If you are studying in Bochum and enrol at the Ruhr-Universität for the winter semester 2026/27, you pay a semester fee of €380.00. At Hochschule Bochum it is €376.80. In both cases, the Germany semester ticket (Deutschland-Semesterticket) of €226.80 is included in the amount and cannot be opted out of. Anyone planning to study in Bochum should therefore budget mainly for rent and health insurance, because the travel pass is already paid for.
Bochum at a glance
| Item | Figure | Source or period |
|---|---|---|
| Students at Ruhr-Universität Bochum | 37,653 | Winter semester 2025/26 |
| Students at Hochschule Bochum | 9,542 | Winter semester 2025/26 |
| Semester fee Ruhr-Universität | €380.00 | Winter semester 2026/27 |
| Semester fee Hochschule Bochum | €376.80 | Winter semester 2026/27 |
| Share of the Germany semester ticket | €226.80 | Winter semester 2026/27 |
| Housing places at AKAFÖ | around 4,200 in 21 residence halls | Information from the student services organisation |
| Second-home tax | 12% of the net basic rent | Statute, version of 17.12.2015 |
Together, more than 47,000 people study at the two institutions. How Bochum compares with other locations is shown in the overview of all 30 university cities (in German). The guides to Dortmund, Münster and Cologne (all in German) offer a look beyond the city limits.
Which university should you choose in Bochum, and how do they differ?
The Ruhr-Universität Bochum is the larger of the two, with 37,653 students in the winter semester 2025/26. Hochschule Bochum, a university of applied sciences, had 9,542 students in the same semester. Both charge their own semester fee, but the share for the student services organisation is identical at €130.00.
How high is the semester fee for studying in Bochum?
For the winter semester 2026/27, the Ruhr-Universität lists €380.00 and Hochschule Bochum €376.80. The details are in the Ruhr-Universität notice on re-registration and on the page of Hochschule Bochum on the semester contribution. The breakdown:
| Item | Ruhr-Universität | Hochschule Bochum |
|---|---|---|
| Akademisches Förderungswerk (AKAFÖ, student services) | €130.00 | €130.00 |
| Student body (AStA) | €23.20 | €20.00 |
| Germany semester ticket | €226.80 | €226.80 |
| Total | €380.00 | €376.80 |
The ticket makes up around 60% of the amount at both universities. If the ticket price changes, the total changes as well, which Hochschule Bochum points out explicitly. According to its website, re-registration there ran from 15 June to 17 August 2026.
What can the Germany semester ticket do in Bochum?
The ticket is valid for local public transport across Germany: buses, underground trains, trams, S-Bahn and the regional trains of Deutsche Bahn. ICE, IC and EC trains are not included, and neither is first class. In the winter semester it is valid from 1 October to 31 March. The Ruhr-Universität explains the rules on its semester ticket page. With the ticket, you do not need single tickets for local transport, even outside Bochum. For more on tickets, see Semester ticket and Germany ticket (in German).
How do you find accommodation in Bochum: hall of residence, shared flat or your own flat?
The student services organisation in Bochum is called AKAFÖ, the Akademisches Förderungswerk. It runs 21 residence halls with around 4,200 places. The AKAFÖ housing pages (in German) present the halls and explain how to apply.
If you do not get a place in a hall, the private rental market remains. Tips for the search are offered by Finding a flat share and Finding an affordable flat while studying (both in German). Whether a hall suits your daily life is clarified by Student hall or flat share (in German). Before you sign, take a look at Rental contracts for students (in German). For contents and liability insurance in a shared flat, the right places are Contents insurance in halls and flat shares and Liability insurance in flat shares and your own flat (both in German).
What does one month cost in Bochum? A worked example
Rent depends on the room. The example therefore assumes a monthly rent of €380, the same as the BAföG housing allowance; this is not an average figure for Bochum. It also assumes a 24-year-old female student without children at the Ruhr-Universität, compulsorily insured with statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) at an additional contribution rate of 2.9%.
| Item | Calculation | Amount per month |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | €380.00 divided by 6 | around €63 |
| Health insurance | €855 times 10.22% = €87.38, plus 2.9% additional contribution = €24.80 | €112.18 |
| Long-term care insurance (childless from age 23) | 4.2% of €855 | €35.91 |
| Rent (assumption) | assumed at the level of the BAföG housing allowance | €380 |
| Total without food, mobile phone and leisure | around €591 |
The additional contribution of 2.9% is the official average for 2026, but your health insurer may charge a different rate. Anyone under 23 or with a child pays €30.78 for long-term care, which lowers the total by around €5. For food, mobile phone and leisure, Budget planning as a student helps (in German), and How much money you really need per month gives a guide figure for the overall need (in German). According to the fact sheet for the winter semester 2026/27, a lunch at the canteen of Hochschule Bochum costs around €3 to €5. More on this topic is in Student canteens: more than just lunch (in German).
