The short answer on semester fees by university
In the winter semester 2026/27, semester fees by university at the 30 cities examined range from €82.00 at FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg to €484.18 at the University of Göttingen. The table lists the university, the fee, the semester and the second-residence tax for each city. It does not rate the cities and contains no ranking.
The most important facts at a glance
| Point | Value | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Range of semester fees | €82.00 (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) to €484.18 (University of Göttingen) | 16 October 2026 | Article on the 30 university cities |
| Number of cities with a fee | 29 of 30, no figure for Fulda | 16 October 2026 | Article on the 30 university cities |
| Second-residence tax | 8% to 20% of the annual net basic rent in the statutes evaluated | 16 October 2026 | Article on the 30 university cities |
| Semester ticket | Not included in the table, to be clarified with each university | 20 October 2026 | University information |
The table, alphabetical
| City | Federal state | University | Semester fee (€) | Semester | Second-residence tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aachen | North Rhine-Westphalia | FH Aachen | 384.60 | Winter 2026/27 | 12% of the net basic rent |
| Berlin | Berlin | FU Berlin (new enrolment) | 376.80 | Winter 2026/27 | 20% of the net basic rent (since 1 January 2025) |
| Bochum | North Rhine-Westphalia | Ruhr University Bochum | 380.00 | Winter 2026/27 | 12% of the net basic rent |
| Bonn | North Rhine-Westphalia | University of Bonn | 363.07 | Winter 2026/27 | 15% of the annual net basic rent |
| Braunschweig | Lower Saxony | TU Braunschweig | 472.50 | Winter 2026/27 | 10% of the net basic rent |
| Bremen | Bremen | University of Bremen | 443.40 | Winter 2026/27 | levied, rate to be asked from the city |
| Darmstadt | Hesse | TU Darmstadt | 402.68 | Winter 2026/27 | 15% of the annual net basic rent |
| Dortmund | North Rhine-Westphalia | FH Dortmund | 346.80 | Winter 2026/27 | 12% of the annual net basic rent |
| Dresden | Saxony | TU Dresden | 361.00 | Winter 2026/27 | 15% of the net basic rent (since 1 January 2026, previously 10%) |
| Frankfurt am Main | Hesse | Goethe University | 408.28 | Winter 2026/27 | levied, rate to be asked from the city |
| Freiburg | Baden-Württemberg | University of Freiburg | 190.00 | Winter 2026/27 | 20% of the annual net basic rent |
| Fulda | Hesse | Hochschule Fulda | to be asked from the university | currently | to be asked from the city |
| Giessen | Hesse | JLU Giessen | 421.43 | Winter 2026/27 | 12% of the annual net basic rent (since 1 January 2024) |
| Göttingen | Lower Saxony | University of Göttingen | 484.18 | Winter 2026/27 | 10% of the net basic rent |
| Hamburg | Hamburg | University of Hamburg | 402.00 | Winter 2026/27 | levied, rate to be asked from the city |
| Hanover | Lower Saxony | Leibniz University Hanover | 453.16 | Winter 2026/27 | to be asked from the city |
| Heidelberg | Baden-Württemberg | University of Heidelberg | 189.80 | currently (semester not stated) | 20% of the annual net basic rent |
| Jena | Thuringia | University of Jena | 333.05 | Winter 2026/27 (first-time enrolled students 353.05 incl. €20 thoska card) | to be asked from the city |
| Karlsruhe | Baden-Württemberg | KIT | 205.50 | currently (semester not stated) | levied, rate to be asked from the city |
| Kassel | Hesse | University of Kassel | 409.27 | currently (semester not stated) | 8% of the annual net basic rent |
| Kiel | Schleswig-Holstein | University of Kiel | 403.00 | Winter 2026/27 | levied, rate to be asked from the city |
| Cologne | North Rhine-Westphalia | University of Cologne | 355.65 | currently (semester not stated) | to be asked from the city |
| Leipzig | Saxony | University of Leipzig | 332.30 | Winter 2026/27 | 16% of the annual rental cost |
| Mainz | Rhineland-Palatinate | University of Mainz (Mainz campus) | 366.90 | Winter 2026/27 | second-residence levy, 10% of the annual net basic rent |
| Marburg | Hesse | University of Marburg | 424.80 | Winter 2026/27 | 10% of the annual rental cost |
| Munich | Bavaria | LMU Munich (basic contribution) | 97.00 | Summer 2026 and winter 2026/27 | 18% of the annual net basic rent |
| Münster | North Rhine-Westphalia | University of Münster | 369.50 | Winter 2026/27 | 10% of the net basic rent |
| Nuremberg | Bavaria | FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg | 82.00 | Winter 2026/27 | 10% of the annual net basic rent |
| Stuttgart | Baden-Württemberg | University of Stuttgart | 164.00 | currently (semester not stated) | 20% of the annual net basic rent (since 1 January 2026, previously 10%) |
| Würzburg | Bavaria | University of Würzburg | 182.10 | Winter 2026/27 | to be asked from the city |
Worked example: two semesters compared
- Göttingen: 2 times €484.18 equals €968.36 per year.
- Nuremberg: 2 times €82.00 equals €164.00 per year.
- Difference: €968.36 minus €164.00 equals €804.36 per year.
The comparison only shows the fee. Whether a semester ticket is included is shown in the breakdown of the respective university.
Methodology
- The source of the values is our article Studying in Germany: 30 university cities compared (in German), accessed 20 October 2026. The status of that article is 16 October 2026.
- Where the article names no semester, the table says “currently”. For Fulda, the source gives no amount, which has to be asked from the university.
- The second-residence tax comes from the statutes of the cities as evaluated in our article on the 30 university cities. The rates change.
- The table contains no rating of the cities and no ranking.
How to cite this page
Academycon GmbH (2026): Semester fees by university, data page for 30 university cities in the winter semester 2026/27, status 20 October 2026. The data come from university information, compiled in the article Studying in Germany of 16 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Why do semester fees differ so much?
Each university sets its own fee and breaks it down. It usually includes shares for the student services organisation, the student body and often the semester ticket. There is no uniform federal rule for this.
Is the semester ticket included in the fee?
That depends on the university. The table does not record it. The university publishes the breakdown on its website.
What do I pay over two semesters in Göttingen and in Nuremberg?
In Göttingen €968.36 and in Nuremberg €164.00, so a difference of €804.36 per year, if both fees stay unchanged.
Where can I find the current amount for my university?
On the website of the university, usually under study, re-enrolment or fees. Our article Re-enrolment and semester fee: deadlines and consequences (in German) explains the deadlines and effects.
Sources and review
- Article Studying in Germany: 30 university cities compared (in German), status 16 October 2026.
- University information for the winter semester 2026/27.
- Statutes of the cities on the second-residence tax, status as stated in our article on the 30 university cities.
Information, not individual advice.
Editorial team: Academycon · Last updated: October 2026
Information, not individual advice. For your situation, the Academycon online check can help.
Related reading
- Studying in Germany: 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Göttingen: costs, housing and semester fee 2026 (in German)
- Studying in Nuremberg: costs, semester fee and housing 2026 (in German)
- Re-enrolment and semester fee: deadlines and consequences (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
