Siegen

A student town surrounded by forest

Siegen

A student town surrounded by forest

The small city of Siegen in North Rhine-Westphalia enjoys an enviable valley-setting, surrounded by dense forest. Home to a historic palace (Oberes Schloss) and the birthplace of the painter Rubens, Siegen has a rich and varied history.

Today it is a bustling university town with a huge number of students, which means there are always plenty of cultural and artistic events, as well as an exciting nightlife scene.

More about Siegen

110,000

Population

20,000

Students

Universities

1079

Oldest documented mention

Siegen has a population of almost 110,000, almost a fifth of which, some 20,000 people, are students of the University of Siegen, the town's one public university. The oldest documented mention of the city dates from 1079.

Studying and Working in Siegen

The University of Siegen is a large, modern, public university offering a wide range of degree programs across five faculties. Students in Siegen enjoy the perfect blend of city-life and excellent access to the secluded forests that surround the city. The university has a busy, dedicated careers service which offers workshops as well as advice and support in both English and German.

Historically, the city’s industry centered around mining and smelting, and even today it remains one of Germany’s leading centers for metallurgy as well as being an important region for engineering. It is also a regional hub for the service and retail industry. Employment rates in all these sectors are high and many graduates are able to find work locally.