Freiburg has slightly more than 200 000 inhabitants, of which approximately 30 000 are students – a large number of them coming from abroad.

There are different universities in Freiburg: First of all there is the Albert-Ludwigs-University which is located with its buildings in the city centre. Secondly, one can study at the Pädagogische Hochschule which is a little further out of town in Littenweiler. Students there mainly study education at primary or secondary level. Furthermore there are smaller universities such as the Catholic or Protestant University or the Music University, the last being for people who study music only.

• Get to know the city, the region and plan your free time

There are all kinds of institutions in the city that offer a large variety of social activities and trips. One that is especially for students from Freiburg is the Studentenwerk (Schreiberstraße 12-16). They organize all kinds of events and you are more than welcome to take part always at a very cheap price. All the universities publish their own semester programmes which give you information about all activities that are offered for students. There are tours and trips or courses that you can take part in e.g. in arts or sports (climbing, hiking, cycling, dancing, ball games, yoga), music (orchestras, choirs, clubs, and other meeting groups that love to have new members. The most famous booklet to find out more about this is the Studium Generale which is available in many places in the city shortly before the semester starts. As you will quickly find out there are many ways to plan and fill your free time. This is one way for you to easily meet new people, so if you are interested - go for it!

Freiburg is a city with a lot of things to do and places to explore. First of all you should take the chance to walk up the Schloßberg (access from the Schwabentor) where you can enjoy a wonderful view over the whole town from the Kanonenplatz. If you are a sportsperson you can even take up another challenge and climb up the new Schloßbergturm- your effort will be finally rewarded!

Another highlight is the famous Munster in Freiburg and the square around it, where there is a market several times each week. The inner city with its historic buildings, narrow streets and the well-known Bächle is also worth seeing- however, you will not be able to avoid doing so, as it is also the place where you will spend part of your time. Here you find most shops and boutiques and there are lots of bars, cafes and cinemas. Thus day- and nightlife is very busy here.

At the beginning of the semesters students offer tours through not only the university but also the city. If, however, you need further information on what to do and what to see in and around Freiburg you can contact for example the tourist information centre or check out the internet.

• Accommodation and how to get around

Unfortunately accommodation in Freiburg is one of the main problems for new students. Places to live are not easy to find and very often rents are quite high. One piece of advice you should try to follow is to look for accommodation as early as possible. To do so you can look at the Zypresse an advertising newspaper that is published twice a week and that you can get for free. Another helpful place you can go to is again the Studentenwerk. They also have a good selection of single rooms and shared flats. If you would like to live in a Studentenwohnheim you need to apply there very early, because they usually have long waiting lists at the start of the semester.

However, you might have to consider living a little further out of the city centre. If so, do not worry! The suburbs and villages around Freiburg are also wonderful places to live and it is extremely easy to get out and around - even at night. Public transport in Freiburg is extraordinary and outstanding compared to other cities in Germany. There are trams, busses and trains which bring you everywhere and run at very short intervals. As a student you can purchase the Semesterticket which is similar to a regio card and allows you to use public transport all trough the semester in and even around Freiburg for just an extra payment of 53,00€.

Nevertheless the most famous way to get around in Freiburg is definitely by bike. As the city itself is not too big, the weather is not too bad (throughout the year we have most hours of sun in the whole country!), parking for cars is very limited and there are around 400km cycle tracks in the city it is just the best way to move around. You probably will become infected by this Freiburg mentality very quickly J ! There are many ways to get a second-hand bike (e.g. auctions) if you cannot bring your own one and do not want to buy a new one.

• Food

As I have already mentioned Freiburg is very strongly characterized by its international flair. Therefore you can get all kinds of food in the city. First of all there are various supermarkets and discount stores that offer everything that is usually consumed by Germans and other European nations. Food is not very exotic here though many traditional products from other countries have found their way into our eating culture. If however you are looking for typical international products, there are also smaller specialised shops with Asian, French or Turkish food all around the city.

Going out for dinner is another possibility and at some places even a very cheap one. You will find all kinds of restaurants, in all kinds of styles and with all kinds of food. However, the most popular places serve Italian, Turkish and Asian food.

• Weather

In terms of weather conditions once again Freiburg was a good choice! Still, depending on how long you are staying and when you are arriving you should prepare yourself in terms of appropriate clothing. The summers in Freiburg tend to be very sunny and at times very hot as well. Though we do not have any serious ozone- or smog problems protecting your skin from the sun is an important issue, especially when you spend your time outside, which you will be very likely to do. Freiburg has many places to go to such as Swimming Pools, the Dreisam river, barbecue places, the Seepark in the west of the city, the Open Air Cinema etc. While summer is a great time to relax outside and enjoy all kind of activities, winter should not be ignored. Though in the winter time temperatures are not extremely low and the city is one of the mildest places throughout Germany, the area around has a lot to offer in terms of skiing and other winter sports. The Feldberg (1493m) and the Schauinsland (1286m) are the highest elevations in the Black Forest and there is lots of snow usually during the whole season.

Altogether weather conditions in Freiburg are very temperate and do not have any extremes but rather vary over the year in a way that allows all kinds of leisure arrangements outside. So no matter where you are from, it should not be too much of a problem to get used to the climate here. If however you read this and find out that you have not prepared yourself appropriately in terms of clothing do not worry! You can get all the clothes and equipment you need (e.g. for doing winter sports) often quite reasonably in town or just hire it on a daily basis.

• Cultural aspects

One thing you might have get used to is shaking hands when greeting other people. You do not usually shake hands with a close friend, but if you meet new people (especially when they are older than you) or you are at a more formal occasion this is a very typical way to say hello to each other.

If you are still struggling with your German, there is no need to be worried. Germans love to show their language skills and sometimes they will even try to speak your language if they know it. Most students will be well able to communicate in English or even French.

If you are going out at night for a drink, usually everybody pays for him-/herself. Nevertheless, if someone buys you a drink, there is no need for you to invite that person straight back.

People in Germany and maybe particularly in Freiburg are very outgoing. The city has a lot to offer in terms of cultural activities (theatre, movies, concerts, lectures, presentations,) and there are bars and restaurants all over the place. The nightlife is well organised and it usually has something to offer for everybody. Daily and weekly theme parties at different locations are as popular as are the monkey jump festival, Universal and the ZMF- just to name some of the bigger events.

There is probably a lot more to say in terms of manners and things that are typical in German culture. After all whole books were written on this topic. But you will learn a lot more during your stay here and when observing people or going out with them. As they are used to tourists from abroad and internationals, Freiburgers tend to be very patient and understanding, so do not worry if some things go wrong at the beginning. With a little sense of humour which is very common in this region, everything will be fine!

• What else? Internet access

Another aspect that might be of great interest for you is Internet access as this is a wonderful way to find out things and to keep in touch with friends and family back home. Once you are enrolled at university you get an e-mail account including a personal password which allows you to access the Internet (only at your university) for free. Generally speaking the computer rooms are well-equipped and usually they also have scanners and printers. Besides, in the city itself there are various Internet cafes, so after all this should not be a matter of concern to you.