Studying in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Cologne
A million people on the Rhine, a cathedral you can see from the lecture hall, three public universities and a long list of specialist and private schools.
Cologne is the biggest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the one with the loudest personality: about 1.03 million people, a Roman founding date of AD 50, a Gothic cathedral that took 632 years to finish, and its own dialect, its own beer and its own carnival. For a student the point is range. The University of Cologne is one of Germany's large universities, TH Köln is the country's largest university of applied sciences, the German Sport University is the only German university devoted entirely to sport, and on top of that there are music, dance, media-art and film schools, plus private business, media and design schools that teach in English. Media, insurance, aviation, trade fairs and a big Ford plant mean there are employers in the city for most of these degrees. The Rhine gives the city a long riverside to walk and cycle, Düsseldorf and Bonn are a short train ride away, and the city has a cathedral, a very large mosque, a synagogue and a Hindu temple, so there is somewhere to practise most faiths. It is not a quiet town. Rooms are hard to get, the carnival fills the streets for days, and the beer comes in 0.2-litre glasses that never seem to stay empty. If you want a student city with an actual city around it, this is a strong candidate.
- State
- North Rhine-Westphalia, on the Rhine; Düsseldorf is about 45 km north and Bonn about 25 km south
- Semester contribution (University of Cologne)
- 355.65 EUR, of which 226.80 EUR is the Deutschlandsemesterticket and 110 EUR goes to the Kölner Studierendenwerk
- Dormitory rent (Kölner Studierendenwerk, from April 2025)
- roughly 194 to 497 EUR a month warm, depending on the house and room type
- Proof of funds for a residence permit (2026)
- 992 EUR a month, 11,904 EUR a year
Part 1
Living in Cologne
A Roman colony with a very long cathedral
The Ubii settled on the left bank of the Rhine in 38 BC, and in AD 50 the Romans made it a colony, Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium. The word Cologne is that name worn down over two thousand years. The Ubii, the Roman colony and the medieval city all sit under the streets you walk on.
The cathedral was started in 1248, left unfinished from around 1560, picked up again in 1842 and consecrated as a finished building on 15 October 1880. For ten years after that it was the tallest building in the world. Allied bombing in the Second World War destroyed about 61 percent of the built-up area and around 80 percent of the city centre, according to Wikipedia, so what you walk through today is mostly a postwar rebuild with a few old churches set into it. Central Cologne is a working city that was put back together and then grew its own character on top, not a postcard old town.
The cathedral is open for prayer from 06:00 to 20:00. Since 1 July 2026 a ticket is required for tourist visits to the interior, and you can climb the tower, 533 steps up to a platform about 100 m above the ground, with no lift. The tower opens at 09:00 and closes at 18:00 from March to October, and at 16:00 in winter.
What to see and do
A first-month list that works in any weather and does not cost much. Check opening hours and ticket prices on each site before you go, and ask whether a student price applies.
The Roncalliplatz entrance is a two-minute walk from the main station. The treasury is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, and the Shrine of the Three Kings, begun in 1190, is one of the great pieces of medieval goldsmith work.
A modern and contemporary art museum right beside the cathedral, with a photography collection and rotating exhibitions. It was open 10:00 to 18:00 on the day this page was read; ticket prices are on its ticket page.
NS-Dokumentationszentrum (EL-DE-Haus) ↗
Cologne's memorial and museum on the Nazi period, housed in the former Gestapo headquarters at Appellhofplatz 23-25. It has an English version and offers guided tours.
A chocolate museum on the Rhine at Am Schokoladenmuseum 1a, open every day from 10:00 to 18:00, tracing about 5,000 years of cocoa history across more than 4,000 m2.
The DITIB Central Mosque at Venloer Straße 160, designed by Paul Böhm and opened in 2018. The prayer hall is over 2,000 m2, the minarets are 55 m high, and public tours run at 15:15 on Wednesdays and Fridays to Sundays.
The trade-fair grounds in Deutz host fairs all year round. gamescom 2026 had more than 1,600 exhibitors from 67 countries.
