Studying in Braunschweig costs 472.50 € in total as the semester fee at TU Braunschweig for the winter semester 2026/27, and 469 € at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste (HBK). Both include the Deutschlandsemesterticket, which the HBK lists at 226.80 €. The Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen offers over 2,200 residence places in ten houses, and their rents are charged all-inclusive.
Braunschweig in figures
| Topic | Braunschweig |
|---|---|
| Universities | TU Braunschweig (15,051 students at the reference date of 16.12.2025), HBK Braunschweig (around 1,000) |
| Semester fee WS 2026/27 | TU 472.50 €, HBK 469.00 € |
| Semester ticket | Deutschlandsemesterticket, at the HBK 226.80 € included in the fee |
| Residences | 10 houses, over 2,200 places, warm rent including electricity, heating and internet |
| Second home tax | 10% of the net cold rent |
| Registering your residence | within two weeks, by appointment |
| BAföG | Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen, service centre Wilhelmstraße 1 B |
Which universities are there in Braunschweig?
The Technische Universität Braunschweig is the largest university in the city. The student statistics of the TU show a total of 15,051 students at the reference date of 16 December 2025, including exchange students. The HBK Braunschweig adds around 1,000 students according to the state portal Studieren in Niedersachsen. Whether a big city or a small one suits you better is covered in big city or small town (in German), and comparisons with other places are in the best cities for students (in German). The neighbours at a glance: Studying in Hannover and Studying in Göttingen. All locations are in the overview 30 university cities compared.
How much is the semester fee in Braunschweig?
At the TU the total for the winter semester 2026/27 is 472.50 €. According to the Technische Universität Braunschweig, it consists of the Studierendenwerk contribution, the student body contribution and the administration fee together. At the HBK, the HBK fee overview breaks down the 469 €:
| Item HBK, WS 2026/27 | Amount |
|---|---|
| Studierendenwerk contribution | 150.00 € |
| Administration fee | 75.00 € |
| Student body contribution, including the Deutschlandsemesterticket of 226.80 € | 244.00 € |
| Total | 469.00 € |
The student body contribution at the HBK also includes culture semester tickets for the Staatstheater Braunschweig (1.00 €), the Theater Fadenschein (0.50 €) and the International Film Festival Braunschweig (2.00 €).
What are your fixed costs per month?
The example assumes a 24-year-old childless student at the TU in compulsory student health insurance, without an additional contribution from the health insurer. The rent example is a shared flat room of 13.75 m² from the Studierendenwerk: 245 € basic rent, 175 € service charge flat rate and 25 € furnishing. Electricity, heating and internet are included. More on budgeting is in budget planning during your studies and How much money do you really need each month (both in German).
| Example per month | Amount |
|---|---|
| Shared flat room in a residence, warm rent | 445.00 € |
| Semester fee TU (472.50 € divided by 6) | 78.75 € |
| Basic contribution, health insurance | 87.38 € |
| Long-term care insurance, childless from age 23 | 35.91 € |
| Total without additional contribution and food | 647.04 € |
How do you find a residence place in Braunschweig?
The Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen runs ten residences in Braunschweig, including Rebenring, An der Schunter, Hans-Sommer-Straße, Karlstraße, Langer Kamp and Wilhelmsgarten. According to the TU Braunschweig there are over 2,200 places. You apply through the applicant portal, the application is non-binding, and the rental contract runs for at most five years. The waiting time is especially long at the start of the semester, so apply early. On the open market, the shared flat search helps, and residence or shared flat (in German) makes the decision easier. Finding an affordable flat during your studies collects options, you check the contract with rental agreement for students, and housing benefit for students shows when a grant may be an option (all in German). To insure your furnishings, see contents insurance in a residence and in a shared flat, liability insurance in a shared flat and your own flat and liability insurance through your parents (all in German).
How does the semester ticket work in Braunschweig?
Since the winter semester 2024/25 the Deutschlandsemesterticket has applied to all students at the TU. It entitles you to travel on regional trains (RB, RE, S-Bahn) as well as on buses, trams and underground trains, and it is only valid together with an official photo ID. It cannot be cancelled monthly. Details are given by the AStA of the TU. Further ways through the city and beyond are shown in cheap travel as a student: semester ticket and Deutschlandticket (in German).
Is there a second home tax for students in Braunschweig?
Yes, the city levies it. According to the second home tax bylaws of the city, the rate is 10% of the net cold rent owed in the calendar year. The bylaws have applied since 1 January 2022. A student’s secondary residence in the parents’ main residence is not treated as a second home if the main residence is at the place of study and the student is under 28. There is no separate exemption for students, and studying only counts as an occupational reason for married or registered-partner persons. Example: at 300 € net cold rent a month, that is 3,600 € a year, and the tax would be 360 €. If in doubt, ask the city.
Where do you register in Braunschweig?
