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Study in Offenbach am Main

Offenbach am Main is an independent city in Hesse with an art university, urban neighbourhoods and student housing options.

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Offenbach's skyline beside the River Main
Photo: Dguendel (opens in a new tab), CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Offenbach am Main is a district-free city in Hesse with 132,746 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). It has one university: Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach (Offenbach). Summers average 19.4 °C and winters 2.8 °C, with about 677 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Offenbach am Main in numbers

Population

132,746Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

44.88 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

2,958Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

1Where Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach

Typical student rent

€300 per monthSource (opens in a new tab)

Flat-rate warm rent for an HfG student WG room at Arthur-Zitscher-Straße 6, including water, electricity and internet, on HfG's undated housing page; checked November 2026. A Wohnberechtigungsschein is required. This is a specific offer, not a citywide average.

Average temperature

10.9 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,718 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Offenbach am Main

Offenbach am Main directly borders Frankfurt in the Rhine-Main region. This guide covers the independent city, which is administratively separate from the surrounding Landkreis Offenbach. (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab))

Its neighbourhoods offer different settings: the Mathildenviertel is a culturally mixed part of the eastern centre, while the Hafen combines housing, workplaces and leisure space beside the Main. Book and lettering arts have a dedicated home at the Klingspor Museum. (Mathildenviertel (opens in a new tab), Hafen Offenbach (opens in a new tab), Klingspor Museum (opens in a new tab))

Neighbourhoods

Universities here

Universities in Offenbach am Main, biggest first.

Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach is the city's specialist art and design university. Nearby options in Frankfurt include Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and Städelschule. Offenbach can also work as a commuting base: regular S-Bahn journeys from Marktplatz to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof take about 15 minutes, but you must add the onward journey to your campus. It is particularly worth considering if you want an urban setting with an art-school community and access to Frankfurt. (HfG (opens in a new tab), DB timetable (opens in a new tab))

Find a course in Offenbach am Main

Housing

Start looking early: HfG maintains a waiting list for its GBO student accommodation. These properties are reserved for HfG students, so students commuting to another institution need a separate housing search. (HfG 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

HfG's published contribution for winter semester 2026/27 is €396.48, including €226.80 for the Deutschlandsemesterticket. Check this inclusion before buying another transport subscription. (HfG fees (opens in a new tab)) The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month in 2026. (RMV (opens in a new tab)) For free leisure time, the Wetterpark has no admission charge. (Wetterpark (opens in a new tab)) Compare actual housing offers and your campus journey rather than assuming that living outside Frankfurt automatically produces a cheaper total budget.

Jobs & employers

Local employment includes automotive business and research, healthcare and retail. Hyundai manages its German-market activities from Offenbach, while Sana operates the city's hospital. (Hyundai (opens in a new tab), Sana (opens in a new tab)) For students, the verified options range from supermarket work to specialist technical roles: EDEKA Stenger lists student positions in Offenbach, and Honda's recruitment portal lists working-student opportunities in data science and software. (EDEKA Stenger (opens in a new tab), Honda (opens in a new tab))

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Marktplatz is a central interchange for local buses and S-Bahn lines S1, S2, S8 and S9. Regular S-Bahn journeys to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof take about 15 minutes; allow extra time for campus connections and check current disruption notices. (DB timetable (opens in a new tab)) Offenbach Hauptbahnhof also has regional trains towards Frankfurt, Hanau and other destinations. (DB regional timetable (opens in a new tab)) The Deutschlandticket covers local buses, S-Bahn and regional transport; ordinary ICE and IC journeys are outside its coverage. (RMV (opens in a new tab))

Main stations
Nearest airport

Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

Regular S8 and S9 services run directly from Offenbach Marktplatz to Flughafen Regionalbahnhof in about 28 minutes; allow additional time to reach your terminal. (DB timetable (opens in a new tab))

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Offenbach-Wetterpark (0 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

