# Study in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate

> 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.

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## Cost of living

- Rent: ≈ €585 (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.
- 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

- **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.

## 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.

## Sources

- [MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW / MLP)](https://www.iwkoeln.de/studien/michael-voigtlaender-christian-oberst-philipp-deschermeier-mlp-studentenwohnreport-2026.html)
- [Wochenblatt — semester contributions in Rhineland-Palatinate](https://www.wochenblatt-reporter.de/c-lokales/semesterbeitraege-steigen-in-rheinland-pfalz-ticket-teurer_a912401)

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