Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
Eberswalde, Brandenburg, Germany
- Founded
- 1992
- Students
- 2,300
- International
- 12%
- Programmes
- 22
- Taught in English
- 13
About Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) is a small, practice-oriented university of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) in Eberswalde, Brandenburg. Re-established in 1992 on the grounds of a forestry academy with roots dating to 1830, it was renamed in 2010 to reflect its core focus on sustainability. It offers 23 degree programmes across disciplines including forestry, agriculture, landscape management, sustainable business, and wood technology.
HNEE positions itself as one of Germany's leading sustainability-focused universities. It became Germany's first climate-neutral university in 2014 and won the German Sustainability Prize (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis) in 2024. The university maintains over 85 active international cooperation partnerships across 39 countries, and approximately 12% of its student body is international.
The university operates across four locations in and around Eberswalde, with its main city campus (Stadtcampus) on Schicklerstraße and a dedicated forest campus (Waldcampus) on Alfred-Möller-Straße. Its small size supports close contact between students and faculty and emphasises hands-on, project-based learning through the "Eberswalder Studienmodell".
Germany's first climate-neutral university (since 2014)
Winner of the German Sustainability Prize (Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis) 2024
23 practice-oriented degree programmes with a sustainability focus
85+ active international cooperation partners across 39 countries
Ranked 'Top University 2026' by StudyCheck among small German universities
Historical roots in forestry education dating to 1830; re-founded as a Fachhochschule in 1992
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1992
- Students
- 2,300
- International
- ~12%
- Faculties
- 2
- Programmes
- 22
Study programmes
22 accredited degrees at Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, 13 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–22 of 22 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
HNEE is a public university in Brandenburg. Tuition is free for all students regardless of nationality - Brandenburg does not charge non-EU tuition fees (unlike Baden-Württemberg or Bavaria from WS2025/26). A semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) is charged each semester; the exact current amount was not published on the pages reviewed - students should check the university's financing page or contact studieren(at)hnee.de. The semester contribution typically includes a public-transport semester ticket.
Admission requirements
International applicants with foreign qualifications must apply through uni-assist e.V. (www.uni-assist.de) - not directly to HNEE. For bachelor's programmes, international applicants via uni-assist should apply by 1 April for the winter semester. Master's applicants (both domestic and international) must apply by 1 March for the winter semester. Summer semester applications open from 1 December. Master's applicants may apply with provisional documentation showing a minimum of 150 ECTS credits completed and a projected completion date. Language requirements vary by programme; applicants should check individual programme pages. APS certificate: not mentioned on the HNEE website for Indian/Chinese/Vietnamese applicants, but standard APS rules for Germany apply - Indian applicants with Indian school/degree qualifications should verify APS requirements via apsindia.in before applying.
Application deadlines
Winter semester (October start): Bachelor - international applicants via uni-assist by 1 April; domestic by 1 June. Master - all applicants by 1 March. Summer semester (March/April start): application portal opens 1 December for all programmes. Exact closing dates vary by programme; check individual programme pages on the HNEE website.
How international applicants apply
UNI-ASSIST REQUIRED for foreign-qualification applicants. Everyone applying with a foreign higher education entrance qualification or a foreign first degree applies via uni-assist regardless of citizenship; uni-assist pre-checks documents and forwards them to HNEE, after which applicants get access to the HNEE portal to track status. Non-EU applicants face earlier deadlines (e.g. winter semester 1 Mar - 1 May vs 1 Mar - 15 Jul for EU/EWR on some masters). Applicants with a German HZB (bachelor) or a German first degree (master) apply directly via HNEE's own online portal instead. HNEE is listed as a uni-assist partner university.
Languages of instruction
The majority of HNEE's 23 programmes are taught in German. A small number of master's programmes are available in English or bilingual (English/German), including Forest Information Technology (M.Sc.), Global Change Management (M.Sc.), Biosphere Reserves Management (M.Sc.), and Forestry System Transformation (M.Sc.). International students on German-taught programmes are expected to demonstrate German proficiency; an orientation week including a German language and culture course is offered to all newcomers.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde
1 scheme run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Student accommodation
What Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde 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 pageRoom types mentioned
What that page describes. Availability varies by intake.
From the university
The university does not own student accommodation but provides guidance on finding housing through its Life in Eberswalde resource.
Campuses & locations
Schicklerstraße 5, 16225 Eberswalde - main administrative and teaching campus
Alfred-Möller-Straße 1, 16225 Eberswalde - forestry and field science campus
Am Zainhammer 5, 16225 Eberswalde
Berliner Straße 52e, 16303 Schwedt/Oder - regional branch office
Living in Eberswalde
Eberswalde is a small city of approximately 40,000 inhabitants in the state of Brandenburg, around 50 km north-east of Berlin. It lies on the edge of the Schorfheide-Chorin Biosphere Reserve, offering easy access to forests and lakes. The city is well connected to Berlin by regional train (S-Bahn/RE, approximately 50-60 minutes). The cost of living is significantly lower than in Berlin, and the rental market, while described as competitive, is more affordable than in major German cities.
Student life & support
HNEE provides a dedicated Welcome Team that assists newly arriving international students with German bureaucracy, orientation, and cultural integration during the first weeks. A buddy system pairs incoming international students with current students. An orientation week is held before the start of lectures and includes a German language and culture course. The university does not own student accommodation but provides guidance on finding housing through its Life in Eberswalde resource. The international office (Zentrum für Internationale Angelegenheiten, ZIA) coordinates exchange programmes and international partnerships. A Language Centre (Sprachenzentrum) supports language learning for both international and domestic students. Airport/station pick-up from Eberswalde train station is available with one week's advance notice.
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