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Study in Krefeld

Krefeld is a Lower Rhine university city with textile heritage, industrial employers, student housing and connections to Düsseldorf.

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Aerial view of Burg Linn and its surroundings from the southwest
Photo: Carsten Steger (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Krefeld is a district-free city in North Rhine-Westphalia with 231,406 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Hochschule Niederrhein (Krefeld). Summers average 18.5 °C and winters 3.9 °C, with about 752 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Krefeld in numbers

Population

231,406Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

137.78 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

1,680Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Hochschule Niederrhein

Typical student rent

€315–365 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published monthly rent for a single apartment at Vennfelder Straße 10, as listed on the undated Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf housing overview; checked November 2026. This is a residence price, not a citywide average.

Average temperature

11 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,600 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Krefeld

Krefeld lies on the Lower Rhine, northwest of Düsseldorf. Its city centre sits inland, while Uerdingen brings the city to the Rhine waterfront. Its historic silk and velvet industry remains central to its identity (Krefeld background (opens in a new tab)).

The city combines an urban centre with distinct neighbourhoods: Uerdingen has a historic centre and industrial riverside, while Linn has old streets around its castle. Textile wealth also left an architectural legacy, including the houses that Mies van der Rohe designed for silk industrialists, now contemporary-art museums (city visitor guide (opens in a new tab), Kunstmuseen Krefeld (opens in a new tab)).

Neighbourhoods

Universities here

Universities in Krefeld, biggest first.

Hochschule Niederrhein has campuses in Krefeld Süd and Krefeld West, as well as Mönchengladbach: confirm your programme’s actual teaching location before choosing housing (HSNR campus locations (opens in a new tab)). Düsseldorf is a realistic commuting option, but station-to-station journeys are only part of the trip; DB lists direct Düsseldorf Hbf–Krefeld Hbf journeys from approximately 26 minutes (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). Krefeld is worth considering if you want access to applied study, local industry and cultural activities without making a daily intercity commute essential.

Find a course in Krefeld

Housing

Do not assume that low-priced student housing is readily available. Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf currently marks every room type at Vennfelder Straße with a waiting-time category of more than nine months. Search for private accommodation alongside a residence application (Studierendenwerk housing overview (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

HSNR publishes a standard semester contribution of €371.30 for winter semester 2026/27, including the Deutschlandsemesterticket; some study categories have different ticket eligibility (HSNR student services (opens in a new tab)). If you are not covered by a semester ticket, the regular Deutschlandticket is currently €63 per month (VRR (opens in a new tab)). Students also receive reduced canteen prices, and HSNR advertises free access to regular performances at Theater Krefeld und Mönchengladbach through its AStA partnership (HSNR student benefits (opens in a new tab)). Budget from an actual housing offer rather than assuming a fixed saving over Düsseldorf.

Jobs & employers

Rail manufacturing, chemical production and municipal services provide concrete starting points for a subject-related job search: Siemens Mobility manufactures trains in Krefeld, Covestro produces materials in Uerdingen, and SWK advertises student employment and internships locally. These employers suggest relevant sectors to explore, but do not guarantee an opening in your subject (Siemens Mobility (opens in a new tab), Covestro (opens in a new tab), SWK student careers (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

SWK’s bus and tram network serves Krefeld, and the U76 connects the city with Düsseldorf via Meerbusch (SWK network map (opens in a new tab)). DB lists direct Düsseldorf Hbf–Krefeld Hbf trains from about 26 minutes; allow additional time for local connections and check your travel date (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers local buses, trams, Stadtbahn and second-class regional trains, but generally excludes IC, EC and ICE services (VRR (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)

For a public-transport journey, plan a connection via Düsseldorf: the S11 serves Flughafen Terminal from Düsseldorf Hbf. Alternatively, Düsseldorf Flughafen station connects to the terminal by SkyTrain, with replacement buses during maintenance (airport transport information (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station St. Tönis (5 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

3.9 °C

64 mm rain a month

1.9 h sun a day

Spring

10.6 °C

52 mm rain a month

5.5 h sun a day

Summer

18.5 °C

71 mm rain a month

6.7 h sun a day

Autumn

11.1 °C

63 mm rain a month

3.4 h sun a day

Expect relatively mild winters, brighter spring days and generally moderate summers with occasional hot spells. Rain is a year-round consideration, so a waterproof layer is useful for campus journeys. Spring brings the city-centre pottery market and the Whitsun craft market at Burg Linn; in the darker months, museums and university cultural activities offer indoor options (city market (opens in a new tab), Flachsmarkt (opens in a new tab), HSNR activities (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

Textile history and modern art sit closely together here: Haus Lange and Haus Esters were commissioned by silk industrialists and now host contemporary exhibitions. Carnival is another part of local identity, with distinct celebrations in the centre, Uerdingen and Hüls (Kunstmuseen Krefeld (opens in a new tab), official city guide (opens in a new tab)).

There are local nights out: Schlachthof runs party series and concerts. For student life, a useful approach is to follow venue calendars and university activities rather than expect every neighbourhood to have a late-night scene (Schlachthof programme (opens in a new tab), HSNR student activities (opens in a new tab)).

Use English-language university support where available, but plan to learn German for everyday independence and a wider job search. As a practical target rather than an admission rule, B1–B2 German should make housing discussions and workplace communication easier; check your programme’s actual language requirements separately. HSNR offers German-language learning opportunities for incoming students (HSNR incoming students (opens in a new tab)). The traditional local dialect is called Krieewelsch, preserved by local language enthusiasts (Krieewelsch (opens in a new tab)).

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Haus Lange in Krefeld viewed from the street

    Haus Lange in Krefeld viewed from the street

  • Rhine-side scene in Krefeld-Uerdingen

    Rhine-side scene in Krefeld-Uerdingen

Student experiences

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Studying in Krefeld: FAQ

Is Krefeld a good place to live as an international student?

Krefeld is worth considering if your programme is based at Hochschule Niederrhein’s Krefeld campuses. The university offers a buddy programme for international arrivals, while its campuses also extend to Mönchengladbach, so check your teaching location before renting (HSNR incoming support (opens in a new tab), campus locations (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Krefeld?

Yes. Hochschule Niederrhein, a university of applied sciences, has Campus Krefeld Süd and Campus Krefeld West, alongside its Mönchengladbach location (HSNR campus information (opens in a new tab)).

Can I commute between Krefeld and Düsseldorf?

Yes. Deutsche Bahn lists direct trains from Düsseldorf Hbf to Krefeld Hbf taking as little as approximately 26 minutes. Add the journey between your home, the station and your actual university campus (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)).

How much does student accommodation cost in Krefeld?

Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf currently lists single apartments at Vennfelder Straße 10 for €315–365 per month. This is a specific residence price checked in November 2026, not an average private-market rent (official housing table (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Krefeld?

Verified examples include working-student roles in electricity-network projects and ticket inspection at SWK-group employers, plus assisted-living support for relevant social-science students at SKM Krefeld. Check current requirements and vacancies on their careers pages (SWK (opens in a new tab), SKM Krefeld (opens in a new tab)).

Does Hochschule Niederrhein’s semester contribution include public transport?

The standard winter 2026/27 contribution includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket, although some study categories are excluded. It covers local and regional public transport; ordinary IC, EC and ICE journeys are excluded (HSNR student services (opens in a new tab), VRR ticket coverage (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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