Mainhattan: Studying in Frankfurt
Frankfurt has never really had problems living up to expectations – mostly because they weren’t very high in the first place. Many people simply can’t imagine that there's any life beyond the impressive skyscrapers that have come to define the city’s image. But Europe's wealthiest city has much more to offer than just currency flow: It's an international and multicultural metropolis that presents endless possibilities for open-minded young people.
Frankfurt am Main bei Nacht by photocase user Burlie
The city introduced
Although “Mainhattan” is about 100 high-rise buildings short of its American almost-namesake, it remains one of the few European cities that can boast a significant skyline. Most of Frankfurt’s skyscrapers were born from its role as Germany's leader in monetary transactions. More than 300 banks are located on the River Main, among them the European Central Bank, 150 foreign banks, and the fourth largest stock exchange in the world. Because of the city’s financial potency, its 660,000 inhabitants can choose from an extremely high concentration of available jobs.
Whichever way you look at it, the city is a linchpin. The volume of traffic around Frankfurt is the heaviest in Germany and both the airport and train station are among the busiest in the world. Add the autobahns to that, and you’ve got a city that seems to move at a million miles per hour.
Adding cosmopolitan flavor to this high-speed city are its multilingual inhabitants – in fact, every third person you see on the street holds a non-German passport.
Beyond the glass and steel, the posh clubs and sushi bars, Frankfurt offers a quality of life often overlooked. Over the last decade, the city has been refurbishing the banks of the Main, and today this seven km stretch of green is a haven for joggers and walkers. And it isn’t the only bit of nature you can enjoy: the city boasts some 8,000 hectares of greenery and forestry.
Overview of the universities
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University
(http://www.uni-frankfurt.de/)
Frankfurt University holds a unique place in Germany's educational landscape. Established in 1914 through private donations, the institution owes its very existence to the conscientious commitment of Frankfurt’s citizens, and thus to the fundamentals of international trade and industry. Today, over 36,000 students continue to uphold the principles of performance and open-mindedness which have shaped the institution.
The university is known internationally for its Institute for Social Research. Founded in 1924, it’s home to the highly-influential Frankfurt School, one of the most important 20th century schools of philosophy and social thought with an elite list of past scholars that includes Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno and Jürgen Habermas. Traditionally left-leaning and liberal, the university lost one third of its academic staff and many of its students during Nazi times.
Today, Frankfurt University is a leading research institution with over 2,500 professors and academic staff in 16 departments. It's at the forefront of law, history, economics, finance, life sciences, drug research, and interdisciplinary research on Africa. In a recent survey by the German Research Foundation (DFG), Frankfurt’s humanities department ranked second in the country.
Frankfurt is all about excellence, and the city has made it through to the second round of the government’s Excellence Initiative. Two graduate schools have been approved as well as two Clusters of Excellence (Macromolecular Complexes and Cardio-pulmonary System) in collaboration with the University of Gießen.
Städelschule
(http://www.staedelschule.de/)
This international art academy was established in 1817 when the Frankfurt merchant Johann Friedrich Staedel set up his Kunstinstitut. Today, the academy is a truly international institution, with approximately 40% of the student body coming from abroad. As well as the art school, the Städelschule includes the renowned Portikus exhibition space (www.portikus.de) and a museum (www.staedelmuseum.de). The Städelschule also benefits from a healthy (150:10) student-professor ratio.
University of Applied Sciences
http://www.fh-frankfurt.de/de
The University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) offers a wide range of subjects including architecture, engineering, and social work. Nine thousand students from over 100 nations benefit from the institution’s practical approach to learning, and its academics who have a wealth of industry experience. Thanks to the college’s strong business links, a wide variety of professional opportunities are available to students. Several international programs are offered.
University of Music and Performing Arts (http://www.hfmdk-frankfurt.de/index.php)
The University of Music and Performing Arts is a unique institution. Eight hundred and fifty students work with an impressive 400 professors and lecturers. In this lively but intimate atmosphere, students focus on music, theater and dance. The university profits from and cooperates with a large number of theaters, opera houses and museums in the Frankfurt area.
What Frankfurt is like
Jan-Lennard Kähling comes from the Rhine-Main area and is just about to finish his studies in law. The 27-year-old chose to stay on his home turf because of the faculty’s excellent reputation, the fact that he can enjoy his favorite activities – basketball and tennis – and take advantage of the nightlife that this metropolitan city offers. Like many other students who hail from Frankfurt, he lives with his parents to keep living costs down.
