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Study in Havelland district

Havelland is a Brandenburg district west of Berlin, with commuter towns, riverside countryside and a theology campus in Elstal.

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The Havel in Rathenow, viewed from Weinbergbrücke
Photo: Lukas Beck (opens in a new tab), CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Havelland is a rural district (Landkreis) in Brandenburg with 170,834 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Theologische Hochschule Elstal (Wustermark). Summers average 18.4 °C and winters 1.6 °C, with about 561 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Havelland district in numbers

Population

170,834Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

1,727.31 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

99Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

1Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Theologische Hochschule Elstal

Typical student rent

€200–270 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

A room in shared campus accommodation at Elstal, including ancillary costs, according to TH Elstal’s May 2025 cost sheet. This is a campus-specific published range, not a district-wide market average; confirm the current offer before budgeting.

Average temperature

9.8 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,698 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Havelland district

Havelland stretches west from Berlin into Brandenburg. Rathenow is the district’s administrative centre; Falkensee, Nauen and Wustermark are other useful starting points when choosing where to live (district overview (opens in a new tab)). Falkensee has a largely residential, garden-town character near Berlin-Spandau (City of Falkensee (opens in a new tab)).

The district combines industry with countryside: Rathenow remains an optical manufacturing centre, while Wustermark has substantial logistics activity (Brandenburg economic development agency (opens in a new tab)). Its cultural landmarks include Ribbeck, associated with Theodor Fontane’s poem about a generous landowner and his pear tree (Havelland tourism (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Havelland district, biggest first.

Theologische Hochschule Elstal provides a local option for theology study, with campus accommodation available through Bildungszentrum Elstal (TH Elstal housing information (opens in a new tab)). For universities in Potsdam, Brandenburg an der Havel or Neuruppin, choose your address around the actual campus journey. Havelland is worth considering if you prefer access to countryside and are comfortable planning transport. Check connections before signing a lease: current railway works affect journeys through Rathenow, Wustermark and Elstal (VBB construction information (opens in a new tab)).

Find a course in Havelland

Housing

Start early rather than assuming that a rural district guarantees available housing. Elstal’s student accommodation has limited capacity and no automatic entitlement to a room (housing allocation rules (opens in a new tab)). In Rathenow, RWG’s website showed no vacant apartments when checked in November 2026, but accepted housing enquiries for its waiting list; that is one landlord’s position, not a district-wide vacancy measure (RWG Rathenow (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

TH Elstal’s May 2025 cost sheet lists a €360 full-time semester fee and a €4.60 cafeteria main course; these are dated planning figures, so request updated charges before enrolling (TH Elstal costs (opens in a new tab)). The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in November 2026; check whether your university already provides a semester ticket before buying a separate subscription (VBB (opens in a new tab)). Compare accommodation and transport together: the evidence does not establish a reliable district-wide saving against Berlin.

Jobs & employers

Logistics, optical manufacturing and medical technology are important local sectors, with logistics activity around Wustermark and specialist manufacturing in Rathenow (Brandenburg economic development agency (opens in a new tab)). For work alongside study, Designer Outlet Berlin’s shared recruitment page includes student assistants and part-time retail positions in Wustermark (outlet vacancies (opens in a new tab)). Manufacturing companies are also worth approaching for subject-related opportunities, but their presence does not guarantee student vacancies.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Havelbus connects the district’s towns and villages; check individual routes for the journey from your home to the station (Havelbus (opens in a new tab)). In the timetable valid from 2 October to 12 December 2026, direct Falkensee–Berlin Hbf journeys take roughly 20–40 minutes, depending on the service (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)). From Priort, RB21 takes about 10 minutes to Golm and usually 23 minutes to Potsdam Hbf in that same period (DB RB21 timetable (opens in a new tab)). Normally RE4 connects Rathenow and Wustermark with Berlin, but the route through Elstal is affected by replacement buses during the current closure; check your travel date rather than relying on the normal route map (VBB RE4 (opens in a new tab), construction arrangements (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers local and regional transport, with long-distance trains generally excluded (VBB ticket information (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER)

The practical international airport for the district. Depending on your starting town, connect through Berlin for the Airport Express or through Golm/Potsdam for RB22; check construction changes for your date (VBB airport connections (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

