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Study in Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau is a university city and urban district, with student neighbourhoods, research opportunities and demanding housing searches.

Find a course in Freiburg im BreisgauJump to key facts
Panoramic view across Freiburg from the Schlossberg tower
Photo: Wusel007 (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Freiburg im Breisgau is a district-free city in Baden-Württemberg with 237,460 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 6 universities: University of Freiburg (Freiburg), University of Education Freiburg (Freiburg im Breisgau), Hochschule für Musik Freiburg im Breisgau (Freiburg). Summers average 19.4 °C and winters 3.1 °C, with about 881 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Freiburg im Breisgau in numbers

Population

237,460Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

153.04 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

1,552Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

6Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

University of Freiburg, University of Education Freiburg, Hochschule für Musik Freiburg im Breisgau and 3 more

Typical student rent

€270–450 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Advertised warm-rent range for a single room in a shared flat or floor community at Studentensiedlung am Seepark, from SWFR’s undated listing checked on 2 November 2026. Includes electricity, water, waste and internet; stepped rent increases apply. This is residence pricing, not a citywide private-market average.

Average temperature

11 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,815 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Freiburg im Breisgau

Freiburg im Breisgau is a self-governing city district in southwestern Baden-Württemberg, beside the Black Forest. This guide covers the city and its neighbourhoods, rather than the surrounding district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald. The old town, Münster cathedral and small street channels called Bächle are its best-known landmarks (Freiburg background (opens in a new tab)).

Student life extends beyond the centre: university buildings, residences and teaching sites occupy different parts of Freiburg. Choose accommodation with your actual campus in mind, especially for the engineering campus or the University of Education in Littenweiler (university directions (opens in a new tab), SWFR campus housing (opens in a new tab)).

Neighbourhoods

Universities here

Universities in Freiburg im Breisgau, biggest first.

Freiburg offers study at the University of Freiburg, University of Education, Hochschule für Musik, Catholic and Protestant universities of applied sciences, and ISBA. Your everyday journey depends on the institution and department: central university buildings, the engineering campus and Littenweiler are separate destinations, served by walking routes, trams or regional rail (university directions (opens in a new tab), Littenweiler campus access (opens in a new tab)). It is worth considering if you want university life alongside outdoor breaks: the Schlossberg is immediately beside the old town (Freiburg tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • University of Freiburg

    University · Freiburg · 210 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

  • University of Education Freiburg

    University · Freiburg im Breisgau · 78 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

  • Hochschule für Musik Freiburg im Breisgau

    Art & music college · Freiburg · 32 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

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

    University of applied sciences · Freiburg · 10 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

  • Evangelische Hochschule Freiburg, staatlich anerkannte Hochschule der Evangelischen Landeskirche in Baden

    University of applied sciences · Freiburg · 8 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)

  • ISBA Internationale Studien- und Berufsakademie gGmbH

    Other institution · Freiburg im Breisgau · 5 courses

Find a course in Freiburg im Breisgau

Housing

Treat accommodation as an early priority. The University of Freiburg explicitly describes finding housing as challenging and says its own accommodation supply is limited. Its International Office also maintains a database of private offers in Freiburg and the surrounding area (International Office (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

Budget from an actual housing offer: the university warns that accommodation is difficult to secure, so the cheapest advertised residence room is not a guaranteed option (International Office (opens in a new tab)). RVF currently lists the standard Deutschlandticket at €63 per month (RVF (opens in a new tab)). At the University of Freiburg, international students subject to Baden-Württemberg’s non-EU/EEA tuition rules pay €1,500 per semester in addition to the regular semester contribution; exemptions apply (university tuition guidance (opens in a new tab)). Check that fee status before comparing offers of admission.

