Alice's tips at a glance

Studying in Eichstätt

The KU has around 5,000 students and is a modern University with a tradition that goes back several centuries. Studying and researching in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt means working in a welcoming atmosphere where small groups, individual consultation, and close working relationships are the norm. The KU is characterized by excellent teaching, strong research, and social responsibility. Our University has two campuses: Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. Seven faculties are located in Eichstätt. The Ingolstadt School of Management (WFI) and MIDS (Institute of Applied Mathematics, Machine Learning and Data Science) are located on our Ingolstadt campus.

Eichstätt impresses with its unique combination of baroque architecture, modern amenities and the picturesque nature of the Altmühltal natural park that is ideal for hiking, cycling, canoeing and many other outdoor activities. Short distances and lavish green spaces characterize the KU campus in Eichstätt. The buildings on campus are located close to the Eichstätt old town. 

Studying in Ingolstadt

Ingolstadt is home to the second KU campus. The combination of a historic old town, modern infrastructure, attractive leisure facilities and lots of green spaces makes Ingolstadt an ideal place to study. Numerous large companies for internships during your studies or career entry are located here. Ingolstadt combines the many advantages of a big city with leisure and recreation opportunities close to nature, e.g. with its large Klenzepark or the nearby Baggersee lake that invites you to relax after a full day at Uni.

You want to learn more about the KU and its campuses? Click here for more information.

Applying for studies abroad is the first step into a new, exciting chapter of your life. All international prospective students who would like to study for a degree at the KU have to apply online in a first step. Following formal application, you will receive a letter of admission. In a next step, you can enroll for your desired degree program. Please note that you cannot enroll as long as you have no visa. This means that you should make an appointment for obtaining your visa as soon as you have your application confirmation.

All important information for international prospective students on application, enrollment and visa is summarized on our website at:

Information on application & enrollment

Information on visa & residence permit

Are you interested in a specific degree program at the KU and have already made up your mind for studying with us? Great! Please keep in mind that the application deadlines for our English-taught programs at the KU may differ for non-EU international students. The deadlines for all programs are listed on the respective program overview pages: KU Study offer

Living abroad can feel overwhelming at first – we got your back!

Especially when coming in from abroad, you might want to tick the box for accommodation early in advance. For internationals, it is generally recommended to start looking for accommodation at least four months before your arrival. We are here to help you with everything you need to consider from landlords’ confirmations and financing issues, calculating the costs to expect when living and studying in Germany, and where to start looking for accommodation. Our International Office has compiled housing guides for both campus locations that you can check out here: Housing information website of the International Office.

Generally, it is easier to find affordable housing in Eichstätt than in Ingolstadt. Maybe, even when your degree program is offered in Ingolstadt, it might be an option to consider living in Eichstätt and commuting to Ingolstadt for your courses. Plus, costs of living are around 20 per cent higher in Ingolstadt than in Eichstätt.

Please note that admission to a degree program does not guarantee accommodation in a dormitory or private flat – you will have to look for accommodation yourself! However, the KU International Office is here to help and answer questions you may have. It also offers two “Housing consultations” via Zoom for interested international prospective students for which you can register here:

Session 1: May 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. (UCT+1) (Meeting ID: 677 0464 7922, Code: 087752) 
Session 2: May 20, 2025, at 3 p.m. (UCT+1) (Meeting ID: 653 4933 4118, Code: 342517)

You can find even more information and tips on the topic of housing on our KU website.

As a student, your general costs of living may vary greatly depending on your individual needs and housing situation, but when taking certain parameters into account, it is relatively easy to get a rough idea of what your studies abroad will cost you per month. On this website, the KU International Office has summarized all important information for you as regards financing issues or scholarship opportunities and lists what you should include in your calculations. 

Bear in mind costs for rent, insurance, electricity and internet and general costs of living and leisure spending. As regards costs for your studies, there are no tuition fees at the KU, just the monthly semester fees of € 78. In addition, students have the possibility to eat lunch at the KU canteen and cafeteria at reduced prices. You can choose from a wide range of supermarkets which makes it easy to buy food depending on your wishes and budget. Compared to the rest of Europe, costs for food in Germany are rather low.

Scholarship & grant opportunities

If you have a tight budget, there are many opportunities even for our international students to apply for a grant or scholarship to cover part of the everyday costs that come with studying abroad. For example, the scholarship database of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) helps you to find scholarship programs easily.
The KU itself also offers partial scholarships for international students. They currently amount to €450 per month for a five-months period. Students can apply for this scholarship from their third semester (Bachelor’s programs) or from the first semester of studies for Master’s programs.

