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Study in Ostallgäu district

Ostallgäu is a rural Bavarian district of foothills and Alps.

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Panoramic view across Forggensee towards the Alpine mountains
Photo: Simon Koopmann (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 2.0 de (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Ostallgäu is a rural district (Landkreis) in Bavaria with 142,047 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Ostallgäu district itself; the nearest is Kempten University of Applied Sciences in Kempten (Allgäu), about 25 km away. Summers average 16.3 °C and winters -0.6 °C, with about 1,200 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Ostallgäu district in numbers

Population

142,047Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,394.44 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

102Destatis 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 25 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€7.06–12.09/m² coldSource (opens in a new tab)

Range of building-age category mean monthly net rents for whole flats up to 60 m² in Füssen’s official 2024 Mietspiegel, valid from 1 December 2024. These are reference rents, not current asking rents or WG-room prices; utilities are excluded. The newest-building category has limited statistical reliability.

Average temperature

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

Rain

1,200 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 Ostallgäu district

Ostallgäu stretches from the Bavarian plateau into the Alps, bordering Austria’s Tyrol region in the south. Its landscape combines agricultural countryside, lakes and mountain terrain (district overview (opens in a new tab)).

Marktoberdorf is the district seat, while Füssen offers a historic old town beneath the Hohes Schloss (Marktoberdorf (opens in a new tab), Füssen (opens in a new tab)). Alongside its visitor attractions, Ostallgäu has substantial manufacturing, skilled trades and tourism employment (district economic development (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

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

There is no university in Ostallgäu. Nearby options include Kempten University of Applied Sciences, the University of Augsburg and Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg. Choose your town around your campus journey: Pfronten has a direct railway connection to Kempten, while Buchloe lies on the Augsburg route (Pfronten transport (opens in a new tab), district rail guide (opens in a new tab)). Local work-linked study is a concrete option: Fendt in Marktoberdorf and DMG MORI in Pfronten both describe programmes involving Hochschule Kempten (Fendt (opens in a new tab), DMG MORI (opens in a new tab)). This is worth considering if you prefer small-town life and have checked that commuting fits your timetable.

  • Kempten University of Applied Sciences

    Kempten (Allgäu) · 25 km away · 42 courses

  • University of Augsburg

    Augsburg · 65 km away · 145 courses

  • Technical University of Applied Sciences Augsburg

    Augsburg · 68 km away · 54 courses

  • Biberach University of Applied Sciences

    Biberach an der Riß · 73 km away · 24 courses

  • University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg-Weingarten

    Weingarten · 74 km away · 37 courses

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Housing

Do not assume that a rural address guarantees inexpensive housing. HypoVereinsbank’s 2024 market report described strong demand for affordable housing and limited construction in Füssen; this is historical context, not a current vacancy measure (market report (opens in a new tab)). Plan primarily around private rentals and shared accommodation. Studierendenwerk Augsburg’s published residence portfolio covers Augsburg, Kempten and Neu-Ulm, with no Ostallgäu residence listed (residence directory (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

Budget for the full warm rent and the campus journey together. The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in November 2026; DB announces €66.80 from January 2027 (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Hochschule Kempten lists a semester contribution of €115 (university costs (opens in a new tab)). Certain non-EU entrants to its specified English-taught programmes also pay a €500 service fee each semester, applying to study starts from winter semester 2025/26, with exemptions (service-fee rules (opens in a new tab)). A cheaper room is only a saving if the additional transport costs remain manageable; there is insufficient comparable evidence here to promise lower overall costs than a university city.

Jobs & employers

Manufacturing, skilled trades and tourism are important parts of Ostallgäu’s economy (district economic development (opens in a new tab)). For students, the clearest verified industrial routes include Fendt holiday employment and Bihler internships, dissertations and Werkstudent positions (Fendt (opens in a new tab), Bihler (opens in a new tab)). Treat these as application routes rather than guaranteed vacancies, and check how working hours fit your commute.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Regional trains and buses are the basis of public transport. BRB’s RB77 links Augsburg, Buchloe, Marktoberdorf and Füssen; RB73 connects Pfronten with Kempten (district rail guide (opens in a new tab)). Published 2026 timetables give roughly 30–35 minutes from Buchloe to Augsburg Hbf and about 47–49 minutes from Pfronten-Ried to Kempten Hbf, before the onward campus journey (Buchloe–Augsburg timetable (opens in a new tab), Pfronten–Kempten timetable (opens in a new tab)). Bus services also connect Marktoberdorf with Kempten via Wildpoldsried, with day-specific conditions that matter for commuting (OVG timetable (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local buses and regional trains (DB (opens in a new tab)). Check current disruption notices and the last return connection before relying on a route (BRB (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Memmingen Airport

