Studying in Kiel
Welcome to Kiel, the northernmost state capital and the only city in Schleswig-Holstein with a full university! Four universities and numerous other scientific institutions offer the full spectrum of study and research opportunities.
For a good start to your studies
The first steps - Registration
Have you moved within Germany and you hold a German passport?
Then please make an appointment at the residents’ registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) using the following link:
Appointment at the residents’ registration office
Have you moved to Kiel from another country?
Then please contact the International Office at your university. From there, you can make an appointment at the residents’ registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt). At the start of the winter semester, the registration office offers appointments especially for international students under the title "Studiale". This is followed by an appointment at the immigration department (Zuwanderungsabteilung).
Please arrange this by sending an e-mail to zuwanderung@kiel.de. Please provide your surname, first names, date of birth and the reason for your appointment request in the e-mail.
You need the following documents for the initial appointment with the immigration office:
- Registration in Kiel
- Proof of current health insurance
- Proof of funds for subsistence (proof of a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a declaration of commitment)
- Current certificate of student status from the university
- Passport
Please ensure that you bring the above-mentioned documents to the appointment.
You need the following documents for the extension:
- Proof of current health insurance
- Proof of funds for subsistence (proof of a blocked account (Sperrkonto) or a declaration of commitment)
- Current certificate of student status from the university
- Passport
Please ensure that you bring the above-mentioned documents to the appointment.
Frequently asked questions
Are you still unsure whether you really want to study in Kiel? Or have you just moved here? Here you will get some tips and help with decision-making.
Students, scientists, brilliant and creative individuals don’t only come to the north for the excellent study options and job opportunities. They also come because this is a wonderful place to live.
FIETE MAGAZINE FOR STUDENTS IN KIEL (German)
- 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 there are unusual shops, cafés and festivals.
- Because you can drink excellent coffee - not just at Kiel’s weekly markets.
- Because there are great sports opportunities here – to take part in or watch.
- Because Kiel combines dynamism with the peace and quiet of northern Germany.
Teacher training, studying in parallel to work, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, state examinations and doctoral degrees - there are all possible in Kiel.
Subject areas range from A for Agricultural Sciences to D for Digital Business & Innovation and M for Marine Aquaculture, right through to Z for Zoology.
Kiel University (CAU) alone offers 190 degree programmes. Kiel University of Applied Sciences (FH Kiel) offers many additional degree programmes, and there are further degree programmes run by the Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design. The Dual University of Applied Sciences (DHSH) rounds it all off with its own degree programmes.
There are numerous student residences in Kiel. 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 AStA (student committee) at Kiel University (CAU) 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 AStA at Kiel University also provides a form of emergency assistance through its "ErstiCouch" project (couch surfing for freshmen). The "Wohnen für Hilfe" ("Living for Help") 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.
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 Dual University of Applied Sciences (DHSH) are located on Westufer. Kiel University of Applied Sciences (FH Kiel) 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. Falckensteiner Strand on Westufer or Laboe on Ostufer are popular destinations.
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.
There is a career portal specifically for students in Schleswig-Holstein. It includes offers for part-time jobs as well as for internships and permanent positions - especially in the cities of Kiel and Lübeck, but there are also offers from other federal states.
The Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein (student union) provides information on what you need to consider as a student with a part-time job, for example regarding BAföG (Student Financial Assistance Programme) or insurance.
More information on the subject of part-time jobs / internships
Register your new residence within two weeks of arrival at Kiel City Hall. To do so, you can book an appointment online or turn up during open consultation hours. When you register your main residence in Kiel you will receive the €100 welcome payment.
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.
Sobald Du Dich mit Deinem Hauptwohnsitz in Kiel angemeldet und einen Antrag gestellt hast.
Kiel has clubs, lots of great cafés, several cinemas and a diverse creative and cultural scene. 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.
Through the 8Night (tickets for €8) initiative, students can 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.
New in Kiel?
Kiel is a coastal city and the only federal state capital (Landeshauptstadt) right by the sea. Kiel lives off the sea and lives with the sea and has done so for nearly 800 years.
The first few days in a new city, in a new chapter of your life, are exciting. How do I register? What does my timetable look like? Where can I get good coffee?
Universities offer orientation courses when students start their studies. This is where you find out how your timetable is put together and how your degree programme is organised. You must register your residence in Kiel within two weeks of arrival. This is possible in the City Hall (Rathaus). You can book an appointment online or pop in spontaneously during open consultation hours. Anyone registering their main residence in Kiel receives €100 as a welcome payment upon application.
Citizen participation is a big thing in Kiel, for example through the Zukunftsdialog Kiel 2042 (dialogue about the future in Kiel 2042). Kiel provides a lot of opportunities for getting involved and trying things out. It has a series of co-working places and a lively creative and cultural scene. And to relax you can go to the theatre on 8Night (tickets for €8).
The City of Kiel is committed to sustainability and won the German Sustainability Award 2021. It is a Klimaschutzstadt (climate protecting city) and the first German Zero.Waste.City. There are many businesses and initiatives that support sustainable living, such as the Kieler Marktschwärmer (Kiel market enthusiasts) or the loan shops.
The Kiel-Film
