# Study in Hesse, Germany > Hesse has 43 universities and colleges offering 1,754 degree courses (801 Bachelor's, 748 Master's), and 25% of them are taught in English or bilingually. A student flat costs about €721 a month (30 m² flat in Frankfurt incl. utilities, MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities charge no tuition for regular degrees; you pay only the semester contribution (about €100–400, usually including the semester ticket). Frankfurt's skyline, the European Central Bank and Germany's busiest airport — with classic university towns like Darmstadt, Giessen and Marburg a short train ride away. Finance, pharma and IT jobs are close, and Frankfurt is one of the most international cities in Germany. **Find a course:** https://app.whereismyuni.com/dashboard/map?area=HE ## Cost of living - Rent: ≈ €721 (30 m² flat in Frankfurt incl. utilities, MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026) - Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities charge no tuition for regular degrees; you pay only the semester contribution (about €100–400, usually including the semester ticket). - Frankfurt is one of Germany's priciest student cities (≈ €721 for a 30 m² flat, MLP 2026); Darmstadt (≈ €599) is cheaper and only about 20 minutes away by train. - Darmstadt carries the official title 'City of Science' (Wissenschaftsstadt). - Philipps-Universität Marburg, founded in 1527, is the oldest Protestant university in the world still running. ## Industries & employers - **Deutsche Bank · Commerzbank** (Banking): Both headquartered in Frankfurt's banking district. - **European Central Bank** (Finance): The ECB is based in Frankfurt's Ostend. - **Deutsche Börse** (Finance): Stock exchange operator, headquartered in Eschborn near Frankfurt. - **Merck** (Pharma & chemicals): The world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, headquartered in Darmstadt. - **Opel** (Automotive): Headquartered in Rüsselsheim. - **Fraport · Lufthansa** (Aviation): Frankfurt Airport is Lufthansa's main hub and a huge employer. ## Culture & people Hessians are down-to-earth and fond of their dialect. The local drink is Apfelwein (Ebbelwoi), served in a grey stoneware jug in the old pubs of Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen, often with Grüne Soße — a cold herb sauce — or Handkäs mit Musik, a sour-milk cheese with onions. The Brothers Grimm grew up and studied here, and the 'German Fairy Tale Route' runs from Hanau through Marburg and Kassel. Frankfurt itself is a city of commuters and newcomers: its banks and airport draw people from all over the world. ## Events & festivals - **Frankfurt Book Fair** (October): The world's largest book fair; the final days are open to the public. - **Museumsuferfest, Frankfurt** (Late August): A weekend of music, food and open museums along both banks of the Main. - **Hessentag** (June): The state festival, held in a different Hessian town each year, with concerts and parades. - **documenta 16, Kassel** (12 June – 19 Sept 2027): The world-famous contemporary art exhibition, held every five years. ## Places to see - **Römerberg, Frankfurt** (Old town): Frankfurt's historic square with the Römer town hall and half-timbered houses. - **Main riverbank & Eiserner Steg** (River): The footbridge between the centre and Sachsenhausen, with views of the skyline. - **Mathildenhöhe, Darmstadt** (UNESCO): An Art Nouveau artists' colony with the Wedding Tower, listed by UNESCO in 2021. - **Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel** (UNESCO): A huge hillside park with the Hercules monument and water features that run on summer afternoons. - **Giessen** (City): A student town where students make up a large share of the population, home of Justus Liebig University. - **Marburg** (Old town): Steep lanes, half-timbered houses and a castle above the Lahn river. ## Getting around Hesse is a transport hub. Frankfurt Airport is Germany's largest, and Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof has direct ICE trains to almost every major German city plus Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. Most universities include the Deutschland-Semesterticket in the semester contribution. The RMV network links Frankfurt with Darmstadt, Wiesbaden, Mainz and Giessen by S-Bahn and regional trains, so many students live in a cheaper town and commute. ## FAQ ### Is Frankfurt expensive for students? Yes. A 30 m² student flat in Frankfurt costs about €721 a month, among the highest in Germany (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Darmstadt is about €599. ### Do international students pay tuition in Hesse? No. Hesse's public universities charge no tuition for regular bachelor's and consecutive master's degrees; students pay only the semester contribution, which usually includes the semester ticket. ### Can I study in English in Hesse? Yes — 25% of the 1,754 degree courses listed for Hesse on Where Is My Uni? are taught in English or bilingually, with Frankfurt offering the most. ### What is the best university city in Hesse? Frankfurt suits finance, business and law students who want big-city life; Darmstadt is strong in engineering and computer science; Giessen and Marburg are classic, affordable university towns. ### How many universities are in Hesse? Where Is My Uni? lists 43 universities in Hesse with 801 bachelor's and 748 master's programmes. ### How do I get around Hesse as a student? The RMV and NVV networks cover buses, trams, S-Bahn and regional trains, and the Deutschland-Semesterticket included at most universities is valid on all local and regional transport in Germany. ## Sources - [MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW Köln)](https://www.iwkoeln.de/studien/michael-voigtlaender-christian-oberst-philipp-deschermeier-mlp-studentenwohnreport-2026.html) - [documenta — documenta 16 will run from June 12 to September 19, 2027](https://documenta.de/en/news/documenta-16-findet-vom-12-juni-bis-zum-19-september-2027-statt) - [Wikipedia — Hesse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hesse) - [Wikipedia — Mathildenhöhe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathildenh%C3%B6he) - [Wikipedia — University of Marburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Marburg) - [Wikipedia — Merck Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merck_Group) --- Published by [Where Is My Uni?](https://whereismyuni.com) — every German university on one map. Canonical page: https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/hesse. Last updated November 2026. [How we research](https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/how-we-research).