Meet our Newest Study Abroad Location: Cologne, Germany!

The moment you step foot in our newest study abroad location—Cologne (Köln), Germany—you’re greeted by the twin gothic spires of its famous cathedral that dominate the skyline and, as you dig deeper during your time abroad, you’ll discover the many fascinating layers of this storied city.

Students love Cologne for many reasons, and it has become a major hub for education with a student population of about 77,000 among its 1 million residents. When you study abroad with us, you’ll take classes (in English) at the Cologne Business School in the heart of the city, live in student residence buildings close to the popular “Südstadt” neighborhood, and enjoy included excursions (which vary) to places like Museum Haus Der Geschichte or a hiking day in Drachenfels.

You might spend weekends studying along the beautiful Rhine River, admiring the colourful gable-ended houses, getting to grips with an exciting art scene, or visiting some of the city’s many fascinating museums. The artsy Belgian Quarter is filled with independent boutiques, record stores, and vintage shops to discover. The dynamic district of Ehrenfeld has an impressive collection of street art and music venues, from intimate jazz clubs to lively techno scenes. Take a river cruise; explore the Old Town with its small squares, restaurants, and cobblestone streets; ride the Cologne Cable Car over the longest river in the country; or sample the goods at the Chocolate Museum!

Across the cityscape of Germany’s 4th largest city, you’ll find the twelve Romanesque churches to visit, a few Medieval structures, brutalist buildings, abstract shapes, the curved glass structure of Peek & Cloppenburg department store designed by Renzo Piano, and many examples of reconstruction in the style of the 1950s and 1960s after much of the city was bombed in WWII.

But Cologne Cathedral—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is the most famous of them all. This fourth-tallest cathedral in the world, with its beautiful stained glass windows and impressive structure, is Germany’s most visited landmark!

Needless to say, there’s a lot of rich history here and it stretches back to Roman times. But this is a city of contrasts where the contemporary mingles with remnants of the past.  During those centuries of life that came before us, the city accumulated multitudes of stories and leaned into a love of creativity, a knack for innovation, and wonderful sense of community.

There’s an excellent culinary scene to keep you busy too, from classic sauerkraut and sausages to the hearty pork knuckle to the more widely known schnitzel to the traditional himmel und ääd (a black pudding, fried onion, mashed potatoes, and applesauce dish said to represent “heaven and earth” with its combo of sweet and sour flavors). Food is a great way to connect to new cultures and a way to enjoy experiences with new friends even if there is a language barrier. 

The people who call Cologne home are known for their liberalism and “joie de vivre,” and there’s plenty of fun to be had with many festivals, a huge carnival celebration, a famous Christmas market, and other events that create a lively atmosphere in the city, including Cologne Pride—one of Europe’s biggest LGBTQ+ celebrations.

Much of the city is walkable, and it also has a well-developed public transportation system with buses, trams, and trains so getting around is a breeze. If you want to spend some time adventuring beyond the city’s borders, this is a great hub for European travel too, with three international airports nearby and extensive rail connections. A weekend in Amsterdam? Paris? Brussels? Easy!

“Cologne is a feeling,” the city’s tourism board declares at the top of their website. If you want to experience the true Kölsche Jeföhl (“Cologne feeling”), come and spend a semester abroad with us and let yourself be enchanted by this city and its people.