Studying in Bremen costs €443.40 per semester at the University of Bremen in the winter semester 2026/27. More than half of this, €226.80, goes to the Germany semester ticket. For comparison, in the summer semester 2026 the total was €425.40, because the ticket then cost €208.80. Anyone studying in Bremen can also apply for a dormitory place at the Studierendenwerk Bremen and use its counselling.
Studying in Bremen in figures
| What | Value | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Students at the University of Bremen | 18,719 | according to the university’s facts and figures |
| Semester fee university | €443.40 | winter semester 2026/27 |
| Of which Germany semester ticket | €226.80 | winter semester 2026/27 |
| Administration fee | €63.00 | winter semester 2026/27 |
| Dormitory places of the Studierendenwerk | 2,139 in Bremen, 106 in Bremerhaven | 11 housing complexes |
| University canteen, daily dishes | from €2.00 for students | week in October 2026 |
How the Hanseatic city compares with other locations is shown in the comparison of all 30 university cities (in German). From the north, the guides on Hamburg and Hanover (both in German) also suggest themselves.
Which universities are there in Bremen?
According to its facts and figures page, the University of Bremen has 18,719 students. The number comes from the report “Uni in Zahlen” from June 2026. Besides the university, the BAföG office of the Studierendenwerk also looks after the Hochschule Bremen, the Hochschule für Künste, Constructor University and the Hochschule Bremerhaven. This guide uses the fees of the university.
What does the semester fee in Bremen consist of?
The university lists the items individually on its page on re-enrolment and semester fee. It also includes an administration fee of €63.00.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Studierendenwerk | €130.00 |
| Student body (AStA) | €21.00 |
| Germany semester ticket | €226.80 |
| Culture semester ticket | €2.60 |
| Administration fee | €63.00 |
| Total | €443.40 |
Students who take a leave of absence pay €216.60 without the ticket. That is the total minus the €226.80 for the semester ticket.
What does the semester ticket in Bremen cover?
According to the AStA of the university, the digital Germany semester ticket applies to the whole of local public transport nationwide: short-distance buses, trams, U-Bahn and S-Bahn, as well as regional trains of the categories IRE, RE, RB and RS. Exemption is only possible up to two weeks after the start of lectures. If you miss the deadline, you pay for the ticket for the semester. All further information on tickets is summarised in semester ticket and Deutschlandticket (in German).
Where do you live in Bremen as a student?
The Studierendenwerk Bremen rents out 2,139 places in Bremen and 106 in Bremerhaven, spread across 11 housing complexes in total. In addition there are 66 places in the cooperation project Ellener Hof in Bremen and 26 places in the #H34 project in Bremerhaven. All rooms are furnished, and the flat-rate rents include the utilities, with no later additional demand. Places are allocated according to the Studierendenwerk’s allocation guidelines.
If that is not enough, or the timing does not suit, you search privately. finding a shared flat and finding an affordable flat while studying (both in German) offer pointers. How to read a tenancy agreement is explained in tenancy agreements for students (in German), and the trade-off between housing forms in dormitory or shared flat (in German). For protecting your belongings and against damage to others, contents insurance in a dormitory and a shared flat and liability insurance in a shared flat or your own flat (both in German) help.
What does one month in Bremen cost?
The example assumes a 24-year-old student without children who has compulsory statutory health insurance, with an additional contribution of 2.9%. The rent is an assumption equal to the BAföG housing allowance of €380 and not a Bremen average.
| Item | Calculation | Amount per month |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | €443.40 divided by 6 | about €74 |
| Health insurance | €87.38 basic contribution plus €24.80 additional contribution (2.9% of €855) | €112.18 |
| Long-term care insurance (childless from age 23) | 4.2% of €855 | €35.91 |
| Rent (assumption) | assumed equal to the BAföG housing allowance | €380 |
| Total without food, mobile phone and leisure | about €602 |
For food, the canteens of the Studierendenwerk help: University canteen, Mensa NW1, Mensa Domshof and Mensa Neustadtswall. In an October week in 2026, the daily dishes in the university canteen started at €2.00 for students. To extend the monthly budget, see budget planning for students (in German), and find savings tips under everyday saving tips (in German).
