February
Mainz Carnival
Mainz
Rose Monday parade, one of the big three German carnivals.
Rheinland-Pfalz
Rhineland-Palatinate
Castles on the Rhine, vineyards, and Roman Trier
The romantic Rhine valley, with a castle on every hill, the Moselle wine villages and Germany's oldest city, Trier. BASF in Ludwigshafen and BioNTech in Mainz anchor the chemical and pharma industries. Most towns are small, friendly and affordable, and Frankfurt and Cologne are easy to reach.
10 host universities
Study in Rhineland-Palatinate
Each guide has campus videos, the GJU entry conditions, local prices and housing links.
RP · 53424Hochschule Koblenz · RheinAhrCampus Remagen
Remagen · Rhineland-Palatinate
GPA > 70%
Open guide 
RP · 56075Hochschule Koblenz · RheinMoselCampus
Koblenz · Rhineland-Palatinate
GPA > 70%
Open guide 
RP · 55128Hochschule Mainz
Mainz · Rhineland-Palatinate
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
RP · 54290Hochschule Trier
Trier · Rhineland-Palatinate
Open guide
RP · 55768Hochschule Trier · Umwelt-Campus Birkenfeld
Hoppstädten-Weiersbach · Rhineland-Palatinate
Open guide
RP · 67549Hochschule Worms
Worms · Rhineland-Palatinate
German B2
Open guide 
RP · 76726Mainz University · Campus Germersheim
Germersheim · Rhineland-Palatinate
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
RP · 67663RPTU Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern · Rhineland-Palatinate
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
RP · 55411TH Bingen
Bingen · Rhineland-Palatinate
German B2
Open guide 
RP · 54286Trier University
Trier · Rhineland-Palatinate
No extra conditions listed
Open guide Watch
Rhineland-Palatinate on video
Travel guides, city walks and campus tours for every host city in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Calendar
Festivals & events worth your weekend
Most are free to enter. With your semester ticket, getting there on regional trains costs nothing.
September
Wurstmarkt
Bad Dürkheim
The world's largest wine festival.
Aug & Sep
Rhein in Flammen
Koblenz, St. Goar
Fireworks and illuminated ship convoys.
July/August
Nibelungen Festival
Worms
Open-air theatre in front of Worms Cathedral.
Every city
Christmas markets
From late November, every town square in Germany fills with stalls, lights and roasted almonds. Look for halal crêpes and children's punch (non-alcoholic).
Explore
Things to do
UNESCO
Upper Middle Rhine Valley
The Loreley rock and boat trips past castles.
UNESCO
Roman Trier
The Porta Nigra gate, Roman baths and amphitheatre.
Castle
Burg Eltz
A perfect medieval castle hidden in the forest.
Landmark
Deutsches Eck, Koblenz
Where the Rhine meets the Moselle. Take the cable car up to Ehrenbreitstein fortress.
Prices
What things cost in Rhineland-Palatinate
Rent changes most from city to city; everyday prices follow it a little. Pick a city to adjust the whole table.
*Estimate*Estimated cost. Prices are subject to change. Everyday prices are estimated ranges; fixed official fees are shown at their exact 2026 rate.
*Estimate*Estimated cost. Prices are subject to change. Everyday prices are estimated ranges; fixed official fees are shown at their exact 2026 rate.
