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Study in Barnim district

Barnim is a district of towns, forests and lakes northeast of Berlin. Barnim

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Eberswalde town hall
Photo: Ansgar Koreng (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 de (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Barnim is a rural district (Landkreis) in Brandenburg with 194,169 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 2 universities: Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (Eberswalde), Hochschule für Gesundheitsfachberufe Eberswalde (Eberswalde). Summers average 18.4 °C and winters 1.3 °C, with about 590 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Barnim district in numbers

Population

194,169Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,479.58 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

131Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

2Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde and Hochschule für Gesundheitsfachberufe Eberswalde

Typical student rent

€205–350 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published rent range for accommodation in the Brandenburgisches Viertel student residence, including utilities and electricity; room and apartment types vary. Undated official listing, checked November 2026. Studierendenwerk

Average temperature

9.6 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,748 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Barnim district

Barnim lies in Brandenburg, adjoining Berlin to the south and reaching the Polish border in the east. Eberswalde is the district seat; Bernau bei Berlin is its other main urban centre. District overview (opens in a new tab)

The district combines woodland and lakes with working towns. Around Eberswalde, the university highlights forests, lakes and the Finow Canal as part of everyday life; crane manufacturing remains an active local industry. HNEE living guide (opens in a new tab) Ardelt (opens in a new tab)

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Barnim district, biggest first.

Eberswalde is the district's university town, with Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE) and Hochschule für Gesundheitsfachberufe Eberswalde. For HNEE students, living in town makes practical sense: its campuses are accessible by bicycle or bus. HNEE living guide (opens in a new tab) Commuting from Berlin is feasible, with published regional-train journeys between Berlin Hbf and Eberswalde Hbf taking about 40 minutes, before travel to your home and campus. Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab) Consider Barnim if you want local student connections and access to countryside, while keeping Berlin within reach.

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Housing

Start early: HNEE describes finding accommodation in Eberswalde as potentially challenging. Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg separately warns that demand across its residences substantially exceeds supply and that applying does not guarantee a room. Search for private accommodation alongside your residence application. HNEE international guidance (opens in a new tab) Studierendenwerk housing guidance (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 residence room can keep your housing budget modest: Brandenburgisches Viertel lists monthly rents of €205–350 including utilities and electricity, checked November 2026. Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab) HNEE lists a standard semester contribution of €393.80 for winter semester 2026/27, including the Deutschlandsemesterticket; programme-specific exceptions and additional costs apply. HNEE student financing (opens in a new tab) Without a semester ticket, the regular Deutschlandticket currently costs €63 monthly. VBB (opens in a new tab) These are useful budget anchors, but they do not establish a district-wide saving over Berlin.

Jobs & employers

Verified local employment spans healthcare at GLG, crane manufacturing at Ardelt and university work at HNEE. These offer different routes into employment: healthcare posts commonly specify professional qualifications, while Ardelt also advertises working-student work. GLG careers (opens in a new tab) Ardelt careers (opens in a new tab) HNEE careers (opens in a new tab) HNEE's student job portal covers side jobs, internships and graduate opportunities; check each position's location and conditions. HNEE job portal (opens in a new tab)

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Eberswalde has local buses, including its distinctive trolleybuses, and HNEE describes its campuses as accessible by bicycle or bus. Barnim district (opens in a new tab) HNEE (opens in a new tab) The RE3 connects Eberswalde with Berlin; allow roughly 40 minutes between Eberswalde Hbf and Berlin Hbf on regional services, plus local travel. VBB RE3 (opens in a new tab) Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab) The Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local and regional public transport in second class, including these regional trains, but not ICE services. Check your specific journey for engineering works and evening connections. VBB ticket validity (opens in a new tab)

Main stations
Nearest airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

The practical airport for scheduled flights: RB24 connects Eberswalde and Bernau directly with the station beneath Terminal 1. Check the current timetable before travelling. BER public transport (opens in a new tab)

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Melchow-Schönholz (6 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

1.3 °C

44 mm rain a month

1.8 h sun a day

Spring

9.2 °C

42 mm rain a month

6 h sun a day

Summer

18.4 °C

66 mm rain a month

7.5 h sun a day

Autumn

9.6 °C

44 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cold, often grey winters with frosty periods, followed by brighter spring days and generally mild-to-warm summers with occasional hot spells. Bring a waterproof layer as well as winter clothing: summer is not reliably dry. For the student calendar, summer brings outdoor concerts at Chorin, while autumn and winter suit indoor social activities at the Eberswalde student club. Choriner Musiksommer (opens in a new tab) Studentenclub (opens in a new tab)

Culture, language & food

For student evenings, start with Studentenclub Eberswalde in the town centre: its programme includes concerts, karaoke, quizzes and poetry slams. This is a useful picture of the local social scene—small venues and organised events. Brandenburg Tourism (opens in a new tab) Eberswalde also supports independent cultural projects such as Jazz in E., Guten Morgen Eberswalde and the Provinziale film festival. City cultural programme (opens in a new tab)

Local traditions differ between towns. Bernau's Hussitenfest brings historical costumes, markets and a procession into the streets, while Chorin's summer concert series uses the former monastery as its setting. Bernau Hussitenfest (opens in a new tab) Choriner Musiksommer (opens in a new tab)

HNEE provides information for international students in English and a Welcome Team that can help with German-language paperwork during arrival. Do not assume every everyday interaction will be available in English. HNEE international guidance (opens in a new tab) As a practical learning goal, aim towards B1–B2 German for greater independence and a wider job search; this is not a programme admission requirement. HNEE's language centre lists German courses from A1 through B2. HNEE language centre (opens in a new tab)

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Chorin Abbey across the Amtssee

    Chorin Abbey across the Amtssee

  • A pier on the Werbellinsee

    A pier on the Werbellinsee

  • The Steintor and Hungerturm in Bernau bei Berlin

    The Steintor and Hungerturm in Bernau bei Berlin

Student experiences

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Studying in Barnim district: FAQ

Is Barnim a good place to live as a student?

Barnim is worth considering if you want to study in Eberswalde and have forests and lakes nearby. HNEE describes its campuses as accessible by bicycle or bus, making Eberswalde a practical starting point for a housing search. HNEE living guide (opens in a new tab)

Is there a university in Barnim?

Yes. Eberswalde is home to Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde (HNEE) and Hochschule für Gesundheitsfachberufe Eberswalde.

Can I commute between Berlin and Eberswalde for university?

Yes. Deutsche Bahn lists direct regional journeys between Berlin Hbf and Eberswalde Hbf taking about 40 minutes. Add travel between the stations, your accommodation and your campus when assessing the daily commute. Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)

How much does student accommodation in Eberswalde cost?

Studierendenwerk lists €205–350 monthly, including utilities and electricity, at Brandenburgisches Viertel, checked November 2026. This is a residence-specific range, not the average private-market rent in Barnim. Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)

What student jobs can I find in Barnim?

Examples include working-student business analysis at Ardelt and university mini-jobs advertised through HNEE. Food-counter and kitchen work also appears on Brodowin's local recruitment page; check hours and requirements with the employer. Ardelt (opens in a new tab) HNEE (opens in a new tab) Brodowin (opens in a new tab)

Can I get from BER airport to Barnim without a car?

Yes. RB24 connects BER airport directly with Bernau and Eberswalde, and the airport railway station is beneath Terminal 1. Check current departures and engineering works before travelling. BER airport (opens in a new tab)

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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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