Cologne in pictures
Veedel, the Rhine and where you will actually hang out
Cologne is not one centre but a collection of neighbourhoods, called Veedel in the local dialect. The city has nine boroughs, and each Veedel has its own bakery, its own pub and its own opinion about the others. Students tend to land in a handful of them. Lindenthal and Sülz are next to the main university campus, and the Studierendenwerk has many of its dormitories there. The Belgisches Viertel is known for its shops. Ehrenfeld has the Central Mosque on Venloer Straße. Deutz, across the river, is where TH Köln and the trade-fair grounds sit. Nippes, Kalk and Mülheim are other boroughs where students look for cheaper rooms.
The Rhine splits the city. The old town, the cathedral and the university are on the left bank. The Rheinauhafen, a former harbour south of the old town, is now known for the three crane-shaped Kranhäuser. Deutz on the right bank gives you the view back across the river to the cathedral.
Cologne has a green belt too. The Stadtwald in Lindenthal is a forest park with ponds, and the city also has the Flora botanical garden. For a day out, the Siebengebirge hills southeast of Bonn, the Brühl palaces and the Bergisches Land nature park are all within reach by regional train or the Stadtbahn.
Carnival, Kölsch and the local way of doing things
Carnival is the thing Cologne is best known for in Germany, and you should plan your first February around it. The street carnival peaks with Weiberfastnacht, when around a million people are on the streets, and the Rosenmontag parade follows on the Monday. The organised carnival season, run by the Festkomitee Kölner Karneval, starts in early November with the first sessions of the clubs, and its calendar lists sessions, parties and parades through the winter. If you do not like crowds, plan to be elsewhere in the week of Weiberfastnacht, and if you do, find out early how your lectures are scheduled around it.
Kölsch is both a beer and a dialect. The beer is light, top-fermented, brewed only in Cologne and served in a slim 0.2-litre glass called a Stange. In a Brauhaus, the waiter, called a Köbes, keeps bringing full glasses until you lay a beer mat on top of yours. The dialect turns 'g' into 'j' and says 'dat' and 'wat' for das and was, and you will not need to speak it, but it helps to know why the cashier at the bakery sounds like that. A classic local snack is a Halver Hahn: a rye roll with Gouda, butter and sharp mustard.
Getting around
A student here rarely needs a car. A semester ticket is included in your fees, and it is more useful than it first sounds.
The Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe run the Stadtbahn lines through the city, with ten big interchange hubs including Dom/Hbf, Neumarkt and Chlodwigplatz, and a bike-rental scheme where Deutschlandticket holders get 30 free minutes per ride. Lines 16 and 17 also run towards Bonn.
At the University of Cologne, 226.80 EUR of the semester contribution is the Deutschlandsemesterticket. The AStA's semester-ticket page tells you where it is valid before you plan weekend trips to Düsseldorf or Bonn.
The KVB promotes this app fare, which is capped so that you never pay more than a single ticket, as an option for the days you do not travel enough for a pass.
About 12 km south-east of the centre and a hub for FedEx and UPS cargo, with long-distance trains and regional trains from the airport station.
What it costs
- Semester contribution, University of Cologne
- 355.65 EUR per semester, including the 226.80 EUR Deutschlandsemesterticket, 110 EUR for the Studierendenwerk and 13.25 EUR for the AStAsource
- Dormitory room (Kölner Studierendenwerk)
- about 194 to 497 EUR a month warm rent, depending on the housesource
- Average rent paid by students in Cologne
- about 367 EUR a month including utilities, against 323 EUR nationwide (survey cited by the Studierendenwerk)source
- UniSport Sportticket
- 19 EUR for the semester, covering more than 50 sports offerssource
- Canteen
- meals are priced by module and heavily subsidised; in October 2026 students get 10 percent off main courses, sides and soupssource
- Counselling at the Studierendenwerk
- first consultation free; up to five appointments free; from the sixth, 2.50 EUR per session for psychological and learning counsellingsource
- Proof of funds for a residence permit (2026)
- 992 EUR a month, 11,904 EUR a yearsource
- Minimum wage (since January 2026)
- 13.90 EUR an hoursource
Figures from the sources named in each row. Rents vary a lot by neighbourhood, and the biggest variable is whether you get a dormitory room.