How do you register in Bremen, and is there second-home tax?
Registration runs through the BürgerServiceCenter of the City of Bremen, in person with an appointment or during the open consultation hours. You fill in the registration form on site. The city regulates appointments and procedures through its service.
Liable is anyone who lives in a secondary residence within the meaning of the registration law in the city area, so the tax is linked to the registration data. Whether you register Bremen as your main or secondary residence is therefore decided with the registration. The rate and possible exemptions are on the Service Bremen page on second-home tax. Guidance on residence and re-registration is provided by moving and registration for your studies (in German).
Where do you get BAföG and advice in Bremen?
The responsible authority is the BAföG office (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung) of the Studierendenwerk Bremen. The application is submitted online, and the hotline 0800 2236341 helps with questions. All details are on the BAföG office of the Studierendenwerk. A special feature: anyone who would receive at least €10 per month after the BAföG calculation receives a certificate from the office for exemption from the broadcasting fee, even if the application is rejected.
Nationwide the basic need is €475 and the housing allowance €380. With the supplements for health and long-term care insurance (€102 and €35), students under 30 with their own flat reach at most €992 per month. The requirements are explained in applying for BAföG (in German) and BAföG eligibility and amount (in German), and alternatives are shown in housing benefit for students (in German).
For everyday questions there is further advice: the Studierendenwerk offers social counselling and psychological counselling, and the AStA of the university offers BAföG and social counselling.
How do you find a part-time job in Bremen?
The obvious option is a position at the university, for example as a student assistant (in German). Other routes are shown in finding a part-time job as a student (in German). Since 1 January 2026 the minimum wage has been €13.90 gross per hour, and the mini-job limit is €603 per month. At the minimum wage, that is just over 43 hours of work per month. An overview is provided by earning money alongside your studies (in German).
How are you insured when you start in Bremen?
With enrolment, you become part of the compulsory statutory health insurance for students (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV), unless you are covered as a family member through your parents. Compulsory insurance generally ends with the semester in which you turn 30. For enrolment, the university requires a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer, which can be retrieved from 1 June for the winter semester and from 1 December for the summer semester.
Next, see proof of health insurance at enrolment (in German), family insurance under 25 (in German) and health insurance costs for students by age (in German). If you are looking for an insurer, additional contributions of health insurers (in German) is the place to look. The exemption in favour of private insurance applies for the whole course of study and cannot be revoked, and the trade-off is set out in PKV or GKV while studying (in German). Questions about your individual case can be discussed with the advice service you reach via the Academycon homepage. An overview is given by health insurance for students (in German).
Frequently asked questions
What does the semester cost at the University of Bremen?
In the winter semester 2026/27 the semester fee is €443.40. In the summer semester 2026 it was €425.40, and the difference of €18.00 corresponds to the higher price of the Germany semester ticket.
Can I give back the semester ticket in Bremen?
An exemption can only be applied for up to two weeks after the start of lectures. After that, the ticket runs as part of the fee for the whole semester.
How many dormitory places does the Studierendenwerk Bremen have?
In Bremen there are 2,139 places and in Bremerhaven 106, spread across 11 housing complexes. There are also 66 places at Ellener Hof and 26 in the #H34 project. All rooms are furnished.
Are students in Bremen liable for second-home tax?
The city levies it on secondary residences within the meaning of the registration law. If you register Bremen as your secondary residence, you need to plan for the tax. The rate is stated by Service Bremen.
What does a meal in the university canteen cost?
In an October week in 2026, the daily dishes in the university canteen started at €2.00 for students.
How to prepare for your first weeks
- Retrieve the health insurer’s confirmation and enrol at the university.
- Apply for a dormitory place at the Studierendenwerk Bremen and search privately at the same time.
- Register at the BürgerServiceCenter after moving in and decide which residence is your main residence.
- Pay the semester fee of €443.40 and keep the deadline for the ticket exemption in mind.
- Submit the BAföG application online with the Studierendenwerk, if an entitlement is possible.
More tasks for the start phase are bundled in the checklist for the start of your studies (in German).
Related guides
- All 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Hamburg (in German)
- Studying in Hanover (in German)
- Benefits with student status (in German)
- The canteen during your studies (in German)
- First-semester tips (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
