Hochschule für Polizei Baden-Württemberg
Villingen-Schwenningen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Founded
- 1979
- Students
- 5,400
- Programmes
- 2
About Hochschule für Polizei Baden-Württemberg
Hochschule für Polizei Baden-Württemberg (HfPolBW) is a state police university responsible for all police education in Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1979 as the oldest institution of its kind in Germany, it operates under a 'one-carrier model' (Ein-Träger-Modell) that consolidates police training, degree studies, continuing education, and leadership development under a single organisation reporting to the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Interior, Digitalization and Communications.
The institution offers a practice-oriented Bachelor of Arts in Police Service (Polizeivollzugsdienst) across two specialisations - protective policing (Schutzpolizei) and criminal investigation (Kriminalpolizei), with an additional IT investigations/digital forensics track - as well as a master's programme for advancement into senior police service. All study is restricted to civil-servant trainees (Beamtenanwärter) recruited directly by the Baden-Württemberg state police; the institution does not admit general civilian or international degree-seeking students.
As of January 2025, the institution encompasses a total body of over 5,400 persons including students, trainees, and employees across eight locations statewide. The Villingen-Schwenningen campus is the central academic site and hosts approximately 1,800 students and around 130 full-time instructors organised across four faculties.
Oldest police university in Germany, founded 1979
Sole institution responsible for all police higher education in Baden-Württemberg
Four faculties: Operations and Leadership Sciences, Criminal Sciences, Legal Sciences, Social Sciences
Erasmus+ charter holder (since June 2023) with police-institution partnerships in France, Italy, Scotland, Baltic states, and others
Specialist IT investigations and digital forensics track within the criminal police bachelor programme
Students are paid civil-servant trainees - no tuition fees and a salary throughout the degree
Key facts
- Type
- Hochschulen eigenen Typs
- Founded
- 1979
- Students
- 5,400
- Faculties
- 4
- Programmes
- 2
Study programmes
2 accredited degrees at Hochschule für Polizei Baden-Württemberg.
Showing 1–2 of 2 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
No tuition fees are charged. Students are civil servants in training status and receive remuneration (Anwärterbezüge) under Baden-Württemberg civil service law for the duration of their studies. The Baden-Württemberg non-EU semester fee of €1,500 does not apply as the institution only admits state-employed trainees.
Admission requirements
Admission is restricted to civil-servant trainees (Beamtenanwärter/Beamtenanwärterinnen) recruited and employed by the Baden-Württemberg state police. Applications are processed by the Personnel Recruitment department (Institutsbereich Personalgewinnung) in Böblingen via the official police careers portal. This institution does not offer open admission to civilian or international students. There is no APS certificate requirement because the institution does not accept applications from international applicants under the standard university admission process.
Application deadlines
There is no direct university application: candidates apply to the Police of Baden-Württemberg, whose recruitment institute (Personalgewinnung) in Böblingen runs selection, and study as police civil-service candidates on revocable appointment. Intake into the higher police service is once a year on 1 July and is preceded by nine months of pre-training; the published application deadline for the July 2027 intake is 31 December 2026.
How international applicants apply
Not used - restricted police recruitment. Study places in the B.A. Polizeivollzugsdienst are allocated only through hiring as police officer trainees with the Baden-Wuerttemberg police: per the Hochschule itself, admission is handled by the recruiting unit 'Institutsbereich Personalgewinnung' in Boeblingen and applications go exclusively through the career portal of the Polizei Baden-Wuerttemberg (karriere-polizei-bw.de), not via any university admission process. Entry requirements include German citizenship (exceptions only for EU nationals and nationals of listed countries such as Switzerland, Tuerkiye, Ukraine with a settlement permit/permanent residence and at least 8 years of residence in Germany), Abitur/Fachhochschulreife for the gehobener Dienst Bachelor study, age limits and other suitability criteria. The 45-month programme combines a 9-month pre-training phase with the Bachelor at the Villingen-Schwenningen campus. No uni-assist or VPD process exists anywhere in this route, and the university does not appear on the official uni-assist member list.
Languages of instruction
German is the sole language of instruction. The curriculum includes police-specific English and French courses, and a German-French Language Centre (Deutsch-Französisches Sprachzentrum) operates at the institution.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Campuses & locations
Central academic campus; bachelor and master degree programmes; headquarters; Sturmbühlstraße 250, 78054 Villingen-Schwenningen
Institute for Training and Education (Institut für Ausbildung und Training) headquarters
Institute for Continuing Education (Institut für Fortbildung); also houses Personnel Recruitment department
Training institute for lower-level police service
Training institute for lower-level police service
Training institute for lower-level police service
Central Training Center (ZTZ) for tactical and crisis scenario training
Training institute for lower-level police service
Living in Villingen-Schwenningen
Villingen-Schwenningen is a mid-sized city of approximately 85,000 residents in the Black Forest Highlands (Schwarzwald-Baar) of Baden-Württemberg, situated near the source of the Danube. It lies roughly equidistant between Stuttgart and Zurich and offers affordable living costs relative to larger German cities.
Student life & support
The Villingen-Schwenningen campus includes a cafeteria, library, ILIAS e-learning platform, on-site childcare facility operated by the city, psychosocial counselling services, sports facilities, and a student government (AStA). Family-friendly study groups are available for students with children. The international office facilitates short Erasmus+ mobility placements (Auslandshospitationen) of up to 4.5 weeks during the fourth semester at partner police institutions across Europe.
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