Hochschule Pforzheim - Gestaltung, Technik, Wirtschaft und Recht
Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Founded
- 1877
- Students
- 6,000
- Programmes
- 69
- Taught in English
- 13
About Hochschule Pforzheim - Gestaltung, Technik, Wirtschaft und R
Hochschule Pforzheim - University of Applied Sciences is a public institution in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, organised across three faculties: Design (Gestaltung), Engineering (Technik), and Business & Law (Wirtschaft und Recht). It is ranked among the largest universities of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg, with approximately 6,000 enrolled students, around 480 professors and teaching staff, and more than 100 international partner universities.
The university offers 47 degree programmes in total - 28 bachelor's and 19 master's - spanning jewellery and accessories design, industrial engineering, international business, and related fields. Exchange students can access English-language courses across design, business and law, and industrial engineering tracks. The institution holds Fairtrade University and energy management certifications and is a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).
Pforzheim University operates research institutes including the Institute for Applied Research and the Jewelry Technology Institute, as well as multiple Steinbeis Transfer Centres that facilitate cooperation with industry.
Three specialist faculties: Design, Engineering, and Business & Law - an unusual combination for a single applied sciences university
47 degree programmes (28 bachelor's, 19 master's) across all three faculties
Over 100 international partner universities worldwide
Renowned for its Design faculty and links to Pforzheim's jewellery and accessories manufacturing tradition
Non-EU tuition fee: €1,500 per semester (Baden-Württemberg state-wide fee)
Estimated monthly student living costs ~€650 - below the German national average
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1877
- Students
- 6,000
- International
- ~300 degree-seeking international students; ~150 exchange students per semester
- Faculties
- 3
- Programmes
- 69
Study programmes
69 accredited degrees at Hochschule Pforzheim - Gestaltung, Technik, Wirtschaft und R, 13 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–13 of 13 matching programmes
Clear filtersAdmissions & fees
What it costs
Non-EU international students pay €1,500 per semester in tuition fees (as of the university's own published cost page, confirmed June 2024). This applies on top of the regular semester contribution (Sozialbeitrag) of approximately €160 per semester for regular students (exchange students ~€120). EU/EEA students enrolled in consecutive degree programmes are not subject to the non-EU tuition fee. Baden-Württemberg introduced this €1,500/semester non-EU fee state-wide; it is separate from living costs.
Admission requirements
International degree-seeking applicants must demonstrate equivalence of their foreign higher-education qualification, typically via the International Office or Studienkolleg Konstanz. Bachelor's applications are processed through the university's online campus portal; programmes with restricted admission (NC) additionally require registration via hochschulstart.de. Application deadlines for international bachelor's applicants are 15 July (winter semester) and 15 January (summer semester); equivalency documentation deadlines are 1 May (winter) and 1 November (summer). German-taught programmes require DSH level 2/3 or TestDaF TDN 4 (minimum); equivalent certificates (telc C1 Hochschule, Goethe C1/C2, ÖSD C1) are accepted. The Design faculty requires a three-month preliminary internship and an artistic aptitude assessment. Business Administration, Business Engineering, and Business Law programmes include a selection interview (50% weight) alongside grade average. APS certificate: Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants are required to obtain an APS certificate from the respective German embassy before applying - this is a German-federal requirement independent of the university's own admission process.
Application deadlines
Bachelor's (international degree-seeking): 15 July for winter semester (October start); 15 January for summer semester (April start). Equivalency/qualification documents: 1 May (winter) and 1 November (summer). Master's deadlines vary by programme - check individual programme pages. Exchange/incoming students apply via Mobility Online after nomination by their home institution; nomination deadlines are published in the annual Fact Sheet.
How international applicants apply
No uni-assist - direct application via the Hochschule Pforzheim Bewerberportal (HISinOne/qisserver). Non-EU applicants with a foreign HZB apply directly through the portal and the university checks equivalence after upload (optional: Zeugnisanerkennung via Studienkolleg Konstanz, deadline 1 May / 1 Nov, then apply by 15 July / 15 Jan). EU applicants submit certificates directly; they are checked by the Akademisches Auslandsamt. Not on the uni-assist member list.
Languages of instruction
The majority of programmes are taught in German. English-language courses are available for exchange students across Design, Business & Law, and Industrial Engineering. Specific master's programmes (e.g. International Business) require B2 English from German applicants, indicating an international teaching component. German-taught programmes require DSH-2 or TestDaF TDN 4 minimum.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Student accommodation
What Hochschule Pforzheim - Gestaltung, Technik, Wirtschaft und R publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
From the university
Student housing guidance is provided through the International Office; on-campus or affiliated student dormitories are available but students typically need to apply early. The semester contribution covers access to student services including the student union (Studierendenwerk).
Campuses & locations
Single city campus in Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg
Living in Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a city of approximately 130,000 inhabitants in the northern Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, situated between Stuttgart (40 km east) and Karlsruhe (30 km north-west) with direct S-Bahn connections to both. Known historically as the 'City of Gold' for its jewellery and watchmaking industry, Pforzheim offers lower living costs than major German cities - the university estimates average monthly living costs of around €650 for students, compared to the German average of €992.
Student life & support
The International Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) is the central point of contact for international students and coordinates incoming exchange programmes, scholarships, and study-abroad options. An ESN (Erasmus Student Network) buddy programme pairs incoming international students with local peers. Student housing guidance is provided through the International Office; on-campus or affiliated student dormitories are available but students typically need to apply early. The semester contribution covers access to student services including the student union (Studierendenwerk). German language courses and arrival orientation support are referenced on the university's general information pages for international students.
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