Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen

Key Highlights

• Public university of applied sciences operating under Baden-Württemberg oversight
• Founded in 1949 as a higher agricultural school
• Present institutional name adopted following the 2005 state higher-education law
• Teaching and services distributed across Nürtingen and Geislingen

Student Life & Environment

Student life is divided between Nürtingen and Geislingen rather than concentrated on one campus. Nürtingen has several teaching and specialist sites, including city-centre and Braike facilities. Geislingen’s university buildings are situated in its town centre. This arrangement can provide close access to each town, but students should consider travel between buildings and confirm where their program’s regular classes occur. The university identifies organized sport, choir and orchestra, rowing, and other leisure opportunities in Nürtingen. Student initiatives and the elected student body provide additional routes for involvement. Dining arrangements vary by site: HfWU directs students to a Studierendenwerk canteen in central Nürtingen, another nearby canteen serving the Braike area, and a company restaurant used by students in Geislingen. Student residences in both towns are administered by Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim, not directly by HfWU. The university’s housing page links to the separate online application and identifies residence options in Nürtingen and Geislingen. A place should not be assumed merely because a student has received admission; housing requires its own application. Academic and administrative support includes central study advising, the Student Administration Office, the International Office, and program-level contacts. International students can use the International Office for guidance on exchange, study-abroad, internships abroad, and integration-related matters.

Location & Surroundings

HfWU’s principal address is in Nürtingen, with a second academic location in Geislingen an der Steige. Both are in Baden-Württemberg, and the university treats them as locations of the same institution. Nürtingen’s facilities are dispersed among the city centre, Braike, and several specialized sites, while Geislingen’s four listed university buildings are in the town centre. Nürtingen lies on the Neckar near the edge of the Swabian Jura. The setting gives students access to town-based services as well as outdoor recreation, including activities around the river and nearby landscape. Geislingen offers a compact town-centre study setting. Neither location should be interpreted as a single self-contained residential campus. The practical location decision is program-specific. Applicants should check the relevant degree page and HfWU site map before choosing accommodation. Living near one location may be inconvenient if teaching or specialist activities regularly occur elsewhere. University-linked residence options exist in both Nürtingen and Geislingen, but applications are handled separately by the regional student-services organization.

Costs & Career Outcomes

From summer semester 2026, every student must pay a semester contribution of €168.60. HfWU states that this combines the administration, Studierendenwerk, and student-body charges. This is separate from any tuition that applies to the student’s legal or academic category. Under Baden-Württemberg’s rules, citizens of countries outside the EU and EEA generally pay €1,500 per semester in addition to the semester contribution. Statutory exceptions and exemptions may apply, so international applicants should review HfWU’s exemption documentation rather than assuming liability from nationality alone. A €650-per-semester second-degree fee generally applies to specified students beginning another bachelor’s or consecutive master’s course after completing a higher-education degree in Germany. Specialized part-time programs can have separate tuition arrangements. Fees must be paid according to the enrollment or re-registration instructions, and HfWU says installment payment is not available for the stated tuition charges. Housing costs are not published as a single university-wide figure on the current housing page. Students should obtain current rents directly from Studierendenwerk Tübingen-Hohenheim and budget separately for accommodation, food, insurance, transport, and personal expenses. For career preparation, HfWU provides the HfWU-Start portal for internships and jobs, employer and recruiting events, and an annual career fair during the winter semester. Career resources also include application-related activities and support for entrepreneurship. These services provide access and preparation, but the university does not promise a particular employer, salary, or placement outcome.