A practical regional flight option. Travel through Memmingen railway station and use the Airport City Shuttle for the final connection; check the complete journey against your flight time (airport public transport (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Kaufbeuren (11 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

-0.6 °C

76 mm rain a month

2.6 h sun a day

Spring

7.4 °C

95 mm rain a month

5.6 h sun a day

Summer

16.3 °C

143 mm rain a month

7.2 h sun a day

Autumn

7.8 °C

86 mm rain a month

3.9 h sun a day

Expect cold, frequently frosty winters, a gradual spring warm-up and mild summers that can also be wet. Pack waterproof clothing as well as winter layers. The local calendar changes with the landscape: Forggensee’s full-water and boating season runs from June into October, while Pfronten’s September Viehscheid marks the end of summer grazing (Forggensee (opens in a new tab), Pfronten Viehscheid (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local traditions include Pfronten’s Viehscheid, when cattle return from summer mountain pastures, accompanied by a procession and traditional celebrations (Pfronten Tourism (opens in a new tab)). Füssen has a different cultural thread: lute and violin making, historical instruments in its town museum, and concerts and chamber music (Füssen’s musical heritage (opens in a new tab)).

The published events programme offers street festivals, concerts and performances at Füssen’s Festspielhaus (Füssen events (opens in a new tab)). For students, this suggests a social life organised around particular events rather than a campus nightlife scene. If frequent university society meetings and student club nights matter most, living in your university town is likely the easier fit.

English can be useful in tourism, but do not assume that an international workplace operates in English alone: Hotel Hirsch’s reception requirements include both German and English (hotel careers (opens in a new tab)). For housing conversations and everyday work, B1–B2 German is a useful practical target, not a universal admissions requirement. Local speech includes Ostallgäu and southeastern Swabian dialect varieties, with differences across the district (dialect background (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

  • Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau

    UNESCO

    One of King Ludwig II’s palaces included in the UNESCO World Heritage inscription of 2025 (UNESCO (opens in a new tab)). Public transport access is via Füssen and a bus to Hohenschwangau, followed by the approach to the castle (official directions (opens in a new tab)).

  • Füssen old town

    Old town

    Explore the medieval streets and painted façades around Reichenstraße, with the Hohes Schloss and former St. Mang monastery nearby (Füssen Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Forggensee

    Lake

    A reservoir on the Lech with seasonal boat trips and mountain views. Its water level changes substantially through the year, so winter visits look very different from summer ones (Füssen Tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Fendt Forum, Marktoberdorf

    Visitor centre

    An exhibition about Fendt’s history and agricultural machinery at the company’s main site—a useful stop if you are interested in engineering (Fendt (opens in a new tab)).

Events

  • Aerial panorama of Füssen, its old town and the Lech

    Aerial panorama of Füssen, its old town and the Lech

  • Front view of Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau

    Front view of Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau

Student experiences

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Studying in Ostallgäu district: FAQ

Is there a university in Ostallgäu?

There is no university in Ostallgäu. Nearby study options include Kempten University of Applied Sciences and the universities in Augsburg; local employers also offer work-linked study, including Fendt’s programme with Hochschule Kempten (Fendt (opens in a new tab)).

Is Ostallgäu a good place to live as a student?

It can suit students who prefer small-town life and have a manageable campus journey. Pfronten has a direct railway connection to Kempten, while Buchloe is connected to Augsburg; check your exact address and class timetable before choosing accommodation (district rail guide (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Ostallgäu to Hochschule Kempten?

The route depends on your town. From Pfronten-Ried, published regional trains take about 47–49 minutes to Kempten Hbf, before the onward campus journey; Marktoberdorf also has bus connections via Wildpoldsried (rail timetable (opens in a new tab), bus timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Can I commute from Buchloe to Augsburg?

Yes. Published 2026 regional services take roughly 30–35 minutes from Buchloe to Augsburg Hbf, but you must add the journey to your particular campus and check current disruptions (timetable (opens in a new tab), BRB updates (opens in a new tab)).

Is Ostallgäu expensive for students?

There is no verified district-wide student budget here. Füssen’s official Mietspiegel provides reference rents for whole flats, but these exclude utilities and should not be treated as current shared-room prices; compare warm rent and commuting costs together (Füssen Mietspiegel (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Ostallgäu?

Verified application routes include Fendt holiday work in production, logistics, IT and administration, plus Bihler Werkstudent positions and internships (Fendt (opens in a new tab), Bihler (opens in a new tab)). Füssen hotels also recruit for service and housekeeping; confirm hours and language requirements with the employer (Hotel Hirsch (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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