Studying in Dortmund costs €346.80 per semester at FH Dortmund in the winter semester 2026/27. A dormitory room of the Studierendenwerk costs about €380 warm per month, which already includes heating, water, electricity, waste disposal and internet. Anyone who registers Dortmund as a secondary residence also pays second-home tax: the city levies 12% of the annual net cold rent, including from students.
Dortmund at a glance
| What | Value | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Students at TU Dortmund | 29,502 | winter semester 2025/26 |
| Students at FH Dortmund | 13,735 | FH key facts |
| Semester fee FH Dortmund | €346.80 | winter semester 2026/27 |
| Of which Germany semester ticket | €226.80 | winter semester 2026/27 |
| Dormitory, warm rent | about €380 | Studierendenwerk Dortmund |
| Maximum length of stay in a dormitory | eight semesters | Studierendenwerk Dortmund |
| Second-home tax | 12% of the annual net cold rent | City of Dortmund |
For a comparison of cities, look at all 30 university cities (in German). Neighbouring cities in the Ruhr area and the Münsterland are Bochum and Münster (both in German).
Which universities are there in Dortmund?
TU Dortmund counted exactly 29,502 students in the winter semester 2025/26. FH Dortmund states 13,735 students in its key facts. Both universities levy their own semester fees. The university gives the amount for TU Dortmund in a leaflet, and the following section covers the FH.
What does the semester at FH Dortmund cost?
According to the semester fee page of FH Dortmund, you pay a total of €346.80 in the winter semester 2026/27. A media and service fee only applies to dual study programmes.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Germany semester ticket | €226.80 |
| Studierendenwerk Dortmund | €97.00 |
| Student body (AStA) | €23.00 |
| Total | €346.80 |
The ticket is therefore the largest item. At TU Dortmund you receive it automatically after payment via the TU app. For what the ticket covers nationwide, see semester ticket and Deutschlandticket (in German).
How do you get a dormitory place in Dortmund?
The Studierendenwerk Dortmund operates housing complexes in the city, including the Studentendorf at Vogelpothsweg and houses at Emil-Figge-Straße, Gardenkamp, Baroper Straße, Ostenbergstraße and Meitnerweg. Further complexes are in Hagen, Iserlohn and Soest. The rooms are furnished, and utilities and internet are included in the rent.
According to the application guidance, there is no waiting list. If you receive a rejection, you apply again. You may live in a dormitory for at most eight semesters. For the private search, finding a shared flat and finding an affordable flat while studying (both in German) help, and for choosing between housing forms, dormitory or shared flat (in German). The contract deserves a close look, see tenancy agreements for students (in German). Questions about tenancy are also answered by the tenants’ advice service (Mieter*innenberatung) of the AStA of TU Dortmund.
What does one month in Dortmund cost? A worked example
The example shows a 24-year-old student without children at FH Dortmund. It assumes a dormitory room at a warm rent of about €380, although the exact rent depends on the building and the room. The student has statutory health insurance with an additional contribution of 2.9%.
| Item | Calculation | Amount per month |
|---|---|---|
| Semester fee | €346.80 divided by 6 | €57.80 |
| Dormitory, warm rent (assumption) | including heating, electricity and internet | about €380 |
| Health insurance | basic contribution €87.38 plus additional contribution 2.9% of €855 (€24.80) | €112.18 |
| Long-term care insurance (childless from age 23) | 4.2% of €855 | €35.91 |
| Total without food, mobile phone and leisure | about €586 |
The 2.9% additional contribution is the official average for 2026, but your health insurer may charge a different rate. For everything that is not part of the example, budget planning for students (in German) helps. You will find canteens, cafés and menus at the Studierendenwerk, and an overview is given in the canteen during your studies (in German).
Do students in Dortmund have to pay second-home tax?
Yes, if Dortmund is your secondary residence. The City of Dortmund levies 12% of the annual net cold rent and states clearly that students and trainees are also liable, wherever their main residence is. You must submit the declaration even if you believe you are not liable.
Worked example with an assumed rent: at a net cold rent of €300 per month, that makes €3,600 per year and therefore €432 in tax, or €36 per month. Information on re-registration is in moving and registration for your studies (in German).
How do you register in Dortmund?
The citizens’ services (Bürgerdienste) of the City of Dortmund are responsible, and registration must take place within two weeks of moving in. You can register a main residence online via eWA with eID, while a secondary residence can only be registered in person. Appointments can be booked online, and the details are on the city’s page on registration of residence.
Where do you get BAföG and advice in Dortmund?
The BAföG office is part of the Studierendenwerk Dortmund. Applications and the status of your case run online through the Studierendenwerk’s service. Nationwide, the basic need is €475, the housing allowance €380, and the maximum rate including the health and long-term care supplements (€102 and €35) is €992 per month. How entitlement arises is described in applying for BAföG (in German) and BAföG eligibility and amount (in German). If BAföG does not apply, housing benefit for students (in German) is worth a look.
For concerns beyond money, the Studierendenwerk offers social counselling and psychological counselling. Legal questions are taken up by the legal advice service of the AStA of TU Dortmund.
How do you find a part-time job in Dortmund?
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 about 43 hours per month before the limit is reached. One point of contact is positions at the university, see student assistant jobs (in German). For searching outside the university, see finding a part-time job as a student (in German). Mind the earnings limits, which earning money alongside your studies (in German) summarises. If you work as a working student, read working students and health insurance (in German).
How are you insured in Dortmund?
With enrolment you are compulsorily insured under statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV), unless you remain covered as a family member. Compulsory insurance generally ends with the semester in which you turn 30. For enrolment you need a digital confirmation from a statutory health insurer, which you can retrieve from 1 June for the winter semester and from 1 December for the summer semester.
The steps are explained in proof of health insurance at enrolment (in German), costs and changing insurer are covered in health insurance costs for students by age (in German) and switching health insurer as a student (in German). If you are interested in private insurance, note that the exemption applies for the whole course of study and is irrevocable, see PKV or GKV while studying (in German). If you want to go through your situation in person, the Academycon homepage leads to advice. The basics are in health insurance for students (in German).
Frequently asked questions
What is the semester fee at FH Dortmund?
In the winter semester 2026/27 it is exactly €346.80. Of this, €226.80 goes to the Germany semester ticket, €97.00 to the Studierendenwerk and €23.00 to the student body.
How long can I live in a dormitory in Dortmund?
For at most eight semesters. There is no waiting list. After a rejection, you apply to the Studierendenwerk again.
What is included in the Studierendenwerk rent?
The warm rent of about €380 per month covers heating, water, electricity, waste disposal and internet. The rooms are furnished.
Do I have to pay second-home tax in Dortmund?
If you have a secondary residence there, yes. The rate is 12% of the annual net cold rent. The city counts students expressly among those liable and requires a declaration even if you do not assume a liability.
How long do I have to register?
Two weeks after moving in. You can register a main residence online with eID, a secondary residence must be registered in person, and you can book the appointment online.
How to prepare for your first weeks
- Retrieve the health insurer’s confirmation and enrol.
- Apply to the Studierendenwerk Dortmund for a dormitory place and search privately at the same time.
- Register with the citizens’ services within two weeks of moving in.
- If Dortmund is your secondary residence, submit the second-home tax declaration.
- Pay the semester fee and check a BAföG application with the Studierendenwerk’s BAföG office.
Further tasks are listed in the checklist for the start of your studies (in German).
Related guides
- All 30 university cities compared (in German)
- Studying in Bochum (in German)
- Studying in Münster (in German)
- Benefits with student status (in German)
- First-semester tips (in German)
- Big city or small town (in German)
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
