Studying in Darmstadt starts with a semester fee of 402.68 € at the Technical University (TU) or 401.00 € at Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) in the winter semester 2026/27. At h_da, the fee includes the nationwide semester ticket for 226.80 €. If you register a second residence, you should also expect a second home tax of 15% of the net cold rent.
Darmstadt at a glance
| Topic | Darmstadt |
|---|---|
| Technical University Darmstadt | 24,437 students in the winter semester 2025/26 |
| Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da) | around 13,500 students |
| Semester fee TU | 402.68 € in the winter semester 2026/27 |
| Semester fee h_da | 401.00 € in the winter semester 2026/27 |
| Second home tax | 15% of the net cold rent |
| Registering your residence | Residents’ registration office, online or by appointment |
| BAföG advice | Studierendenwerk Darmstadt, open office hour on Mondays |
Two universities, one Studierendenwerk
The Technical University of Darmstadt had exactly 24,437 students in the winter semester 2025/26. The Hochschule Darmstadt, known as h_da, reports around 13,500. The Studierendenwerk Darmstadt looks after both, offering residences, advice and job placement to students of each.
To find out whether a city with two large universities suits you, the article big city or small town (in German) helps you weigh up the options. For a comparison with neighbouring cities, see Studying in Frankfurt am Main, Studying in Mainz and Studying in Heidelberg (all in German).
How is the semester fee in Darmstadt made up?
h_da breaks down the fee for the winter semester 2026/27 in full in its overview of the semester fee.
| Component (h_da) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Studierendenwerk contribution | 103.00 € |
| Administration fee | 50.00 € |
| Student body contribution | 15.51 € |
| Culture ticket | 2.71 € |
| Bike-sharing system | 2.98 € |
| Nationwide semester ticket | 226.80 € |
| Total | 401.00 € |
The TU Darmstadt gives 402.68 € for the same semester if the payment arrives between 6 July and 15 September 2026. If you only pay between 16 and 30 September, the amount is 432.68 €. For Erasmus and exchange students the figures are 352.68 € and 382.68 €. Paying on time therefore saves you 30 €. The deadlines and amounts are on the TU page.
What are your fixed costs per month in Darmstadt?
Rent varies with the room, so the example only uses costs that are fixed. It assumes a 24-year-old childless student at h_da in compulsory student health insurance, without an additional contribution. A full monthly budget can be built with budget planning during your studies (in German).
| Example per month | Amount |
|---|---|
| Semester fee h_da (401.00 € divided by 6) | 66.83 € |
| Basic contribution, health insurance | 87.38 € |
| Long-term care insurance, childless from age 23 | 35.91 € |
| Total without rent and additional contribution | 190.12 € |
Residence or shared flat: where do students live in Darmstadt?
The Studierendenwerk Darmstadt runs residences, among others at the Karlshof, at the Lichtwiese student village, in the Nieder-Ramstädter Straße, the Riedeselstraße, the Berliner Allee and the Poststraße. The rents are listed in a PDF overview on the residences page of the Studierendenwerk.
At the same time it is worth searching for a shared flat, as the guide finding a shared flat (in German) describes. What speaks for a residence and what for a shared flat is covered in residence or shared flat (in German). Before you sign, the rental agreement for students helps, and if the budget is tight, finding an affordable flat during your studies (in German) gives ideas. Which insurance for contents in a residence and in a shared flat makes sense is explained in a separate article (in German).
What does the semester ticket give you in Darmstadt?
At h_da the nationwide semester ticket for 226.80 € is a fixed part of the semester fee, so you do not need to buy a separate ticket. Whether and under which conditions a ticket is included in the TU fee you should check directly with the university. Everyday tips on tickets and bicycles are in cheap travel as a student: semester ticket and Deutschlandticket (in German).
Do you pay a second home tax in Darmstadt?
According to the Digitales Rathaus, the city of Darmstadt levies a second home tax of 15% of the annual net cold rent. Ask the city whether and how the bylaws treat students before you register a second residence.
