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Study in Gießen district

Gießen district combines university life and countryside in central Hesse.

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The south side of the Old Castle in Gießen
Photo: Zampel (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Gießen is a rural district (Landkreis) in Hesse with 268,418 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has 2 universities: Justus Liebig University Giessen (Gießen), Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen - THM (Gießen). Summers average 18.3 °C and winters 2.1 °C, with about 632 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Gießen district in numbers

Population

268,418Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

854.56 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

314Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

2Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Justus Liebig University Giessen and Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen - THM

Typical student rent

€286.50–€387.30 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Published rent per furnished single room at Ludwigstraße residence in Gießen, with shared kitchen and bathroom; undated operator listing checked November 2026. The operator’s housing FAQ says listed rents include utilities. This is a residence example, not a district-wide market average.

Average temperature

10 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

632 mm a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Sunshine

1,621 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

74 a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

About Gießen district

Gießen district includes the university city of Gießen and the surrounding smaller towns and countryside. The Lahn runs through the city; farther east, Lich, Grünberg, Laubach and Hungen form the western Vogelsberg area (regional tourism board (opens in a new tab)).

This gives students a choice between city life and a more rural base. Beyond the campuses, the district has wooded hills, river valleys, castles and walking routes; Grünberg’s timber-framed old town and the former monastery at Arnsburg are useful starting points for exploring (Gießener Land (opens in a new tab), Grünberg tourism (opens in a new tab), Kloster Arnsburg (opens in a new tab)).

Main towns

Universities here

Universities in Gießen district, biggest first.

Justus Liebig University Giessen and THM give the district a substantial student community centred on Gießen. Both universities’ student unions are among the local contacts for housing help (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)). Gießen itself is the practical starting point if you want university facilities and evening activities close by. For a home elsewhere in the district, check the journey to your actual campus, including the return trip after evening classes, using the local bus and rail information (VGO (opens in a new tab)). The district suits students who want access to university life alongside countryside and smaller towns.

Find a course in Gießen

Housing

Apply early and search through several channels. Studierendenwerk Gießen says demand exceeds available residence places around the winter-semester intake and that long waiting times are common; a residence application should therefore accompany a private-room search (Studierendenwerk housing (opens in a new tab)).

The typical student rent we found, and what that figure covers, is in the key facts.

How to find a place

Student residences

Cost of living

For a concrete housing benchmark, Unterhof lists a furnished single room with shared facilities in House 6 at €319.20 per month, checked November 2026 (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)). JLU’s standard winter-semester contribution for 2026/27 is €421.43, including €226.80 for the Deutschland-Semesterticket; official incoming exchange students pay €50 less, and the fully digital Sustainable Transition programme has a separate contribution (JLU fee breakdown (opens in a new tab)). Budget separately for food, health insurance and personal expenses, and compare private accommodation by its total monthly cost rather than its advertised basic rent.

Jobs & employers

Research, healthcare and industrial technology provide distinct local employment routes. JLU recruits student assistants, UKGM’s Gießen hospital recruits across clinical, technical and administrative departments, and Schunk advertises working-student roles and internships in nearby Heuchelheim (JLU (opens in a new tab), UKGM (opens in a new tab), Schunk (opens in a new tab)). Match applications to your subject, language skills and qualifications; these employers’ presence does not guarantee an immediately available student position.

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Use RMV and VGO for district bus and rail planning (VGO Gießen (opens in a new tab)). Fast direct trains from Gießen to Marburg take about 15 minutes; DB also lists fast direct Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof–Gießen services taking around 40 minutes. These are station-to-station examples, and slower services or construction work can change the journey (DB to Marburg (opens in a new tab), DB from Frankfurt (opens in a new tab)). The Deutschlandticket covers local buses and second-class regional trains, generally excluding IC, EC and ICE trains; the Deutschlandsemesterticket follows its coverage rules (Deutschlandticket (opens in a new tab), semester ticket (opens in a new tab)).

