Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften Kempten

Key Highlights

• Public Bavarian university of applied sciences and corporation under public law
• Founded by Bavarian legislation in 1977; teaching began in 1978
• Six main academic areas spanning technology, business, tourism, computing, and social and health studies
• Unified 53,000-square-metre campus in Kempten

Student Life & Environment

Student life is concentrated on the university’s Kempten campus, which includes teaching and laboratory buildings, a library and a canteen. The institution’s history describes the site as a unified campus rather than a collection of widely separated city locations. This can make academic services and everyday campus facilities comparatively accessible, although individual placements, projects or cooperative-study commitments may occur elsewhere. Housing is not guaranteed or allocated directly by the university. Its 2026 accommodation guidance lists residences operated by the Augsburg Student Union, Sozialbau Kempten and private providers, alongside private rooms and apartments. Some residences are next to the university or within walking distance, while others have bus connections. The university explicitly warns that affordable and subsidized places are limited and recommends beginning early and applying to several providers. Students should contact each housing operator for vacancies, current rent, eligibility and deadlines because tenancy arrangements are made directly with the provider. This distinction is particularly important for international students: admission to a degree does not include a room. The campus card provides access to routine services such as the library and cashless payment in the canteen, but students should budget separately for optional activities and personal living costs.

Location & Surroundings

The university is located at Bahnhofstraße 61 on the southern side of Kempten, a city in Bavaria’s Allgäu region. The campus sits close to Kempten’s main railway station; the university estimates the walk at about five minutes. The Forum Allgäu shopping centre and bigBOX Allgäu event venue are also nearby, giving students access to retail and cultural facilities without needing to live on campus. Local and regional buses serve stops at or near the university, including the Hochschule stop on Bahnhofstraße. The campus is also accessible from the A7 motorway and the B12 and B19 roads. These connections may be useful for commuting, cooperative study and regional internships, but applicants should verify current timetables before relying on a particular route. Housing options are distributed across Kempten rather than confined to a residential campus. Some listed residences are walkable, while others depend on bus travel. Prospective students should compare commute, rent and contract terms together when choosing accommodation.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university’s August 2026 guidance states that, as a public institution, it charges no general tuition fee. All students pay a semester contribution of €115, comprising an €85 student-services contribution and €30 for the semester transport pass. Students from outside the EU who begin an English-taught degree from winter semester 2025/26 onward are also charged a €500 service fee per semester, subject to the university’s stated exemptions. Applicants should verify the applicable fee order before enrollment. For planning purposes, the university estimates that a student in Kempten needs at least €950 per month for accommodation, food, transport and other activities. Its sample ranges include rent of roughly €380–€500 per month, but these are guidance based on student experience, not fixed prices. Residence listings show that actual rents vary substantially by provider, room type and contract. Career preparation is embedded primarily through the applied character of the degrees, practical projects and, in many bachelor’s curricula, a practical semester with a company or institution. Cooperative study formats are available in selected fields. These features can provide workplace exposure, but the reviewed official sources do not publish a verified institution-wide employment rate, median salary or employer-placement guarantee. Prospective students should compare the curriculum, practical-semester requirements, local language expectations and professional recognition relevant to their intended occupation.