Skip to content
Where Is My Uni?
All guides

Study in Mettmann district

Mettmann is a district of commuter towns, historic centres and green valleys near Düsseldorf and Wuppertal.

Find a course nearbyJump to key facts
Historic buildings along Pastor-Vömel-Straße in Gruiten, Haan
Photo: Frank Vincentz (opens in a new tab), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

In short

Mettmann is a rural district (Landkreis) in North Rhine-Westphalia with 490,910 people (Destatis, 31 Dec 2024). There is no university in Mettmann district itself; the nearest is IST-Hochschule für Management in Düsseldorf, about 12 km away. Summers average 17.6 °C and winters 3.4 °C, with about 978 mm of rain a year (DWD, 1991–2020).

Mettmann district in numbers

Population

490,910Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Area

407.22 km²Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

People per km²

1,206Destatis 2024 (opens in a new tab)

Universities in the district

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

Nearest university

IST-Hochschule für Management, DüsseldorfWhere Is My Uni? catalogue (opens in a new tab)

About 12 km away in a straight line

Typical student rent

€8.93–€12.07/m² coldSource (opens in a new tab)

Range of base reference rents across construction-age bands for Hilden flats from 26.5 to under 40 m², built through 2022, before property-specific adjustments. Excludes heating and operating costs. Hilden Mietspiegel 2026, effective 1 January 2026; survey reference date 1 March 2025. This is not a district-wide average or a student-room quote.

Average temperature

10.3 °C a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Rain

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

Sunshine

1,573 hours a yearDWD 1991–2020 (opens in a new tab)

Frost days

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

About Mettmann district

Mettmann district combines urban neighbourhoods with countryside between the Rhine and the hills of the Bergisches Land. Its tourism name, neanderland, brings together towns including Ratingen, Hilden, Velbert and Mettmann itself. (neanderland (opens in a new tab), town guide (opens in a new tab))

The Neandertal and its museum are the best-known landmarks, but the district also offers historic town centres, industrial heritage and walking routes. Mettmann’s Oberstadt, Ratingen’s Cromford textile museum and Velbert’s historic neighbourhoods show different sides of the area. (Mettmann (opens in a new tab), Ratingen (opens in a new tab), Velbert (opens in a new tab))

Main towns

Nearest universities

No university in Mettmann district itself — these are the nearest (straight-line distance).

There is no university listed within Mettmann district in the supplied Where Is My Uni? catalogue. Nearby choices include Hochschule Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, IST-Hochschule für Management, Kunstakademie Düsseldorf and Bergische Universität Wuppertal. Treat living here as a commuting decision: the S28 links Mettmann with Düsseldorf and Wuppertal, but station-to-station journeys do not include your onward trip to campus. (VRR timetable (opens in a new tab)) It is worth considering if you enjoy walking and historic neighbourhoods; compare actual accommodation offers and the complete campus journey before choosing a town.

  • IST-Hochschule für Management

    Düsseldorf · 12 km away · 39 courses

  • Hochschule Düsseldorf

    Düsseldorf · 12 km away · 43 courses

  • Bergische Universität Wuppertal

    Wuppertal · 13 km away · 276 courses

  • Kunstakademie Düsseldorf

    Düsseldorf · 14 km away · 5 courses

  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

    Düsseldorf · 14 km away · 91 courses

Find a course nearby

Housing

Do not assume that living outside Düsseldorf guarantees an easy housing search. Mettmann’s council explicitly describes the town’s housing market as tight. Search early and compare several towns along a suitable transport route. (City of Mettmann (opens in a new tab)) Hilden’s official rent index provides a local benchmark, but its reference rents are not advertised WG-room prices. (Hilden rent index (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

Cost of living

The standard Deutschlandticket costs €63 per month as listed by VRR when checked in November 2026. Before buying one, check whether your university enrolment already includes a Deutschlandsemesterticket. (VRR (opens in a new tab)) For accommodation, budget separately for rent, heating, operating costs, electricity and internet wherever these are not included. A reliable like-for-like comparison establishing that the district is cheaper than Düsseldorf was not verified, so assess savings using actual warm-rent offers and your commuting needs.

Jobs & employers

Local employers offer routes into science-related business functions, electronics and automotive technology. QIAGEN publishes a Hilden working-student programme, Mitsubishi Electric recruits in Ratingen, and Huf offers internships, working-student positions and thesis opportunities. Availability depends on your subject and the current vacancies. (QIAGEN (opens in a new tab), Mitsubishi Electric (opens in a new tab), Huf (opens in a new tab))

Typical student jobs

Major employers

Getting around

Choose your town around the route to your campus. The published S28 timetable gives approximately 20 minutes from Mettmann Zentrum to Düsseldorf Hbf and 22 minutes to Wuppertal Hbf on through services. These exclude onward campus travel. (VRR S28 timetable (opens in a new tab)) Haan and Gruiten have RB48 connections towards Wuppertal, Solingen and Cologne. (VRR RB48 timetable (opens in a new tab)) Check live journeys for engineering work and replacement buses. (Regiobahn (opens in a new tab)) The Deutschlandticket covers local buses and second-class S-Bahn, RB and RE services, but generally excludes IC, EC and ICE trains. (VRR (opens in a new tab))

Main stations
Nearest airport

Düsseldorf Airport

Ratingen has bus connections: the 760 serves the terminal and the 759 links Ratingen Ost with Düsseldorf Flughafen railway station. From the railway station, continue to the terminals by SkyTrain or the replacement service when operating. (Airport transport information (opens in a new tab))

Weather & seasons

Long-term averages from the German Weather Service station Wuppertal-Buchenhofen (10 km from the district centre), 1991–2020.

