Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz

About Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz

Founded in 1992, Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz is a state university of applied sciences serving the Upper Lusatia region. Its two-campus structure is central to the student experience: Zittau hosts much of the engineering, natural-science, environmental, and business-and-engineering provision, while Görlitz houses computing as well as managerial, cultural, and social-science subjects. Applicants should verify the assigned location for their intended program rather than treating the two cities as interchangeable campuses. The university’s official 2024 figures reported 2,486 students, 57 degree programs, 715 first-year students, and 150 international university partnerships. These figures are useful for understanding its scale but should not be read as 2026 enrollment totals. HSZG describes its teaching model as application-oriented, with small seminar groups, practical projects, placements, and links to employers and public organizations. Its research profile is organized around energy and the environment, transformation processes in business and society, and materials, structures, and surfaces. The institution connects these themes to the economic and social transition underway in Upper Lusatia. Its location in the Germany–Poland–Czech Republic border region also informs international cooperation and cross-border study opportunities. Prospective students seeking a large metropolitan university or an extensive English-only curriculum should assess the fit carefully; HSZG is a smaller, regionally embedded institution where German remains the principal language of instruction.

Applications are normally submitted online through HSZG’s applicant portal. One stated exception is European Business applicants holding a foreign university-entrance qualification, who apply through uni-assist. Undergraduate Bachelor’s and Diplom programs begin in the winter semester; selected Master’s programs and entry into higher semesters may be available for a summer start. For the published winter application cycle, HSZG states that applications open on 2 May and close on 15 July for admission-restricted programs and 30 September for programs without admission restrictions. The 15 July date is described as an exclusion deadline. Applicants must confirm these dates on the live application page for the specific 2026/27 intake, since individual courses, international qualifications, and Master’s selection procedures can impose different requirements. International applicants need a recognized higher-education entrance qualification. HSZG directs applicants to the German anabin system to determine whether their schooling permits direct entry or requires a preparatory Studienkolleg route. For German-taught study, accepted evidence includes DSH, TestDaF, telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule, specified Goethe certificates, the German Language Diploma at level II, or a qualifying assessment examination. The university currently states minimum DSH-2 or TestDaF level 4 in all four components for business and social-science programs, and DSH-1 or TestDaF level 3 in all four components for technical and engineering programs. Exceptions and separate rules apply to identified English-language or other exempt programs. Master’s applicants must consult the individual course regulations for the required prior degree and subject background.

HSZG organizes teaching across six faculties: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Managerial and Cultural Studies; Mechanical Engineering; Natural and Environmental Sciences; Social Sciences; and Business Administration and Engineering. Its current catalog contains Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as well as German Diplom programs, a teacher-education state-examination route, and certificate study. Because Diplom and state-examination awards do not map exactly to Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD classifications, applicants should evaluate those credentials on their own terms. The portfolio includes fields such as electrical engineering, energy and environmental engineering, green engineering, semiconductor processes and materials chemistry, computer science, mechanical engineering, molecular biotechnology, business administration, tourism, culture and management, health-care management, social work, and education-related subjects. The catalog also identifies European Business as an English-language Bachelor’s program. This does not make the wider institution English-medium; language and admission evidence must be checked program by program. Several courses are available through KIA, HSZG’s cooperative or apprenticeship-integrated study model. These routes combine university study with structured vocational or company-based experience and may lead to both a university qualification and a chamber-recognized vocational qualification. Standard full-time and some part-time formats are also listed. Bachelor’s and Diplom programs generally begin in the winter semester, while selected Master’s programs may admit for the summer semester. Program pages specify campus, standard study period, credits, admission restriction, format, and start term. Applicants should use the individual course page as the controlling source because the university’s portfolio includes programs that are being introduced, revised, or phased out.

Key Highlights

• Public university of applied sciences operating in Zittau and Görlitz
• Founded in 1992 in the Germany–Poland–Czech Republic border region
• Official 2024 data reported 2,486 students and 57 degree programs
• Research priorities include energy and environment, societal and economic transformation, and materials and surfaces

Student Life & Environment

Student life is distributed between two relatively small cities rather than concentrated on one campus. HSZG’s campus-life service brings together university sports, housing guidance, student representation, clubs and associations, financing information, and the MyHSZG campus app. The Campus Card is used for university and student-service functions. Studentenwerk Dresden provides the main welfare infrastructure in both locations, including residence halls, dining, student-finance guidance, social and psychosocial counseling, legal advice, cultural support, and assistance for students with children. HSZG separately provides general academic advising and information on accessible study and examination accommodations. Housing is available through Studentenwerk residences, but applicants must submit a separate accommodation application; admission to the university should not be treated as an automatic room reservation. Organized sports include health and fitness activities, martial arts, outdoor sports, games, and dance. Student representatives, clubs, and local venues offer additional ways to participate, although the range is naturally different from that of a large-city campus. International students can use university and Studentenwerk support services, including orientation information and a dedicated career service. Students deciding between programs should consider both academic content and campus location, since daily services, housing choices, and social networks are city-specific.

Location & Surroundings

HSZG is located in Upper Lusatia in eastern Saxony, with campuses in Zittau and Görlitz. The region sits near Poland and the Czech Republic, giving students access to a distinctive cross-border setting. Zittau is close to the Zittau Mountains and supports outdoor activities such as hiking, cycling, climbing, and winter sports. Görlitz stands on the Neisse opposite the Polish city of Zgorzelec and is known for its preserved historic center. The Zittau campus is based around Theodor-Körner-Allee and accommodates engineering, natural and environmental sciences, and business-and-engineering subjects. The Görlitz campus on Brückenstraße hosts computing and the managerial, cultural, and social-science faculties. Students should check where their program is delivered before arranging housing or commuting. Studentenwerk residences and dining facilities operate in both places, including multiple halls near the Zittau campus and the Vogtshof residence in Görlitz’s old town. Dresden, Prague, Wrocław, and nearby mountain areas broaden regional travel possibilities, but prospective students should independently assess transport frequency and journey times for their intended routine.

Costs & Career Outcomes

HSZG states that it does not charge general tuition fees, but enrolled students must pay a semester contribution. The official re-registration notice for winter semester 2026/27 sets that contribution at €350.13. Newly enrolled students should also check whether a one-time Campus Card charge applies. The contribution and its components can change by semester, so the 2026/27 figure should not be projected into later years. Certain continuing-education, part-time, cooperative, or externally delivered programs may have different charges; applicants should rely on the relevant program page and enrollment notice. Living costs are separate. Studentenwerk Dresden offers residence-hall rooms and apartments in Zittau and Görlitz, with utilities and internet included in many published rents. Availability and prices vary by building and room type, and accommodation requires a separate application. International students should budget additionally for health insurance, food, study materials, residence-permit expenses where applicable, and personal travel. HSZG’s career services support students with employability skills, applications, networking, and the transition into work. A dedicated Career Service for Internationals provides guidance from the start of study through entry into the German labor market. The university also operates a start-up academy for students, graduates, and research staff considering entrepreneurship. Applied projects, practical semesters, cooperative KIA routes, and links with regional employers can provide work-related experience, but no verified salary or graduate-employment rate is presented here.