Work and jobs
Cologne's economy runs on media, insurance, transport and trade. Westdeutscher Rundfunk, RTL and n-tv are headquartered here, Lufthansa has its main corporate headquarters in the city, and Ford's large plant in Niehl is the biggest single employer. Insurers such as Generali Deutschland, Gothaer and AXA are based in the city, and the Koelnmesse trade-fair grounds in Deutz fill with events all year. The German Aerospace Center and the European Astronaut Centre are in the area too, which matters if your degree is in engineering or physics. For international students, TH Köln runs a project called Ready, Study, Go that connects them to companies in Cologne and nearby.
On a student residence permit from outside the EU you may work 140 full days or 280 half days a year. Academic assistant jobs at the university have no day limit, but you must tell the foreigners' office. A minijob lets you earn up to 556 EUR a month without paying tax, and the legal minimum wage is 13.90 EUR an hour.
Part 2
Student life in Cologne
Where you can study
Universität zu Köln (University of Cologne) ↗
Founded in 1388, closed in 1798 and re-established in 1919, and now one of Germany's largest universities, with about 45,000 students (45,187 in 2023) and about 11 percent of them international. It has six faculties: Management, Economics and Social Sciences; Law; Medicine; Arts and Humanities; Mathematics and Natural Sciences; and Human Sciences. It is a university of excellence with five Clusters of Excellence and a member of the U15 group of research-intensive universities. In winter 2025/26 it offered 208 degree programmes, and the university's own introduction mentions English-taught degree programmes, so check the range-of-courses page for the language of each. The main building is at Albertus-Magnus-Platz in Lindenthal, and the Student Service Center is at Universitätsstraße 22a.
International office ↗TH Köln (Technische Hochschule Köln) ↗
Described as Germany's largest university of applied sciences. It has twelve faculties, from Architecture and Civil Engineering to Information, Media and Electrical Engineering, Applied Social Sciences and Business, Economics and Law, and offers more than 90 degree programmes. Its campuses include Deutz and Südstadt in Cologne plus Leverkusen and Gummersbach nearby. The programme page has a language-of-instruction filter, and the international office organised a welcome event for about 200 new international students in October 2026. It runs a free buddy programme that pairs new students with senior ones.
International office ↗Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln (German Sport University Cologne) ↗
Founded in 1947 and the only German university dedicated entirely to sport science, with over 6,000 students from more than 85 countries. Its master's programmes include Sport Management, Sports Tourism and Destination Management, Psychology in Sport and Exercise, International Sport Development and Politics, and Performance, Training and Coaching in Elite Sport. The international office runs a buddy system, and the language of each master's programme is on its programme page.
International office ↗Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln (Academy of Media Arts Cologne) ↗
A small art school for media: about 400 students, at least 40 percent of them from abroad and around 75 admitted each winter semester. The main programme, Mediale Künste, can be completed in nine semesters or, as a second degree, in four semesters, and both are described as equivalent to a Master of Fine Arts. Teaching areas are Film and Television, Art, exMedia, and Art and Media Studies. The school has an English-language website.
International office ↗Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln ↗
One of the largest music academies in Europe, with its headquarters at Unter Krahnenbäumen 87 in Cologne, a Center for Contemporary Dance at Dagobertstraße and further locations in Aachen and Wuppertal. It teaches music and dance and has an English version of its site with application information for prospective students.
CBS International Business School ↗
A private, state-recognised and accredited university of applied sciences, part of the Klett Group of Stuttgart. Its Cologne campus is described as the international hub, where English-taught full-time programmes run: Bachelor's degrees in International Business, Business Psychology, and Finance and Management, and Master's programmes in International Business and Management, Digital Marketing, Global Finance, Supply Chain and Logistics, and Strategy and Consulting, plus an MBA and a Studienkolleg preparation course. Tuition applies, and the fee page has the figures.
International office ↗A state-recognised university of applied sciences under private, non-profit sponsorship, with about 5,750 students at three locations in Cologne and 20 bachelor's and 16 master's programmes. Its English-titled programmes include International Business Administration (M.A.), MBA International Business, Sustainable Engineering (M.Eng.) and Creative Management and Innovation (B.A.). A fee regulation applies, so read it before you apply.
International office ↗Hochschule Fresenius, Campus Köln ↗
A private, state-recognised university run by a non-profit company within the Fresenius education group. The Cologne campuses are in the MediaPark at Im MediaPark 4c (business and media) and 4d (health and social work), and there is also an online-plus campus. The group lists English-named programmes such as International Business Management (B.A.) and International Management (M.A.). Check each programme page for the language of instruction and the fees.
