Skip to content
Where Is My Uni?
All guides

Study in Ilm-Kreis district

Ilm-Kreis is a Thuringian district combining university life in Ilmenau, historic Arnstadt and access to the Thuringian Forest.

Find a course in Ilm-KreisJump to key facts
Historic buildings on the northern side of Arnstadt’s market square
Photo: Dguendel (opens in a new tab), CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Ilm-Kreis is a rural district (Landkreis) in Thuringia with 106,657 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Technische Universität Ilmenau (Ilmenau). Summers average 17 °C and winters 0.8 °C, with about 658 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Ilm-Kreis district in numbers

Population

106,657Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

805.11 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

132Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Technische Universität Ilmenau

Typical student rent

€227–270 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published rent range across furnished shared-flat rooms and the single apartment at Max-Planck-Ring 10 (Haus E), checked November 2026; not a private-market average. The operator describes its residence rents as including water, electricity and heating for tenancies of at least one semester.

Average temperature

8.6 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,628 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Ilm-Kreis district

Ilm-Kreis stretches from the outskirts of Erfurt towards the Thuringian Forest and the Rennsteig. Its two main centres have different roles: Ilmenau is the university and research town, while Arnstadt is the district seat and an industrial centre (Ilm-Kreis (opens in a new tab)).

Local history reaches beyond engineering: Ilmenau explores Goethe’s work and its glassmaking and porcelain heritage at the GoetheStadtMuseum, while Arnstadt preserves places associated with Johann Sebastian Bach and his family (GoetheStadtMuseum (opens in a new tab), Bach-Festival (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Ilm-Kreis district, biggest first.

Technische Universität Ilmenau is the district’s university; the nearby alternatives in the supplied university list are in Erfurt. For TU students, living in Ilmenau is the practical starting point for access to university life. Commuting from Erfurt is possible, but the regular regional train takes approximately an hour between stations, before the journey to campus (Süd-Thüringen-Bahn timetable (opens in a new tab)). This setting is worth considering if you prefer a smaller university town and forest walks.

Find a course in Ilm-Kreis

Housing

TU Ilmenau describes local accommodation as relatively affordable compared with large cities, with housing available near campus. Treat that as general guidance rather than a guarantee of vacancies (TU Ilmenau (opens in a new tab)). Studierendenwerk rents include water, electricity and heating; published prices assume a tenancy of at least one semester (Studierendenwerk Thüringen (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

  • Apply to Studierendenwerk Thüringen for an Ilmenau residence. The local first-year guide recommends applying even when places appear full, because rooms can become available later (ErstiGuide (opens in a new tab)).
  • Search WG-Gesucht for shared flats; TU Ilmenau explicitly points students towards this alternative (TU Ilmenau (opens in a new tab)).
  • Check WBG Ilmenau and Ilmenauer Wohnungs- und Gebäudegesellschaft, both listed in the local student guide as housing providers (ErstiGuide (opens in a new tab)).
  • Before choosing accommodation outside Ilmenau, check the actual weekday and evening journey using the local bus operator’s connection planner (IKV (opens in a new tab)).

Student residences

Cost of living

Housing is the clearest potential saving compared with a large city, according to TU Ilmenau (university guide (opens in a new tab)). Haus E lists monthly rents of €227–270 and a €300 deposit (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)). For winter semester 2026/27, the Studierendenwerk lists €321.80 for TU Ilmenau’s Studierendenwerk contribution and Deutschlandsemesterticket combined; the student-representation contribution is additional, so this is not the complete university semester bill (contribution table (opens in a new tab)). The regular Deutschlandticket is currently listed at €63 per month, but eligible students already paying for the semester ticket should avoid buying duplicate coverage (IKV (opens in a new tab), student council (opens in a new tab)).

Jobs & employers

The district combines research and technology in Ilmenau with manufacturing around Arnstadt and Erfurter Kreuz (Ilm-Kreis (opens in a new tab)). Relevant student opportunities include research assistance, technical development and industrial internships. Fraunhofer IDMT and IMMS explicitly offer student pathways; availability depends on your skills and current projects (Fraunhofer IDMT (opens in a new tab), IMMS (opens in a new tab)).