In many cases, international students going to Germany to study for a degree have to have a bank account in Germany to be able to appropriately manage their stay. Sometimes as early as when applying for a visa, you need to provide proof of sufficient financial resources. The safest option here is a blocked account with € 992 for every month of your stay (€ 11,904 for a one-year stay).

A current account is also required to pay health insurance and rent. Students can open one locally or online with a direct bank. Fees vary greatly, but direct banks are generally the cheaper option. In order to open an account, you will need proof of residence in Germany and a tax number. 

It is advisable to compare offers of different German banks – many banks in Germany also offer a standard account (current account) free of charge for students.

If you want to learn more, contact our International Office.

Internationals who would like to come study in Germany have to have valid health insurance that is recognized in Germany. EU citizens are usually insured through the health insurance in their home country, but this often only includes emergency treatment abroad.

Travel insurance is rarely sufficient for enrolment. Therefore, we highly recommend that all foreign students take out insurance through the German statutory health insurance system (currently approx. € 140 per month).

In addition, students must also have travel health and accident insurance for the period between the departure from their home country and enrolment at the KU. It is also advisable to have travel health insurance until the end of your stay in Germany, as such insurance usually includes services such as repatriation to your home country.

Click here for more information.

German courses for internationals

When you come here to study at the KU, most programs require at least basic knowledge of German. There are some programs that can be studied entirely in English, e.g. the Bachelor’s program in Data Science. But for most others, you will need at least level “DSH 2” of the German language examination for university entrance or “TestDaF 4-4-4-4”. If you are unsure about the German language requirement for your specific program, please visit the program's website. Anyone who has not yet acquired the needed language level but has been admitted for studies can enroll for an eight-month German intensive course at the KU prior to the start of their studies. Also during the semester, the KU’s Language Center (building on the left) offers various ways how you can improve your German language skills:

Pre-semester German intensive course

The above-mentioned pre-semester course is an intensive three-week course for international students who must achieve and prove German level A2 within the first year of study. It is offered each semester before the start of lectures. If the study program starts in March or September, the first course days are online via Zoom. After the official arrival day and check-in to the dormitories, the course will switch to on-campus lessons.

Q-Course German

The "Q-Course" is aimed at applicants who wish to pursue a degree at the KU, but do not yet have the required German language skills for admission to the Intensive German Language Course. The course objective of the Q-course is a completed A1 level. More information on the Q-Course and other German courses is available here.

Courses offered by the KU Language Center and free-of-charge online courses

The Language Center offers a variety of traditional German courses during the regular periods of study as well as skill-specific German courses (e.g. speaking and writing training, German regional studies, pronunciation, academic writing, etc.).
You can check out the Language Center's course offer here.

The KU Language Center also offers a comprehensive list of free-of-charge online courses, podcasts and other learning materials that help you improve your language skills: Go to virtual bookshelf

Language tandems

If you would like to practice everyday conversation skills and improve your vocabulary and pronunciation even beyond course lessons, language tandems are a great option for immersing yourself deeper into a language and making new contacts.

The KU Language Center offers a tandem partnership program that you can sign up for here. If a suitable partner is found, you will be given their contact details and you can arrange a time to meet up. 

At the KU, international students receive support for all organizational questions. The International Office (IO) and Student Advisory Service at the KU provide prospective students with information on individual degree programs, language tests, internships, financing and specific planning of their course of study before they travel to Germany. Furthermore, the IO helps international students find accommodation, with formalities and official bureaucratic procedures and in case of everyday problems and questions concerning their studies.

In addition, a buddy program ensures that all international students have a peer student that they can turn to at any time – not only with everyday problems but also when it comes to being integrated into a new social network. The so-called “Welcome Teams” are organized by a student group, the “AK International” at both KU campuses in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. Here, KU students volunteer their time and make sure that you quickly settle in, especially in the first few weeks after your arrival. The picture on the right shows students from one of the recent "AK International".

During the semester, the "AK International" student group offers a variety of social activities, which are supplemented in Ingolstadt by the ESN (Erasmus Student Network).  Their support includes things like:

• Recruitment and training of volunteer buddies for international students
• Pick-up from the train station and help with the handover of the apartment
• Event planning before and during the semester (e.g. field trips, parties)
• Organization of language tandems

The buddy program is offered in cooperation with the KU International Office, but if you would like to get in touch directly, you can find contact details on this website.

Student groups with different thematic focuses

Being a Fairtrade University, one focus area of many student groups is sustainability and awareness for the conscious use of resources. This is why many student groups (called “AK”s in German) deal with sustainability and related environmental topics. For example, there is a student group that runs a community fridge and organizes breakfast made from “rescued food” to combat food waste, or a student group that tends to the community garden Kapuzinergarten, that is also home to the University’s own bees.