Jobs & employers

University research, healthcare and business services provide concrete places to look for work. The university advertises student research and teaching roles, Freiburg’s Fraunhofer institutes offer student assistantships and internships, and Haufe Group has working-student opportunities at its Freiburg campus (university student jobs (opens in a new tab), Fraunhofer (opens in a new tab), Haufe Group (opens in a new tab)). For a broader search, eligible enrolled students can use SWFR’s job placement service (SWFR (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Walking, cycling, trams and regional trains are practical options for campus journeys. SWFR estimates approximately 20 minutes by bicycle from its Kunzenweg residence in Littenweiler to the centre; the university lists tram and rail access to its engineering campus (SWFR (opens in a new tab), university directions (opens in a new tab)). For trips beyond Freiburg, DB lists the fastest direct journey to Basel at approximately 39 minutes; check your particular departure (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers local and regional transport, including eligible regional trains to Basel SBB, but not ICE, IC or EC services (RVF validity (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg

The principal nearby airport for scheduled flights. Its official transport page lists a direct bus from the French terminal sector to Freiburg’s bus station beside Hauptbahnhof, taking approximately 60 minutes (EuroAirport (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

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

Winter

3.1 °C

55 mm rain a month

2.4 h sun a day

Spring

10.9 °C

73 mm rain a month

5.8 h sun a day

Summer

19.4 °C

91 mm rain a month

7.8 h sun a day

Autumn

10.8 °C

75 mm rain a month

3.9 h sun a day

Expect warm summers, cool winters and rain throughout the year; pack waterproof layers as well as clothing for hot days. Spring and autumn suit walking and cycling when conditions allow. Summer brings the Zelt-Musik-Festival, while the Christmas market gives the colder end of the year an outdoor meeting place (ZMF (opens in a new tab), Christmas market (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

The Münster market and Baden wine are useful introductions to local life: the market brings regional producers into the old town, while the annual wine festival gathers wineries around the cathedral (Münstermarkt (opens in a new tab), Weinfest (opens in a new tab)). For evenings out, Freiburg has pubs, cocktail bars and clubs, including venues around the central Bermudadreieck; the tourism board maintains a local directory (Freiburg bars (opens in a new tab)).

English is available in parts of university teaching, but the language mix varies by department and course; check your own programme rather than assuming the whole university operates in English (university English-taught course guidance (opens in a new tab)). Aim for conversational German for everyday independence. The university’s APIS programme offers German-language learning support to eligible international students (APIS (opens in a new tab)). Freiburg’s traditional local dialect belongs to the Alemannic family (local language background (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • A Freiburg Bächle water channel on Münsterplatz near the city library

    A Freiburg Bächle water channel on Münsterplatz near the city library

  • View of Freiburg’s Seepark

    View of Freiburg’s Seepark

Student experiences

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Studying in Freiburg im Breisgau: FAQ

Is Freiburg im Breisgau a good place to live as a student?

Freiburg is worth considering if you want university life with nearby outdoor space: the Schlossberg sits immediately beside the old town (Freiburg tourism (opens in a new tab)). Housing is the main practical hurdle, with the university warning that finding accommodation can be challenging (International Office (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Freiburg im Breisgau?

Yes. Freiburg is home to the University of Freiburg, University of Education, Hochschule für Musik and other higher-education institutions. The University of Freiburg has several separate teaching and research locations, so check the campus used by your department (university directions (opens in a new tab)).

How expensive is student accommodation in Freiburg?

SWFR lists single rooms in shared accommodation at Studentensiedlung am Seepark at €270–450 per month including specified utilities and internet, checked in November 2026; stepped rent increases apply (SWFR (opens in a new tab)). This is an advertised residence range, not a private-market average or a guarantee of availability.

Can I get around Freiburg without a car?

For many campus journeys, walking, cycling, trams and regional rail are realistic options. The university publishes public-transport directions for its separate sites, and Littenweiler’s education campus has a nearby railway station (university directions (opens in a new tab), Littenweiler access (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Freiburg?

Verified options include university research and teaching assistantships, Fraunhofer student research roles, and working-student positions at Haufe Group (university jobs (opens in a new tab), Fraunhofer (opens in a new tab), Haufe careers (opens in a new tab)). Availability and required skills vary by vacancy.

Can I travel from Freiburg to Basel with a Deutschlandticket?

Yes, on eligible regional services: RVF explicitly includes travel to Basel SBB. ICE, IC and EC trains are excluded, so check the train category before boarding (RVF (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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