- Founded
- 1992
- Students
- 2,486
- International
- 23%
- Programmes
- 42
- Taught in English
- 2
About Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz
Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz (HSZG) is a public University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) in the easternmost region of Germany, operating across two campuses in Zittau and Görlitz in the state of Saxony. Founded in 1992, it offers over 57 degree programmes across six faculties spanning engineering, natural sciences, business, social sciences, and managerial and cultural studies.
The university is characterised by small seminar groups, close lecturer contact, and a strong emphasis on applied research and practical semesters integrated into the curriculum. Research priorities include energy and environment, digital transformation, and materials science, with third-party research funding of approximately €14.3 million in 2024.
With around 2,486 enrolled students (2024) and roughly 628 international students from 36 nations, HSZG is a genuinely international institution in a border-region setting. Its Studienkolleg Zittau offers preparatory courses for international applicants whose qualifications do not yet meet direct-entry requirements.
Public Fachhochschule with tuition-free first-degree programmes and a semester fee of €332 (WS 2025/26)
Dual campuses in Görlitz and Zittau - Germany's easternmost university, at the Polish and Czech border triangle
57 degree programmes across 6 faculties including engineering, business, social sciences, and natural sciences
Integrated Studienkolleg Zittau for international students needing a preparatory foundation year
~628 international students from 36 nations; India is among the top source countries
Affordable cost of living: estimated €500-€600/month for rent, food, and health insurance
Key facts
- Type
- Fachhochschulen / HAW
- Founded
- 1992
- Students
- 2,486
- International
- ~23% (623 international students of 2,676 total, 01 Nov 2022, official HSZG figures); ~25% reported for 2024 by mygermanuniversity.com
- Faculties
- 6
- Programmes
- 42
Study programmes
42 accredited degrees at Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz, 2 of them taught in English.
Showing 1–24 of 42 programmes
Admissions & fees
What it costs
Tuition-free for first-degree students at this public Fachhochschule. Semester contribution of €332.13 (WS 2025/26), which includes the student union fee and a semester public-transport ticket. A one-off student ID card fee of €10 applies. Second-degree students pay €300/semester. Saxony does not impose a general non-EU surcharge. Studienkolleg preparatory courses: DSH course €800/semester; assessment-test preparation €2,100/semester.
Admission requirements
International applicants apply as full-time degree students or as exchange/Erasmus students. Required documents include all foreign educational certificates with officially certified German translations, a gap-free CV, and (where applicable) transcripts from prior university study. Applicants from India, China (including HK/Macau), and Vietnam must present a valid APS certificate before the student visa can be issued - the university's admission page explicitly flags this requirement. Applicants whose school qualification does not meet direct-entry standards may apply to Studienkolleg Zittau (preparatory foundation year). Application window for the winter semester: 2 May - 30 September (documents must arrive by 15 May). Summer semester: 1 December - 15 February (documents by 15 November). NC (restricted-admission) programmes have an earlier winter semester cut-off of 15 July.
Application deadlines
International full-time applicants with direct HZB: winter semester 01.05.-15.07., summer semester 15.12.-15.01.; late applications accepted until capacity is reached. Applicants with indirect access and/or insufficient German (via Studienkolleg Zittau/DHS course): winter semester online 01.03.-30.04. plus postal until 15.05., summer semester 01.09.-31.10. plus postal until 15.11. General German-HZB winter intake opens 02.05.
How international applicants apply
Dual model: all applications go exclusively through the HSZG online applicant portal (bewerber.hszg.de), EXCEPT applicants for the 'European Business' programme with a foreign higher-education entrance qualification (HZB), who must apply via uni-assist (https://www.uni-assist.de/). Source: https://www.hszg.de/studium/dein-weg-zum-studium/bewerbung ('Ausgenommen hiervon sind Bewerbende fuer den Studiengang European Business mit auslaendischer Hochschulzugangsberechtigung. Diese bewerben sich ueber uni-assist.')
Languages of instruction
Primarily German-taught; select programmes in English including European Business (bachelor's) and Applied Nursing Science. German language requirements vary by faculty: DSH-1 / TestDaF TDN 3 for engineering/technical programmes; DSH-2 / TestDaF TDN 4 for business and social science programmes.
Entry requirements, intake dates and language levels differ for every degree.
Scholarships at Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz
1 scheme run or administered by the university. Always confirm current amounts and deadlines on the official page.
Student accommodation
What Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz publishes about housing. German universities do not allocate rooms themselves, so the links below are where applications actually go.
Rooms are allocated by
Studentenwerk Dresden
Not by the university. Apply to them directly, and expect a waiting list.
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 on-campus Studienkolleg and a dedicated International Office support international students with orientation, housing guidance, and academic integration.
Campuses & locations
Theodor-Koerner-Allee 16; faculties Maschinenwesen, Natur- und Umweltwissenschaften, Wirtschaftswissenschaften/Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen, Elektrotechnik (part)
Brückenstrasse 1; majority of students, incl. the large Fakultaet Sozialwissenschaften and Management-/Kulturwissenschaften
Living in Zittau
Zittau and Görlitz are small historic cities in south-east Saxony, on Germany's border with Poland and the Czech Republic. Görlitz - split by the Neisse river from its Polish twin city Zgorzelec - has a well-preserved Altstadt and a growing creative scene; it is sometimes called Germany's most beautiful city. Zittau is compact and affordable, with a relaxed student atmosphere. Both cities offer significantly lower living costs than major German student cities, with monthly expenses (rent, food, health insurance) typically in the €500-€600 range.
Student life & support
Campus life at HSZG is shaped by small class sizes and close interaction between students and teaching staff. The university provides sports facilities, language centres, career services, and a student union (Studierendenrat). Both Zittau and Görlitz have active student communities despite their small size, with the border-region setting enabling easy day trips to Dresden (~90 min), Prague (~2 hrs), and Wrocław (~2 hrs). The on-campus Studienkolleg and a dedicated International Office support international students with orientation, housing guidance, and academic integration.
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