Macromedia University, Campus Köln ↗
A private university with a campus at Brüderstraße 17 in the pedestrian zone near the cathedral. Cologne offers Bachelor's study areas in Design and Art, Film and Acting, Games and Coding, Management, Media and Journalism, Fashion, Music, Psychology and Sport, and Master's areas in Business, Media, Fashion and Design, and Psychology. Ask which programmes run in English.
IU International University of Applied Sciences, Cologne campus ↗
Germany's largest private university, headquartered in Erfurt, with two campuses in central Cologne: the Quincy Campus at Neven-DuMont-Straße 1a, which is the main campus for international students, and the Gerling Campus at Hildeboldplatz 20, twelve minutes' walk away. IU describes itself as an English university in Cologne and its programmes as taught 100 percent in English; its list includes B.Sc. Computer Science, M.Sc. Cyber Security and M.A. International Management, and its site says which start in Cologne. Fees apply.
Katholische Hochschule Nordrhein-Westfalen, Abteilung Köln ↗
A Catholic university of applied sciences with a campus at Wörthstraße 10 in Cologne, with social work, health care and theology as its main international fields. The master's programme Social Work and Exclusion is taught in English, and the university lists a Team International for questions from incoming students.
ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln ↗
A film school run as a non-profit company (gGmbH) at Schanzenstraße 28, with the Film und Medien Stiftung NRW as parent organisation. It offers master's programmes in Digital Narratives, Serial Storytelling and 3D Animation for Film and Games. Its site is in English.
FOM Hochschule, Study centre Köln ↗
A state-recognised university for people who study alongside a job, with about 45,000 students across Germany and a study centre in Cologne. It offers dual, part-time and online formats, so it mainly suits people who are already working. Ask the centre which programmes run in English.
Student unions, services and groups
AStA of the University of Cologne ↗
The students' union, at Sibille-Hartmann-Straße 2-8 and Wilhelm-Waldeyer-Straße 16. It runs an annual festival against racism, a reporting form for discrimination and for unlawful attendance requirements, and an Internationals page, and it administers the Fachschaften and Hochschulsport shares of the contribution. The semester contribution includes 13.25 EUR for the AStA.
The first contact for student concerns at TH Köln, with advice on BAföG and legal questions, semester ticket information, a form for reporting attendance requirements, weekly events from its departments, and local discounts with partner businesses.
Housing, canteens, BAföG, counselling and a service for international students, with a welcome reception, information sessions with the City and the Federal Employment Agency, and a language meetup, SprachWerk, that pairs international and German students.
Counselling at the Kölner Studierendenwerk ↗
Psychological, social and learning counselling. Call 0221 94265-572 to book. The first appointment is free and up to five appointments are free.
The university sport for the Cologne universities, mostly free of charge. Show a valid student ID for most courses, and some need a sign-up or a fee.
The sport programme of the University of Cologne and the German Sport University, in six sections (Body and Mind, Fitness, Martial Arts, Nature and Individual, Sports Games, Dance). A Sportticket costs 19 EUR and covers more than 50 offers, and there is a try-out period at the start of each term.
Erasmus Student Network Köln ↗
The local section of ESN, the student network for exchange and international students. The University of Cologne lists it among the associated international student associations.
An online language-exchange platform run by the University of Cologne's International Affairs division, open to students at higher-education institutions in Cologne and the surrounding area. It pairs you with a language partner near you.
Pairs new international students with senior students in groups, for at least one semester. Registration is open from 1 to 28 February for the summer semester and from 1 to 31 August for the winter semester. It is free.
International student associations at the University of Cologne ↗
A list of 22 student groups under the umbrella ISAC, including African, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Iranian, Korean, Kurdish, Latin American, Russian, South Asian, Southeast Asian, Turkish and Ukrainian groups, plus eight associated associations such as ESN, AEGEE and the Jewish and Islamic student groups.
Cologne Model United Nations Society ↗
A student association that takes part in Model United Nations conferences around the world and runs its own Cologne conference, with socials and preparation simulations.
Katholische Hochschulgemeinde Köln ↗
The Catholic student community at Berrenrather Straße 127, with Mass, spiritual guidance, social and psychological counselling, an English version of its site and an International Dinner where guests bring a dish from home. Open to all students.
