Historic, open, friendly, and with an international outlook, Cologne (or Köln in German) is a great place to study, work, and live.

Make your home in this lively and thriving city by booking student accommodation in Cologne with Student.com. Enjoy ‘The city on the Rhine’ with student apartments that will place you in the midst of the city centre’s attractions.

We offer several student housing options, whether it is an apartment with some shared facilities or a fully private, self-contained studio apartment.

Our student apartments come equipped with all the necessary amenities for an enjoyable stay.

Call us now to learn more, or message us on our website’s live chat. Our booking consultants are always happy to help!

Get to know Cologne

Cologne (Köln in German) is the fourth largest city in Germany and the largest city in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

It is one of the oldest and biggest cities in Germany. With almost 100,000 students, it’s one of the largest student cities in the country.

One of the key inland ports of Europe, Cologne is the historic, cultural, and economic capital of the surrounding Rhineland, one of Europe’s most developed economic regions.

With over 30 museums and a plethora of galleries, some of which are internationally renowned, Cologne offers a unique and diverse cultural landscape. From ancient works in the Romano-Germanic Museum to modern art, which is housed in the Museum Ludwig, the city is an art lover’s dream.

The Cologne Cathedral is a beauty to behold and is one of several top sights in the city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dominated by the tallest cathedral, and the third-tallest church in the world, the Cologne cityscape is further shaped by the twelve Romanesque churches of Cologne. The churches represent a few major historic landmarks that remain after the post-World War II rebuilding.

Returning to its former glory

The city was one of the most heavily bombed in Germany during World War II with almost the entire millennia-old city centre being wiped out.

One of the largest European cities in medieval and renaissance times, Cologne was a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. Located on one of the most important major trade routes between Eastern and Western Europe, the city flourished as one of the major members of the Hanseatic League.

But Cologne has rebounded well to regain some of its former glory. As it was in the Middle Ages, the city is a centre for banking, and is home to one of the world’s oldest stock exchanges. It remains a centre of the automotive industry and is now the headquarters of the European arm of the Ford Motor Company. A pioneer of eau de cologne in the 18th century, the city is still a main player in the fragrance industry.

But as with the cityscape and cool neighbourhoods, business in Cologne has become diversified. Home to several publishing and production companies, the city is now a leading media centre. It has also assumed a major position in insurance, as well as in the fields of engineering, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and the manufacturing of chocolate.

Also, Cologne’s commercial importance and advantageous geographical position have helped the city become a focal point for communications and transportation. This is great news for students who want to explore the surrounding areas and other cities in the area during their study breaks.

Student life in Cologne

Cologne is more than a historical, cultural, and economic hub though. The city is also known for its positive state of mind, joyous attitude, and party spirit.

Adding them all up together makes for a great student life.

At the root of the city’s distinct outlook is its signature Kölsch Beer, and world-famous carnival.

Between New Year and Ash Wednesday is an exciting time in Cologne. This is when the Cologne Carnival is held. During the street carnival section, the highlight of the event, revellers celebrate, sing and dance in pubs and bars around the Alter Markt and Heumarkt squares.

Nightlife

Cologne is said to have the most pubs per person in Germany and a mix of cool neighbourhoods, so you will have plenty of opportunities to experience the unique Cologne joie de vivre.

Let your hair down with high-spirited people inside cosy, rustic pubs in student hang-out areas such as the Kwartier Latäng or the Friesenviertel district. The Belgian Quarter, one of the hippest districts in the city, is popular with bar-goers, night owls, and party people.

‘The city on the Rhine’ also boasts a thriving art and music scene. See works by Picasso, Warhol, and Lichtenstein at the Wallraf - Richartz Museum and Ludwig Museum. Drink Kölsch on tap and listen to your favourite music in one of the city’s bars or pubs, or enjoy the best of entertainment in Cologne at the Musical Dome, the largest theatre in the city.

Eating and drinking

Whenever it’s time to eat, you’ll have a lot of choices in Cologne, whether big or small.

Enjoy delicious dishes from different cuisines at intimate restaurants to the right and left of Venloer Straße. For Greek food, check out Tavern Alekos. For Italian, visit Trattoria Amalfi. If you want Portuguese food, then Saudade is the spot. If you rather stay neutral, enjoy international cuisine at Wine bar Secco. While for some good old-fashioned home cooking, visit Haus Scholzen.

You can also find restaurants in The Belgian Quarter, whether you’re in search of Mediterranean (Ouzeria), Indonesian (Warung Bayu), French or German (Belgischer Hof), or international (Alcazar and Cafe Noa) cuisine.

