In short
Hanover has 9 universities and colleges offering 346 degree courses (156 Bachelor's, 174 Master's), and 21% of them are taught in English or bilingually. A student flat costs about €505 a month (30 m² flat incl. utilities, MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities in Lower Saxony charge no tuition, including for non-EU students; you pay a semester contribution that includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket. A long-term fee applies if you study well beyond the standard period.
Hanover is an easy-going, practical city with lots of green space: the Eilenriede city forest is larger than New York's Central Park. Leibniz University Hannover is strong in engineering and natural sciences, and Hannover Medical School, the veterinary university and Hochschule Hannover round out the options. Rent is below average and the city is a major rail hub.
Universities in Hanover
Every university and college in Hanover in our catalogue, biggest first.
- Website of Leibniz University Hannover (opens in a new tab)
Leibniz University Hannover
University 202 courses
- Website of Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts (opens in a new tab)
Hochschule Hannover - University of Applied Sciences and Arts
University of applied sciences 69 courses
- Website of Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover (opens in a new tab)
Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover
Art & music college 29 courses
- Website of Fachhochschule für die Wirtschaft Hannover (opens in a new tab)
Fachhochschule für die Wirtschaft Hannover
University of applied sciences 21 courses
- Website of Hannover Medical School (opens in a new tab)
Hannover Medical School
University 8 courses
- Website of Leibniz-Fachhochschule (opens in a new tab)
Leibniz-Fachhochschule
University of applied sciences 7 courses
- Website of Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover (opens in a new tab)
Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover
University 4 courses
- Website of University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (opens in a new tab)
University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover
University 4 courses
Berufsakademie für Bankwirtschaft
Other institution 2 courses
Cost of living
What studying in Hanover costs, from the latest figures we could source.
- Rent for a student flat
- ≈ €505 / month30 m² flat incl. utilities, MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026
- Tuition for non-EU students
- €0 / semesterPlus the semester contribution every student pays. The rules are summed up in In short.
- Proof of funds for a visa
- €992 / monthThe proof of funds German missions currently ask of student-visa applicants (€11,904 a year) — confirm with the German embassy or consulate handling your application.
Good to know
- Rent is below the middle of the 38 cities in the MLP 2026 study: about €505 for a 30 m² flat and €461 for a shared-flat room (MLP 2026).
- Linden and the List are popular student neighbourhoods; Linden has the best nightlife.
- Trade fairs like Hannover Messe hire many students as temporary staff, which is a good way to meet companies.
Industries & employers
Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Hanover.
Continental
Automotive supplier
Tyre and automotive-technology group headquartered in Hanover.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Automotive
Headquarters and main plant in Hanover-Stöcken.
Hannover Re · Talanx
Insurance
One of the world's largest reinsurers and its parent group, both based in Hanover.
TUI
Tourism
The travel group is headquartered in Hanover.
Culture & people
Hanover is often called Germany's most "neutral" city: the local German is considered the closest to standard High German, which makes it a good place to learn the language. People are friendly and unflashy. The city was largely rebuilt after the Second World War, so its charm lies more in its parks, lakes and neighbourhoods than in an old town.
For three centuries the Electors of Hanover were also kings of Great Britain, a link you see in the baroque Herrenhausen Gardens. In summer, life moves to the Maschsee lake and the Leine river banks.
Events & festivals
Schützenfest Hannover
Late June – July
The world's largest marksmen's festival, with a huge funfair.
Maschseefest
Late July – August
Weeks of food, music and stages around the Maschsee lake.
Hannover Messe
April
One of the world's biggest industrial trade fairs.
Christmas market
Late Nov – Dec
Old-town market with a Finnish village of log cabins.
Places to see
New Town Hall
Landmark
Grand town hall with a curved lift up into its dome.
Herrenhausen Gardens
Gardens
Baroque royal gardens, among the finest in Europe.
Maschsee
Lake
Lake right by the centre for rowing, running and summer festivals.
Eilenriede
Forest
City forest larger than Central Park, criss-crossed by bike paths.
Red Thread
Walk
A red line painted on the pavement linking 36 sights in the centre.
Getting around
Hanover's light rail and buses (Üstra) and the S-Bahn are covered by the Deutschland-Semesterticket included in the semester contribution. Hannover Airport is under 20 minutes from the main station by S-Bahn, and ICE trains reach Hamburg in about 75 minutes and Berlin in under two hours. The city is flat and good for cycling.
Student experiences
First-hand posts from students in Hanover, read by our team before they appear.
Loading experiences…
Studying in Hanover: FAQ
Is Hanover expensive for students?
No. A 30 m² student flat costs about €505 a month and a shared-flat room about €461, below the mid-range figure of about €565 across the 38 cities studied (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026).
Which universities are in Hanover?
Hanover has 9 universities in our catalogue, including Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover Medical School (MHH), the University of Veterinary Medicine, Hochschule Hannover and the University of Music, Drama and Media.
Can I study in English in Hanover?
Partly: 21% of Hanover's 346 degree courses are taught in English or bilingually, mostly Master's programmes in engineering and science.
Do I pay tuition fees in Hanover?
No. Public universities in Lower Saxony charge no tuition for EU or non-EU students; you pay a semester contribution, plus a long-term fee only if you exceed the standard study period by several semesters.
Which companies hire students in Hanover?
Continental, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Hannover Re, Talanx and TUI are headquartered in Hanover, and the trade fairs bring many short-term jobs.
More guides in Lower Saxony
Sources
- MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW Köln) (opens in a new tab)
- Leibniz University Hannover (opens in a new tab)
- Deutschland-Semesterticket price, winter 2026/27 (Studentenwerk Leipzig) (opens in a new tab)
- University and course numbers: the Where Is My Uni? catalogue, rebuilt from official university data.
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