Campus life and study culture
The University of Cologne is a big, spread-out university, and your Cologne will depend on your faculty. The main building at Albertus-Magnus-Platz in Lindenthal is the one on the postcards, and most of the humanities and social sciences are around it. The Student Service Center on Universitätsstraße is where the application office and the International Office service point sit, and its international service point is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday by schedule, so check the hours before you queue. With about 45,000 students, expect big courses in some subjects, and join your Fachschaft early. The Fachschaften are the subject student councils, and the AStA's Fachschaften page lists them.
TH Köln has twelve faculties spread across the Deutz and Südstadt campuses in the city and campuses in Leverkusen and Gummersbach, so check which campus your programme uses before you look for a room. The German Sport University has a single subject, and the media art, music and film schools are small, with a few hundred students each.
For international students, two services are worth using straight away: the University of Cologne's International Office, which runs consultation hours in person and online, and the TANDEM platform for finding a language partner. Both are free.
Housing: how to find a room
Start before you arrive: the Studierendenwerk itself says its rooms are in very high demand.
Kölner Studierendenwerk dormitories ↗
49 residence entries across the city and at the Gummersbach and Leverkusen campuses. Warm rent runs from about 194 to 497 EUR a month, from small single rooms with shared kitchens to apartments. The Studierendenwerk says the rooms are very much in demand, that you can apply online before you have your admission, and that places near the university involve longer waits, while exchange students staying only a few months are usually offered a room quickly.
Dormitory overview and price list ↗
The Studierendenwerk's own list of houses, sizes, room types and rents, from April 2025. Use it to compare houses before you apply.
Housing guide for international students ↗
The University of Cologne's page covers student residences, shared flats and private flats, and the University's advisers can answer questions on the process.
The city rent index is updated every two years by the Rheinische Immobilienbörse with landlord and tenant associations. Prices are highest in the centre and the left-bank districts, so look at Deutz, Kalk, Mülheim and Nippes to bring the rent down.
Food, sport and nights out
The Studierendenwerk runs the canteens and bistros, with five lines on the menu: Heimspiel, Streetfood, Querbeet, Worldwide and Meisterwerk. Prices follow a module system, so you pay for the main course, the sides and a dessert separately. Cards and phone payments are accepted. In October 2026 students and staff get 10 percent off main courses, sides and soups.
Sport at the University of Cologne is easy to start. UniSport runs more than 50 offers on a 19 EUR Sportticket for the semester, with a try-out period at the start of the term. Hochschulsport Köln runs mostly free classes for all Cologne students on a valid ID. In the city, the professional teams are 1. FC Köln for football, the Kölner Haie for ice hockey and the Rheinstars Köln and Köln 99ers for basketball, and the Köln Marathon is a good reason to take up running.
For nights out, Cologne has more than 60 music venues and the most pubs per head in Germany, and the Brauhaus is the default meeting place. The city also hosts the lit.COLOGNE literary festival, the phil.cologne philosophy festival and the Cologne Comedy Festival, and the Christmas markets draw about four million visitors a year.
Your first weeks
- 1
Before you travel
Get your admission letter, health insurance that is valid for the residence permit and proof of funds of 992 EUR a month. Apply for the study visa at the German mission in your country, and apply for a dormitory room with the Kölner Studierendenwerk before you have your admission if you can.
- 2
Week 1: register your address
Register within 14 days of moving in, at any Kundenzentrum in Cologne. You need your passport, any residence documents and the Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung, the landlord's move-in confirmation, because a lease is not enough. Mondays and Wednesdays are walk-in days, and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays need an appointment. It is free, and you can also register online.
- 3
Week 1: enrol and pay the contribution
Pay the semester contribution at your university: at the University of Cologne it is 355.65 EUR and includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket.
- 4
Weeks 1 to 4: residence permit
Book an appointment with the Ausländeramt, Dillenburger Straße 56-66, 51105 Köln. In-person visits are by appointment and invitation letter only, and the office accepts residence-law applications online.
- 5
Weeks 1 to 4: bank and insurance
Open a German bank account and make sure your health insurance is in order. The Studierendenwerk's social counselling helps with questions on financing your studies and choosing insurance.
