DISCOVER MÜNSTER

FIND YOUR STUDY PROGRAM IN MÜNSTER

MÜNSTER AT A GLANCE

In North-Rhine Westphalia lies the beautiful green city of Münster with a population of over 300,000 people. The city is often called ‘’The City of Bicycles’’ due to their predominance here with an average of two bikes per person. Locals love cycling around the complex network on lanes and paths designed specifically for cyclists. The metropolis is also very rich in history with immense Gothic and Romanesque churches, museums and medieval buildings with the most notable one being the Historical City Hall with the famous Friedenssaal (Peace Hall) where the Peace of Westphalia was signed after 30 years of war. Today Münster has transformed into a young university city with an active cultural life many leisure and outdoor activities making it an outstanding place to live and study in. Despite of the famous saying going around the city ‘’Either it rains or the church bells ring. And if both occur at the same time, it's Sunday.’’, the amount of rainfall here is rather similar to the average one in the rest of the country, with the driest months being June, July, November and December. Summers here are warm with average temperatures, winters are moderately cold with less snowfall. Bikes might be the most famous but surely not the only method of transportation around here. Public transportation nowadays consists of a network of buses circulating within Münster, linking different parts with the inner city. A very innovative feature around here is the combination between buses and taxi where bus drivers are entitled to call a cab for any passenger who wishes to be picked up at their final stop and taken home safely.

Academic Year

Summer Semester: April – September / Winter Semester: October – March

Official Language

German

Higher Education Institutions

Population

313559

Living Costs

730 – 800 EUR

STUDYING IN MÜNSTER

The internationally renowned universities here are appealing to many German and international students. With a choice of six higher learning institutes and a complete range of degree courses, young adults can take the ideal academic journey for themselves and enjoy their studies. Over 50,000 students have enrolled in the past year, of which some 44,000 chose the Westphalian Wilhelms University Münster, which also happens to be the oldest public institute in the city. Those who wish to study here can choose from over 280 programs across social sciences and humanities. The university also offers a range of English-taught Bachelor’s and Master’s courses or separate language courses for those who wish to study in German. Münster University of Applied Sciences and the Academy of Fine Arts are another two public education institutes established here concentrated on specific fields of study and research compared to the broad range the traditional university has on offer. Whatever the choice is, all higher learning institutes in Münster strongly promote internationalization and therefore are very open towards students with foreign backgrounds. The International Offices are designed to assist everyone who needs help with the transition process and the adaptation to the new environment. One of the important aspects of the student life that foreigners can receive help with is finding a suitable accommodation. Feeling comfortable during the three or four years of study is important and therefore it is recommendable for newcomers to start looking for a room or a shared flat as early as possible. Due to the high number of students, rooms in student residence halls might get booked faster as this is usually the most common choice among students. Furthermore, housing on the private market is also an option to those who do not manage to secure a room in a student dormitory.

MÜNSTER LIFESTYLE

Münster’s cultural and entertainment life is filled with various attractive activities most of which focused on the younger audience as it is after all a university town. Guided tours or a mere walk around the city center are just the right choice for newcomers who would like to get to know the city better. It is very easy for students to make friends here and meet new people by just visiting one of the many fairs and festivals where locals love to gather with each other and celebrate. The city is also very proud of its Skulptur Projekte, an exhibition of impressive artworks by international sculptors taking place every ten years in Münster making the city a focus of world attention. Those who feel artistic or want to try something new can join one of the theatrical groups in the university or outside of it or participate in a choir or orchestras in their free time. The surroundings of the city are offering beautiful green landscapes and wooded areas ideal for all nature lovers who want to go hiking or cycling in the sunny days. ust within a walking distance west of the city center is located the Aasee lake where students often meet and rent a paddle boat, have lunch at one of the restaurants around the shore or just relax with friends while watching the yachts float. The lake is also a very pleasant view during winter when it gets covered with snow or in autumn when the threes are painting an amazing colorful scenery. Night entertainment is also diverse with bars and dance clubs with electro, house and R&B parties. Students are also often going to live music performances or concerts hosted at the Jovel Music Hall.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN MÜNSTER

Although life in Münster is much cheaper compared to other cities in Germany, students who wish to support themselves financially are entitled to work while they are studying. There are, however, certain restrictions for all German and international students in that they are allowed to only work between 15 and 20 working hours per week on a part-time employment contract. Furthermore, some foreign students might need to obtain a working permit before they start looking for a job. Afterwards, finding one is not hard at all as there are daily advertisements for positions within the university campuses or around the city. Some of the most common job offers are for a student assistant (SHK) in any of the faculties, library assistant, bartender and waitress. Münster is also home to many well-developed industries and is considered a powerful economic center. Graduates who wish to continue with their lives in Germany may equally consider working in the city as the average unemployment rate here is significantly lower that other cities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Many big names on the German market like BASF Coatings and Brillux, Hengst and Armacell have established their headquarters here contributing to the constant growth of Münster. Those and many other companies are constantly looking for new qualified young people to join their teams and contribute for new ideas and approaches in the value creation process. In addition, universitaet.com offers to all of its users the chance to view relevant job opportunities in Münster and other German cities by checking the “Career” section where detailed information is displayed.