Main stations
Nearest airport

Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

The practical international arrival airport recommended by JLU. Take an S-Bahn or regional train to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof and change for Gießen; check the complete connection before travelling (JLU arrival guidance (opens in a new tab)).

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Gießen (Lahntal) (11 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.1 °C

50 mm rain a month

1.7 h sun a day

Spring

9.9 °C

47 mm rain a month

5.6 h sun a day

Summer

18.3 °C

62 mm rain a month

7.2 h sun a day

Autumn

9.8 °C

51 mm rain a month

3.2 h sun a day

Expect chilly, often grey winters, a gradually warming spring and generally mild-to-warm summers with occasional hot days. Rain is possible throughout the year, so waterproof clothing is useful for daily travel. Spring and summer suit the district’s walking and cycling routes, while late autumn brings the city’s Christmas-market season (Gießener Land (opens in a new tab), Gießen events (opens in a new tab)).

Culture, language & food

For evenings out, start with Gießen’s student pubs, the Musik- und Kunstverein’s parties and cultural programme, or the Stadttheater. These give the city an established student nightlife and arts scene (Studierendenwerk’s central-residence description (opens in a new tab), Gießen culture guide (opens in a new tab)).

Local identity also has very specific neighbourhood traditions: established Gießen residents use the nickname “Schlammbeiser”, while Wieseck has its own nickname, “Wissicher Sandbeul”. Across the wider district, the tourism board’s association directory offers routes into music, sport, local history and other community activities (City of Gießen (opens in a new tab), Gießener Land (opens in a new tab)).

English can be your academic working language on an English-taught programme, but learning German will make everyday life easier. JLU explicitly recommends German even to students whose entire degree is taught in English and offers routes into language courses (JLU language guidance (opens in a new tab)). As a practical study goal, aim towards B1 for everyday independence and B2 for a broader range of work situations; these are recommendations, not universal admission or employment requirements.

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

Events

  • The church ruins of Arnsburg Abbey in Lich

    The church ruins of Arnsburg Abbey in Lich

  • The old bridge over the Lahn in Gießen

    The old bridge over the Lahn in Gießen

Student experiences

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Studying in Gießen district: FAQ

Is Gießen district a good place to live as a student?

It is a useful choice if you want a university-centred city with countryside close by. Gießen has museums, theatre and student nightlife; for a home in another district town, check your campus journey before signing a lease (regional overview (opens in a new tab), culture guide (opens in a new tab), VGO (opens in a new tab)).

Is there a university in Gießen district?

Yes. Justus Liebig University Giessen and Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen have campuses in Gießen; the local Studierendenwerk’s housing guide directs students to both institutions’ student unions (Studierendenwerk (opens in a new tab)).

How long does the train from Gießen to Marburg take?

Fast direct services take about 15 minutes between Gießen and Marburg stations. Allow additional time for travel to your university building and check your specific departure (Deutsche Bahn (opens in a new tab)).

How much does student accommodation in Gießen cost?

Studierendenwerk lists furnished single rooms at Ludwigstraße for €286.50–€387.30 per month, checked November 2026. These are residence prices rather than a private-market average, and waiting times can be long (Ludwigstraße (opens in a new tab), housing FAQ (opens in a new tab)).

What jobs can students find in Gießen district?

Examples include research assistance, university administration and tutoring at JLU, plus working-student roles in production and materials management at Schunk in Heuchelheim. Availability and entry requirements vary (JLU vacancies (opens in a new tab), Schunk careers (opens in a new tab)).

Does JLU’s semester contribution include public transport?

JLU’s standard winter-semester contribution for 2026/27 includes a Deutschland-Semesterticket. It covers local and regional public transport under Deutschlandticket rules, generally excluding long-distance IC and ICE trains (JLU (opens in a new tab), RMV semester ticket (opens in a new tab), coverage rules (opens in a new tab)).

More guides

Sources & photo credits

Last updated November 2026. Population and area: Destatis. Weather: Deutscher Wetterdienst. Universities and courses: our catalogue. Everything else was researched from the sources below and checked — how we research these guides.

Sources

Photo credits

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