Masters Degrees in Freiburg, Germany

Freiburg (not to be confused with the similar sounding Freiberg, in Saxony) is a city in southwest Germany, near to the French and Swiss borders. It is home to several universities, specialist higher education providers and research institutes.

What’s it like to study a Masters in Freiburg?

Situated near to the famous Black Forest, Freiburg im Breisgau is a popular tourist destination, with visitors coming to appreciate the surrounding countryside as well as the city’s own historic buildings.

The name ‘Freiburg’ translates literally as ‘free town’, reflecting its 12th-century foundation as an independent market town. During the city’s history it has been both an important commercial hub and a centre for scholarship and intellectual enquiry – a legacy reflected in its historic universities.

Studying a Masters in Freiburg will give you access to a wide range of institutions, courses and facilities whilst living in an attractive city with many examples of medieval and renaissance architecture still in use. One of the most distinctive features of the Freiburg streetscape is the artificial stream system (known as the Freiburg Bächle) that flows through the city centre, carrying water through an intricate network of ground-level gutters. Watch your step!

The surrounding region of Baden-Württemberg is regarded as one of the most beautiful in Germany and Freiburg also offers an excellent base from which to explore the Black Forest, parts of the Rhine Valley or the many nearby vineyards and their estates.

Universities in Freiburg

The oldest university in Freiburg is the University of Freiburg, founded in 1457. It is particularly renowned for its association with major western philosophers such as Martin Heidegger and Edmund Husserl, and counts an impressive 19 Nobel laureates amongst its alumni and ex-staff.

Other universities and higher education providers in Freiburg include specialised research and training centres as well as a number of Germany’s prestigious Max Planck institutes and Fraunhofer institutes, which work on fundamental and applied science, respectively.

Careers in Freiburg

Freiburg is an important hub for renewable energy – solar energy is a particular strength (helped by the fact that Freiburg is Germany’s sunniest city!). Other key business sectors include life sciences, micro-system technology and mechanical engineering.