Example: for a second room in Darmstadt with an annual net cold rent of 3,600 €, 15% would be a tax of 540 € a year. The calculation shows the order of magnitude, not your individual case.
How do you register your residence in Darmstadt?
The responsible office is the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents’ registration office) of the City of Science Darmstadt. According to the city, you can register your residence online, and appointments are arranged through the Digitales Rathaus. Everything else you need to do when you move in is listed in moving and re-registering when you start studying (in German).
Where can you get BAföG advice in Darmstadt?
The Studierendenwerk Darmstadt offers BAföG advice. The open office hour is on Mondays from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Schöfferstraße campus of h_da. Nationwide, the basic need is 475 € and the housing allowance is 380 € for students who do not live with their parents. The maximum rate with your own health and long-term care insurance is 992 € a month. How to check your entitlement is explained in BAföG entitlement and amount, and the application process in applying for BAföG (both in German).
For other money worries, the social advice service of the Studierendenwerk helps. It works confidentially and is open to students of both universities. The AStA of the TU offers a 20-minute first consultation with a lawyer, and for mental strain there is the psychotherapy counselling service.
Where can you find a part-time job in Darmstadt?
The Studierendenwerk places jobs through its team comeTOgether. The TU runs the online job portal stellenwerk-Darmstadt, and h_da has its own portal for internships, final theses and jobs. An overview is given on the jobs page of the Studierendenwerk.
The minimum wage in 2026 is exactly 13.90 € per hour, and a mini-job ends at 603 € a month. If you want to stay covered by your family’s insurance, your total earnings may not exceed 565 € a month, and for a pure mini-job the limit is 603 €. Further ways of earning money are described in earning money alongside your studies, finding a part-time job as a student and working as a student assistant (all in German). The effects on your insurance are shown in working student and health insurance (in German).
Which health insurance do you need to start studying in Darmstadt?
The rules apply nationwide. To enrol at the TU or h_da you need the digital confirmation of a statutory health insurer, even if you are privately insured. You can retrieve it from 1 June at the earliest for the winter semester. How the proof works is explained in proof of health insurance for enrolment (in German).
Compulsory insurance as a student runs until the end of the semester in which you turn 30. If you are under 25, you may be able to stay insured through your parents under certain conditions, which is explained in family insurance under 25 (in German). An overview is provided by health insurance for students: what you need to know (in German). For a personal conversation about your situation, the Academycon homepage leads you to advice.
Frequently asked questions
How high is the semester fee in Darmstadt?
At the TU it is 402.68 € in the winter semester 2026/27 if you pay by 15 September. At Hochschule Darmstadt it is 401.00 €, which includes the nationwide semester ticket for 226.80 €.
Is there a second home tax in Darmstadt?
Yes, the city levies 15% of the annual net cold rent. Ask the city how the bylaws treat students before you register.
Which residences does the Studierendenwerk Darmstadt run?
These include the Karlshof, the Lichtwiese student village and houses in the Nieder-Ramstädter Straße, the Riedeselstraße, the Berliner Allee and the Poststraße. You will find the rents in the PDF overview of the Studierendenwerk.
Where can I get BAföG advice in Darmstadt?
At the Studierendenwerk Darmstadt, which holds an open office hour on Mondays from 9:00 to 11:00 at the Schöfferstraße campus of h_da.
Where can I get legal advice in Darmstadt?
The AStA of the TU Darmstadt offers a 20-minute first consultation with a lawyer. The social advice service of the Studierendenwerk is available to students of both universities.
How to get through your first weeks
- From 1 June, retrieve the confirmation from your statutory health insurer for the winter semester.
- Pay the semester fee on time. At the TU in the winter semester 2026/27, the 30 € surcharge does not apply if payment arrives by 15 September.
- Apply for a residence place with the Studierendenwerk Darmstadt and look for a shared flat at the same time.
- Register your residence with the residents’ registration office, online or by appointment.
- Check your BAföG entitlement and use the open office hour on Monday.
Related articles
- Studying in Germany: 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Frankfurt am Main (in German)
- Studying in Mainz (in German)
- Studying in Heidelberg (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