Find them on Instagram:
@denknachhaltig
@foodsharing.eichstaett
@kapuzinergarteneichstaett

For those who have decided to study with us: We help you keep track of everything you need to organize and bear in mind before you board the train or plane to Eichstätt or Ingolstadt. As regards study organization, there are already some things you can register or apply for and you can get a first impression of the campus management system and learning platforms used at the KU already now. But there are also some administrative bureaucratic things to bear in mind...

Orientation weeks in fall
Make sure to block the dates for the orientation weeks in your calendar. The introductory and orientation events for new students at the KU start two weeks before the start of the lecture period and are a great way to meet your fellow students and settle in on campus and in the new environment. 

Organizing your studies
One important item during your studies at the KU will be the "KU.Card". It is used for paying for meals in the canteen and for settling printing and copying costs, for borrowing books in the library and serves as general student ID. It will be sent to you by mail to the address on file at the beginning of October. If necessary, please change your mail address (e.g. from your home address to your new address in Eichstätt) in the KU's university portal.

More information about your KU.Card is available here.

Even before you arrive here, you can already check out and register for the e-mail program, campus management system, learning materials platform etc. We have summarized all important steps on our website for you. Once the initial steps are taken, you can also already start thinking about which modules and courses you would like to register for and make the necessary arrangements.

Maybe you would also like to sign up for a buddy program for internationals and be paired up with a German student who can support you during your first weeks here? If you would like to take part, just register here.

Mastering bureaucracy

In addition to the visa you might require for traveling to Germany, there are also some other bureaucratic boxes you have to tick before or when coming here. Non-EU students, for example, have to apply for an electronic residence permit (eAT) in addition. When moving to Eichstätt or Ingolstadt, you will also have to officially register in the residents' registration office. During your first weeks at the KU, make sure to tick the following boxes:

□ Enroll in Student Office
□ Open bank account
□ Register in town hall

□ Apply for eAT
□ Attend KU Orientation Weeks
□ Choose your modules & courses 

Whenever you are unsure or need help with individual steps, you can always find support at our International Office or Student Advisory Service.

Although the area around Eichstätt is great for outdoor activities, especially in summer, the KU’s Sports Center also offers plenty of opportunities to get active with over 120 sports and fitness courses – from A for aerobics to Z for zumba.

Gym room

It has a well-equipped gym room for which the guides and coaches also offer regular introductory tours in English on demand during the semester. You can also register for a variety of courses ranging from ball sports and team sports to zumba, badminton, dance or ballet and yoga. Some courses can also be attended online via ZOOM sessions.

The Sports Center also organizes University-wide tournaments, for example the Präsicup for football, or other ball sports such as volleyball. The Präsicup is famous throughout the University and already included a soccer team of purely international students in the past. In the summer, students can rent the Center's own canoes for a small fee to explore the Altmühl and the region from the water.

You can browse the Sports Center's website to find out about all offers here.

List of courses now available in English!

In addition to the gym room, the KU Sports Center offers a wide range of different courses that students can take, ranging from yoga and stretching classes over dance to ball sports and games. Many courses are on-campus offers, but you can also take some of them via Zoom! The entire range of sports activities is now also available to browse in English on our website.

Want to get in shape in the new year and beat exam stress at the same time? Stop by on our website, browse our comprehensive offer, and sign up! We look forward to seeing you!

KU sports courses on offer

English Career Center

Many German students work in bars, restaurants, gas stations, stores or as student assistants at the University alongside their studies. Job advertisements are often posted on the notice boards around the University, in newspapers and on Facebook. 

International students in Germany are allowed to work up to 240 half days (or 120 full days) per calendar year. Student assistant jobs are exempt from this restriction. On its website, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has summarized all important information for international students who would like to take on a side job during their studies in Germany.

At the KU Career Service, you can find help and advice on all aspects of work and career. You can book an individual counseling session (also offered in English upon request).

In addition, there is a diverse event program where you learn how to apply for jobs, acquire skills needed and promote your personal development. As a KU student, you also have free access to the University‘s own Career Center, where you can find offers for jobs and internships:

KU Career Center & Internship Service

If you think about studying at the KU but are not sure yet or want to get a more comprehensive impression of our campuses, courses and the university life at the KU, be sure to mark our Taster Days ('Schnuppertage' in German) in your calendar. In regular recurring intervals, we offer many exciting events, both on campus and online, where you can get a better impression of what it is like to study here with us.

