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Study in Harz district

Harz is a rural district in Saxony-Anhalt with university towns, historic streets and mountain landscapes.

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Quedlinburg market square with the town hall and St Benedikti church
Photo: Heigeheige (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Harz is a rural district (Landkreis) in Saxony-Anhalt with 205,484 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Hochschule Harz, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (FH) (Wernigerode). Summers average 18.2 °C and winters 2.1 °C, with about 535 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Harz district in numbers

Population

205,484Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

2,110.4 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

97Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Hochschule Harz, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (FH)

Typical student rent

€266 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Furnished single room with shared kitchen and corridor bathroom in Wohnheim 4, Wernigerode; includes utilities, internet and TV. Operator’s tariff effective 1 February 2026, checked November 2026. This is a dorm price, not a district average.

Average temperature

9.9 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,683 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Harz district

Harz district stretches from the Brocken and the northeastern Harz mountains into the northern foothills of western Saxony-Anhalt. Halberstadt is its administrative centre; Wernigerode and Quedlinburg are other important towns. The district covers only part of the wider Harz region. (District background (opens in a new tab))

Its attractions range from Quedlinburg’s UNESCO-listed old town to Wernigerode Castle and the Bodetal around Thale. For students, this means historic town centres and outdoor excursions alongside university life in Wernigerode and Halberstadt. (UNESCO (opens in a new tab), Wernigerode Castle (opens in a new tab), Bodetal tourism (opens in a new tab), University locations (opens in a new tab))

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Harz district, biggest first.

Hochschule Harz has campuses in Wernigerode and Halberstadt, so choose housing around your department: business, automation and computer science are in Wernigerode, while public administration is in Halberstadt. (University locations (opens in a new tab)) A train connection between the towns makes commuting possible, but allow additional time between each station and campus. (Regional rail connections (opens in a new tab)) This is worth considering if you enjoy smaller-town living, student societies and outdoor weekends; the university lists music, theatre and event-organising groups as ways to meet people. (Student initiatives (opens in a new tab))

  • Hochschule Harz, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (FH)

    University of applied sciences · Wernigerode · 31 courses

    Website (opens in a new tab)
Find a course in Harz

Housing

Wernigerode has dedicated student residences, including campus accommodation. The university also lists private housing providers in both campus towns; published options alone do not establish how easy it is to secure a room. (University housing guide (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 concrete accommodation benchmark is €266 monthly for a furnished room in Wernigerode’s Wohnheim 4, including utilities and internet. (Studentenwerk (opens in a new tab)) If you need regional trains, budget separately from the university’s local semester ticket, which excludes rail services. (University transport guidance (opens in a new tab)) The regular Deutschlandticket costs €63 monthly in 2026; the announced price from January 2027 is €66.80. (Federal government (opens in a new tab)) These provide useful starting points for a budget, but no verified like-for-like comparison with a major city supports a general savings claim.

Jobs & employers

Healthcare, metal production and hospitality provide different routes into local work. Harzklinikum operates hospitals in Wernigerode, Quedlinburg and Blankenburg, while Ilsenburger Grobblech and TRIMET represent industrial employers. (Harzklinikum (opens in a new tab), Ilsenburger Grobblech (opens in a new tab), TRIMET (opens in a new tab)) For work alongside study, Wernigerode’s Altwernigeröder Apparthotel explicitly welcomes student applicants, and Harzklinikum’s careers portal includes working-student opportunities. Check the hours and qualifications of each opening. (Hotel careers (opens in a new tab), Hospital careers portal (opens in a new tab))

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Harzer Verkehrsbetriebe runs regional buses across the Wernigerode, Halberstadt and Quedlinburg areas. Check the timetable for the particular village or neighbourhood before choosing housing. (HVB timetables (opens in a new tab)) Regional trains connect Wernigerode with Halberstadt, Magdeburg, Goslar and Halle; changing at Halberstadt connects with the Quedlinburg–Thale route. (Rail connections (opens in a new tab)) Published timetable examples put Halberstadt–Wernigerode at roughly 15–20 minutes and Wernigerode–Halle at about 1½ hours, excluding onward local travel; check your departure for engineering changes. (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)) Hochschule Harz’s semester ticket covers specified HVB/HVG buses and Halberstadt trams, but not trains. (University guidance (opens in a new tab)) A separate Deutschlandticket covers ordinary local and regional public transport; on the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen, the Drei Annen Hohne–Brocken section is excluded. (HSB ticket conditions (opens in a new tab))

