In short
Mainz has 3 universities and colleges offering 317 degree courses (140 Bachelor's, 165 Master's), and 25% of them are taught in English or bilingually. A student flat costs about €585 a month (30 m² flat incl. utilities (WG room ≈ €508), MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Rhineland-Palatinate charges no tuition at public universities for EU or non-EU students; you pay only the semester contribution, which includes a semester ticket. Fees can apply if you study far beyond the standard duration.
Mainz is the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, a cheerful Rhine-side city of wine taverns, carnival and a thousand-year-old cathedral. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is one of Germany's largest universities, with almost all subjects on one campus — plus its own art and music schools — and Mainz University of Applied Sciences and the Catholic University of Applied Sciences add practical degrees. Frankfurt and its airport are next door.
Universities in Mainz
Every university and college in Mainz in our catalogue, biggest first.
- Website of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (opens in a new tab)
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
University 262 courses
- Website of Mainz University of Applied Sciences (opens in a new tab)
Mainz University of Applied Sciences
University of applied sciences 49 courses
- Website of Katholische Hochschule Mainz Catholic University of Applied Sciences (opens in a new tab)
Katholische Hochschule Mainz Catholic University of Applied Sciences
University of applied sciences 6 courses
Cost of living
What studying in Mainz costs, from the latest figures we could source.
- Rent for a student flat
- ≈ €585 / month30 m² flat incl. utilities (WG room ≈ €508), 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
- JGU's campus is a short tram or bus ride from the centre — Oberstadt and Bretzenheim are popular, campus-close neighbourhoods.
- Wiesbaden is just across the Rhine and Frankfurt about 35 minutes away, so you can widen your flat search.
- Learn the carnival cry 'Helau!' before Rosenmontag — the whole city takes to the streets.
Industries & employers
Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Mainz.
BioNTech
Biotech
The mRNA vaccine developer is headquartered in Mainz.
SCHOTT
Specialty glass
Specialty-glass maker headquartered in Mainz.
Boehringer Ingelheim
Pharma
Global headquarters in Ingelheim, about 20 km west.
ZDF
Media
Germany's second public TV broadcaster is headquartered in Mainz-Lerchenberg.
Culture & people
Mainzers are known as sociable and easy-going. Life happens in wine taverns, on the Rhine promenade and at the Saturday market below the cathedral, where locals meet for a 'Marktfrühstück' of wine and sausage.
Johannes Gutenberg invented printing with movable type here around 1450, and the city still celebrates him with a museum and its university's name.
Events & festivals
Mainzer Fastnacht
Feb (carnival)
One of Germany's carnival capitals, peaking with the Rosenmontag parade.
Johannisnacht
June
Gutenberg's city festival with stages along the Rhine.
Mainzer Weinmarkt
Late Aug – Sept
Wine festival in the city park with growers from Rheinhessen.
Christmas market
Late Nov – Dec
Stalls on the Markt beneath the cathedral.
Places to see
Mainz Cathedral
Church
The red sandstone Romanesque cathedral, over 1,000 years old.
Gutenberg Museum
Museum
Home to original Gutenberg Bibles.
Rhine promenade
River
Riverside paths for walks, cycling and summer evenings.
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
UNESCO
Castles and vineyards along the Rhine gorge, an hour downstream.
Getting around
Trams and buses (MVG / RMV) cover the city and campus, and the semester ticket covers regional transport. S-Bahn trains reach Frankfurt Airport in about 25 minutes and Frankfurt in about 35. ICE and IC trains run along the Rhine to Cologne and south to Mannheim.
Student experiences
First-hand posts from students in Mainz, read by our team before they appear.
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Studying in Mainz: FAQ
Which universities are in Mainz?
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Mainz University of Applied Sciences and the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Mainz — 317 courses in our catalogue.
Is Mainz expensive for students?
It is mid-range: a 30 m² student flat costs about €585 a month and a shared-flat room about €508 (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026), noticeably cheaper than nearby Frankfurt.
Do I pay tuition fees in Mainz?
No. Public universities in Rhineland-Palatinate charge no tuition for EU or non-EU students — only the semester contribution, which includes a semester ticket.
Can I study in English in Mainz?
Yes, mainly at Master's level. 25% of the courses in our Mainz catalogue are taught in English or bilingually, for example in physics, biomedicine and economics.
More guides in Rhineland-Palatinate
Sources
- MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW / MLP) (opens in a new tab)
- Wochenblatt — semester contributions in Rhineland-Palatinate (opens in a new tab)
- University and course numbers: the Where Is My Uni? catalogue, rebuilt from official university data.
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