Frequently asked questions
Are you not yet sure whether you want to study in Kiel or have you just moved here? You will find answers to the most important questions here.
- Because Kiel has outstanding universities.
- Because in Kiel the sea comes right up into the city and you can go to the beach just like that.
- Because a fresh breeze blows through Kiel and sustainability is written in capital letters here.
- Because there are good part-time jobs and interesting job opportunities here.
- Because you come across familiar faces out in the city or in the clubs just by chance.
- Because there are unusual shops, cafés and festivals.
- Because you can get involved.
- Because you can drink excellent coffee and not just at Kiel’s weekly markets.
- Because there are great sports opportunities here – to take part in or watch.
And...and...and... Kiel is simply special.
Convinced? Then we look forward to seeing you!
It would be better to ask what can I not study in Kiel? There are around 250 degree programmes on offer. Subject areas range from A for Agricultural Sciences, via D for Digital Business & Innovation and M for Marine Aquaculture through to Z for Zoology.
Kiel University alone offers more than 200 degree programmes. Kiel University of Applied Sciences provides nearly another 40 degree programmes, followed by five degree programmes run by the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design. Duale Hochschule Schleswig-Holstein (DHSH) rounds it all off with further three degree programmes.
Teacher training, studying in parallel to work, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, state examinations and doctoral degrees - it is all possible in Kiel.
There are numerous student halls of residence in Kiel. Ten are run by the student welfare organisation Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein, the others by various providers.
To find a room in shared accommodation or an apartment, you can check the university notice boards, have a look in the newspaper or visit relevant online portals. The student union (AStA) at Kiel University operates an online classified ads market, which includes a section on accommodation.
As it sometimes takes a little more time to find accommodation, especially at the start of the winter semester, the student union (AStA) at Kiel University also provides a form of emergency assistance through its project ErstiCouch (couch-surfing for freshers).
The Living for help (Wohnen für Hilfe) project creates accommodation by forming partnerships between students and families, the elderly and people with disabilities. Those willing to help around the house only pay a low rent.
More information on the subject of students accommodation in Kiel.
Not far. The sea is in the middle of the city. The Kiel Fjord draws right up to the Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) and splits the city into Westufer (west bank) and Ostufer (east bank). Nearly all of Kiel University’s institutes, the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design and the Duale Hochschule are located on Westufer. Kiel University of Applied Sciences and the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel are on Ostufer, both close to the water.
At designated points along both Ostufer and Westufer, it is possible to swim in the fjord or raise a glass to the large ferries heading off to Scandinavia.
If you are after more sea than this, you can travel out of the city a short way, for example, by steamboat. Falkensteiner Strand on Westufer or Laboe on Ostufer are popular destinations, also for tourists.
And if you are after yet more sea, you can travel out of the city a little further still. There are the wonderful steep cliffs to the west and fantastic beaches with very promising names like Kalifornien (California) and Brasilien (Brazil) to the east.
Make this holiday destination your home.
Kiel has a lot to offer. It has many cafés, restaurants and shops, Kieler Woche as its major annual event, innovative companies, the Landtag (regional parliament) as well as other political establishments.
There is a specific career portal for students in Schleswig-Holstein, which covers part-time jobs as well as work experience and permanent positions, primarily in Kiel and Lübeck, but also in other federal states.
There are also other search aids (see margin) and the student welfare organisation Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein provides information on what you need to consider as a student with a part-time job, e.g. regarding BAföG (Student Financial Assistance Programme) or insurance.
More information on the subject of part-time jobs / work experience
Register your new residence within two weeks of arrival at Kiel City Hall as required under the Federal Act on Registration (Bundesmeldegesetz). You can book an appointment online or turn up during open consultation hours. At the start of the winter semester you can also register at the Studiale, a Sparkasse bank branch on Westring. When you register your main residence in Kiel you will receive the EUR 100 welcome payment.
Once you have got the formalities out of the way, it is time to get your initial “feelings for Kiel”.
You can, for example, catch the steamboat from Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) to Falkensteiner Strand or watch the sunrise on the Kiellinie and sunset on Ostufer. And in-between you can visit the market on Exer(zierplatz) or on Blücher(platz) and relax with a cup of coffee.
Of course, before you do all this, you should check which orientation and induction courses are offered at your university and when they start. In the first week you will receive a lot of information on course structure and preparing your timetable. Kiel University has produced an Information flyer on the subject of preparing your timetable, which provides a good general overview.
More information on being new in Kiel
As soon as you have registered your main residence in Kiel and you have submitted an application (that is the administrative part).
More information and application form
Kiel may not have as many bars as Hamburg, but it has traditional pubs on both Westufer and Ostufer and there are always newcomers appearing on the Kiel pub scene.
Kiel has clubs, lots of great cafés, several cinemas and a diverse creative and cultural scene. There is a last minute deal that allows students to get cheap tickets for the theatre, ballet, orchestra and opera.
If you are after more in the way of nightlife, you can travel to Hamburg by semester ticket and then enjoy the sunrise over Kiel Fjord on your return.
