Living

Göttingen is a mid-size university town with approx. 120,000 inhabitants located in the very center of Germany. With its approx. 30,000 students and more than 12,500 employees, the university is contribution largely to the young and dynamic atmosphere of the city. The research institutions of the university and its campus partners are widespread over the city with the natural sciences clustered in the northern part of the city. In Göttingen everything is in close proximity, often in walking distance and easily reached by bike.

Even though science and research play a large role in the city’s history and current image (the city slogan “Die Stadt, die Wissenschaft” translates to “The city, The science” or “The city that creates knowledge”), Göttingen has a lot more to offer: from numerous cafes and pubs lining the streets to a high variety of amenities like cinemas, theaters, cultural and sport events. Physically active students and employees find a variety of activities from team sports to individual training courses at the university sports center or public sport clubs. Several public parks and gardens can be visited to recharge the batteries and spend time with colleagues and friends.

Located in close proximity to the Harz mountains, hiking trips and other visits into nature are a welcome diversion from the daily challenges. If you need to travel further, the city conveniently is a major hub for high-speed ICE trains connecting the north and south as well as the west and east of Germany.

The team of the international office of the university (Göttingen International) collected a lot of useful links to learn more about arriving and living in Göttingen as a student or PhD candidate and the city’s student life in general. They include information on administrative matters for international students as well as cultural and sport events and information on the city itself. The Germany Guide from the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences might also serve as useful resource for information on arriving and living in Göttingen.