Villingen-Schwenningen AT A GLANCE

VILLINGEN-SCHWENNINGEN AT A GLANCE

Villingen-Schwenningen is a town located in the southern part of the Baden-Württemberg federal state. With a population of over 80,000 people, this is currently the largest city in the Schwarzwald-Baar district. What distinguishes Villingen-Schwenningen from other German cities is that it has two city centers approximately eight kilometers apart from each other. Although Villingen is older than Schwenningen, both carry a rich historical heritage that can be still seen to this day along the streets of the city. The most popular site in Villingen’s old town is the Cathedral of Our Lady that has an interesting architecture combining both the Gothic and Romanesque style with 50-meter high towers. Schwenningen was once one of Europe’s best watch manufacturers, a craft whose history can be nowadays observed in the museums and factories left behind. Another interesting fact about the younger municipality is that it is the main source of the Neckar river, located in the city park Möglingshöhe. The climate in this region is transitioning from maritime to continental, leading to a warm and temperate weather. Summers in Villingen-Schwenningen are sunny and warm with average temperatures ranging between 16 °C and 22 °C. The months between May and August are quite wet, with significant amounts of rainfall. Winters, on the other hand, are mild with average temperatures varying between 0 °C and -2 °C. The city can be reached easily by train, bus or car as it is well-connected with bigger cities like Freiburg, Tuttlingen and even Stuttgart. Transportation within Villingen-Schwenningen is serviced by city buses reaching all points of the city. Students who wish to explore the region or the rest of the country can benefit from their semester tickets and travel free of charge or at lower rates depending on where they want to travel.

Academic Year

Spring Semester: March – August / Fall Semester: September – February

Official Language

German

Higher Education Institutions

Population

85181

Living Costs

800 EUR

STUDYING IN VILLINGEN-SCHWENNINGEN

The Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Villingen-Schwenningen (DHBW) and the College of Police are the two higher learning institutes established in the city. In total, both universities have around 3,800 students of all backgrounds and ages. Established in 1975, DHBW has maintained an excellent reputation over the years and become one of the largest universities in Germany, with twelve locations. The campus in Villingen-Schwenningen offers 20 degree programs in the fields of Business and Social Sciences. One of the top priorities of the university is to provide intensive support and mentoring to each and every student. The College of Police is the second most attended university in the city and is responsible for educating and training students who wish to become police officers in the federal state of Baden- Württemberg. The university offers two types of programs, each with a different duration and purpose. The first one lasts 30 months and comprises a comprehensive training and a final exam that upon successful completion grants students the right to be Chief of Police or a Police Sergeant. The duration of the second programs is 45 months and ends with a Bachelor’s degree in Police Training Service (Polizeivollzugsdienst). Accommodation in Villingen-Schwenningen is provided to students by both higher education institutes, however it varies depending on the university. Participants of courses at the College of Police are accommodated in single bedrooms on the premises of the campus. Students enrolled in the DHBW will have to search for housing on the private market. The latter can be easily found throughout advertisements on notice boards at the university campus, online, or through an agency.

VILLINGEN-SCHWENNINGEN LIFESTYLE

A student’s life would be nothing without entertainment or cultural activities to keep one’s social life up to date. As a university town, Villingen-Schwenningen has made sure to provide a diverse cultural scene of events and enough opportunities for students to unwind in their leisure time. Maintaining an active life is easy here as the surrounding areas of the city have an attractive low mountain range perfect for different sporting activities. Becoming involved in various sports and classes is easy when you are a student in either university. The city has several swimming pools, fitness facilities, and over 300 clubs and associations offering all sorts of activities. Villingen-Schwenningen is a quite lively city as it attracts thousands of people all year round coming to see some of the most popular festivals and fairs here, like the International Dance Festival where performers from all over the world gather to show contemporary and traditional dances. Another highlight that is usually aimed at the younger audience is the Long Schwenninger Culture Night. With 1000 performers and five open-air stages, this festival transforms the city into a large, colorful scene where everyone can express their creativity through art. In addition to all of this, Villingen-Schwenningen has also many small cafes, bars and restaurants along the street of both city centers where students often meet on a night out with friends.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN VILLINGEN-SCHWENNINGEN

The job market in Villingen-Schwenningen allows young individuals to participate in internships throughout their studies and practice in a real-life working environment. Furthermore, there are some great opportunities for establishing the foundations of a successful career right after graduation. The local economy is constantly growing since the city has a quite central location in the middle of Europe right in the border triangle of Germany, France and Switzerland. Many high-tech companies have established their offices here, contributing to Villingen-Schwenningen’s industry by creating a unique environment along with the excellent education system and exceptional lifestyle quality. The Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University Villingen-Schwenningen encourages all students to participate in as many events, workshops and trainings as possible so that they can gain knowledge of the market and establish connections with experienced professionals. The Career Service office on campus is responsible for helping and guiding students who are facing challenges with their application process, and with deciding which profession is best suitable for them. Also universitaet.com offers relevant information in the “Career” section, where current employment opportunities in Villingen-Schwenningen and other German cities are regularly published.

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