| Item | Price in Mainz | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees & paperwork | ||
| Semester fee | €280–420 / semester | Set by each university and includes the €226.80 Deutschlandsemesterticket. Hochschule Schmalkalden: €331.80 for winter 2026/27. |
| Blocked account payout | €992 / month | Official 2026 amount for study visas: €11,904 for 12 months. Providers charge a one-off fee. |
| Public health insurance | €141.16 / month | TK student rate for 2026, under 23. From 23 without children: €146.29. Other public insurers differ by a few euros. |
| Visa (national D visa) | €75 once | Paid at the German embassy in Amman. |
| Residence permit | €100 once | First permit at the immigration office (Ausländerbehörde). Extending it by more than 3 months costs €93. |
| Broadcast fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) | €18.36 / month | Per flat, split among flatmates: €6.12 each with three. |
| Biometric photos | €11–16.50 once | Photo booth or drugstore (dm, Rossmann). |
| Housing extras | ||
| Deposit (Kaution) | €300–1,500 once | Dorms usually a few hundred euros; private flats up to 3 months of cold rent. |
| Home internet | €11–35 / month | Dorm LAN is sometimes extra, or split a WG contract. |
| Furniture & kitchen basics | €55–220 once | Kleinanzeigen, IKEA, leftovers from outgoing students. |
| Bedding & towels | €45–90 once | IKEA, Primark, TK Maxx. |
| Household liability insurance | €3.50–6.50 / month | Haftpflicht: cheap and strongly recommended. |
| Food & groceries | ||
| Groceries | €165–255 / month | Cooking at home, shopping at Aldi, Lidl, Netto, Penny and Kaufland. |
| Mensa main meal | €2.80–5.50 / meal | Student price with your student card. |
| Bread rolls (Brötchen) | €0.40–0.90 / piece | Supermarket rolls are cheaper than bakery ones. |
| Halal chicken (1 kg) | €7.50–12 / kg | Turkish or Arabic supermarkets. |
| Rice (1 kg) | €1.70–3.50 / kg | Basmati costs more. |
| Hummus / tahini jar | €2.20–4.50 / jar | Arabic shops and big supermarkets. |
| Milk (1 L) | €1.10–1.40 / litre | |
| Eggs (10) | €2.80–4 / pack | |
| Eating out & drinks | ||
| Döner / falafel | €7.50–10 / meal | The student staple. |
| Pizza in a restaurant | €10–15.50 / meal | |
| Restaurant main course | €14.50–24 / meal | |
| Shawarma plate | €11–16.50 / meal | Arabic restaurants in bigger cities. |
| Coffee / cappuccino | €2.80–5 / cup | Cheaper in the Mensa café. |
| Soft drink / juice in a café | €3.50–5 / glass | |
| Water bottle (supermarket) | €0.30–0.90 / bottle | Plus a small deposit you get back. Tap water is safe to drink. |
| Ice cream scoop | €2–2.80 / scoop | |
| Transport | ||
| Regional trains & buses, all Germany | €0 extra | The Deutschlandsemesterticket is part of the semester fee at almost every host university: €226.80 a semester (€37.80 a month) from winter 2026/27. |
| Deutschlandticket (no semester ticket) | €63 / month | Only if your university has no semester ticket. Monthly subscription, cancel any month. |
| My BahnCard 25 (under 27) | €39.90 / year | 25% off ICE and IC tickets, 2nd class. Cancel at least 6 weeks before the year ends, or it renews. |
| ICE / IC long-distance train | €18–80 / trip | Book early for Sparpreis tickets. |
| FlixBus to big cities | €10–35 / trip | |
| Used bike | €90–220 once | Kleinanzeigen or university bike markets. Buy a good lock. |
| E-scooter ride | €3.50–6.50 / ride | Lime, Tier and Voi in bigger cities. |
| Taxi (5 km) | €16.50–24 / ride | |
| Flight to Amman (return) | €220–480 / return | From Frankfurt, Berlin or Munich. Book 2–3 months ahead. |
| Services & phone | ||
| Prepaid SIM with data | €8–15 / month | Aldi Talk, Lidl Connect, Congstar, Fraenk. |
| Bank account | €0–6 / month | Online banks (N26, DKB, C24) are usually free. |
| Haircut | €16.50–27.50 / cut | Barbers are often cheaper. |
| Laundry (dorm machine) | €1.70–3.50 / wash | |
| Printing (per page) | €0.05–0.10 / page | University printers with your student card. |
| Doctor visit | €0 / visit | Covered by public health insurance. Bring your card. |
| Prescription medicine | €5–10 / item | Co-payment set by law: 10% of the price, at least €5 and at most €10 per item. |
| Gyms & sport | ||
| University sports courses | €0–30 / semester | Football, volleyball, climbing, fitness: often free or almost free. |
| Budget gym (McFit, FitX, clever fit) | €22–40 / month | Check the contract length and sign-up fee. |
| Public swimming pool | €3.50–6.50 / entry | Student discount with ID. |
| Climbing / bouldering hall | €11–16.50 / entry | |
| Football boots / sports gear | €35–90 once | Decathlon is the budget choice. |
| Fun & activities | ||
| Cinema | €9–14.50 / ticket | Cheaper on discount days (often Tue or Wed). |
| Museum | €4.50–11 / entry | Student prices with ID; many museums are free on certain days. |
| Castle / palace visit | €5.50–16.50 / entry | |
| Bundesliga football ticket | €16.50–50 / ticket | Standing tickets are cheapest. Book early. |
| Escape room / bowling | €13–27.50 / person | |
| Student party entry | €3.50–11 / entry | |
| Christmas market snack | €3.50–6.50 / item | Roasted almonds, crêpes, children's punch. |
| Weekend trip (hostel + food) | €65–165 / trip | Travel is free on regional trains with your ticket. |
| Clothes & seasonal | ||
| Winter jacket | €65–165 once | You will need it from November to March. |
| Winter boots | €45–110 once | Waterproof. Snow and slush are common. |
| Rain jacket / umbrella | €16.50–65 once | |
| Toiletries & drugstore | €27.50–45 / month | dm and Rossmann. |
Housing
Dorms and trusted housing sites
Student dorms run by the Studierendenwerk are the cheapest option and include bills. Apply the day applications open.