At the citizen service of the city at Bohlweg 33. You must report a move within two weeks, and visits are only possible by appointment, booked online or by calling 0531 470-1. Everything about this is on the page registration with the City of Braunschweig. A checklist for re-registration and moving is in moving and re-registering when you start studying (in German).
Where do you get BAföG and advice in Braunschweig?
The BAföG team of the Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen is responsible for the TU and the HBK. You submit the application online via BAföG Digital. Personal advice is available at the service centre in Braunschweig, Wilhelmstraße 1 B, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 14:00, but only by online appointment. The team can be reached by phone on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 11:00 and on Thursdays from 9:00 to 15:00, all on the BAföG contact page of the Studierendenwerk. The current need is 475 € basic need plus a 380 € housing allowance, so 855 €. The route to the application is described in applying for BAföG, and height and repayment are explained in BAföG entitlement and amount (both in German). The advice offer of the Studierendenwerk covers social and study finance advice, as well as a psychotherapy counselling service. The legal advice service offers a free first consultation with a lawyer, organised by the student councils and the Studierendenwerk, for example on tenancy law, BAföG or child benefit. For the basics of child benefit see child benefit during your studies (in German).
Which part-time jobs are there in Braunschweig?
Short-term and part-time jobs are placed by jobicco of the TU Braunschweig, and there is also the job market of the Studierendenwerk. General tips come from finding a part-time job as a student and earning money alongside your studies (both in German), and jobs at the university are described in working as a student assistant (in German). The minimum wage is 13.90 € per hour and the mini-job limit is 603 € a month.
Which canteens and cafeterias are there in Braunschweig?
Among others, the Studierendenwerk runs Mensa 1, Mensa 2, the ProbierWERK, the 9bar, the Kantina Kreativa and the bistro4u NFF. You will find them under canteens and cafeterias. How to save on canteen meals is shown in the university canteen: more than just lunch, and further ideas come from everyday saving tips for students and benefits with student status (in German). For the start of the first semester, first-semester tips helps (in German).
Health insurance when you start in Braunschweig: what applies nationwide?
To start your studies in Braunschweig you need health insurance that your university recognises. For most students this is compulsory student insurance: a basic contribution of 87.38 €, the additional contribution of your insurer and long-term care insurance (30.78 € up to age 22, 35.91 € childless from age 23). It normally ends with the semester in which you turn 30. The insurance certificate is part of the enrolment documents, see proof of health insurance for enrolment (in German).
If you are under 25, family insurance under 25 may be a contribution-free alternative, provided you stay within the income limits. For the differences between insurers, the additional contributions of health insurers provide information, and for changing insurer see changing health insurer as a student (in German). If you have a part-time job alongside your studies, read working student and health insurance (in German). The basics are in health insurance for students: what you need to know, figures in figures on student health insurance 2026, and contributions by age in costs of health insurance by age (all in German).
Private health insurance during your studies requires an exemption, which is irrevocable for the entire course of study. The criteria and risks are described in PKV or GKV during your studies (in German). The Academycon homepage arranges a personal conversation about your situation.
Frequently asked questions
How high is the semester fee at TU Braunschweig?
In the winter semester 2026/27 it is 472.50 €. It consists of the Studierendenwerk contribution, the student body contribution and the administration fee. The Deutschlandsemesterticket is part of it.
How much is a residence room in Braunschweig?
The Studierendenwerk charges all-inclusive warm rents including electricity, heating and internet. One example is a shared flat room of 13.75 m² for 445 €, made up of 245 € basic rent, 175 € service charge flat rate and 25 € furnishing. Other houses have other amounts.
Do I have to pay a second home tax in Braunschweig?
The city levies 10% of the net cold rent. The bylaws contain no blanket exemption for students. Secondary residences of students in their parents’ main residence are exempt under certain conditions, including an age limit of under 28. If in doubt, ask the city.
Where do I apply for BAföG in Braunschweig?
At the Studierendenwerk OstNiedersachsen, which is responsible for the TU and the HBK. The application is submitted online via BAföG Digital. Personal advice is available at the service centre at Wilhelmstraße 1 B, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 to 14:00, by online appointment.
What deadlines apply for registration in Braunschweig?
You must report a move within two weeks at the citizen service at Bohlweg 33. Visits are only possible by appointment, online or by calling 0531 470-1.
How to prepare for your first weeks
- Apply through the applicant portal of the Studierendenwerk for a residence place and look for a shared flat at the same time.
- Ask a statutory health insurer for the digital certificate.
- Pay the semester fee for enrolment and re-enrolment.
- Book an appointment at the citizen service and register within two weeks.
- Submit the BAföG application online and book an advice appointment if needed.
- Check the second home tax if Braunschweig is not your main residence.
Related articles
- Studying in Germany: 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Hannover (in German)
- Studying in Göttingen (in German)
- Checklist for the start of your studies (in German)
- PKV or GKV during your studies (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
