# Study in Dessau-Roßlau, Saxony-Anhalt

> Dessau-Roßlau has 2 universities and colleges offering 92 degree courses (35 Bachelor's, 57 Master's), and 24% of them are taught in English or bilingually. Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Saxony-Anhalt charges no tuition at public universities for EU or non-EU students; Anhalt University students pay only the semester contribution.

Dessau-Roßlau is a small city on the Elbe and Mulde rivers, best known as the home of the Bauhaus from 1925 to 1932. Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Anhalt) teaches architecture, design and facility management here, with further campuses in Köthen and Bernburg, and many programmes attract international students. Life is quiet and cheap, with Leipzig and Berlin within reach by train.

**Find a course:** https://app.whereismyuni.com/dashboard/map?area=ST&city=Dessau-Ro%C3%9Flau

## Cost of living

- Rent: no figure in the 2026 rent study
- Tuition for non-EU students: €0 — Saxony-Anhalt charges no tuition at public universities for EU or non-EU students; Anhalt University students pay only the semester contribution.
- Check which campus your programme is on: Anhalt University teaches in Dessau, Köthen and Bernburg.
- Living costs are low, but the city is quiet — Leipzig is the nearest big city for nightlife and part-time jobs.
- Cycle through the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm on a sunny weekend.

## Industries & employers

- **German Environment Agency (UBA)** (Public sector): Germany's federal environment agency is headquartered in Dessau.
- **Bauhaus Dessau Foundation** (Culture): Runs the Bauhaus building, the Masters' Houses and exhibitions.
- **Chemical Park Bitterfeld-Wolfen** (Chemicals): Large industrial park about 30 km south.

## Culture & people

The Bauhaus moved to Dessau in 1925, and Walter Gropius's school building and the Masters' Houses are now UNESCO World Heritage, alongside the 18th-century landscape gardens of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm.

It is a small, green city with a slow pace, and the Bauhaus design programmes bring a creative, international crowd.

## Events & festivals

- **Kurt Weill Fest** (Late Feb – March): Festival celebrating the Dessau-born composer of The Threepenny Opera.
- **Christmas market** (Late Nov – Dec): Stalls in the city centre.

## Places to see

- **Bauhaus Building** (UNESCO): Walter Gropius's 1926 school building — you can even stay overnight in the studio rooms.
- **Masters' Houses** (UNESCO): Homes of Gropius, Kandinsky, Klee and other Bauhaus teachers.
- **Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm** (UNESCO): English-style landscape gardens and palaces along the Elbe.
- **Bauhaus Museum Dessau** (Museum): The foundation's collection in a modern glass building.

## Getting around

Trams and buses cover the city. Regional trains reach Leipzig in under an hour and Berlin in about 1.5 hours; Leipzig/Halle Airport is the nearest airport. Check your semester contribution for the included ticket; the Deutschlandticket costs €63 a month.

## FAQ

### Which university is in Dessau?

Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Anhalt), which teaches architecture, design and facility management in Dessau and other subjects in Köthen and Bernburg.

### Can I study in English in Dessau?

Yes. 24% of the courses in our Dessau-Roßlau catalogue are taught in English or bilingually, including international Master's programmes in architecture.

### Do I pay tuition fees in Dessau?

No. Public universities in Saxony-Anhalt charge no tuition for EU or non-EU students; only the semester contribution applies.

### Is Dessau a good place to study?

Yes, for architecture and design in particular — you study in the city of the Bauhaus, with very low living costs. The trade-off is a quiet small-town life.

## Sources

- [Visit Dessau — Kurt Weill Festival 2026](https://www.visitdessau.com/en/blog/the-countdown-to-the-34th-kurt-weill-festival-is-on/)
- [Anhalt University of Applied Sciences](https://www.hs-anhalt.de/)
- [German Environment Agency — Dessau](https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/11867/dokumente/weitere_information-dessau_en.docx.pdf)

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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/saxony-anhalt/dessau-rosslau. Last updated November 2026. [How we research](https://whereismyuni.com/study-in/how-we-research).