# Study in Marburg, Hesse

> Marburg has 3 universities and colleges offering 210 degree courses (96 Bachelor's, 84 Master's), and 12% of them are taught in English or bilingually. Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Hesse charges no tuition at public universities. Students at Philipps-Universität Marburg pay only the semester contribution, which includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket (€226.80 per semester from winter 2026/27).

Marburg is a small, steep university town on the Lahn river, with a castle on top and half-timbered lanes below. Philipps-Universität Marburg, founded in 1527, is the world's oldest Protestant university still in existence, and is known for medicine, pharmacy, psychology and the humanities. Students make up a large part of the town, which gives it a lively, slightly alternative feel.

**Find a course:** https://app.whereismyuni.com/dashboard/map?area=HE&city=Marburg

## Cost of living

- Rent: no figure in the 2026 rent study
- Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Hesse charges no tuition at public universities. Students at Philipps-Universität Marburg pay only the semester contribution, which includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket (€226.80 per semester from winter 2026/27).
- The upper town is steep — public lifts connect it to the lower town, and you will still climb a lot of stairs.
- Most programmes are in German; check the language requirements early if your German is still basic.
- Your semester ticket is a Deutschlandticket, so weekend trips to Frankfurt, Kassel or the Lahn valley cost nothing extra.

## Industries & employers

- **CSL Behring** (Biotech & pharma): Large plasma-protein production site in Marburg's Behringwerke.
- **University Hospital Giessen and Marburg** (Health): The Marburg university hospital is one of the town's largest employers.
- **Philipps-Universität Marburg** (Research & education): The university itself employs thousands of staff and student assistants.

## Culture & people

The Brothers Grimm studied in Marburg, and fairy-tale motifs are hidden all over the upper town. The Elisabethkirche, Germany's oldest purely Gothic church, and the Landgrave's Castle frame the skyline.

Student life is everywhere: in the bars of the Oberstadt, on the Lahn meadows in summer and in the many student societies, from choirs to rowing clubs.

## Events & festivals

- **3 Tage Marburg** (2nd weekend of July): The town's free summer festival, with stages across the old town and dragon-boat races on the Lahn.
- **Christmas market** (Late Nov – Dec): Stalls in the old town and around the Elisabethkirche.

## Places to see

- **Landgrave's Castle** (Castle): Hilltop castle with a museum and the best view over the Lahn valley.
- **Elisabethkirche** (Church): Germany's oldest purely Gothic church, built from 1235.
- **Oberstadt** (City): The medieval upper town with half-timbered houses and the market square.
- **Lahn river** (Nature): Riverside paths and meadows for walking, cycling and canoeing.

## Getting around

City buses and the public lifts connect the upper and lower town; many students walk. Regional trains reach Giessen in about 20 minutes and Frankfurt in about an hour, and Kassel is about an hour north. Frankfurt Airport is the nearest major airport.

## FAQ

### Is Marburg a good place to study?

Yes, if you like a small, historic student town. Philipps-Universität Marburg is strong in medicine, pharmacy and psychology, charges no tuition, and students shape the whole town.

### Can I study in English in Marburg?

A limited number of programmes, mostly Master's degrees — 12% of the courses in our Marburg catalogue are taught in English or bilingually.

### Do I pay tuition fees in Marburg?

No. Philipps-Universität Marburg charges no tuition, also for non-EU students; you pay only the semester contribution, which includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket.

### How far is Marburg from Frankfurt?

About an hour by regional train, with Giessen about 20 minutes away.

## Sources

- [Philipps-Universität Marburg — semester contribution](https://www.uni-marburg.de/de/studium/studienorganisation/semesterbeitrag)
- [Festivals in Deutschland — 3 Tage Marburg](https://www.festivalsindeutschland.de/festival/3-tage-marburg-stadtfest)

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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/marburg. Last updated November 2026. [How we research](https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/how-we-research).