Why do so many students live with their parents in Frankfurt?
Rent is ridiculously steep and the general cost of living is extremely high. After all, this is the wealthiest city in Germany. However, living outside Frankfurt is an option thanks to the excellent transport system which provides free train rides (on a student ticket) as far as Worms, Gießen and even Marburg.
Does that change the atmosphere in terms of student life?
Some people complain that it's hard to get to know fellow students because so many stay within their old network of friends. However, there's still a bustling student scene in Bockenheim and Westend. Is it true that most people have a love-hate relationship with Frankfurt?Yes, there are always two sides to everything. Frankfurt has its downsides (there are some ugly buildings out there!), but the city government has done a lot to make it more attractive. The area around the River Main, for instance, is the new place to be.
What are your plans for the future?
“There's still a long way ahead of me before I can work as a lawyer,” says Jan-Lennard Kähling. “At the moment I do casual jobs for the trade fair – I can't complain, because everything in Frankfurt is fairly well-paid in comparison to other cities.”Jan-Lennard adds that Frankfurt is able to provide enough jobs for those in law and finance, with the city hosting the largest pool of lawyers in the country.
What's your favorite spot?
Jan-Lennard’s favorite place is the library across the street from his faculty. “It's really quiet there – it’s my place to retreat from all the bustle,” he says, adding that there’s even a little community of regular people who study and read there who all know each other.
Did you know?
The Frankfurt trade fair was first established in the 13th century and is one of the oldest in the world. It has emerged as a true global player among trade fairs, attracting 2.7 million visitors in peak years.Frankfurt is Germany's jazz capital, largely thanks to Der Jazzkeller.
Established in the 1950s, the bar has hosted big name performers like Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong.The city of Frankfurt can claim the tallest skyscraper in the European Union: The Commerzbank Tower.
Things to check out
Despite all the sushi bars and exotic restaurants, don't forget to try some of the local culinary specialties like Handkäs’ mit Musik? This pungent (yet delicious) dish is made from a special sour-tasting cheese combined with onions and caraway seeds. And if you like to be authentic all the way, wash it down with some apple wine. But be careful – this local cider is deceptively potent.
Mingle among the young professionals in one of the city’s many chic bars – there are dozens of them, and you’ll notice the distinctive “Mainhattan” fashion style of the locals.
You're in skyscraper-town, so don't forget to enjoy the view. On the 53rd floor of the Main Tower there's a restaurant with a spectacular 360 degree view – you’ll see first hand why Frankfurt is called "Manhattan on the Main”.
If you visit in the spring, be sure to watch the Frankfurt Galaxy in action. Frankfurt's American football team is NFL Europe’s most successful ever. The men in purple – as they are known – have won the coveted World Bowl trophy four times. Enjoy the Galaxy and other sporting and entertainment events in the new Commerzbank Arena.
Frankfurt also has a top-notch soccer team, the Eintracht. The club – maddeningly inconsistent but always fun to watch – plays in Germany’s top division, the Bundesliga. Like the Frankfurt Galaxy, Eintracht plays in the impressive Commerzbank Arena.
Useful links
http://www.studentenwerkfrankfurt.de/
The Studentenwerk provides students with affordable living spaces and offers a range of services for international students.
http://www.allgemeine-mitwohnzentrale.de
For short-term rentals there are private agencies (Mitwohnzentralen) which offer fully-equipped rooms and apartments to rent for a few days – or by the week/month – depending on availability.
city-mitwohnzentrale.de
Check out the four-language website of this private agency that offers rooms and apartments in various German cities.
www.frankfurt.de/sis
The official website of the city of Frankfurt. Get information about the latest events and see what's happening in the city’s cultural life.
www.frankfurt-tourismus.de
The official website of the tourist office is at your service (in eight languages), featuring everything you need to know for your stay in Frankfurt – from events to accommodation.
Party events
http://www.rhein-main.net/sixcms/detail.php?template=v2_rmn_events
Photo 2: Photocase.com/Alexander M. Greiner. User: FrozenDaiquiri
Photo 3: Flickr (cc) user: hllr
Photo 4: DZT
Photo 5: jazzkeller.com
Photo 6: Alex Handcock