Winter

3.4 °C

91 mm rain a month

1.9 h sun a day

Spring

9.9 °C

65 mm rain a month

5.4 h sun a day

Summer

17.6 °C

88 mm rain a month

6.5 h sun a day

Autumn

10.5 °C

83 mm rain a month

3.4 h sun a day

Expect cool, damp winters, changeable spring weather and generally mild summers, with rain possible throughout the year. Waterproof shoes and a rain jacket are sensible for the daily commute. Spring through autumn offers opportunities to explore the district’s walking routes and the former railway route of the PanoramaRadweg niederbergbahn. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

Culture, language & food

Local identity combines Bergisch architecture and food with industrial history. Haan’s slate-clad, half-timbered buildings and Velbert’s lock-and-security museum are useful introductions. (Haan (opens in a new tab), Velbert (opens in a new tab))

For evenings out, explore the individual town centres and their event calendars: Ratingen has restaurants and brewery pubs around its market square, while Hilden has jazz concerts beyond its main festival. Plan campus social life and the journey home separately when deciding whether this commuting lifestyle suits you. (Ratingen (opens in a new tab), Hilden concerts (opens in a new tab))

Treat German as a practical priority even if your course is taught in English. English alone does not meet every local employer’s requirements: QIAGEN’s Hilden student programme asks for very good communication skills in both German and English. (QIAGEN (opens in a new tab)) As a planning recommendation, aim for B1–B2 German for greater independence with housing, administration and work; individual requirements vary.

Local food

Places & events

Places to see

  • Neanderthal Museum and Neandertal

    Museum

    Explore human evolution at the museum and combine it with the nearby discovery site and a walk through the valley. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

  • Mettmann Oberstadt

    Old town

    Walk around St Lambertus church and the surrounding historic buildings, with cafés and restaurants in the old centre. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

  • Gruiten Dorf

    Historic village

    Part of Haan, with protected half-timbered houses, dark slate and green shutters characteristic of Bergisch architecture. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

  • Textilfabrik Cromford

    Industrial heritage

    Ratingen’s former cotton-spinning mill and manor house form part of the LVR industrial museum. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

  • Mariendom, Neviges

    Architecture

    A pilgrimage church in Velbert-Neviges known for its exposed-concrete architecture. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

  • Haus Bürgel

    UNESCO

    A former Roman fort in Monheim’s Urdenbacher Kämpe, with a Roman museum; it belongs to the Lower German Limes World Heritage site. (neanderland (opens in a new tab))

Events

  • Historic buildings around the market square in Mettmann

    Historic buildings around the market square in Mettmann

  • Exterior of the Neanderthal Museum

    Exterior of the Neanderthal Museum

Student experiences

First-hand posts from students in Mettmann district, read by our team before they appear.

Loading experiences…

Share your experience

Our team reads every post before it appears. Please don't include contact details.

At least 40 characters. 0/2000

Studying in Mettmann district: FAQ

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

It can suit students who value access to walking routes and historic town centres and are comfortable commuting. Choose an address only after checking the complete journey to campus and the last connection home. (Local places (opens in a new tab), Journey planning (opens in a new tab))

Is there a university in Mettmann district?

No university is listed inside the district in the supplied Where Is My Uni? catalogue. Nearby study options include Hochschule Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and Bergische Universität Wuppertal.

How do I get from Mettmann to Düsseldorf or Wuppertal?

The S28 connects Mettmann Zentrum with both cities. Published through-service timings are approximately 20 minutes to Düsseldorf Hbf and 22 minutes to Wuppertal Hbf; allow additional time to reach campus and check disruption notices. (VRR timetable (opens in a new tab))

Is Mettmann district cheap for student housing?

Do not assume it is: Mettmann’s council describes the town’s housing market as tight. Compare actual warm rents across suitable towns rather than relying on a presumed discount compared with Düsseldorf. (City of Mettmann (opens in a new tab))

What student jobs can I find in Mettmann district?

Examples include business and data-related student roles at QIAGEN in Hilden, communications support at Mitsubishi Electric in Ratingen, and student placements with Huf in Velbert. Check the employers’ portals for current openings. (QIAGEN (opens in a new tab), Mitsubishi Electric (opens in a new tab), Huf (opens in a new tab))

Can I commute with the Deutschlandticket?

Yes: it covers local buses and second-class S-Bahn, RB and RE services. It generally does not cover ICE, IC or EC trains; check whether your university already provides a Deutschlandsemesterticket. (VRR (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

Ready to find your course in Mettmann district?

Open the map on Mettmann district: every university, every course, filtered by degree, subject, language and cost — free.

Find a course nearby
Find a course nearby