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

IKV provides city buses in Ilmenau and Arnstadt and regional buses across the district (IKV (opens in a new tab)). The regular RB46 links Ilmenau, Plaue, Arnstadt and Erfurt: allow roughly an hour from Ilmenau to Erfurt Hbf and around 20–25 minutes from Arnstadt Hbf on this service. These are station-to-station timetable estimates; check construction changes and your final campus connection (Süd-Thüringen-Bahn (opens in a new tab)). TU Ilmenau’s Deutschlandsemesterticket covers participating local and regional transport, including buses and regional trains; ordinary ICE journeys are excluded (student council (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Erfurt-Weimar Airport

Reach it via Erfurt Hbf. The airport’s published public-transport instructions use tram 3 to Anger, then tram 4 towards Bindersleben to the terminal (airport directions (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Martinroda (7 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

0.8 °C

46 mm rain a month

2 h sun a day

Spring

8.1 °C

52 mm rain a month

5.3 h sun a day

Summer

17 °C

70 mm rain a month

6.9 h sun a day

Autumn

8.7 °C

51 mm rain a month

3.6 h sun a day

Expect cool winters with frequent frost, a gradual spring and generally mild summers rather than prolonged heat. Rain is possible throughout the year, so waterproof layers are useful for walking and cycling. Summer offers more scope for forest outings; in winter, plan around shorter daylight and potentially slippery paths. These seasonal descriptions follow the supplied nearby-station climate normals, not a weather forecast.

Culture, language & food

Ilmenau’s student social life includes campus clubs and international organisations such as we4you and ISWI. Expect a smaller, campus-focused scene rather than metropolitan nightlife (TU Ilmenau (opens in a new tab)).

Goethe is central to Ilmenau’s cultural identity, including his work on local mining and administration. Arnstadt’s musical heritage centres on Bach and the churches associated with his family (GoetheStadtMuseum (opens in a new tab), Bach-Festival (opens in a new tab)).

English is useful within the university community, and TU Ilmenau has a language centre offering German courses (TU Ilmenau (opens in a new tab)). Learning German is a sensible priority for independent daily life and a wider job search: the checked CATL internship explicitly requests good German and English (CATL (opens in a new tab)). As practical preparation, aim for conversational German and continue improving it; this is advice, not a universal admission or employment requirement.

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

  • Kickelhahn and Goethehäuschen

    Nature

    A forest walking destination above Ilmenau, with an observation tower and the Goethehäuschen nearby (Ilmenau visitor leaflet (opens in a new tab)).

  • GoetheStadtMuseum Ilmenau

    Museum

    The museum in the Amtshaus explores Goethe’s local official duties, mining and Ilmenau’s glass and porcelain history (museum (opens in a new tab)).

  • Bachkirche, Arnstadt

    Music heritage

    The church where Johann Sebastian Bach took his first organist position, and a central site in Arnstadt’s Bach heritage (Bach-Festival (opens in a new tab)).

Events

  • Ilmenau town centre and the surrounding landscape viewed from Lindenberg

    Ilmenau town centre and the surrounding landscape viewed from Lindenberg

  • The wooden Goethehäuschen on the Kickelhahn near Ilmenau

    The wooden Goethehäuschen on the Kickelhahn near Ilmenau

Student experiences

First-hand posts from students in Ilm-Kreis district, read by our team before they appear.

Loading experiences…

Share your experience

Our team reads every post before it appears. Please don't include contact details.

At least 40 characters. 0/2000

Studying in Ilm-Kreis district: FAQ

Is Ilm-Kreis a good place to live as a student?

Ilmenau is worth considering if you want a smaller university setting with campus clubs and international student organisations. TU Ilmenau identifies we4you and ISWI among its student networks (university guide (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Ilm-Kreis?

Yes. Technische Universität Ilmenau is in Ilmenau and is a central part of the district’s research and technology economy (Ilm-Kreis (opens in a new tab)).

How do I get from Ilmenau to Erfurt?

The RB46 provides a direct regional rail connection via Arnstadt. Allow approximately an hour between Ilmenau station and Erfurt Hbf, plus local travel at either end (Süd-Thüringen-Bahn timetable (opens in a new tab)).

How much does student accommodation cost in Ilmenau?

Studierendenwerk’s Haus E lists €227–270 per month across its accommodation types, checked November 2026. This is a residence-specific range, not an average for private flats or a guarantee of availability (Haus E (opens in a new tab)).

What student jobs can I find in Ilm-Kreis?

Verified options include research-assistant opportunities at Fraunhofer IDMT and technical student work at IMMS in Ilmenau. These are relevant particularly to students with suitable technical skills; check current openings and language requirements (Fraunhofer IDMT (opens in a new tab), IMMS (opens in a new tab)).

Does TU Ilmenau’s semester ticket cover travel to Erfurt?

Yes, its Deutschlandsemesterticket covers participating regional trains and local transport, including the regional journey to Erfurt. Ordinary ICE services are not included (student council (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

Ready to find your course in Ilm-Kreis district?

Open the map on Ilm-Kreis district: every university, every course, filtered by degree, subject, language and cost — free.

Find a course in Ilm-Kreis
Find a course in Ilm-Kreis