In short
Saarland has 8 universities and colleges offering 335 degree courses (135 Bachelor's, 139 Master's), and 26% of them are taught in English or bilingually. A student flat costs about €505 a month (30 m² flat in Saarbrücken incl. utilities, MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026). Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Public universities charge no tuition for regular degrees; you pay only the semester contribution (about €410 at Saarland University in winter 2026/27, including the Deutschland-Semesterticket).
Germany's smallest non-city state, right on the French border: French influence, good food and a compact university city in Saarbrücken. Saarland University's campus is one of Europe's leading places for computer science, with Max Planck institutes and the CISPA Helmholtz Center next door.
University cities
Every city in Saarland with a university. Cities with a guide link to it.
Saarbrücken
7 universities 331 courses 26% in English
Neunkirchen, Saar
1 university 4 courses 0% in English
Cost of living
What studying in Saarland costs, from the latest figures we could source.
- Rent for a student flat
- ≈ €505 / month30 m² flat in Saarbrücken 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
- Saarbrücken is affordable — about €505 for a 30 m² flat (MLP 2026), far below Munich's €880.
- France is a tram ride away — the Saarbahn runs from Saarbrücken to Sarreguemines.
- Learning some French pays off: many jobs and courses here have a French-German angle.
Industries & employers
Big names that hire graduates, and offer internships and working-student jobs, in and around Saarland.
Saarstahl · Dillinger
Steel
Saarland's traditional industry, in Völklingen and Dillingen.
ZF
Automotive supplier
Large transmission plant in Saarbrücken.
Bosch · Schaeffler
Automotive supplier
Both run big plants in Homburg.
Villeroy & Boch
Ceramics
Headquartered in a former abbey in Mettlach.
CISPA · DFKI · Max Planck
Research
IT security, AI and computer science research institutes on the Saarbrücken campus.
Culture & people
Saarland was under French administration after the Second World War and only joined West Germany in 1957, and the French influence is still felt in the food, the bakeries and the relaxed way of life locals call 'Savoir-vivre'. Many people speak some French, and cross-border commuting is normal.
It is a small, close-knit place where everyone seems to know everyone. People love to eat and grill: the Schwenker (a swinging charcoal grill) and Lyoner sausage are local institutions. The old coal and steel industry has left a proud working-class identity.
Events & festivals
Max Ophüls Prize Film Festival
January
Saarbrücken's festival for young German-language filmmakers.
Festival Perspectives
May – June
A French-German festival of theatre, dance and circus in Saarbrücken and across the border.
Saarbrücker Altstadtfest
June
Stages, food and drink across Saarbrücken's old town for a long weekend.
Places to see
Völklingen Ironworks
UNESCO
A complete historic ironworks, now a museum and venue for big art exhibitions.
Saarbrücken Castle
Castle
A baroque palace above the Saar, home to the historical museum.
St. Johanner Markt & Town Hall
City
Saarbrücken's lively old-town square and the neo-Gothic town hall nearby.
Mettlach
Town
Home of Villeroy & Boch, near the Cloef viewpoint over the famous Saar loop.
Bliesgau Biosphere Reserve
Nature
Orchards, orchid meadows and quiet villages in the south-east, a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Getting around
Students at Saarland University have the Deutschland-Semesterticket in their semester contribution, covering buses, the Saarbahn and regional trains across Germany. Saarbrücken is compact, and the campus is a short bus ride from the centre.
Direct ICE and TGV trains reach Paris in under two hours and Frankfurt in about two. Saarbrücken has a small airport, and Luxembourg and Frankfurt airports are the usual choices for longer trips.
Student experiences
First-hand posts from students in Saarland, read by our team before they appear.
Loading experiences…
Studying in Saarland: FAQ
Do international students pay tuition in Saarland?
No. Saarland's public universities charge no tuition for regular degrees; you pay only the semester contribution, which at Saarland University includes the Deutschland-Semesterticket.
Is Saarland a good place to study computer science?
Yes. Saarland University's campus hosts Max Planck institutes for informatics and software systems, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security.
Is Saarbrücken expensive for students?
No. A 30 m² student flat in Saarbrücken costs about €505 a month (MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026), compared with about €720 in Frankfurt.
Can I study in English in Saarland?
Yes — 26% of the 335 degree courses listed for Saarland on Where Is My Uni? are taught in English or bilingually, and some programmes are run jointly with French universities.
How do I get around Saarland as a student?
Buses, the Saarbahn tram-train and regional trains are covered by the Deutschland-Semesterticket; the Saarbahn even crosses into France, and ICE/TGV trains reach Paris in under two hours.
Every district in Saarland
A guide to each district and district-free city in Saarland: universities, housing, jobs, transport and weather.
Sources
- MLP Studentenwohnreport 2026 (IW Köln) (opens in a new tab)
- Saarland University — Semester fee (opens in a new tab)
- Saarland University — Germany's nationwide semester travel ticket (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia — Saarland (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia — Völklingen Ironworks (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia — Saarland University (opens in a new tab)
- University and course numbers: the Where Is My Uni? catalogue, rebuilt from official university data.
Ready to find your course in Saarland?
Open the map on Saarland: every university, every course, filtered by degree, subject, language and cost — free.