Leisure activities

From cooling off on hot days in one of the city’s many outdoor pools and bathing lakes, to castle adventures, forest nature trails, and wildlife parks, there are also plenty of fun leisure opportunities in and around Cologne.

If you’re an animal lover, be in awe of over 500 animal species from all continents at the Cologne Zoo.

Experience an incredibly realistic virtual journey through time in “Old Cologne” during the ‘Golden Twenties’ with TimeRide VR’s tram ride.

Where to study in Cologne?

Cologne has several notable institutions of higher education, most notably the University of Cologne, one of Europe’s oldest and largest universities, and the Cologne University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln), Germany’s largest university of applied sciences, as well the CBS International Business School.

University of Cologne

Founded in 1388, the University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Germany.

It’s also one of the biggest, offering around 100 degree programs from over 300 subject and teaching combinations to its 50,000-strong student population.

The university offers its broad subject base throughout its six faculties:

• Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Arts and Humanities
• Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences
• Faculty of Human Sciences

It’s also one of the highest-ranked universities in Germany, placing 335th in the 2023 QS World University Rankings.

Teaching excellence

Cologne is one of the foremost institutions for teacher training, with close to a third of its students going on to enter the teaching profession. The university’s Centre for Teacher Education (Zentrum für LehrerInnenbildung, ZfL), an exemplary training structure for future teachers, collaborating with over 800 schools in the Rhineland region.

Research excellence

The university is also one of the largest research universities in Germany.

It has outstanding research structures in the fields of health and ageing. The Cologne Cluster of Excellence on Aging Research (CECAD) is a world-leading research centre that explores the molecular basis of the aging process and age-associated diseases. Also, The Cologne Centre for Ethics, Rights, Economics and Social Sciences of Health (ceres) is a highly interdisciplinary centre that facilitates novel approaches to generate widespread knowledge about health-related issues.

The university’s international profile is well-established and on the increase. Its network comprises 18 Strategic Research Partnerships, close to 100 university-wide-level partners, and around 500 faculty-level partnerships on all continents.

Cologne University of Applied Sciences (TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences)

A pioneer in the field of development and formation of concepts for higher education didactics, TH Köln is home to about 25,000 students from about 120 different countries, along with 420 professors and 1,200 staff.

The university offers over 80 degree programs (full-time and part-time) in the fields of Applied Natural Sciences, Architecture and Construction, Information and Communication, Computer Science, Engineering, Culture, Society and Social Sciences, and Business Studies.

CBS International Business School

CBS International Business School is an internationally orientated, state-recognised University of Applied Sciences.

Established as a private business school in 1993, CBS has grown to become one of Germany’s top business schools.

One of the first German universities to offer a bachelor’s degree, CBS now also offers master’s degrees, MBAs, doctorates, Prep4University, and pre-master courses, as well as part-time courses.

The school offers courses in a wide range of subject areas, including:

• Business
• Culture and management
• Tourism management
• Media management
• Business psychology
• Industrial and organisational psychology
• Marketing management

Officially recognised by the responsible state ministry, CBS was the first business school in Germany to receive accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). In addition, the institution is accredited by the “Wissenschaftsrat” (German Science and Humanities Council), the tri-national accreditation agency FIBAA (Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation), and the NRW Ministry of Science.

Small study groups and intense student support are hallmarks of the learning environment at CBS. The school is also well connected internationally with a network of around 120 partner universities in several countries across the globe.

It also possesses several links to multi-national companies, including Ford, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and DB Schenker, providing international study and work experience opportunities to its students.

Frequently asked questions about student apartments in Cologne

How do I apply for private student housing in Cologne on Student.com?

After you’ve selected the accommodation you want to book, click ‘View rooms’ to go to the property page. There you have to choose the type of room you’d like and then click ‘Enquire’ or ‘Book Now’.

One of our booking consultants will then contact you, answer any questions you may have and guide you through the next steps.

What are the different types of rooms for students that you offer?

We currently offer two types of rooms in Cologne:

1. Private Rooms – these offer a private bedroom for one person. Depending on the property, your bathroom may be either shared or private. Other living facilities will be shared with tenants from other rooms.

2. Entire Place – this is a self-contained studio apartment with everything fully private. You’ll have your own bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette for cooking your meals.

Do you also offer monthly stays?

Yes, many of the options we list in Cologne typically also offer accommodation for short-term stays.

Are bills included in the rent?

Quite often they are. Currently a bit over half of the apartments we list in Cologne have bills included in the rent. Typically, this also includes free Wi-Fi.

Are the apartments fully furnished?

Usually they are not, even though we do list some options in Cologne that are fully furnished. You can find these by using the filters on this page.