Skip to content
Where Is My Uni?
All guides

Study in Rottal-Inn district

Rottal-Inn is a rural Bavarian district with small towns, thermal baths and a quieter setting for student life.

Find a course nearbyJump to key facts
Pfarrkirchen town hall on Stadtplatz
Photo: Elcom.stadler (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Rottal-Inn is a rural district (Landkreis) in Bavaria with 120,497 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Rottal-Inn district itself; the nearest is Deggendorf Institute of Technology in Deggendorf, about 46 km away. Summers average 17.8 °C and winters -0.1 °C, with about 816 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Rottal-Inn district in numbers

Population

120,497Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,281.2 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

94Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Nearest university

Deggendorf Institute of Technology, DeggendorfWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 46 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€401–€436 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Listed rent per furnished room in a two-, three- or four-person shared flat at Alois-Gäßl-Straße, Pfarrkirchen; operator page checked November 2026. This is a residence-specific range, not a district average.

Average temperature

8.8 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,756 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Rottal-Inn district

Rottal-Inn lies in southern Lower Bavaria, along the Austrian border. Pfarrkirchen is the administrative centre; Eggenfelden, Simbach am Inn and Arnstorf are other important local service centres. The landscape is shaped by the Rott and Inn valleys, hills and scattered settlements (district development plan (opens in a new tab)).

Thermal bathing in Bad Birnbach and traditional rural buildings at Massing's open-air museum offer two different introductions to the area. This is a place to consider if countryside and smaller communities appeal to you (Rottal Terme (opens in a new tab), Freilichtmuseum Massing (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Nearest universities

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

There is no separate university listed for Rottal-Inn, but there is an important branch campus: Deggendorf Institute of Technology operates the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen, offering English-taught courses (district campus information (opens in a new tab), DIT (opens in a new tab)). For programmes based in Deggendorf, Passau or Landshut, check the actual commute before choosing accommodation. Pfarrkirchen–Passau alone takes roughly an hour and a half by regional train, before travel to the university (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). The district is most worth considering for a local campus place, a local placement or a preference for smaller-town life; Lindner also offers dual-study routes in Arnstorf (Lindner (opens in a new tab)).

  • Deggendorf Institute of Technology

    Deggendorf · 46 km away · 113 courses

  • University of Passau

    Passau · 46 km away · 113 courses

  • Hochschule Landshut - Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften

    Landshut · 51 km away · 50 courses

  • Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences

    Rosenheim · 84 km away · 73 courses

  • Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences

    Freising · 84 km away · 45 courses

Find a course nearby

Housing

Pfarrkirchen has both private accommodation and a Studierendenwerk residence, but do not assume that a rural location makes finding a room effortless. DIT recommends starting early and searching specifically around your teaching location (DIT accommodation guidance (opens in a new tab)). The town's published rental overview is dated July 2023 and explicitly is not an official Mietspiegel, so it is unsuitable as a current district-wide rent benchmark (Pfarrkirchen (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

A useful housing reference is the €401–€436 monthly room range at Pfarrkirchen's Studierendenwerk residence, checked in November 2026 (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)). The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month at the time of checking and covers local and regional public transport (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Budget separately for food, health insurance, study costs and any expenses excluded from your lease. Compare total housing and transport costs: a room farther from campus may require spending on a car. A reliable current comparison with big-city living costs was not established.

Jobs & employers

Construction and manufacturing, healthcare and spa hospitality provide different routes into local employment. Lindner explicitly offers working-student positions, internships and holiday jobs, while Bad Birnbach's Vitalhotel welcomes students for restaurant service (Lindner careers (opens in a new tab), Vitalhotel careers (opens in a new tab)). Treat these as employers and job categories to investigate, rather than guaranteed vacancies or English-only opportunities.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

The RB 46 Rottalbahn connects Massing, Eggenfelden, Pfarrkirchen and Bad Birnbach with Mühldorf and Passau. In the timetable effective from June 2026, typical daytime journeys from Pfarrkirchen to Passau take about 1 hour 20–30 minutes; Eggenfelden to Passau is roughly 1 hour 40–50 minutes (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). Consult VGRI for local bus connections, especially before renting away from a station (VGRI (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers regional trains and participating local buses, but not ordinary ICE, IC or EC journeys (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Allow additional time between the station and your destination, and check live services before travelling.

