Studying in Munich means paying a basic contribution to the Studierendenwerk of €97 per semester at LMU, TUM and Munich University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule München, HM). The rent weighs much more heavily: a shared room cost an average of €800 per month in the summer semester 2026, while Studierendenwerk halls are let at a warm rent (Warmmiete, including utilities) of roughly €370 to €540.
Key facts in brief
- The basic contribution to the Studierendenwerk at LMU, TUM and HM is €97 per semester, from the summer semester 2026.
- There is currently no semester ticket. Students use the Bavarian reduced ticket for €43 per month.
- A shared room costs an average of €800, while Studierendenwerk halls cost €370 to €540 warm, with waiting times of 1 to 7 semesters.
- Munich levies a second-home tax of 18 % of the annual net cold rent and has no exemption for students.
- The BAföG office for Munich’s universities sits at the Studierendenwerk. The city’s own office is responsible only for school-pupil BAföG.
Which universities are there in Munich?
The City of Munich names three large universities for the winter semester 2025/26. The Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) has over 53,000 students, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) just under 52,000 and Munich University of Applied Sciences (HM) over 19,000.
At the TUM the location matters: the basic contribution of €97 applies to Munich, Garching, Weihenstephan and TUM Asia. Different amounts apply to the Straubing and Heilbronn campuses.
Studying in Munich in figures
| Item | Figure | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Basic contribution Studierendenwerk (LMU, TUM, HM) | €97 per semester | from the summer semester 2026 |
| Bavarian reduced ticket | €43 per month | since January 2026 |
| Studierendenwerk hall | about €370 to €540 warm | as of June 2026 |
| Shared room (average rent) | €800 per month | summer semester 2026 |
| Second-home tax | 18 % of the annual net cold rent | statute of the City of Munich |
How high is the semester fee in Munich?
At the LMU the Studierendenwerk contribution (in German) is €97. Munich University of Applied Sciences also gives €97 for the Studierendenwerk in its re-registration notice, and the TUM shows the same basic contribution. At the HM it also applies to students on leave and to internship and study-abroad semesters.
A semester ticket solidarity contribution has not been charged since the winter semester 2023/24, because the semester ticket contract has been suspended. Whether other items, such as administrative costs or a contribution to the student body, are added to the basic contribution is stated in your university’s re-registration notice. Check the total amount there before every payment.
How much does a room cost in Munich?
At an average of €800 per month, a shared room in the summer semester 2026 was expensive, according to an analysis by the Moses Mendelssohn Institut (in German). It describes advertised rents, meaning what new listings ask for.
The BAföG housing allowance for students who do not live with their parents is €380. A shared room at the average price therefore leaves a gap of around €420 per month, which must come from maintenance, a part-time job or savings.
How do I get a hall place?
The Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern (in German) gives a warm rent of about €370 to €540, depending on the residence and type of accommodation (as of June 2026). The waiting time is 1 to 7 semesters, depending on the hall, counted from the day of application. Applications for the winter semester open on 15 May.
For the winter semester 2026/27, some hall places were allocated by lottery among first-semester students, with the cut-off date of 15 August 2026. Whether and when such a procedure runs again is stated on the Studierendenwerk’s website. Apply early, even if you only start studying in a year, and search WG portals in parallel. Tips are in Finding a flat share and Student hall or flat share (both in German).
Which ticket do I need for buses and trains?
The former MVV semester ticket is suspended. Students in Munich use the Bavarian reduced ticket for €43 per month. It is valid nationwide in local and regional transport and is ordered anew each semester. The price is a monthly price, so a semester costs €258 in total (6 × €43).
For comparison, the DeutschlandTicket costs €63 per month, and the nationwide Deutschland semester ticket, where it is offered, costs €37.80. More on the options is in Semester ticket and DeutschlandTicket (in German).
Do I have to pay second-home tax in Munich?
Yes, if Munich is not your main residence. The city levies 18 % of the annual net cold rent (section 5 of the second-home tax statute, in German). The statute provides no exemption or special rule for students. The exceptions concern therapeutic flats, flats for educational purposes, care facilities and married persons whose main residence is outside Munich for professional reasons.
Example: a room with a net cold rent of €500 per month makes €6,000 per year. Of this, 18 % is €1,080 in tax, which is €90 per month. If you register Munich as your main residence, you avoid the tax. What to consider is covered in Moving and registering when you start studying (in German).
How do I register in Munich?
Registration goes through the citizens’ offices (Bürgerbüros) of the state capital of Munich. The deadline is two weeks after moving in. You need an appointment and must bring the completed registration form, your identity card or passport and, for a rented flat, the landlord’s confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung). Registration is free of charge. The city’s page (in German) has the details.