Every year in fall, prospective students have the opportunity to get to know the KU during the regular lecture period. You can explore our campus, talk to our students and lecturers, and get a taste of our degree programs and participate in our courses! Lecturers at our locations in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt open the doors to their study programs and subjects, and you can talk to students and get to know our professors.

More detailed information is available here.

Watch taster lectures online

For all those who are not in Eichstätt or Ingolstadt in November, but would still like to get an impression of what our lectures and courses look like, there is the chance to watch taster lectures of different study fields online: Click here for the videos

Virtual Open Week

In addition, also make sure to mark the dates for our KU Virtual Open Week in spring in your calendar. In recurring intervals, we present a diverse program of online information events about our degree programs via ZOOM. These events allow you to find out about your desired degree program, ask questions, and get in touch with lecturers from the comfort of your own home

After leaving school, you might ask yourself what comes next? Opting for university right away? Maybe you already know that you want to complete part of your studies or your entire studies abroad?

Finding the right subject

In Germany alone, there are almost 10,000 Bachelor's degree programs on offer – so how are you supposed to decide on what to study?

At school, you were introduced to a number of different subjects. At university, you will often find subjects that sound similar. But be careful: in a subject like geography, for example, only parts of the subject are covered in school. And the basic mathematical knowledge you learn in high school is only the foundation for a mathematics degree with many new subfields. Focusing on your favorite subjects can still be helpful – they often reveal interests and talents for certain fields of study, such as languages or natural sciences. Your hobbies can also always be a good first indicator for what academic path to pursue.

Why not check out the programs that are taught in English at our uni, maybe this will facilitate your choice:

• Business & Psychology (MSc)
• Data Science (BSc)
• Data Science (MSc)
• Business Administration (MSc) with specializations in:
  • Digital Customer Experience & Service Design (DICE)
  • Business Administration International
  • Business Analytics and Operations Research (BAOR)
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ENTRE)
• Certificate course “Leadership in Transformation”
• Certificate course “Learning Facilitator”

For further details please refer to the International Degree-Seeking Programs page or browse our entire study offer here. Please note that different application and enrollment requirements might apply for international students. Therefore, make sure to check all important information here, before you apply.

A great way of meeting like-minded people is a new offer that might be particularly interesting for our international students: There is an open table for internationals’ lunch meetings every Thursday at 12.30 p.m. in the canteens in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt. It is open to students of all nationalities and backgrounds. Everyone who would like to meet new people or chat over lunch in English is warmly welcome to join.

Simply look out for this poster - you will find the group at a large table in the main dining hall in Eichstätt or the adjoining room in the Ingolstadt canteen.

In these short profiles, KU students from a wide range of departments and degree programs explain why they chose their course of study, what motivates them, and what their visions for their (professional) future are. Maybe one of them will inspire you too!

 Check out their stories here: DreamFuture profiles

For those of you who would like to get an initial taste of KU university life as part of a short program, the KU offers various formats. It has regular offers in the following categories:

• International Fall Term - Sept/Oct to Dec at our Ingolstadt School of Management
• KU Summer School - German-language classes combined with themed focus
• KU Winter School - Management simulations in tourism
• WFI Summer School - Responsible innovation in firms and society

Thinking about summer already during winter months

The KU Summer School, for example, is a short program that is becoming increasingly popular among international students - most recently, 45 students from 24 different countries took part. It combines intensive German language classes with another themed subject, for example cultural studies or literature in movies. On our Instagram channel, some participants share what makes the Summer School so unique for them. Interested? Be among the first ones to sign up for the 2026 program! Online application for the next Summer School is open from mid-January.

As an international student, you'll have the perfect opportunity to explore some of Germany's and Europe's most fascinating cities while studying with us. From the vibrant streets of Munich to the historic charm of Prague, and from the urban variety of Berlin to the cultural treasures of Vienna, there's a world of discovery waiting for you just beyond our campus. With excellent transportation links by train from Eichstätt and Ingolstadt, the KU is the ideal base for your academic and cultural adventures.

So why not take a break from your studies and discover the rich history, stunning architecture, and lively atmosphere of our neighboring cities? We can't wait to see where your journey takes you! 

These cities can be reached by train relatively easy when starting off from Eichstätt and Ingolstadt:

• Munich (30 min to 1h)
• Augsburg (30 min)
• Regensburg (1h)
• Berlin (approx. 4h)
• Prague (approx. 5h)
• Vienna (approx. 5h)
• Strasbourg (approx. 5h)

If you don't have the travel bug or budget and would rather explore the region in the immediate vicinity of your place of study, the Altmühl valley and region around Ingolstadt has a lot to offer, too. Check out our tips for enjoying leasure time in the region on our website.