© Stephen-Coburn, Dreamstime.com

After you’ve moved to Munich and adapted to your new geographical environment, the next step is to broaden your mind. The sky’s the limit: In Munich you can study almost anything.

There are lots of academies and education centers offering a vast selection of opportunities to upgrade yourself. Most people in Munich go to the Volkshochschule (VHS) to stimulate their brain cells. This state-run college of further education offers around 14,000 courses and events. It has 250,000 students and is the largest public educational institute in Europe.

The VHS headquarters are in the Gasteig cultural and education center at Kellerstrasse 6, near Rosenheimer Platz. However, courses are decentralized and take place at 32 VHS schools and  95 Munich city schools. The crush for places on courses, which begin in March and September, is pretty intense. Course brochures cost € 3 and are available at all VHS registration offices, the town hall, the city libraries, bookshops and kiosks.