport for the Freiburg area. Its official transport page lists a direct bus between the French terminal sector and Freiburg’s central bus station, taking approximately one hour; add your local journey within the district (EuroAirport (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Buchenbach (7 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.2 °C

133 mm rain a month

2.2 h sun a day

Spring

9.5 °C

120 mm rain a month

5.6 h sun a day

Summer

17.9 °C

121 mm rain a month

7.5 h sun a day

Autumn

10 °C

121 mm rain a month

4 h sun a day

Expect cool winters, a gradual spring warm-up and summer weather suited to outdoor breaks, with rain possible throughout the year. Carry waterproof layers for countryside trips rather than planning around uninterrupted sunshine. Summer brings Bad Krozingen’s outdoor concert season; late autumn leads into the Ravennaschlucht Christmas market (summer programme (opens in a new tab), Christmas market (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Fasnet, the local carnival tradition, is an accessible introduction to regional culture. In the Hochschwarzwald it includes masked processions, local carnival guilds and verses in Alemannic dialect; Löffingen is one of the district’s examples (Hochschwarzwald Fasnet (opens in a new tab)).

For social life, think in terms of particular towns and events rather than one district-wide student scene. Bad Krozingen hosts summer concerts and its Lichterfest, while Breitnau hosts the Ravennaschlucht Christmas market. If frequent campus evenings are a priority, make the return journey from Freiburg part of your housing decision (Open Air im Park (opens in a new tab), Ravennaschlucht market (opens in a new tab)).

English-language practical help is available, including SWFR’s bilingual housing guidance, but do not assume every landlord or employer can handle everything in English (SWFR housing guide (opens in a new tab)). As a practical learning goal, aim for conversational German around B1 and keep progressing towards B2 for work and more independent daily life; these are recommendations, not district-wide admission requirements. Alemannic dialect is part of local culture, especially in Fasnet traditions (regional dialect examples (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Breisach town buildings below St Stephen’s Minster

    Breisach town buildings below St Stephen’s Minster

  • Castle ruins above Staufen im Breisgau

    Castle ruins above Staufen im Breisgau

Student experiences

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Studying in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district: FAQ

Is Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald a good place to live as a student?

It can suit students who prefer a smaller-town home and accept commuting to Freiburg. Kirchzarten is worth considering because its scheduled train journey to Freiburg Hauptbahnhof takes approximately 11–14 minutes (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald?

There is no university in the district. The nearest institutions are in Freiburg, including the University of Freiburg, University of Education Freiburg and Hochschule für Musik Freiburg; Freiburg is administratively separate from the district (district geography (opens in a new tab)).

How do I commute from Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald to Freiburg?

Regional trains connect Freiburg with towns including Breisach, Kirchzarten, Titisee and Neustadt. Choose accommodation using the full journey to your campus, including any connecting bus and evening return service (DB regional network (opens in a new tab)).

Is Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald cheap for student housing?

Do not assume that it is cheap simply because it is outside Freiburg. SWFR recommends searching surrounding towns because accommodation supply is limited, while Müllheim’s official apartment rent index should not be treated as a WG-room price guide (SWFR advice (opens in a new tab), Müllheim rent index (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald?

Options include restaurant assistance and working-student positions in technical or business departments. Hotel Mühle Schluchsee advertises casual service work, and Testo explicitly offers internships and working-student opportunities (hotel careers (opens in a new tab), Testo students (opens in a new tab)).

Does the Deutschlandticket cover travel to Freiburg?

Yes, it covers ordinary local buses, S-Bahn and regional trains in second class. It does not cover ICE, IC or EC trains; RVF currently lists the standard subscription at €63 per month, checked in November 2026 (RVF Deutschlandticket (opens in a new tab)).

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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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