Pforzheim University

Pforzheim University is a public university for applied science in Pforzheim, Germany.

The main buildings of the campus is located in the south part of the city of Tiefenbronner Str. with affiliated institutes around the city Pforzheim. Pforzheim University with around 5,000 students is one of the largest of its kind in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The merger of the two former independent and successful universities of applied sciences for design and economics in 1992 laid the foundation for the engineering department of the university. Today, Pforzheim University for design, engineering, economics and law considers itself an impetus to society and a model for contact with people, resources and ideas. It has been accredited by AACSB International in 2011.

The Country

Germany is a federal parliamentary republic in western-central Europe. The country consists of 16 states and its capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 square kilometers and has a largely temperate seasonal climate. With 80.6 million inhabitants, it is the most populous member state in the European Union. Germany is the major economic and political power of the European continent and a historic leader in many cultural, theoretical and technical fields. Germany has the world’s fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP and the fifth-largest by purchasing power parity. As a global leader in several industrial and technological sectors, it is the second-largest exporter and third-largest importer of goods. It is a developed country with a very high standard of living, featuring comprehensive social security that includes the world’s oldest universal health care system.

The City

Pforzheim is a town of nearly 120,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. The state of Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe’s most innovative and globalized regions. Many internationally renowned corporations such as Daimler, Porsche, Bosch, SAP, Zeiss and Würth are located in this area. Pforzheim is known for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Because of that it gained the nickname “Goldstadt” or Golden City. It has an area of 98 square kilometres and is situated between the cities of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe at the confluence of three rivers (Enz, Nagold and Würm) and marks the frontier between Baden and Württemberg, being located on Baden territory. From 1535 to 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden-Pforzheim. The city is located on the Bertha Benz Memorial Route.

Student life

The students’ initiative Gemini offers different activities for exchange students at Pforzheim University. One of these activities is the buddy program which matches one German and one international student. The German student is there to help the exchange student with his/her first steps in Germany and Pforzheim. Also, Gemini hosts a lot of events for students every year. Numerous student cafes, clubs and of course the popular student parties at Pforzheim University make student life attractive.

Estimated Expenses

*per month
**There is no direct line between Zagreb and Pforzheim. You can take a plane from Zagreb to Stuttgart and then take a train from Stuttgart to Pforzheim.

Accommodation

International students have to take care of the accommodation for the duration of their stay in Pforzheim independently. The application for a room in one of the student halls will not be accomplished through the International Programs Office, but has to be addressed directly to the administration of the accordant student hall. Student at Pforzheim University can choose to live on-campus or off-campus. The Studentenwerk’s department for accommodation affairs runs 19 halls of residence offering 2,384 rooms in Karlsruhe and Pforzheim. We therefore strongly recommend that you apply for a room as soon as possible.

Travel opportunities

Pforzheim is situated between the cities of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg in Southwest Germany. The “Gold City” is an ideal starting point for discovering Germany and the rest of Europe. It is surrounded by a fantastic natural landscape offering various leisure activities. Not only Spa Towns and Health Resorts such as Bad Liebenzell and Bad Wildbad are located here but also the northern Black Forest, which is a small skiing region – a popular place for excursions in the winter semester. Germany is filled with beautiful castles. The Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited castles in Germany and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe. Interesting destinations for weekend trips are France (the Alsace region), Switzerland and Lake Constance. Trains are a great and easy way to get around in Germany. You can book tickets online.