Official student housing
Studierendenwerke in Rhineland-Palatinate
Search by city
WG rooms and private flats
WG-GesuchtMost usedThe main shared-flat portal in Germany. Turn on email alerts and message fast.KleinanzeigenClassifieds for rooms, sublets, bikes and cheap furniture.ImmoScout24The largest listing site for flats. Landlords often ask for a SCHUFA credit report.ImmoweltThe second big listing site for flats.Studenten-WG.deStudent-only room listings.WG-Suche.deA smaller WG portal, worth checking in smaller towns.HousingAnywherePayment protectionBook a room from Amman with payment protection. Prices are higher; few listings in small towns.
Quick dorm search for each host city
Avoid scams. Never send a deposit before you have seen the room in person or on a live video call. A "landlord abroad" who will post you the keys is always a scam. More housing advice
Internship semester
Internships in Rhineland-Palatinate
Employers in Rhineland-Palatinate that take interns in engineering, business and computer science. Click a company to search its current openings.
BASF
Ludwigshafen
The world's largest chemical site.
Engineering
Boehringer Ingelheim
Ingelheim (near Bingen)
Pharmaceutical research and production.
Engineering
Daimler Truck
Wörth (near Germersheim)
The largest truck plant in the world.
Engineering
SCHOTT
Mainz
Specialty glass.
Engineering
BioNTech
Mainz
Biotechnology.
Business
IONOS
Montabaur
Web hosting and cloud.
Computer Science
DFKI & Fraunhofer
Kaiserslautern
AI and software research institutes.
Computer Science
Career fairs
- Each semesterbonding KaiserslauternKaiserslautern
- Each semester (dates vary by city)bonding company fairsAachen, Berlin, Bochum, Braunschweig, Dresden, Erlangen, Hamburg, Kaiserslautern, Karlsruhe, Magdeburg, Munich, StuttgartFree student-run engineering and IT fairs.
- All yearVDI Recruiting TagMany citiesEngineering recruiting days by the Association of German Engineers.
- Usually once or twice a yearYour host university's FirmenkontaktmesseOn campusAlmost every university runs its own company fair. Ask the career service on day one.
Cultural survival map
Halal food, mosques & airports
Find halal butchers, Turkish and Arab supermarkets and mosques in each host city, plus the budget airports nearby.
Nearest budget airports
- HHNFrankfurt-Hahn FlightsRyanairIn the Hunsrück, near Trier and Bingen
- FRAFrankfurt FlightsLufthansaCondorRoyal JordanianUnder 1 h from Mainz
- LUXLuxembourg FlightseasyJetLuxairClose to Trier
Your Deutschlandsemesterticket covers the regional trains to most of these airports. What the ticket covers
Daily life
Living in Rhineland-Palatinate
Getting around
RNN (Mainz), VRN (Kaiserslautern/Worms), VRM (Koblenz), VRT (Trier).
Weather
One of Germany's warmest, sunniest regions: hot summers, mild winters.
Halal food & community
Mainz, Ludwigshafen and Koblenz have mosques and halal food. Smaller towns have Turkish supermarkets.
Local food to try
Saumagen (pork) · Flammkuchen · Grape juice from local vineyards · Dampfnudeln
Tip from past students
A Rhine boat trip from Bingen to Koblenz is the classic weekend, and the trains along both banks are covered by your ticket.
Next region
Saarland
