Study in Ingolstadt

Facts

137,392 Inhabitants ¹

6,018 Students ²

1 Higher education institution ²

WELCOME TO INGOLSTADT

Even though its population exceeds 100,000 inhabitants, when you’re in downtown Ingolstadt you almost get the feeling of being in a village. Quaint houses and narrow streets create a charming, relaxed atmosphere that you rarely find in other large cities. But that doesn’t mean that Ingolstadt can’t keep pace with other cities. The region’s economy is extremely strong.

Among the higher education institutions in Bavaria, Ingolstadt’s institution enjoys a very good reputation. It was here that Bavaria’s very first university was founded in 1472, the “High School”. It later changed locations and has meanwhile become better known as the Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU) in Munich.

The Kreuztor, the most famous landmark of Ingolstadt, is located directly behind the Minster of Our Lady, a Catholic church on Kreuzstrasse.

At Rathausplatz, you’ll find both the Old and New City Hall – a contrast which aptly reflects Ingolstadt’s development from a small town of provincial Bavaria into the modern city it is today.

Tip

Once a week, the Student Council shows a movie in the largest auditorium at the TH Ingolstadt. Contact the Student Council to find out when the next movie is playing!

Interestingly, the former university of Ingolstadt served as the setting to Mary Shelley’s novel “Frankenstein”. The main character of the story (Dr. Frankenstein) studied and conducted his experiments here.

Interview

NATALIA AND ÁLVARO FROM SPAIN

INTERVIEW WITH NATALIA AND ÁLVARO FROM SPAIN

Natalia is 19 years old and is enrolled in the Aeronautical Engineering bachelor’s programme at the Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt. Her fellow student Álvaro, 20 years old, also comes from Spain. As part of their cooperative study programme, they are employed as part-time interns at Airbus Defence & Space located near Ingolstadt.

Why did you both decide to study in Ingolstadt?

Álvaro: I wanted to study in Germany because studying in Spain isn’t all that great. The professors aren’t as nice as they are here; it’s a different mentality. I had always attended a German school, so that’s why I wanted to study in Germany. When I found out that they offered a cooperative study programme here, I applied and decided to study in Ingolstadt.

Did you receive any support from Germany before your departure?

Álvaro: Yes, the higher education institution put us in contact with a woman who’s responsible for international students in cooperative study programmes, and she always told us we could contact her whenever we had questions, like when applying, or if we had problems at the institution. We also received links to pages where we could look for apartments.

Did you experience anything especially difficult at the beginning of your stay in Germany? And how did you deal with it?

Natalia: The Bavarian accent was the worst thing for me. I’m still not completely used it.

Álvaro: The hard thing for me was not seeing my friends and family so often. They always did things without me and I wasn’t there with them and that made me a little sad. But as time went on, I realised it wasn’t so important because I’ll be able to do those things when I’m finished here. And I think every student goes through that – while they’re off studying, there are always things they can’t be doing. But it doesn’t matter if you’re here or somewhere else.

Do you already have an idea of what you’ll do after graduation? Can you imagine staying in Germany?

Natalia: We can stay on at the company in Manching (location of the Airbus production facility, ed.) for one year after graduation, and I’ll probably stay for that year. After that, we’ll see.

What do you like best in Ingolstadt?

Natalia: There’s a small garden in the Alte Anatomie which is really pretty. Whenever people come to visit me, I take them to this garden because it’s so hidden. I also like the green strip around Ingolstadt, that’s where we sometimes go jogging or biking.

Have you experienced anything in Ingolstadt which you especially enjoyed?

Natalia: For one, I think the city festivals (Volksfeste) are totally cool. We even bought ourselves Bavarian folk costumes – they make you feel really German.

Why do you think Ingolstadt is a good place to study?

Álvaro: The higher education institution here is very good. Many of the professors I’ve had were very good too and worked really hard for their students. The city isn’t gigantic, but there are many students and the atmosphere in Ingolstadt is also nice.

LIVING IN INGOLSTADT

You can reach most destinations easily by bike which is why you’ll see so many people riding bicycles. When the weather is nice, you should take a ride along the banks of the Danube River which runs through Ingolstadt. From there you can enjoy a nice view of the Neues Schloss (New Castle). A number of dukes once lived in the Neues Schloss, but now it’s home to the . The museum presents special exhibitions on Bavaria’s military history on a regular basis.

A few steps further in the opposite direction, you’ll see the Klenzepark – a beautiful place to enjoy the sunshine and take a break from your studies. The park also contains parts of the old fortifications which were built long ago to defend the city from marauders.

If all that sunshine makes you hungry, take a ride over the river into the old part of town and get something to eat.

Links

As a true Ingolstädter, you have to go to the annual in spring and autumn. There you’ll see people of every age wearing traditional Bavarian garb and you can try some Bavarian beer which native Bavarians are especially proud of.

Sports fans have a lot to be excited about as well; the football team FC Ingolstadt 04 and the ice hockey team ERC Ingolstadt are playing in professional association leagues. As a student, you are eligible for concession rates (i.e. reduced prices) on tickets at both clubs.

How to find a room in Ingolstadt

Many university and college towns have dormitories or student halls, and a room there is often the most affordable accommodation. To obtain a room in a dormitory or student hall, you have to apply to your college or university’s student union (). Our ‘Find Student Hall’ function can be of practical help. You only need to make a few mouse clicks to get to the online application form. Find a room and more information about dormitories and student halls in Ingolstadt.

Sources
¹
²

Cities similar to Ingolstadt

Federal State Bavaria+8

Iserlohn
STUDENT LIFE IN GREEN

Search

Follow us on

Ingolstadt
BIG CITY WITH SMALL-TOWN BAVARIAN CHARM

Follow us on

Facts

WELCOME TO INGOLSTADT

Tip

NATALIA AND ÁLVARO FROM SPAIN

LIVING IN INGOLSTADT

Links

How to find a room in Ingolstadt

Cities similar to Ingolstadt

Kempten

Siegen

Regensburg

Ulm

Mainz

Bingen

Kaiserslautern

Marburg

Iserlohn

Fulda

Lübeck

Bonn

Iserlohn
STUDENT LIFE IN GREEN

Facts

WELCOME TO INGOLSTADT

Tip

NATALIA AND ÁLVARO FROM SPAIN

LIVING IN INGOLSTADT

Links

How to find a room in Ingolstadt

Cities similar to Ingolstadt

IserlohnSTUDENT LIFE IN GREEN

Iserlohn
STUDENT LIFE IN GREEN