Where do I apply for BAföG in Munich?
The Office for Training Support (Amt für Ausbildungsförderung) of the Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern is responsible for students at Munich universities, at Leopoldstraße 15 (U3/U6 Giselastraße). The city’s office handles only school-pupil BAföG, BAföG for study in Austria and AFBG.
The basic rate is €475, plus the housing allowance of €380. The maximum rate for students under 30 with their own flat and their own health insurance is €992 (FAQ of the Studierendenwerke, in German). Applying for BAföG explains the procedure, and BAföG eligibility and amount covers the entitlement (both in German). If rent is high, it is also worth looking at Housing benefit for students (in German).
Which advice is available?
The city offers confidential educational advice on choosing and changing a course of study. The Studierendenwerk gives social, legal and psychotherapeutic or psychosocial advice. The Jugendinformationszentrum (JIZ) provides information on BAföG and scholarships. An overview is provided by the City of Munich (in German).
What does a meal in the canteen cost?
In the self-service canteens of the Studierendenwerk, students pay by weight: a basic price of €0.90 per 100 g, and for soup (StudiTopf) €0.33 per 100 g. For meat, fish and asparagus dishes, fixed-price components of €0.50 to €2.50 are added. At 400 g the basic price comes to €3.60. In the canteens at Weihenstephan and Lothstraße, fixed prices apply: StudiTopf €1.00, dish 1 at €2.95 and dish 2 at €3.35 (as of 1 October 2025). More ideas are in Canteen as a student (in German).
How much money do I need per month?
Here is an example with clear assumptions: you are 24, childless, insured under statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung, GKV) and live in a shared room at the average price.
| Item | Amount per month |
|---|---|
| Shared room (average, summer semester 2026) | €800 |
| Health and long-term care insurance (€123.29 plus about €24.80 additional contribution at 2.9 %) | about €148 |
| Bavarian reduced ticket | €43 |
| Total without food, mobile phone, study materials and semester fee | about €991 |
That is already close to the BAföG maximum of €992, out of which students also have to pay for food and everything else. How to build a budget is shown in How much money do you really need per month and Budget planning as a student (both in German).
Which jobs fit alongside my studies?
The statutory minimum wage is €13.90 per hour, and the mini-job limit is €603 per month. At the minimum wage that is just over 43 hours per month. Earnings of up to €603 gross have no effect on BAföG either. Positions at the university are described in Student assistant, and the search on site in Finding a part-time job as a student (both in German). If you regularly work more than 20 hours per week during the lecture period, you risk your student health insurance, see Working student and health insurance (in German).
How am I insured in Munich?
The same rules apply to students at state universities across Germany. Student statutory health insurance is calculated on €855 at a rate of 10.22 %, which gives €87.38 plus your insurer’s additional contribution. Long-term care insurance costs €30.78 (under 23 or with a child) or €35.91 (childless from 23). Cover generally ends with the semester in which you turn 30.
Up to age 25 you can be insured free of contributions through your parents’ family insurance if your income is no more than €565 per month (€603 for a mini-job). For enrolment you need proof, as described in Proof of health insurance for enrolment (in German). Costs by age are in Health insurance costs by age, and differences between insurers in Additional contributions of health insurers (both in German). The exemption in favour of private insurance applies for the entire course of study and is irrevocable, see Private or statutory insurance as a student (in German). For a conversation about your insurance, the Academycon homepage leads to advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the semester fee at a university in Munich?
The basic contribution to the Studierendenwerk is €97 at LMU, TUM and Munich University of Applied Sciences. Whether other items are added appears in your re-registration notice. A semester ticket is not included, and the Bavarian reduced ticket costs €43 per month and is ordered separately.
Is there a second-home tax for students in Munich?
Yes. Munich levies 18 % of the annual net cold rent, and the statute names no exemption for students. At €6,000 annual net cold rent, that is €1,080 per year. If you register Munich as your main residence, you do not pay it.
How long does it take to get a hall place in Munich?
The Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern gives a waiting time of 1 to 7 semesters depending on the hall, counted from the day you apply. Applications for the winter semester open from 15 May. The warm rent is about €370 to €540 (as of June 2026).
Where is the BAföG office for Munich students?
The Office for Training Support of the Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern, Leopoldstraße 15. The city’s office only handles school-pupil BAföG, BAföG for study in Austria and AFBG.
What to do now
- Apply to the Studierendenwerk for a hall place and search for a shared room in parallel.
- Register at the citizens’ office within two weeks of moving in and decide whether Munich is your main residence.
- Clarify your proof of health insurance before you enrol.
- Order the Bavarian reduced ticket for the semester.
- Submit your BAföG application early to the Studierendenwerk’s office.
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Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