2.8 °C

54 mm rain a month

1.9 h sun a day

Spring

10.8 °C

49 mm rain a month

5.9 h sun a day

Summer

19.4 °C

70 mm rain a month

7.5 h sun a day

Autumn

10.6 °C

53 mm rain a month

3.5 h sun a day

Expect cool, often grey winters, milder spring and autumn weather, and warm summers with occasional hot days. Rain remains possible throughout the year, so a waterproof layer is useful for walking or cycling to class. Summer brings outdoor cinema at Hafen 2; the Wetterpark remains an option throughout the year. (Hafenkino (opens in a new tab), Wetterpark (opens in a new tab))

Culture, language & food

Offenbach's cultural mix is visible in neighbourhoods such as the Mathildenviertel and in the associations taking part in the Mainuferfest. For evenings out, Hafen 2 combines a café, cinema, concerts and DJ events. This gives students a local cultural option without travelling to Frankfurt every time. (Mathildenviertel (opens in a new tab), City cultural programme (opens in a new tab), Hafen 2 (opens in a new tab))

Do not plan an HfG degree around English alone: its international-applicant guidance requires C1-level German evidence for bachelor's enrolment. For master's admission, it also describes an alternative combining B2 German with C1 English. (HfG admissions (opens in a new tab)) For everyday life, aim for conversational German and get help with unfamiliar rental or administrative wording. English-language activities can make settling in easier, but check the language of each course, job and event.

Local food

  • Offenbacher Pfeffernüsse

    A traditional local sweet speciality revived by local makers; the city lists the A. Laier coffee roastery near Wilhelmsplatz among its stockists. (City of Offenbach (opens in a new tab))

  • Apfelwein

    Hessian apple wine, locally also called Stöffche, is part of Offenbach's food-and-drink tradition. The city's apple-wine and orchard route links local places to stop for refreshments. (City of Offenbach (opens in a new tab))

Places & events

Places to see

  • Klingspor Museum

    Museum

    A museum dedicated to international book and lettering arts, especially relevant to students interested in visual communication. (Klingspor Museum (opens in a new tab))

  • Wetterpark

    Science and outdoors

    An outdoor weather-themed park with a visitor centre, developed with the German Weather Service and Regionalpark RheinMain. The park is open year-round with free admission. (Wetterpark (opens in a new tab))

  • Hafen 2

    Culture

    A riverside cultural venue combining cinema, live music, DJ events and a café. (Regional tourism board (opens in a new tab))

  • Büsingpark and Büsingpalais

    Park and architecture

    The park and palace façade form the setting for Offenbach's summer Lichterfest.

Events

  • Exterior of the Büsingpalais in Offenbach

    Exterior of the Büsingpalais in Offenbach

  • Isenburger Schloss in Offenbach am Main

    Isenburger Schloss in Offenbach am Main

Student experiences

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Studying in Offenbach am Main: FAQ

Is Offenbach am Main a good place to live as a student?

It is worth considering if you want an urban setting with local cultural venues and access to Frankfurt. Hafen 2 offers cinema and music, while regular S-Bahn journeys from Marktplatz to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof take about 15 minutes. (Hafen 2 (opens in a new tab), DB (opens in a new tab))

Is there a university in Offenbach am Main?

Yes. Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach is an art and design university, with bachelor's and master's study in those fields. (HfG (opens in a new tab))

How do I commute from Offenbach to Frankfurt?

From Offenbach Marktplatz, regular S-Bahn services reach Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof in about 15 minutes. That is the station-to-station journey; your university campus may require another connection. (DB timetable (opens in a new tab))

Is Offenbach expensive for students?

Budget from actual room offers rather than assuming a standard student rent. One verified fixed cost is HfG's €396.48 contribution for winter semester 2026/27, which includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket. (HfG fees (opens in a new tab))

What jobs can students find in Offenbach?

Verified examples include retail student-assistant roles at EDEKA Stenger and technical working-student roles at Honda in data science, software and technology analysis. Availability and entry requirements vary. (EDEKA Stenger (opens in a new tab), Honda (opens in a new tab))

Can I study at HfG Offenbach with English only?

English alone does not meet the published language requirements for its regular bachelor's and master's programmes. Bachelor's enrolment requires C1 German; the master's alternative combines B2 German with C1 English. (HfG admissions (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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