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Study in Esslingen district

Esslingen is a district near Stuttgart with university towns, engineering employers, historic centres and access to the Swabian Alb.

Find a course in EsslingenJump to key facts
Panoramic view of Esslingen’s old town, churches, Burg and surrounding vineyards
Photo: MoritzEt (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Esslingen is a rural district (Landkreis) in Baden-Württemberg with 536,601 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 2 universities: Nürtingen-Geislingen University (Nürtingen), Esslingen University of Applied Sciences (Esslingen am Neckar). Summers average 18.9 °C and winters 2 °C, with about 852 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Esslingen district in numbers

Population

536,601Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

641.28 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

837Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

2Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Nürtingen-Geislingen University and Esslingen University of Applied Sciences

Typical student rent

€340–375/monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published rent range for accommodation at Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 15 in Esslingen, as listed by Studierendenwerk Stuttgart on its undated residence page, checked November 2026. Internet is excluded. This is a residence price, not a private-market average.

Average temperature

10.3 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,765 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Esslingen district

Esslingen district combines the Neckar valley, the Filder plateau and part of the Swabian Alb southeast of Stuttgart. It includes several distinct towns rather than one continuous university city (district background (opens in a new tab)).

Historic streets and modern industry sit close together here: Esslingen am Neckar has half-timbered houses and river channels, while local companies offer routes into automation and manufacturing. Farther south, Hohenneuffen overlooks the edge of the Swabian Alb (Esslingen tourism (opens in a new tab), Festo (opens in a new tab), Hohenneuffen (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Esslingen district, biggest first.

The district’s university bases are Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Esslingen am Neckar and Nürtingen-Geislingen University in Nürtingen. Choose accommodation around your actual campus: HfWU has multiple Nürtingen locations, and its Geislingen location requires a separate journey (HfWU campuses (opens in a new tab), travel directions (opens in a new tab)). Rail links make commuting between Nürtingen, Esslingen and Stuttgart practical, but allow additional time between the station and your classroom (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). This is a good fit if you want a smaller-town study base with access to regional employers and Stuttgart.

Find a course in Esslingen

Housing

Start looking early, especially in Esslingen: the university describes private accommodation there and in the surrounding region as expensive and scarce around semester starts (Esslingen University (opens in a new tab)). Nürtingen should be checked separately rather than assumed to have identical conditions; its Studierendenwerk recommends early online applications for residence places (Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim (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

Student residences

Cost of living

Useful budgeting anchors are the listed €340–375 monthly residence rent at Geschwister-Scholl-Straße, excluding internet, and the regular Deutschlandticket at €63 per month through December 2026. VVS lists an increase to €66.80 from January 2027 (residence operator (opens in a new tab), VVS fares (opens in a new tab)). These figures exclude food, insurance, study fees and other personal expenses. Do not assume that living outside Stuttgart guarantees cheap private housing: Esslingen University explicitly warns about regional cost and scarcity (university housing advice (opens in a new tab)).

Jobs & employers

Automation and manufacturing provide concrete routes into student employment: Festo and INDEX both advertise working-student opportunities, internships and thesis projects. These are useful employers to monitor if you want work connected to your degree (Festo (opens in a new tab), INDEX (opens in a new tab)). Healthcare provides another employment sector through the Filderklinik (hospital careers (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Regional trains and the S1 connect Esslingen with Stuttgart; the city gives an approximate journey time of 15 minutes from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (city travel information (opens in a new tab)). From Nürtingen, the published DB timetable shows direct MEX journeys of roughly 20–22 minutes to Esslingen and 30–35 minutes to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof on representative daytime services (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). These are station-to-station times: check the current journey planner and your final campus connection. The Deutschlandticket covers local buses, S-Bahn and regional trains in second class; ordinary long-distance services require a separate ticket (VVS (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Stuttgart Airport (STR)

Esslingen’s city guide lists bus 122 from the airport at approximately 30 minutes; Kirchheim has the direct X10 airport bus. Check live connections before travelling (Esslingen directions (opens in a new tab), VVS airport connections (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Nürtingen (4 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2 °C

53 mm rain a month

2.2 h sun a day

Spring

10.2 °C

67 mm rain a month

5.7 h sun a day

Summer

18.9 °C

99 mm rain a month

7.5 h sun a day

Autumn

10.1 °C

65 mm rain a month

3.8 h sun a day

Expect cool winters with frosty mornings, changeable spring weather and warm summers that still bring substantial rain. Pack waterproof layers as well as summer clothes, and plan outdoor trips around the forecast. Autumn brings the Krautfest, while the medieval and Christmas markets provide a reason to explore Esslingen during the darker part of the year (Krautfest (opens in a new tab), Christmas market (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local identity includes wine-growing traditions around Esslingen and food-centred community festivals on the Filder plateau. Leinfelden-Echterdingen’s Krautfest depends heavily on local clubs and volunteers, making it a useful introduction to community life beyond campus (Esslingen traditions (opens in a new tab), Krautfest (opens in a new tab)).

For evenings out, Esslingen has the Jazzkeller, Kulturzentrum Dieselstrasse and Jugendhaus KOMMA, alongside theatres and museums. Think of a calendar of concerts and cultural venues rather than assuming a large student nightlife district (Esslingen cultural guide (opens in a new tab)).

English can support your academic start where your chosen courses are taught in it; Esslingen’s exchange guidance distinguishes English- and German-language study requirements (university guidance (opens in a new tab)). For everyday life, aim for B1–B2 German as a practical learning goal rather than a universal admission requirement. You may hear Swabian dialect: Esslingen, Kirchheim and Nürtingen belong to its central dialect area (dialect background (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Nürtingen’s Neckar waterfront with St Laurentius church

    Nürtingen’s Neckar waterfront with St Laurentius church

  • Aerial view of Hohenneuffen fortress ruins from the west

    Aerial view of Hohenneuffen fortress ruins from the west

Student experiences

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Studying in Esslingen district: FAQ

Is Esslingen district a good place to live as a student?

It is a practical choice if your course is based in Esslingen or Nürtingen and you want access to Stuttgart by train. Choose the town and neighbourhood around your actual campus, since HfWU’s teaching locations are spread out (HfWU campuses (opens in a new tab), DB connections (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Esslingen district?

Yes. Esslingen University of Applied Sciences is based in Esslingen am Neckar, and Nürtingen-Geislingen University has campuses in Nürtingen. Check your programme’s assigned location before arranging housing (Esslingen University (opens in a new tab), HfWU campuses (opens in a new tab)).

How long is the train journey from Nürtingen to Esslingen or Stuttgart?

Representative daytime MEX services take approximately 20–22 minutes from Nürtingen to Esslingen and 30–35 minutes to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof. These are station-to-station times from the published timetable; check your travel date for changes (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Is Esslingen expensive for students?

Private housing can be expensive and difficult to find, especially at semester starts, according to Esslingen University. As a specific residence example, Geschwister-Scholl-Straße lists €340–375 per month excluding internet, checked November 2026 (university advice (opens in a new tab), residence rent (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Esslingen district?

Festo and INDEX provide working-student roles, internships and thesis opportunities connected with industrial businesses. Availability depends on the current vacancies and your qualifications (Festo student careers (opens in a new tab), INDEX student careers (opens in a new tab)).

Can I use the Deutschlandticket to commute here?

Yes: it covers local buses, S-Bahn and regional trains in second class. The regular subscription costs €63 per month through December 2026 and €66.80 from January 2027; ordinary long-distance trains are excluded (VVS (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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