Cologne is an exciting metropolis to study and live in, whether you want to do your Bachelor's, Master's, or both in Cologne. You have multiple student-dominated neighborhoods and numerous universities, you have the impressive party and cultural opportunities of a colourful megacity, you have highlights like the Cologne cathedral and carnival - and the unique neighbourhoods in the small parts of town, the "Veedeln". Perhaps the most important district for you after a day at university will be the "Quartier Latin" or in the Cologne dialect, "Kwartier Latäng". This neighbourhood is the most popular nightlife area for most of the 100,000 students in Cologne and is just 1,000 metres away from the CBS campus.
In Cologne, no one has to pretend, and hardly anyone wants to stand out. Here you can simply be who you want to be. Especially during the carnival season or annual Gay Pride event. Cologne is not a luxury city, but rather down-to-earth and tolerant. That makes life in Cologne very relaxed and chilled. One example is the relatively new "Rheinboulevard", a large terrace with steps on the "other side of the Rhine river," from where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the Rhine, the cathedral, and the old town in summer. Cologne is a very relaxed and spontaneous City. Barbecue in the park? Sundowner on the Rhine? Bring something to a party at a shared flat? Anything is possible in Cologne.
It doesn't sound spectacular, but it is: Cologne is a friendly city where people are always very friendly and open.
In addition to the CBS, there are many large universities in Cologne. The University of Cologne is one of the oldest and the second-largest presence university in Germany with an exceptionally large number of study programmes, the German Sports University is an excellent address in sports science, and in addition there are many other universities from the fields of technology, media, art, and business. What this means for you: When you study in Cologne, you can look forward to a truly diverse student life. Secondly, you have the chance to get to know many people from different backgrounds and parts of the world.
Cologne is a colourful, international cosmopolitan city: two out of five Cologne residents have a migration background, people from 180 nations live in the city. The city is home to 100,000 students that come from all over the Germany and the world. Cologne is also a tourist magnet, and the locals are used to seeing tourists and new faces all the time.
In many metropolises, you can simply buy a travel guide or read through some tips on the internet and find real insider tips. This doesn't work so well in Cologne. Because you only know the insider tips if you also live in Cologne. Above all, these are insider tips in the "Veedeln", i.e., the small and large neighbourhoods of the city, because they are not so easily accessible for tourists and thus remain largely undiscovered. If you study and live in Cologne, you will discover these hidden jams yourself, together with your fellow students. No secret, of course, is the "Kwartier Latäng" around Zülpicher Straße, where many students party.
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If you like going to concerts, Cologne is an ideal place for you to live and study in. On the one hand, the world's biggest stars usually make a stop in Cologne when they tour, if only because the Lanxess Arena is one of the largest halls in Europe. On the other hand, there are many small and medium-sized clubs where smaller bands stop off. For classical music, the Kölner Philharmonie is a real highlight, because it is home to no less than two symphony orchestras and invites a lot of exciting guests. In addition to the opera, there is a large theatre and many small, independent ones. World-class museums such as the Museum Ludwig are tourist magnets with numerous interesting exhibitions. If you live in Cologne, you can visit the city museums for free on the first Thursday of the month until 10 pm.
In addition to pop and high culture, there is also carnival, the original local culture. Basic rule: Don't ask too many questions, just join in. The pub carnival and street carnival, including the Rosenmontagszug (Rose Monday procession) and the many smaller carnival processions, are what you'll see most. Between "Wieverfastelovend", Carnival Thursday, and Carnival Tuesday, public life is largely paralysed.
Cologne may be a city of a million inhabitants and the largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, but when you're studying in Cologne it will almost feel like a city of 500,000 inhabitants. The reason: Most of the interesting places are on the left side of the Rhine, public transport works well, and you can get everywhere easily by bike. Incidentally, the CBS campus is strategically located between the "Südstadt" and the city centre.
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Take the first step towards your dream career! Download our brochure & learn more about our undergraduate & graduate degrees in Germany!
Cologne is very attractive, and it is growing. Finding a nice, well-located apartment or shared apartment is not easy, as it is in every city with over a million inhabitants in Germany. CBS supports you in your search for an apartment. We not only give you tips, we even have our own housing options. The CBS Accommodation Office is there to provide you with information and support whether you are studying full-time in Cologne or you are just there to spend a semester abroad.
Living and studying in Cologne also means working in Cologne. Cologne offers you many possibilities, regardless if you are looking for a side job to earn some extra money, or if you are looking for permanent employment to kick start your career. There are numerous jobs for students in Cologne, from classic temporary side jobs to student jobs in the many interesting companies in Cologne to the possibility of working in our student consultancy conCBS. The CBS Career Service's own online job portal is an excellent starting point. The CBS Career Service also helps when it comes to applications.
The Cologne Student Union (Kölner Studierendenwerk) looks after around 87,000 students from seven Cologne universities, including those at CBS. This means that you can use all the services of the Student Union while you are studying at CBS in Cologne. This includes the possibility of applying for places in student halls of residence, you can use 8 canteens as well as 14 cafeterias up to six days a week, there are day-care centres for children, events, and many advisory services.
Cologne is unique. It has its own dialect, namely "uns kölsche Sproch", a very extensive tradition with the Cologne Carnival and the large music scene, which is part of this. It also has its own pub culture with the beer called Kölsch and breweries, as well as a strong bond with the neighbourhood (Veedeln) in which one lives.
For many students, university sport is the perfect balance to learning; you can improve your abilities in your favourite sports, train easily, discover new sports and make friends. In any case, you will develop yourself further in university sport. The CBS cooperates with other universities in Cologne for campus sport so that you have access to the greatest possible variety of sports.
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Whether Bachelor's, Master's, full or part-time, in German or English - there is something for everyone here at CBS in Germany.