Main stations
Nearest airport

Hannover Airport (HAJ) and Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ)

These are the district’s nearby international airport options; the better choice depends on your town and flight. (District transport background (opens in a new tab)) Hannover Airport connects to Hannover Hbf by the S5, taking about 18 minutes; allow additional time for the journey from the Harz. (Airport directions (opens in a new tab))

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Quedlinburg (12 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.1 °C

39 mm rain a month

2.1 h sun a day

Spring

9.4 °C

44 mm rain a month

5.7 h sun a day

Summer

18.2 °C

55 mm rain a month

7 h sun a day

Autumn

10.1 °C

40 mm rain a month

3.6 h sun a day

Expect cool winters with short daylight hours, a gradually warming spring, generally mild summers and cooler autumn days. The supplied climate reference represents lower-lying Quedlinburg, so do not treat it as a forecast for every mountain outing. For the student calendar, late-April Walpurgis celebrations and Quedlinburg’s Advent weekends offer seasonal excursions. (Schierke events (opens in a new tab), Quedlinburg Advent (opens in a new tab))

Culture, language & food

Witch folklore has a visible place in local celebrations: Schierke’s Walpurgis festival combines costumes, music and a medieval-themed market around the end of April. Quedlinburg’s Advent celebrations open historic courtyards for seasonal stalls. (Walpurgis in Schierke (opens in a new tab), Advent in den Höfen (opens in a new tab))

For student social life, start with campus groups. Hochschule Harz lists theatre activities, music societies, DJ workshops and student-organised parties. These are concrete ways to build a social circle; the verified sources do not support describing the district as a major clubbing destination. (Student initiatives (opens in a new tab))

English can support an exchange semester if you select English-taught courses, but do not assume it will cover every housing or workplace interaction. Hochschule Harz specifies B2 English for its English-taught exchange courses and at least B2 German for German-taught exchange courses, with C1 preferred. It also offers incoming students German-language courses. These are exchange-study requirements; degree applicants should check their programme separately. For everyday life, building conversational German is a sensible priority. (Exchange course guidance (opens in a new tab))

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • Panoramic view across Wernigerode from the castle

    Panoramic view across Wernigerode from the castle

  • View into the wooded Bodetal from its northern side

    View into the wooded Bodetal from its northern side

Student experiences

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Studying in Harz district: FAQ

Is Harz a good place to live as a student?

Harz is worth considering if you want a university based in smaller towns and access to outdoor activities. Hochschule Harz has student societies and organised parties, while the Bodetal offers walking excursions. (Student initiatives (opens in a new tab), Bodetal (opens in a new tab))

Is there a university in Harz district?

Yes. Hochschule Harz has business, automation and computer science departments in Wernigerode and a public administration department in Halberstadt. (City of Halberstadt (opens in a new tab))

Where should I live when studying at Hochschule Harz?

Start with the town where your department teaches: Wernigerode or Halberstadt. The university lists housing providers for both locations, so check your campus before signing a tenancy. (University locations (opens in a new tab), Housing guidance (opens in a new tab))

Is student accommodation in Harz expensive?

One verified option is a furnished room in Wernigerode’s Wohnheim 4 at €266 monthly, including utilities, internet and TV, under the tariff effective February 2026. This is a residence price rather than a private-market average. (Studentenwerk (opens in a new tab))

Does Hochschule Harz’s semester ticket include trains?

No. The university describes coverage for specified HVB/HVG buses and Halberstadt trams, while excluding train connections; regional rail commuting therefore needs a separate valid ticket. (University transport guidance (opens in a new tab))

What jobs can students find in Harz?

Local examples include hotel service, kitchen assistance, housekeeping and reception work; Wernigerode’s Altwernigeröder Apparthotel explicitly welcomes student applicants. Harzklinikum also advertises working-student roles through its careers portal, with availability changing over time. (Hotel careers (opens in a new tab), Harzklinikum jobs (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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