WELCOME TO DÜSSELDORF
Presentation of the University
Today around 35,000 students study at a modern campus under conditions ideally suited to academic life.
As a campus university where everything is close together, all buildings including the University Hospital and the specialised libraries are easily reachable. Our university departments enjoy an excellent reputation due to an exceptionally high number of collaborative research centres. Moreover, the state capital Düsseldorf provides an attractive environment with a high quality of life.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
The academic calendar link gives an overview of the dates of the academic year and public holidays. Unlike other universities in Europe, the winter semester courses start a little later (the first week of October) and end with exams in February, while the summer semester starts much later than the rest (first week of April) with exams ending mid-July.
Enrolment at HHU is valid for one semester. There is no tuition fee, but before the semester starts you need to pay a social service fee (Sozialbeitrag), which is compulsory. Most of it goes towards the NRW Travel Pass (valid for the entire state and by extension all of Germany – more below). The Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk) use part of it for the halls of residence, canteens, and nursery schools. A further part of the semester fee goes towards the Students’ Union. The amount changes slightly every year. To get further information please click.
Inside the EU, the health insurance from your home EU country is generally valid in all other EU countries. However, please make sure to contact your health insurer to verify that and get the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
There are several options for students to find accommodation in Düsseldorf. Typically, students either rent a flat or room on the private market or they live in student housing. Apartments on the private market are generally more expensive than halls of residence. Most landlords additionally demand a security deposit of up to three months’ rent which is returned to you at the end of your tenancy agreement, if there is no damage to the apartment.
- Private accommodation: You can find private accommodation in Düsseldorf using different websites and agencies. When you want to look for private accommodation click here for more information.
- Shared flats: Shared flats (known in German as “WG” or Wohngemeinschaft) are a typical form of student cohabitation in Germany. You rent an apartment together with someone else, in which each of you has his/her own room. The kitchen, the common area and the bathroom are shared. The best way to find a shared apartment is via large portals online.
- Student housing: Student residence halls are located near HHU as well as directly on campus. The minimum rental period of student housing is one entire academic semester and extends automatically, if not canceled on time. Subletting student housing is not allowed. After successful enrollment at HHU, registered students who are interested can receive further information through the International Office. For a shorter stay of a couple of weeks, subletting a room in a WG or an apartment is a more practical option. Most dorms are organized by Studierendenwerk.
Click here for more information about the mobility at HHU or send an email.
ABOUT THE DESTINATION
Düsseldorf is a bustling city, founded in 1288 at the banks of the Rhine as a place of administration and a harbour. Because of its central location, it became a popular trade and arts center during the following centuries.
In the late 19th century, Dusseldorf’s became known as the so-called „Office of the Ruhr region “, meaning where the administrators and owners of the mining and steel industry area north lived and worked. Naturally, this set the foundation for today’s state capital, which used these international connections, including those with Japan, to make it a international business and financial hub, which with its surrounding cities constituting Europe’s second biggest metropolitan area by GDP.
Today, Düsseldorf is home to one of the oldest Arts Academy in Germany, boasts several Art museums as well as one of world’s biggest trade fair companies and Fortune 500 companies. The old town is famous for its bar scene.
The city itself, straddled along the Rhine, is very green, with many parks and a mostly post-war, modern architecture.
The Rhenish climate is influenced by the North Sea and therefore milder than other parts of Germany, with rare snow in the winters and very warm summers.
The official currency is the Euro. ATMs are widely available and credit cards and other contactless payment methods are mostly accepted, in some smaller shops, bars and on markets cash is still needed, so it is recommended to carry some with you.
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German is the official language, but a lot of other languages are spoken, including English, Turkish, Polish, Russian, Arabic and Japanese. English, particularly in tourist and business related contexts, is standard.
By train
Düsseldorf is well connected by train, there are connections all over Germany, but also direct connections to the Netherlands (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Arnheim), Belgium (Brussels, Liège). In addition, there are direct trains to Paris, Zürich, Basel and Vienna.
By coach
The bus station next to the central station offers connections all over Europe and Flixbus offers cheap travel to many places.
By plane
International Airport Düsseldorf, the third biggest airport in Germany with lots of international connections, is reached within 10 minutes by train from the central station.
Further airports nearby are in Cologne and low-cost airlines fly from/to Dortmund and Weeze.
By road
Düsseldorf is very well integrated into the German Autobahn network (A 3, A 44, A 46, A 52, A 57, A 59).
The Deutschland ticket – a public transport ticket valid for local and regional transportation (excluding IC/ICE trains) all over Germany – is included in the student card and paid by the social fee. The public transport in Düsseldorf consists of Bus, Tram and Metro lines as well as local trains (S-Bahn) and makes the city very accessible. With the regional trains (RE) also neighbouring cities can be reached easily and free of charge. This might be of specific interest as Düsseldorf is located in one of the most populated areas in Europe. The student ticket also includes some cities in the Netherlands.
Discover more about the destinations: here.