Main stations
Nearest airport

Salzburg Airport; Munich Airport is another option

Using Pfarrkirchen as the reference point, DIT places Salzburg Airport approximately 100 km away and Munich Airport approximately 110 km away, with around three hours by public transport to the campus from either. The most convenient airport depends on your town and flight (DIT directions (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Eiberg (9 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

-0.1 °C

55 mm rain a month

2.2 h sun a day

Spring

8.9 °C

63 mm rain a month

5.8 h sun a day

Summer

17.8 °C

94 mm rain a month

7.5 h sun a day

Autumn

8.7 °C

61 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cold winters with regular frost, a gradual spring warm-up and generally mild-to-warm summers. Summer is also relatively wet, so waterproof clothing is useful even during cycling season. Autumn brings cooler evenings and the regional Mostwochen programme, making it a good time to explore orchard traditions (Bad Birnbach tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local cultural life includes choirs, amateur theatre, visual artists and heritage organisations. Church-fair traditions remain visible at events such as Massinger Kirta, with regional food and craft demonstrations (district cultural office (opens in a new tab), Massinger Kirta (opens in a new tab)).

For student social life, Pfarrkirchen's campus offers sports clubs and events, while the town square has cafés and restaurants. This suggests a social life built around campus activities and smaller venues; do not choose the district expecting a big-city nightlife scene (DIT campus guide (opens in a new tab)).

English is useful within Pfarrkirchen's international campus, which offers English-taught courses (DIT (opens in a new tab)). For housing, everyday administration and a wider job search, aim for conversational German; B1–B2 is a practical learning target, not a universal admission or employment requirement. The regional dialect belongs to the Bairisch tradition, which differs from standard German (Bavarian Academy of Sciences (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

  • Pfarrkirchen Stadtplatz

    Town centre

    Explore the historic square and look for the projecting bay window with its gilded roof, locally called the Goldene Dachl (town visitor information (opens in a new tab)).

  • Freilichtmuseum Massing

    Museum

    Historic farmhouses and village buildings introduce rural life in southern Lower Bavaria. The buildings were transferred here from their original locations (museum (opens in a new tab)).

  • Rottal Terme, Bad Birnbach

    Thermal baths

    Thermal bathing and sauna facilities provide an indoor option for a free afternoon; check current access and maintenance notices before visiting (official spa website (opens in a new tab)).

  • Naturium Ering

    Nature

    The visitor centre explains the habitats of the Lower Inn and provides information about birds currently present in the area (Naturium (opens in a new tab)).

Events

  • Entrance building at Massing open-air museum

    Entrance building at Massing open-air museum

  • Eggenfelden's town square

    Eggenfelden's town square

Student experiences

First-hand posts from students in Rottal-Inn district, 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 Rottal-Inn district: FAQ

Is Rottal-Inn a good place to live as an international student?

It is particularly worth considering if your course is at the European Campus Rottal-Inn in Pfarrkirchen and you prefer smaller-town surroundings. The campus offers English-taught courses, a library, a canteen and sports activities (DIT (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Rottal-Inn?

There is a university campus in Pfarrkirchen: the European Campus Rottal-Inn belongs to Deggendorf Institute of Technology. It is a branch campus rather than a separate university institution (district information (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Pfarrkirchen to Passau?

Take the RB 46 Rottalbahn towards Passau Hauptbahnhof. Typical daytime journeys take about 1 hour 20–30 minutes in the timetable effective from June 2026; add time to reach the university from the station (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)).

How much does student accommodation cost in Rottal-Inn?

The Studierendenwerk residence in Pfarrkirchen lists rooms at €401–€436 per month, checked November 2026. This is a specific residence's price range, not an average for private rentals across the district (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Rottal-Inn?

Examples include working-student positions, internships and holiday jobs at Lindner in Arnstorf, plus restaurant service in Bad Birnbach. Lindner and the Vitalhotel publish relevant recruitment information, but availability and language requirements need checking directly (Lindner (opens in a new tab), Vitalhotel (opens in a new tab)).

Can I live in Rottal-Inn without a car?

Living near Pfarrkirchen's campus or a Rottalbahn station is worth considering: DIT describes the campus as about a 16-minute walk from Pfarrkirchen station. For accommodation elsewhere, check local bus services against your actual timetable before signing a lease (DIT directions (opens in a new tab), VGRI (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 Rottal-Inn district?

Open the map on Rottal-Inn district: every university, every course, filtered by degree, subject, language and cost — free.

Find a course nearby
Find a course nearby