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

Winter

1.6 °C

41 mm rain a month

1.8 h sun a day

Spring

9.4 °C

38 mm rain a month

5.9 h sun a day

Summer

18.4 °C

63 mm rain a month

7.4 h sun a day

Autumn

9.8 °C

45 mm rain a month

3.7 h sun a day

Expect cold, often grey winters, a gradually brighter spring and warm summers with occasional hot days. Keep waterproof layers handy throughout the year. Spring and autumn are good seasons to plan walks, while summer gives more daylight for outings after class. In the Döberitzer Heide, winter landscape maintenance can temporarily close individual paths, so check access notices before setting out (Heinz Sielmann Foundation (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Local identity has several strands: Fontane’s literary legacy in Ribbeck, fishing history in Ketzin and agricultural traditions celebrated at the Havelländer Erntefest (Ribbeck (opens in a new tab), Ketzin (opens in a new tab), district harvest festival (opens in a new tab)). Build your social plans around local events and your campus community. If frequent club nights matter to you, check the late journey home from Berlin before choosing an address.

Plan to use German for housing enquiries and everyday administration rather than relying on English alone. For TH Elstal, this is also an academic requirement: its international-applicant information states that teaching and written work are in German and specifies DSH-2 or C1 proficiency (TH Elstal international applicants (opens in a new tab)). Standard German is the sensible learning priority.

Local food

  • Ribbeck pear cake

    Pear cake is a locally grounded choice in the village associated with Fontane’s pear-tree poem; Alte Brennerei Ribbeck lists Birnentorte at its café (Alte Brennerei (opens in a new tab)).

  • Westhavelland honey

    A local product rather than a district-exclusive dish: the tourism board lists honey from Honigschmiede Görne in Kleßen-Görne (regional food guide (opens in a new tab)).

Places & events

Places to see

  • Ribbeck village and Schloss Ribbeck

    Literature and museum

    Visit the village associated with Fontane’s pear-tree poem, its replacement pear tree and the Fontane museum in the manor house (Havelland tourism (opens in a new tab)).

  • Döberitzer Heide

    Nature

    Explore the public walking routes and nature experience centre near Elstal. The foundation manages the landscape with conservation grazing and asks visitors to stay on permitted routes (Heinz Sielmann Foundation (opens in a new tab)).

  • Gülpe stargazing area

    Dark skies

    Gülpe has an official observing site within Sternenpark Westhavelland. Use designated locations and respect the surrounding protected habitats (Sternenpark observing sites (opens in a new tab)).

  • Nauen old town

    Old town

    A compact architectural outing taking in half-timbered houses, the town hall and the streets around St Jacobi church (City of Nauen (opens in a new tab)).

Events

  • Schloss Ribbeck in the Nauen district of Ribbeck

    Schloss Ribbeck in the Nauen district of Ribbeck

  • Evening light over the Havel near Gülpe

    Evening light over the Havel near Gülpe

Student experiences

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Studying in Havelland district: FAQ

Is Havelland a good place to live as a student?

It is worth considering if you value countryside access and can make your campus journey work. Elstal has student accommodation, but commuters should check current rail disruptions before choosing a home (Elstal housing (opens in a new tab), VBB travel changes (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Havelland?

Yes. Theologische Hochschule Elstal is located in Elstal, part of Wustermark, and specialises in theological study (TH Elstal (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Havelland to the University of Potsdam area?

The best route depends on your town and campus. In the timetable valid from 2 October to 12 December 2026, RB21 runs from Priort to Golm in about 10 minutes and usually reaches Potsdam Hbf in 23 minutes; add your journey to Priort and onward campus travel (DB RB21 timetable (opens in a new tab)).

Is Havelland expensive for students?

There is no single reliable student budget for the whole district. TH Elstal published campus shared-room rents of €200–270 per month including ancillary costs in May 2025, but that range does not describe private rentals elsewhere (TH Elstal costs (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Havelland?

Retail is a concrete starting point: Designer Outlet Berlin in Wustermark lists student assistant, part-time and minijob opportunities, including sales and stock-related duties. Check current vacancies and working hours with each shop (outlet recruitment (opens in a new tab)).

Can I study at TH Elstal in English?

Its international-applicant information states that lectures, seminars and written assignments are in German. It specifies German proficiency at DSH-2 or C1 level (TH Elstal (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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