A study day in Düsseldorf might begin on campus and continue in the Central Library café before an evening at the theatre or meeting friends in the old town. There is no single university campus around which everything gathers: Heinrich Heine University shares a site with the university hospital in the south, while Hochschule Düsseldorf in Derendorf lies further north. Both provide maps of their sites. Student life connects these university locations with meeting places beyond a particular degree course.

One such place is the Central Library in KAP1 on Konrad-Adenauer-Platz. It offers workspaces, events and a café, with different areas for concentrated or shared work. A study group from several institutions can meet here, as can friends after a seminar. Having a cultural programme alongside study spaces also provides a reason to stay after the work itself is finished.

Beyond your own course

University sport makes connections between institutions explicit. Its programme includes students from both HHU and HSD and takes place on the HHU campus as well as at other sports locations across Düsseldorf. A shared class gives the week a meeting point outside the timetable of a particular degree. The sport, training location and participation information for each offering help with the choice; an initial arrangement can become a regular shared activity.

For support with the practical side of studying, Studierendenwerk Düsseldorf provides services covering catering, student accommodation, study finance and counselling. Its advice service includes HHU and HSD students and helps with personal, social and financial questions. There is also dedicated counselling for international students. This offers a shared point of contact beyond the individual university, without making such matters the whole story of student life.

Beyond campus, participation continues in the cultural world. Alongside performances, the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus offers opportunities to take part through Stadt:Kollektiv and Junges Schauspiel. A theatre visit can therefore lead to an interest in performing and developing scenes. Alongside a degree, it creates another reason to see people again and explore subjects outside the next examination syllabus.

For an evening out, the old town brings brewery pubs, bars and music clubs into the same area. Following a concert or party can instead take you to zakk on Fichtenstraße in Flingern-Süd. Its programme includes music, spoken-word and stage events, parties, and political and social events; it also has a pub and beer garden. Conversations at a bar, a stage event and a night of dancing can thus lead to different evenings without confining student nightlife to one district.

Gradually, Düsseldorf acquires personal points of reference: a campus for classes, KAP1 for studying together, a training location and a cultural venue for the evening. The routes between them become as much a part of studying in the city as the places where classes take place.

Sources and data

Checked and accessed: 2026-10-17.