- 6
Your first month
Go to your faculty's first-week events, join the Fachschaft, register with UniSport or Hochschulsport, find a tandem partner or a buddy, and visit the association that suits you from the international student associations list.
Where you come from matters here
Pick your home country: food, faith, community groups and the consulate that serves you, checked 21 October 2026.
🇮🇳 Living in Cologne as an Indian student
Indian students are looked after by the Consulate General in Frankfurt, which handles passports, OCI and attestation for the region. In Cologne, the South Asian student group at the University of Cologne is the nearest thing to a home base, and ISKCON Köln has a temple in Gremberg.
Consulate General of India, Frankfurt ↗
Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 26, 60325 Frankfurt am Main. Handles passports, OCI, attestation, police clearance certificates and visas by online appointment, and the consular office is open Monday to Friday from 09:00.
ISKCON Köln, Bhakti Yoga Zentrum Gauradesh ↗
Taunusstraße 40, 51105 Köln-Gremberg. The temple is open daily from 07:00 to 19:00, holds a Sunday programme with meditation, a Bhagavad Gita talk, Gaura Arati and vegetarian food, and works mainly in German, so confirm times by phone first.
SASA, South Asian student group, University of Cologne ↗
A student group for South Asian students at the University of Cologne, listed by the International Office as a member of ISAC. The list page gives the group names, and its members sit on the ISAC board.
🇳🇬 Living in Cologne as a Nigerian student
The Embassy of Nigeria is in Berlin, and the African student group at the University of Cologne is the main student contact.
Neue Jakobstraße 4, 10179 Berlin. It handles passport issues and appointments, document legalisation and emergency travel certificates, and visa applications go through the provider VFS.
ASA, African student group, University of Cologne ↗
The African student association of the University of Cologne, listed by the International Office and a member of the ISAC umbrella.
Katholische Hochschulgemeinde Köln ↗
An open Catholic student community with an English version of its site and an International Dinner where guests bring a dish from home, for Christian and non-Christian students alike.
🇻🇳 Living in Cologne as a Vietnamese student
The Vietnamese Embassy is in Berlin and consular services are in Frankfurt. No Vietnam-specific student group is listed by the Cologne universities, and the nearest is the Southeast Asian group.
The embassy's site has consular procedures, fee schedules and notices, including a warning about scammers who impersonate embassy staff, and electronic passport applications at the embassy since 1 April 2026.
SAMBO, Southeast Asian student group, University of Cologne ↗
The Southeast Asian student group listed by the University of Cologne's International Office, the nearest group to Vietnam.
🇳🇵 Living in Cologne as a Nepali student
Nepal has an embassy in Berlin. The South Asian group at the University of Cologne covers Nepal as part of the region.
Guerickestraße 27, 10587 Berlin. Passport, visa, travel document, power of attorney, NRN ID and document attestation, with a separate consular email address.
SASA, South Asian student group, University of Cologne ↗
The South Asian student group at the University of Cologne, listed by the International Office.
🇵🇰 Living in Cologne as a Pakistani student
The Consulate General of Pakistan in Frankfurt serves North Rhine-Westphalia, and the South Asian student group and the Central Mosque are the places in Cologne to start.
Consulate General of Pakistan, Frankfurt ↗
Eschenbachstraße 28, 60596 Frankfurt am Main. Its jurisdiction lists Nordrhein-Westfalen among seven states, and it handles passports, attestation, student registration and NADRA services, with some services online only.
SASA, South Asian student group, University of Cologne ↗
The South Asian group listed by the university's International Office, with members from across the region.
DITIB Zentralmoschee Köln-Ehrenfeld ↗
Venloer Straße 160, a very large mosque with a prayer hall of over 2,000 m2. It is a Turkish-run mosque and the site is in German, so it is a place to pray and visit rather than a Pakistani community centre. Public tours run on Wednesdays and Fridays to Sundays at 15:15.
🇨🇲 Living in Cologne as a Cameroonian student
Cameroon's embassy in Berlin also serves nine other countries. In Cologne, the African student group at the university is the first place to meet people.
Ulmenallee 32, 14050 Berlin. Passport, consular card, wedding procedures and powers of attorney, with appointments through the contact page.
ASA, African student group, University of Cologne ↗
The African student association listed by the International Office among the groups under ISAC.