Do you have to pay second-home tax in Bochum?
If you live in a secondary residence in Bochum, the city can levy a second-home tax. It amounts to 12% of the net basic rent. The statute of the City of Bochum (in German) does not contain a rule specific to students. Only people who are married or in a registered partnership are exempt, provided they hold and mainly use the flat for professional reasons and their shared flat as main residence lies outside Bochum.
Worked example with an assumed rent: at a net basic rent of €300 per month, the tax is 12% of €3,600 a year, that is €432 or €36 per month. If you register Bochum as your main residence, you avoid the tax. What to consider when doing so is described in Moving and registering when you start studying (in German).
Where do you register in Bochum?
The responsible office is the citizens’ registration office (Bürgerbüro) of the City of Bochum. Registration is intended for stays longer than three months and takes place after your arrival. The information sheet of the Ruhr-Universität does not name a fixed deadline, so register as soon as possible after moving in. Registration also decides whether Bochum is your main residence or a secondary residence.
Where do you apply for BAföG in Bochum?
The BAföG office belongs to AKAFÖ. You can find office hours and locations in Bochum and Gelsenkirchen via the AKAFÖ contact form (in German), and you can check the status of your application online. Legal advice on BAföG is offered by the BAföG advice service of the AStA Bochum (in German).
Nationally, the basic need for students is €475 per month, and the housing allowance is €380. With the supplements for health and long-term care insurance (€102 and €35), the total comes to €992 per month. How to file an application is explained in Applying for BAföG, and eligibility and amount in BAföG eligibility and amount (both in German). If BAföG is not an option, check Housing benefit for students (in German).
How do you find a part-time job in Bochum?
Jobs close to the university are a good start, for example as a student assistant (in German). General routes are described in Finding a part-time job as a student (in German). Since 1 January 2026, a minimum wage of €13.90 per hour applies, and the mini-job limit is €603 per month. Purely arithmetically, that is just under 43.4 hours of work at the minimum wage. More on this is in Earning money alongside your studies (in German).
How are students insured in Bochum?
Upon enrolment, you are compulsorily insured with statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV), unless you are covered as a family member through your parents. Compulsory insurance as a student ends, in principle, at the end of the semester in which you turn 30. For enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from your health insurer. It can be retrieved from 1 June at the earliest for the winter semester and from 1 December for the summer semester.
For the procedure, read Proof of health insurance for enrolment (in German). For costs, see Health insurance costs by age (in German), and for differences between insurers Additional contributions of health insurers (in German). The exemption in favour of private health insurance applies for the entire course of study and cannot be revoked. The considerations are set out in PKV or GKV as a student: which is worth more? (in German). For a personal conversation about your insurance, the Academycon homepage leads to our advice service. The basics are covered in Health insurance for students: what you need to know (in German).
Frequently asked questions
How much does studying in Bochum cost per semester?
The semester fee for the winter semester 2026/27 is €380.00 at the Ruhr-Universität and €376.80 at Hochschule Bochum. It covers the student services organisation, the student body and the semester ticket.
Can I opt out of the semester ticket in Bochum?
No. According to the Ruhr-Universität, the cost is part of the semester fee and cannot be opted out of. The ticket is valid for local transport across Germany, but not for ICE, IC and EC trains.
Is there a second-home tax for students in Bochum?
Yes. The city levies it at 12% of the net basic rent and has no exception specifically for students. If you register Bochum as your main residence, you do not pay it.
Who is responsible for BAföG in Bochum?
The BAföG office of AKAFÖ, the student services organisation in Bochum. Applications and queries go through its contact page, and the status of your application can be checked online.
How many hall places are there in Bochum?
AKAFÖ lists 21 residence halls with around 4,200 places. With around 47,000 students at the university and the university of applied sciences, it is best to apply early and search privately in parallel.
How to prepare for the first weeks
- Retrieve the confirmation from your health insurer and enrol.
- Ask AKAFÖ about a hall place and search privately in parallel.
- Register at the citizens’ registration office after moving in and clarify your main residence.
- Pay the semester fee of €380.00 (Ruhr-Universität) or €376.80 (Hochschule Bochum) on time.
- Check at the BAföG office of AKAFÖ whether you are entitled to BAföG.
A detailed list is provided by the Checklist for the start of studies (in German).
You might also like
- All 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Dortmund (in German)
- Studying in Münster (in German)
- Studying in Cologne (in German)
- Benefits of student status (in German)
- First-semester tips (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
