Skip to content
Where Is My Uni?
All guides

Study in Kaufbeuren

Kaufbeuren is a small Bavarian city with a historic centre, local industry and rail connections for students commuting to Kempten or Augsburg.

Find a course nearbyJump to key facts
Kaufbeuren’s old-town rooftops viewed from the Fünfknopfturm
Photo: Ulrich Batzer (opens in a new tab), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Kaufbeuren is a district-free city in Bavaria with 46,193 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Kaufbeuren itself; the nearest is Kempten University of Applied Sciences in Kempten (Allgäu), about 29 km away. Summers average 16.3 °C and winters -0.6 °C, with about 1,096 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Kaufbeuren in numbers

Population

46,193Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

40.02 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

1,154Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Nearest university

Kempten University of Applied Sciences, Kempten (Allgäu)Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 29 km away in a straight line

Average temperature

7.7 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

1,096 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,764 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Kaufbeuren

Kaufbeuren is an independent city in Bavaria’s Allgäu region. Its historic centre, the Tänzelfest and the jewellery-making traditions of Neugablonz give it a distinctive local identity. Kaufbeuren Tourism (opens in a new tab)

The old town and Neugablonz tell different stories. The Stadtmuseum traces Kaufbeuren’s imperial-city and textile history; Neugablonz developed after the Second World War when people expelled from the Gablonz region rebuilt their glass and jewellery industries here. Kaufbeuren museums (opens in a new tab) Neugablonz history (opens in a new tab)

Neighbourhoods

Nearest universities

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

Kaufbeuren has no university listed in the Where Is My Uni? catalogue. The nearest options are Kempten University of Applied Sciences, followed by the University of Augsburg and Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg. Direct regional trains make commuting possible, but compare the complete journey from your prospective home to your campus, including the final walk or local connection. DB departure timetable (opens in a new tab) Local apprenticeships are another route: HAWE’s Kaufbeuren recruitment page includes manufacturing and logistics training. HAWE careers (opens in a new tab) This is worth considering if you prefer living separately from your campus and have a workable timetable or a local employer connection.

  • Kempten University of Applied Sciences

    Kempten (Allgäu) · 29 km away · 42 courses

  • University of Augsburg

    Augsburg · 55 km away · 145 courses

  • Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg

    Augsburg · 57 km away · 54 courses

  • Biberach University of Applied Sciences

    Biberach an der Riß · 66 km away · 24 courses

  • Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Neu-Ulm

    Neu-Ulm · 72 km away · 39 courses

Find a course nearby

Housing

Do not assume that a smaller city means an easy housing search. HypoVereinsbank’s April 2024 report described Kaufbeuren’s affordable housing supply as scarce and its market as tight; this is historical context, not a measurement of current availability. Start with private rooms and local housing providers, and compare total rent with commuting costs. Local housing-market report (opens in a new tab)

How to find a place

Cost of living

Transport is a predictable part of a commuter budget: the standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month through December 2026, with DB announcing €66.80 from January 2027. Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab) Bavaria’s 2026 guidance lists a €43 monthly discounted ticket for eligible students and apprentices; confirm your eligibility and purchase route before budgeting for it. Bavarian ticket guidance (opens in a new tab) For inexpensive cultural outings, the local museum combination card is listed at €9 for one visit to each participating institution within a year. Kaufbeuren museums (opens in a new tab) A current, comparable housing-cost advantage over larger university cities was not verified.

Jobs & employers

Verified local employers span manufacturing, healthcare and municipal services. HAWE combines production with design and development in Kaufbeuren; the hospital group offers healthcare training and placements; the city recruits across public-service roles. HAWE (opens in a new tab) Kliniken Ostallgäu-Kaufbeuren (opens in a new tab) City careers (opens in a new tab) For work alongside lectures, hotel shifts and bank customer-service roles have clearer student-specific evidence than a general promise of plentiful technical jobs. Hotel Am Kamin (opens in a new tab) Sparkasse Allgäu (opens in a new tab)

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Kaufbeuren station has direct regional services towards Kempten, Augsburg and Munich. Allow roughly 20–30 minutes to Kempten Hauptbahnhof and approximately 35–55 minutes to Augsburg Hauptbahnhof, depending on the train; these are station-to-station estimates from the published timetable, not campus journey times. Check your travel date for changes. DB timetable (opens in a new tab) Kirchweihtal publishes the city and regional bus timetables, while line 9 links Neugablonz with the station. Bus timetables (opens in a new tab) City transport information (opens in a new tab) The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses and second-class regional trains; long-distance ICE, IC and EC services are generally excluded. Bavarian ticket guidance (opens in a new tab)