🇺🇸 Living in Cologne as an American student
The U.S. Consulate General in Düsseldorf covers North Rhine-Westphalia, and AmerikaHaus NRW runs events and student advice for the region.
U.S. Consulate General Düsseldorf ↗
Willi-Becker-Allee 10, 40227 Düsseldorf. Its consular district is the whole state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Preeti V. Shah has been Consul General since August 2024.
A publicly and privately funded association for politics, culture, business and education, with events across NRW and about 14,250 Americans living in the state by its own count. Its EducationUSA service gives advice on studying in the United States, which is useful if you plan an exchange.
NANZA, North American, New Zealand and Australian student group ↗
A University of Cologne student group for people from North America, New Zealand and Australia, listed by the International Office.
🇨🇳 Living in Cologne as a Chinese student
The Chinese Consulate General is in Düsseldorf, about 45 km north, and the University of Cologne has a Chinese student group.
Consulate General of the People's Republic of China, Düsseldorf ↗
Schanzenstraße 131, 40549 Düsseldorf. Passport and travel-document applications and notarisation appointments go through its online app, and the site has an education section for students.
VCSK, Chinese student group, University of Cologne ↗
The Chinese student association listed among the University of Cologne's international student groups.
English-taught programmes in Cologne
Soonest open deadline first. Every entry links to its official source.
- Master of Biochemistry and Molecular MedicineUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jan 2027Open
- Bonn-Cologne Graduate School of Physics and Astronomy: MSc in Physics (Cologne)University of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jan 2027Open
- Master of Arts in Social and Cultural AnthropologyUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition01 Mar 2027Open
- Digital Games (Bachelor of Arts)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnbachelorNo tuition31 Mar 2027Open
- International Management (CEMS MIM) – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition31 Mar 2027Open
- Economic Research – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition31 Mar 2027Open
- Double Master's Programme in Demography and Social Inequality - Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 May 2027Open
- Double Master's Programme in Business Administration – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 May 2027Open
- Double Master's Programme in Health Economics and Management - Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 May 2027Open
- Double Master's Programme in European Studies – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 May 2027Open
- Double Master's Programme in EconomicsUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 May 2027Open
- Sociology – Social and Economic Psychology, Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jun 2027Open
- Business Administration (Master of Science) – Major: Accounting & Taxation, Corporate Development, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain ManagementUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jun 2027Open
- Business Analytics & Econometrics – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jun 2027Open
- Economics – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jun 2027Open
- Sociology and Social Research – Master of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jun 2027Open
- Physics of the Earth and AtmosphereUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jul 2027Open
- Master of Arts in North American Studies (NAS)University of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jul 2027Open
- Genetics and Biology of Ageing and RegenerationUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition15 Jul 2027Open
- Management, Economics and Social Sciences - Bachelor of ScienceUniversity of Cologne · KölnbachelorNo tuition15 Jul 2027Open
- Industrial Engineering and International Management (MSc)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- E-Commerce & Logistics (MSc)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- MA Digital Narrativesifs Internationale Filmschule Köln · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- MA Serial Storytellingifs Internationale Filmschule Köln · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- International Management (MA) - For Non-Business GraduatesHochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- International Business Management (MSc)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- MA 3D Animation for Film & Gamesifs Internationale Filmschule Köln · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- Industrial Engineering and Management (BEng)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnbachelorRollingApply anytime
- Computer Science (MSc)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterRollingApply anytime
- Computer Science (BSc)Hochschule Fresenius - University of Applied Sciences · KölnbachelorRollingApply anytime
- Game Development and Research (Master of Arts)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterSee sourceCheck source
- Integrated Design Research (Master of Arts)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Integrated Water Resource Management with Focus on the Middle East and North Africa Region (IWRM-MENA)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Integrated Water Resources Management (MSc)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- International Business and Global Transformation (Master of Arts)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- International Business (Bachelor of Science)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnbachelorNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Natural Resources Management and Development (MSc)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Renewable Energy Management (MSc)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Digital Games (Master of Arts)Technische Hochschule Köln - University of Applied Sciences · KölnmasterNo tuitionSee sourceCheck source
- Master of Arts in Digital and Computational ArchaeologyUniversity of Cologne · KölnmasterNo tuition01 Sept 2026Deadline passed
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