My GUIDE - The gateway to your german university

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Historic buildings at a square in Hildesheim with a fountain in the foreground
©Waldteufel – stock.adobe.com

Studying in Hildesheim

Hildesheim offers you 5 degree programmes in English at 3 higher education institutions.

Also known as the City of Roses, Hildesheim welcomes you into an impressive world with its approximately 50,000 rose bushes. Take a trip to enchanted castles, stroll along the half-timbered houses in the city centre or enjoy nature in the city’s green parks and lakes. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the city is a hidden gem among students.

You will quickly find your way around Hildesheim - with its 100,000 inhabitants, the city is fairly compact. Its charming size also ensures that everything is within easy reach by bike or on foot, including the cafés, cinema, theatres, shops and, of course, the higher education institutions. There are three of them: the HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen has its headquarters and largest campus in Hildesheim with about 3,000 students. In addition, there is the University of Hildesheim with about 8,000 students and the North German School of Justice (Norddeutsche Hochschule für Rechtspflege) with about 400 students.

And if occasionally Hildesheim should feel too provincial or you want to get a taste of the big city, you can be in the state capital Hanover in half an hour. Plus, Hamburg and Berlin are only about two hours away via the ICE high-speed train. There, you’ll have more options if you want to go out in the evening, but in Hildesheim itself, you will also find what you are looking for: here you can enjoy good live music and there are also festivals. In addition to well-known events such as the M'era Luna Festival, which is especially popular with the darkwave and goth scene, there is also the newly founded Marktplatz Musik Festival with a diverse programme of jazz, blues, swing or pop & rock!

Life in Hildesheim

102,000 residents

  • High-speed train connections

    In close vicinity

  • International airport

    Hanover airport in 39 km distance

  • Coast

    North Sea in 190 km distance

  • Mountain range

    Lower Saxon Hills in 20 km distance

  • Other countries

    The Netherlands in 200 km distance

  • Attractions within 100 km

    • Hildesheim historical Christmas market in close vicinity

    • Lake Mariensee in 14 km distance

    • Lippoldshöhle cave in 24 km distance

    • Museum for contemporary art Schloss Derneburg in 14 km distance

3 higher education institutions in Hildesheim

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Subject groups of degree programmes in Hildesheim

There is a wide range of degree programmes in Hildesheim. Here you can see the main subject groups. Currently, degree programmes in Hildesheim are mainly offered in the subject group Teaching Degrees, followed by Language and Cultural Studies and Humanities and Social Sciences. Find out more information here about the subject groups and degree programmes offered in Germany.
  • 0

    Agricultural and Forest Sciences

  • 22

    Humanities and Social Sciences

  • 21

    Mathematics, Natural Sciences

  • 10

    Art, Music, Design

  • 26

    Language and Cultural Studies

  • 3

    Medicine, Health Sciences

  • 7

    Economic Sciences, Law

  • 11

    Engineering Sciences

  • 44

    Teaching Degrees

Colourful half-timbered houses in the Old Town in sunny weather
©Sina Ettmer – stock.adobe.com

In the old town, you’re surrounded by idyllic half-timbered houses and fragrant roses.

Roses simply belong here: in the courtyard of the Romanesque cathedral is the 1,000-year-old rose bush, the city's landmark.

Compared to many other student cities, the housing market here is relaxed. Take a look around, and no matter what you're searching for - whether it's a shared flat, a residence hall or a single flat - you're sure to find something where you can quickly feel at home. And at comparatively low rents, as well. The quickest way to get to know nice people is probably in a shared flat or a residence hall; together you can then enjoy the beautiful old town flair in one of the many cafés.

If you want to get a good overview of Hildesheim at the beginning of your stay here, start at the market square, the heart of the city. Observe a great panoramic view of the city and the whole region by climbing up the tower of St. Andreas Church. At 114.5 metres, it is the highest church tower in Lower Saxony. After climbing the stairs, take a breather in the nearby Magdalenengarten. In the middle of the city, there is an oasis of tranquillity: relax in nature between roses, old fruit trees and a small vineyard.

With fresh energy, you can then stroll through the picturesque Godehard quarter: in addition to historic half-timbered houses with climbing roses on the façades, you will also find the Romanesque cathedral and the monastery basilica of St. Michaelis. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and bear witness to the city's long history. Hildesheim was already known in the Middle Ages as a bishop's seat and a transport hub for trade routes.

And if you're still in the mood for exploring your new home, it's worth taking a detour to Nordstadt: the Nordstadt Wall Gallery project was launched in 2017. Numerous large-scale works of art were created on the façades of buildings, making the city a little more colourful.

Coming back to the market square, close by, the Citybeach provides a beach feeling every summer. With sand, palm trees, and deckchairs, it's a great place to meet friends, enjoy a delicious cocktail or an ice cream and simply escape from everyday routines.

A young woman walks through the city
A young woman walks through the cityJan von Allwörden / DAAD

You can find more information at study-in-germany.de

For more information on living and studying in Hildesheim, visit the city portraits at study-in-germany.de