# Study in Giessen, Hesse

> Giessen has 2 universities and colleges offering 254 degree courses (94 Bachelor's, 113 Master's), and 22% of them are taught in English or bilingually. Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Hesse charges no tuition at public universities, including JLU and THM, for EU and non-EU students. You pay only the semester contribution, which includes a semester ticket.

Giessen is a mid-sized city in central Hesse where students are everywhere — it has one of the highest student-to-resident ratios in Germany. Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) is known for life sciences, veterinary medicine, agriculture and psychology, and Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) offers engineering and applied programmes. It is unpretentious and affordable, with Frankfurt about an hour away.

**Find a course:** https://app.whereismyuni.com/dashboard/map?area=HE&city=Gie%C3%9Fen

## Cost of living

- Rent: no figure in the 2026 rent study
- Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Hesse charges no tuition at public universities, including JLU and THM, for EU and non-EU students. You pay only the semester contribution, which includes a semester ticket.
- The city was heavily rebuilt after the war, so do not expect a pretty old town — the student life makes up for it.
- Use the semester ticket for trips to Marburg (about 20 minutes) and Frankfurt.
- Spend summer evenings on the Lahn riverbanks or at concerts up at Schiffenberg Monastery.

## Industries & employers

- **University Hospital Giessen and Marburg** (Health): One of Germany's largest university hospitals, with a big Giessen campus.
- **Leica Camera** (Optics): Headquartered in Wetzlar, about 15 km west.
- **Hensoldt** (Optronics): Optics and sensor site in Wetzlar.

## Culture & people

Giessen's character comes from its students: cafés, cheap bars and a busy Seltersweg shopping street. JLU's history includes the chemist Justus von Liebig and Wilhelm Röntgen, who discovered X-rays and taught here.

The surrounding Lahn valley offers cycling, canoeing and castles, and Marburg's medieval old town is only a short train ride away.

## Events & festivals

- **Gießener Kultursommer** (August): Central Hesse's main open-air concert series, at Schiffenberg Monastery.
- **Christmas market** (Late Nov – Dec): Stalls around the Kirchenplatz and city centre.

## Places to see

- **Mathematikum** (Museum): The world's first hands-on mathematics museum.
- **Botanical Garden** (Garden): Founded in 1609, Germany's oldest botanical garden still in its original location.
- **JLU campus** (University): Justus Liebig University's historic main building.
- **Schiffenberg** (Viewpoint): Former monastery on a hill above the city, with a beer garden.

## Getting around

City buses cover Giessen and are included in the semester ticket. Regional trains reach Frankfurt in about an hour and Marburg in about 20 minutes. Frankfurt Airport is roughly an hour away.

## FAQ

### Which universities are in Giessen?

Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) and Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM), with 254 courses in our catalogue.

### Is Giessen a good place to study?

Yes, if you want an affordable student city. Students make up a huge share of the population, JLU is strong in the life sciences and veterinary medicine, and there are no tuition fees.

### Can I study in English in Giessen?

Some programmes, mostly Master's degrees. 22% of the courses in our Giessen catalogue are taught in English or bilingually.

### How far is Giessen from Frankfurt?

About an hour by regional train, and Frankfurt Airport is roughly an hour away.

## Sources

- [Stadtwerke Gießen — Gießener Kultursommer](https://www.stadtwerke-giessen.de/en/swg-support-giessens-cultural-summer)
- [Justus Liebig University Giessen](https://www.uni-giessen.de/)

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Published by [Where Is My Uni?](https://whereismyuni.com) — every German university on one map. Canonical page: https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/hesse/giessen. Last updated November 2026. [How we research](https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/how-we-research).