Hochschule Reutlingen

About Hochschule Reutlingen

Reutlingen University is a state university of applied sciences whose institutional identity is shaped by practice-oriented education, international participation, and applied research. It began as a weaving school in 1855, later became a state engineering school, and developed into a university of applied sciences. That history remains visible in the TEXOVERSUM School of Textiles, but the modern institution is considerably broader. The university reports approximately 5,000 students from more than 80 countries, 49 degree programs, and six faculties. These are ESB Business School, the School of Informatics, the School of Life Sciences, the School of Sustainability and Technology, the School of Engineering, and TEXOVERSUM School of Textiles. This structure gives prospective students access to subjects ranging from international business and computing to applied sciences, engineering, sustainability, design, and textiles. The educational model emphasizes application-oriented teaching and research, with institutional priorities that include digitalization, entrepreneurship, internationality, sustainability, diversity, and professional preparation. Some programs include internships, project work, international study, or double-degree structures, but applicants should confirm the exact curriculum on the relevant program page. Reutlingen is therefore most suitable for students who want a professionally focused degree and are comfortable comparing program-specific requirements rather than relying on university-wide assumptions.

Applications are generally submitted online through Reutlingen University’s application portal using digital copies of the required documents. Bachelor’s applicants need a recognized higher-education entrance qualification, which may be the Abitur, a subject-specific qualification, a university-of-applied-sciences entrance qualification, a qualifying vocational route, or an accepted foreign credential. Master’s applicants normally need a completed first degree from a course lasting at least three years. Program-specific subject, language, grade, portfolio, or aptitude conditions may also apply. The university’s general deadlines are usually 15 January for the summer semester and 15 July for the winter semester. Non-restricted programs may permit direct enrollment through the end of February or 31 August. These are not universal deadlines: programs can set earlier or otherwise different dates. For winter 2026/27, the university continued accepting direct enrollments in several unrestricted programs until 31 August 2026 and offered lottery places in selected programs after the main allocation process. Applicants should therefore consult the live program listing and portal rather than infer availability from the general dates. International applicants with foreign credentials normally require formal credential recognition through Studienkolleg Konstanz, subject to a special process for the International Business Bachelor’s program. Adequate German is required unless the chosen program is taught exclusively in English. Applicants from China, India, and Vietnam may also require an APS certificate. Visa, residence-permit, health-insurance, and language evidence should be planned early and checked against the applicant’s citizenship and program.

Academic provision is organized across six faculties: ESB Business School, Informatics, Life Sciences, Sustainability and Technology, Engineering, and TEXOVERSUM School of Textiles. The official study catalog includes Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, alongside some MBA and preparatory offerings. Applicants can filter the catalog by degree type and should use each program page to check teaching language, start term, duration, application deadline, and any selection or aptitude requirements. The university’s applied-sciences mandate is central to its academic character. Its mission describes forward-looking teaching and application-oriented research intended to develop disciplinary, methodological, and social skills. Practice may take the form of laboratories, internships, industry projects, applied theses, or international components, depending on the course. The program catalog, for example, identifies degrees with practical and overseas semesters, while individual design programs use portfolio or aptitude processes. These features are not uniform across the institution. Reutlingen awards Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Master’s entry normally requires a completed first higher-education degree from a program lasting at least three years; individual courses can impose subject, grade, language, artistic, or other requirements. Although some university units participate in doctoral training and Baden-Württemberg’s joint doctoral structures, the official general study offering presented to applicants is centered on Bachelor’s and Master’s education. Prospective students seeking doctoral study should verify the responsible faculty, research arrangement, and awarding framework separately rather than treating a doctorate as a standard university-wide program level.

Key Highlights

• Public university of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg
• Approximately 5,000 students from more than 80 countries
• 49 degree programs organized across six faculties
• Institutional history begins with a weaving school founded in 1855

Student Life & Environment

Student life is concentrated around the Reutlingen campus and includes elected representation, faculty student councils, sports, music, and student-led initiatives. The Student Parliament represents students across faculties and works through portfolios covering areas such as culture, events, sustainability, international exchange, sports, digitalization, and diversity. Faculty councils provide another route to organize events, raise academic concerns, and meet students from different semesters. University sports range from established activities to changing semester-based courses; the university says many are free for students and employees. The campus Big Band welcomes new members and performs styles including jazz, soul, funk, and rock. Other listed initiatives connect students through consulting projects, sustainability activities, investment education, entrepreneurship, and a National Model United Nations delegation. Central services include academic advising, the Student Service Centre, an academic Learning Centre with library and media services, and the Center for Entrepreneurship. International students can obtain academic, residence, financing, language, and career support through dedicated university services. Housing is not guaranteed by the university: nearby residences are operated by external providers, availability is limited, and early applications are encouraged. The university also maintains a portal for private-room and apartment listings.

Location & Surroundings

The main campus is at Alteburgstraße 150 in Reutlingen, Baden-Württemberg. Reutlingen combines a historic center and local cultural scene with access to the Swabian Jura’s outdoor landscape. Stuttgart and its wider metropolitan economy are nearby, while Reutlingen itself sits in an industrial region with established manufacturers and smaller specialized companies. That setting can be relevant for students pursuing applied projects, internships, or graduate employment, although opportunities depend on discipline, language ability, and current hiring conditions. From Reutlingen’s main railway station, bus lines 4 and 8 run toward Hohbuch and stop at Hochschulen, directly serving the campus. The university also identifies an hourly X3 express-bus connection from Stuttgart Airport to Reutlingen; passengers transfer to line 4 at Unter den Linden. Some teaching or research activity occurs away from the main site, including university locations in Böblingen and Reutlingen-Rommelsbach, so applicants should confirm where their chosen program is delivered. Students comparing accommodation should consider both campus access and transport to any program-specific external location.

Costs & Career Outcomes

The university’s current financing page lists a general semester contribution of €199.30, payable each semester, including practical, overseas, and leave semesters. It comprises a student-services contribution, an €80 administrative charge, and a €14.50 contribution to the constituted student body. Certain named business programs have additional or different charges, so applicants should review the applicable fee regulation and program page before budgeting. Students from outside the EU and EEA generally pay Baden-Württemberg tuition of €1,500 per semester in addition to the semester contribution. The university lists statutory exemptions and routes to request an exemption in qualifying cases, including some exchange and cooperation arrangements. Separate second-degree tuition may also apply under state rules. Accommodation, food, health insurance, transport, learning materials, and personal expenses are additional; no university-wide housing price is published on the cited housing page, and residence places are limited. Career support includes individual guidance on professional orientation, applications, and profile development. The university uses JobTeaser for internships, student jobs, thesis opportunities, and graduate vacancies, while ESB Business School maintains additional career resources. Faculties organize campus career fairs, and international students can access coaching, workshops, mentoring, entrepreneurship events, and advice on entering the German labor market. These services support career preparation but do not establish a particular employment rate, salary, or employer outcome.