Main stations
Nearest airport

Memmingen Airport (FMM)

Approximately 46 km away by road. Public-transport journeys can run via Buchloe and Memmingen station, followed by the airport bus. Route overview (opens in a new tab) The airport confirms a shuttle between Memmingen station and the terminal. Airport transport (opens in a new tab)

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Kaufbeuren (2 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

-0.6 °C

71 mm rain a month

2.6 h sun a day

Spring

7.4 °C

87 mm rain a month

5.6 h sun a day

Summer

16.3 °C

130 mm rain a month

7.2 h sun a day

Autumn

7.8 °C

79 mm rain a month

3.9 h sun a day

Expect cold, frequently frosty winters and relatively mild summers, with rain remaining relevant even in the warmer months. For everyday commuting, bring waterproof layers and shoes with good grip rather than packing only for summer sunshine. July brings the Tänzelfest, while the Christmas market provides a seasonal meeting place towards the end of the year. Tänzelfest (opens in a new tab) Christmas market (opens in a new tab)

Culture, language & food

The Tänzelfest is central to local identity: children recreate episodes from Kaufbeuren’s history in costume each July. Neugablonz adds a different cultural strand, shaped by displacement from northern Bohemia and the rebuilding of its jewellery industry. Bavarian cultural-heritage information (opens in a new tab) Neugablonz history (opens in a new tab)

Museums, theatre, cinema and local cultural venues provide starting points for evenings and weekends. Kaufbeuren Tourism (opens in a new tab) For a prospective student, it is sensible to plan a social life around local activities and campus visits; the verified information does not establish a substantial student nightlife scene.

Do not plan on English alone for housing enquiries, paperwork or customer-facing work. As a practical learning target, aim for B1 German for everyday independence and work towards B2 for more demanding conversations; these are recommendations, not universal admission or employment requirements. The local Volkshochschule offers German as a foreign language within its language programme. VHS Kaufbeuren (opens in a new tab)

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • The Fünfknopfturm, part of Kaufbeuren’s historic fortifications

    The Fünfknopfturm, part of Kaufbeuren’s historic fortifications

  • An aerial view of Kaufbeuren’s Neugablonz quarter

    An aerial view of Kaufbeuren’s Neugablonz quarter

Student experiences

First-hand posts from students in Kaufbeuren, read by our team before they appear.

Loading experiences…

Share your experience

Our team reads every post before it appears. Please don't include contact details.

At least 40 characters. 0/2000

Studying in Kaufbeuren: FAQ

Is Kaufbeuren a good place to live as a student?

Kaufbeuren can suit students who accept commuting and have a workable connection to their campus. Direct regional trains serve Kempten and Augsburg, but you should test the complete home-to-campus journey before signing a tenancy. DB timetable (opens in a new tab)

Is there a university in Kaufbeuren?

No university is listed for Kaufbeuren in the Where Is My Uni? catalogue. The nearest listed institution is Kempten University of Applied Sciences; Augsburg provides further university options.

How do I get from Kaufbeuren to Kempten for university?

Take a direct regional train from Kaufbeuren to Kempten Hauptbahnhof. Published services take roughly 20–30 minutes, with additional time needed to reach your university building. DB timetable (opens in a new tab)

Is Kaufbeuren expensive for students?

A current student-room average was not verified, so a reliable total monthly budget cannot be quoted here. The April 2024 local housing report described affordable housing as scarce; compare actual warm rents and commuting costs rather than assuming a small city will be cheap. Housing-market report (opens in a new tab)

What student jobs can I find in Kaufbeuren?

Verified examples include hotel service, kitchen assistance and housekeeping, plus working-student customer-service roles at Sparkasse Allgäu. Availability and required German skills depend on the position. Hotel Am Kamin (opens in a new tab) Sparkasse Allgäu (opens in a new tab)

Can I live in Kaufbeuren without a car?

It is worth considering if your home, campus and workplace fit the bus and train network. Neugablonz has a bus connection to Kaufbeuren station; check evening and weekend timetables before choosing an address. City transport information (opens in a new tab) Bus timetables (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

Ready to find your course in Kaufbeuren?

Open the map on Kaufbeuren: every university, every course, filtered by degree, subject, language and cost — free.

Find a course nearby
Find a course nearby