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Study in Brandenburg

Lakes, forests and Potsdam's palaces right next to Berlin — no tuition at public universities and the capital a short train ride away.

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Sanssouci
Photo: Sanssouci — ernstol (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0

In short

Brandenburg has 23 universities and colleges offering 520 degree courses (245 Bachelor's, 265 Master's), and 31% of them are taught in English or bilingually. Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities charge no tuition for regular degrees; you pay only the semester contribution (about €100–400, usually including the semester ticket).

Lakes and forests wrapped around Berlin, Potsdam's palaces and parks, and quieter university towns like Cottbus and Frankfurt (Oder) on the Polish border. Many students enjoy calmer, greener living here and take the train into Berlin for nights out.

University cities

Every city in Brandenburg with a university. Cities with a guide link to it.

  • Potsdam

    12 universities 300 courses 29% in English

  • Cottbus

    2 universities 77 courses 35% in English

  • Wildau

    1 university 51 courses 31% in English

  • Eberswalde

    2 universities 28 courses 50% in English

  • Frankfurt (Oder)

    1 university 27 courses 56% in English

  • Brandenburg an der Havel

    1 university 24 courses 13% in English

  • Neuruppin

    1 university 6 courses 17% in English

  • Oranienburg

    1 university 3 courses 0% in English

  • Wustermark

    1 university 3 courses 0% in English

  • Königs Wusterhausen

    1 university 1 course 100% in English

Cost of living

What studying in Brandenburg costs, from the latest figures we could source.

Rent for a student flat
No figure yetNot covered by the MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 — check the local Studierendenwerk.
Tuition for non-EU students
€0 / semesterPlus the semester contribution every student pays. The rules are summed up in In short.
Proof of funds for a visa
€992 / monthThe proof of funds German missions currently ask of student-visa applicants (€11,904 a year) — confirm with the German embassy or consulate handling your application.

Good to know

  • Potsdam is only about 25 minutes from Berlin Hauptbahnhof by regional train, and the semester ticket covers the trip.
  • The European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) shares a campus with Collegium Polonicum in Słubice, just across the river in Poland.
  • The Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam is a well-known place for IT and digital engineering.

Industries & employers

Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Brandenburg.

  • Tesla

    Automotive / EV

    Gigafactory in Grünheide, south-east of Berlin, opened in 2022.

  • Rolls-Royce

    Aero engines

    Engine development and assembly in Dahlewitz, south of Berlin.

  • Studio Babelsberg

    Film

    One of the world's oldest large film studios, in Potsdam.

  • BASF Schwarzheide

    Chemicals

    Makes battery materials in southern Brandenburg.

  • LEAG

    Energy

    Lusatia's energy company, headquartered in Cottbus.

Culture & people

Brandenburg is the green ring around Berlin: about 3,000 lakes, pine forests and sandy soil, with Prussian history in Potsdam, where the kings built Sanssouci. People tend to be reserved at first and straightforward once you know them.

In Lusatia around Cottbus lives the Sorbian (Wendish) minority, a Slavic people with their own language — you'll see bilingual German–Sorbian street signs. The Spreewald is famous for its pickled gherkins, and summer life revolves around swimming lakes.

Events & festivals

  • Baumblütenfest, Werder (Havel)

    Late April – early May

    The fruit-tree blossom festival near Potsdam, famous for its local fruit wines.

  • Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci

    June

    Early-music concerts in the palaces and gardens of Potsdam.

  • FilmFestival Cottbus

    November

    Germany's leading festival of Eastern European cinema.

Places to see

  • Sanssouci, Potsdam

    UNESCO

    Frederick the Great's summer palace and its terraced vineyards, part of a large UNESCO palace landscape.

  • Potsdam

    City

    Palaces, the Dutch Quarter and lakes on every side — Brandenburg's capital and biggest student city.

  • Spreewald

    Nature

    A maze of river channels you explore by punt or kayak; a UNESCO biosphere reserve.

  • Cottbus

    City

    Home of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, with Branitz Park, the landscape garden of Prince Pückler.

  • Filmpark Babelsberg

    Film

    A film theme park next to the historic studio where Metropolis was shot.

Getting around

Brandenburg shares the VBB transport network with Berlin. Most universities include the Deutschland-Semesterticket in the semester contribution, so regional trains to Berlin, the Spreewald and the rest of Germany are covered.

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) actually lies in Brandenburg, in Schönefeld. Regional express trains link Potsdam, Cottbus and Frankfurt (Oder) with Berlin in roughly 25 minutes to about 1 hour 20.

Student experiences

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Studying in Brandenburg: FAQ

Do international students pay tuition in Brandenburg?

No. Brandenburg's public universities charge no tuition for regular bachelor's and consecutive master's degrees; students pay only the semester contribution, which usually includes the semester ticket.

Is it cheaper to study in Brandenburg than in Berlin?

Usually yes, especially outside Potsdam: towns like Cottbus and Frankfurt (Oder) have far lower rents than Berlin, where a 30 m² student flat costs about €725 a month (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Potsdam is the priciest city in the state.

Can I study in English in Brandenburg?

Yes — 31% of the 520 degree courses listed for Brandenburg on Where Is My Uni? are taught in English or bilingually.

What is the best university city in Brandenburg?

Potsdam is the largest, with the University of Potsdam, the Hasso Plattner Institute and the Film University Babelsberg; Cottbus suits engineering and energy students, and Frankfurt (Oder) suits law, business and cultural studies.

How do I get around Brandenburg as a student?

Regional trains run through the shared Berlin–Brandenburg VBB network, and the Deutschland-Semesterticket included at most universities covers them, plus local transport across Germany.

Every district in Brandenburg

A guide to each district and district-free city in Brandenburg: universities, housing, jobs, transport and weather.

Sources

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