DISCOVER OFFENBACH

FIND YOUR STUDY PROGRAM IN OFFENBACH

OFFENBACH AT A GLANCE

Offenbach am Main lies in the immediate vicinity of the largest city in the federal state of Hesse with a population of over 138,000 people. The city has a very beautiful appearance and a rich cultural and historical heritage that is well-preserved to this day. Some of the most popular examples of this are the magnificent Issenburger Schloss, a Renaissance palace from the 16th century or the Schloss Rumpenheim, another palace with an amazing architecture that combines the Baroque and Neoclassical style. Those who are coming to the city for the first time must visit the local museums where the history of Offenbach’s evolution is told through artefacts and relics. What makes this city an ideal place to live and study in are undoubtedly its peaceful and friendly atmosphere, numerous recreational opportunities and, of course, its favorable location next to Frankfurt am Main. It could be said that Offenbach is Germany’s “weather city” since the German Weather Service’s headquarters is located here. The city even offers a free meteorological park where visitors can explore the mechanics of a tornado or a storm. Speaking of weather, Offenbach has a warm and temperate climate with an average annual temperature of about 10 °C and significant amounts of rainfall happening throughout the year. Getting around Offenbach am Main is quite easy thanks to the nine local inner city buses of which five also operate at night. The city is also well-connected to Frankfurt and other regions in Germany through road and railway. Cycling is also a preferred means of transportation since there is a 75-kilometer-long cycling network established in Offenbach. Being a large city, Offenbach’s population is very diverse, with almost 55,000 people with a foreign background. Although the official language here is German, and it is highly recommended for newcomers to know at least the basics of it, foreigners will find that other languages such as English, Romanian, Polish and more are spoken here as well. Offenbach ist sozusagen die "Wetterstadt" Deutschlands, da sich hier die Zentrale des Deutschen Wetterdienstes befindet. Die Stadt hat sogar einen kostenlosen meteorologischen Park, in dem die Besucher die Entstehung eines Tornados oder Sturms erkunden können. Apropos Wetter, Offenbach hat ein warmes und gemäßigtes Klima mit einer durchschnittlichen Jahrestemperatur von circa 10 °C und erheblichen Niederschlagsmengen während des ganzen Jahres. In Offenbach am Main hin- und herzukommen ist dank der neun Stadtbuslinien, von denen fünf auch nachts fahren, recht einfach. Die Stadt ist zudem über Straße und Schiene gut mit Frankfurt und anderen Regionen in Deutschland verbunden. Auch das Radfahren ist ein beliebtes Verkehrsmittel, da in Offenbach ein 75 Kilometer langes Radwegenetz eingerichtet ist. Als Großstadt ist Offenbach mit fast 55.000 Menschen, die einen ausländischen Hintergrund haben, sehr vielfältig. Obwohl die Amtssprache hier Deutsch ist und es als Neuankömmling dringend empfohlen wird, zumindest die Grundlagen der deutschen Sprache zu kennen, werden Ausländer feststellen, dass hier auch andere Sprachen, wie beispielsweise Englisch, Rumänisch oder Polnisch, gesprochen werden.

Academic Year

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

Official Language

German

Higher Education Institutions

Population

138933

Living Costs

820 Euro

STUDYING IN OFFENBACH

Offenbach is home to the Hessen State University of Art and Design (HfG), established in 1832 as a craftsman’s school that transformed into an art college nearly 140 years later. Today the university has received international renown due to its future-oriented teaching focusing on the artistic and scientific aspects in various fields. The main areas of study here are Fine Arts, Media and Design. The University breaks down into two schools: the School of Art with four subject areas, and the School of Design. Both departments offer a comprehensive study program that comprises theory and practice. In addition more than 700 students can enjoy a pleasant study environment since the main building of the university is partially located in the Issenburger Castle, looking right at the Main River. The rest of the campus has a modern library, spacious classrooms and a canteen serving delicious inexpensive meals every day. All students coming to Offenbach am Main for their studies will probably need to organize an accommodation, preferably prior to their arrival in the city. This is why there are three students residence halls reserved exclusively for the HfG. All three accommodations are located 20 minutes walking distance away from the main building of the University. Students who want to live in such a place can choose between rooms in shared flats and individual apartments equipped with furniture, kitchen and bathrooms. The average monthly rent including some utility bills is around 300 EUR. Although living in a student residence hall is a common choice among students, there are other numerous other housing opportunities on the private market of Offenbach. Such places, however, might come unfurnished, so students will have to think of that as well.

OFFENBACH LIFESTYLE

Offenbach’s lifestyle is quite similar to the one in Frankfurt or other bigger cities in Germany since there are plenty of cultural and leisure activities going on every day. Students who come to live and study here will find that they can spend their free time in many different ways, e.g. exercising, attending various events, or even traveling across the country. Art and culture play a very important role in Offenbach’s lifestyle and are the prerequisite for various events like the Festival of Art Views where locals and especially art students can appreciate and admire paintings, sculptures, photography and many other artworks and performances. The city also boasts many other interesting festivals and markets like the Festival of Lights taking place every year, or the Christmas Market where people celebrae their traditions while enjoying delicious meals and drinks, live musical performances and a loving atmosphere where everyone is welcome to indulge in. Attending open-air concerts and galleries is probably not what every students wants to do for the rest of their student life. Therefore, Offenbach, with its surrounding region as well as the University, offer young adults a wide range of sporting activities. The Student Committee (AStA) has organized further opportunities for all students who want to engage in any kind of physical training. Anything from football and dancing to yoga and Thai boxing can be practiced for a small contribution of 10 EUR per sport for each semester. Students can also benefit from the numerous green parks within Offenbach or the beautiful landscapes in the surrounding region – all perfect for practicing sports in the outdoors.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN OFFENBACH

The aspect of work accompanies students not only after their studies but also throughout their student lives. The majority of students look for part-time employment during their time spent at the university for one reason or another. Working as a student in Germany is allowed, however there are some restrictions and regulations such as a limitation of the weekly working hours or a mandatory period of six months that needs to be passed before the start of the employment. International students should inform themselves about the particular requirements depending on their country of residence. Once the documents are set, students should be able to find part-time employment easily since Offenbach is an attractive business location with numerous companies. Graduation marks another stage of a student’s journey to success in finding the right career path. This is why HfG works hard on preparing all of its students for the professional world and teaches them to spread the artistic and creative spirit into the world. In addition, throughout their experience at the University, students will learn how to solve complex problems while testing new approaches, and improve their unconventional thinking. The University also works in close partnership with several other higher education institutions across the world in order to provide further opportunities for students who want to experience foreign culture and explore potential career opportunities abroad. Universitaet.com has also developed a special “Career” section where all users can view the latest employment offers in Offenbach or in other German cities and gain a better insight into what the labor market has on offer.