- Founded
- 2004
- Students
- 1,065
- International
- 3.7%
- Programmes
- 8
About hochschule 21
Hochschule 21 is a state-recognised private university of applied sciences (staatlich anerkannte private Fachhochschule) located in Buxtehude, Lower Saxony, approximately 40 kilometres south-west of Hamburg. Its educational tradition in the region dates to 1875, when architects and engineers were first trained in Buxtehude; the current institution was formally re-established in 2004 following the dissolution of Fachhochschule Nordostniedersachsen, and began teaching in the winter semester 2005/2006.
The university is structured around three departments - Bauwesen (Construction and Architecture), Gesundheit (Health), and Technik (Engineering/Technology) - and offers eight degree programmes across those fields. All programmes follow a dual-study model (genial. dual.) that integrates academic coursework with structured practical training at a partner company throughout the degree. This model is the defining feature of the institution and shapes both its admissions process and its industry ties.
As a private institution with public-private partnership governance involving regional municipalities and the State of Lower Saxony, hochschule 21 is notably smaller than a typical state Fachhochschule. It publishes limited statistical data on enrolment publicly; prospective students should contact the institution directly for current figures.
State-recognised private Fachhochschule with regional roots dating to 1875; current institution founded 2004.
All programmes use a dual-study model combining academic semesters with mandatory practical training at a partner company.
Three departments: Bauwesen (Construction/Architecture), Gesundheit (Health), Technik (Engineering/Technology).
Seven bachelor and one master programme offered; Architecture bachelor is kammerfähig (eligible for German professional chamber membership).
Located in Buxtehude with Hamburg city centre accessible in ~40 minutes by S-Bahn.
International applicants processed through uni-assist; Erasmus exchange partnerships supported by the International Office.
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 2004
- Students
- 1,065
- International
- ~3.7%
- Faculties
- 3
- Programmes
- 8
Study programmes
8 accredited degrees at hochschule 21.
Showing 1–8 of 8 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
hochschule 21 is a private institution and does not follow the tuition-free model of state public universities. Specific tuition fee amounts per semester are not published on the official website. Prospective students should contact the university directly or consult individual programme pages for current fee schedules. The Lower Saxony non-EU student surcharge (Niedersachsen does not impose a blanket non-EU fee unlike Baden-Württemberg) does not apply, but the private institution's own fees do. No semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) figure is published publicly.
Admission requirements
International applicants must hold a German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (Abitur) or a recognised equivalent qualification from their home country. hochschule 21 directs international applicants to the uni-assist portal (uni-assist.de) as the central point for document assessment and application processing. Because hochschule 21 uses a dual-study model, admission also requires securing a partner company for the practical component - applicants must apply separately to both the university and a partner employer. Some programmes include an aptitude test (Eignungstest) or selection interview as part of the admission procedure (e.g., Architecture: aptitude test, drawing exercise, and interview). APS certificate: Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants whose prior qualifications are from those countries must present a valid APS certificate from the German Embassy before the university can formally assess their application - this is a federal-level requirement applying to all German higher education institutions, not hochschule-21-specific. Language: programmes are German-taught; applicants should verify the required German proficiency level directly with the International Office.
Application deadlines
Deadlines vary by programme. The Pflege DUAL (part-time nursing) programme has a rolling annual deadline of 28 February for a March start. The Master Bauingenieurwesen accepts applications until 31 October for the subsequent summer semester. Engineering dual-study bachelor programmes open applications in October for the following winter semester. Applicants should verify current deadlines on the official website or via the online application portal at campus.hs21.de.
How international applicants apply
uni-assist involved for international applicants - hochschule 21 is listed as a cooperating university ('Hochschule 21', Buxtehude) on the official uni-assist member list (no VPD note on its detail page), and its International Office 'Paths to us for students' page tells applicants without a German Hochschulzugangsberechtigung that all such applicants need a German-equivalent HZB and refers them to uni-assist as the central contact point. Regular applications run through the university's own online application portal (campus.hs21.de).
Languages of instruction
All degree programmes are taught in German. No English-taught programmes are listed on the official website. International applicants who are not native German speakers are expected to have sufficient German proficiency to complete a German-medium curriculum.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What hochschule 21 publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
The university's housing page
Deadlines and application forms are published here, and they change every intake.
Open housing pageFrom the university
The university provides guidance on housing in Buxtehude but does not operate its own student dormitory; students are directed to private rental options in the town.
Campuses & locations
Main and only campus. Harburger Straße 6, 21614 Buxtehude. Facilities include a building testing hall, model-making workshop, cafeteria, and multiple laboratories.
Living in Buxtehude
Buxtehude is a historic town of approximately 50,000 residents in the Stade district of Lower Saxony, situated in the Elbe-Weser triangle. It offers good leisure, cultural, and sports infrastructure and is well connected to Hamburg: the city centre is reachable in roughly 40 minutes by S-Bahn commuter rail (S3/AKN line), making it a practical base for students who also want access to a major metropolitan area.
Student life & support
The student representative body (Studierendenvertretung) organises sports, semester celebrations, graduation events, and a university cinema programme, and publishes a student magazine called HASI. Students receive a 50% discount on membership at a local sports club offering more than 50 sports, and subsidised access to the municipal swimming facilities via a semester pass. The International Office (contact: Dr. Mariam Schmidt, [email protected]) coordinates outbound exchange placements and supports incoming international students and Erasmus exchange participants. The university provides guidance on housing in Buxtehude but does not operate its own student dormitory; students are directed to private rental options in the town.
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