Welcome back reader!
Like the title of today’s entry indicates, I am going to talk about what makes studying in Thuringia so special and why you should make or have already made the decision to study here. Therefore, if you are reading my blog and you like the style of how I structure my blog, I have to disappoint you this week. I am not going to introduce cities, and which spots you should visit this week, but I will do so in the following week again. There were already some suggestions in the comments about which cities I should look at in the future, and I will do so.
What makes studying in Thuringia so great?
First, there is a wide spectrum of opportunities of what to study. There are degrees in Natural Science, Humanities, Engineering Science, Social Science, and more options. Among these, the universities here are in the top ranks according to a national statistic (link), and even when looking at each major and minor, the most are in the top group (German link, English link). The one thing that stands out is that the universities do not have a high reputation within Germany (link, look under Studienwahl and then Reputation), so only Jena is in the extended group of top universities (link). That they are overall considered to be in the top group is (for me) very surprising when bearing in mind that Thuringia is in the lower-third in population and area within Germany, and to be the second best ‘new state’ behind Saxony, which will be unbothered at the top with university cities like Leipzig and Dresden. To be standing on top of Berlin, Hesse (with cities like Frankfurt and Darmstadt for example) and the other ‘new states’ (with Halle, Magdeburg, Potsdam, Cottbus, Rostock, and Schwerin) is really astonishing.
Secondly, there are all the places that were introduced so far in this block and the several available discounts. The best thing is that all the places can be reached for free because of our identification card (called Thoska) and that they are in a short distance of each other, so taking the train to a different city will not take that long. Then each city is different, every city is giving different vibes. Weimar, for example, is a very cultural city, so there will be a lot of tourists and older people because the city is structured around its history. Jena, on the other hand, is a very modern city with a lot of students, therefore, when walking in the city there will be a lot of young people.
Finally, the region is not called the ‘Green Heart of Germany’ without reason. Around a third of the area is forest and about 70% is a natural reserve, so while staying in Thuringia there is no way around enjoying the green landscapes. Even smaller areas like the university campus in Erfurt in summer is very relaxing (though I have to experience it myself).
This entry was something different from my usual style and was meant for younger people or for someone from another country. It was meant to give a little insight about studying in Thuringia and what makes it so great do to it here and to give it some recognition. I hope this entry was interesting for you and maybe you can persuade someone you know that studying in Thuringia would be a wise decision. Thank you for reading and see you next time.
The Green Heart of Germany 