October
Weimar Onion Market
Weimar
A centuries-old onion festival.
Thüringen
Thuringia
The green heart of Germany: Thuringian Forest, Weimar and Wartburg
Thuringia is called the green heart of Germany. Small, safe and affordable cities such as Erfurt, Jena, Weimar, Ilmenau, Nordhausen and Schmalkalden sit in hills and forests. Jena is known for optics (ZEISS, Schott, Jenoptik), and Ilmenau and Schmalkalden for engineering. One Studierendenwerk runs the dorms and Mensas across the whole state.
6 host universities
Study in Thuringia
Each guide has campus videos, the GJU entry conditions, local prices and housing links.
TH · 99423Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Weimar · Thuringia
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
TH · 07745Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena
Jena · Thuringia
German B1GPA > 70%
Open guide 
TH · 99085FH Erfurt
Erfurt · Thuringia
German B1
Open guide 
TH · 99734Hochschule Nordhausen
Nordhausen · Thuringia
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
TH · 98574Hochschule Schmalkalden
Schmalkalden · Thuringia
No extra conditions listed
Open guide 
TH · 98693TU Ilmenau
Ilmenau · Thuringia
German B1
Open guide Watch
Thuringia on video
Travel guides, city walks and campus tours for every host city in Thuringia.
Calendar
Festivals & events worth your weekend
Most are free to enter. With your semester ticket, getting there on regional trains costs nothing.
June
Krämerbrückenfest
Erfurt
A medieval festival on the bridge.
Late Nov – Dec
Erfurt Christmas Market
Erfurt
One of Germany's most beautiful, under the cathedral.
Summer semester
Schmalympics
Schmalkalden
The student games between faculties.
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
Wartburg Castle, Eisenach
Luther translated the Bible here.
City
Weimar
The city of Goethe, Schiller and the Bauhaus.
City
Erfurt
Krämerbrücke, the inhabited bridge, plus cathedral hill and the state capital.
Nature
Rennsteig trail
A 170 km ridge trail through the Thuringian Forest.
Winter
Oberhof
A winter-sports centre: sledging, skiing and biathlon.
Prices
What things cost in Thuringia
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 Erfurt | 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 | €9.50–14.50 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 | €9.50–28.50 / month | Dorm LAN is sometimes extra, or split a WG contract. |
| Furniture & kitchen basics | €50–190 once | Kleinanzeigen, IKEA, leftovers from outgoing students. |
| Bedding & towels | €40–75 once | IKEA, Primark, TK Maxx. |
| Household liability insurance | €2.80–5.50 / month | Haftpflicht: cheap and strongly recommended. |
| Food & groceries | ||
| Groceries | €145–220 / month | Cooking at home, shopping at Aldi, Lidl, Netto, Penny and Kaufland. |
| Mensa main meal | €2.40–4.50 / meal | Student price with your student card. |
| Bread rolls (Brötchen) | €0.40–0.80 / piece | Supermarket rolls are cheaper than bakery ones. |
| Halal chicken (1 kg) | €6.50–10.50 / kg | Turkish or Arabic supermarkets. |
| Rice (1 kg) | €1.40–2.80 / kg | Basmati costs more. |
| Hummus / tahini jar | €1.90–4 / jar | Arabic shops and big supermarkets. |
| Milk (1 L) | €1–1.20 / litre | |
| Eggs (10) | €2.40–3.50 / pack | |
| Eating out & drinks | ||
| Döner / falafel | €6.50–8.50 / meal | The student staple. |
| Pizza in a restaurant | €8.50–13.50 / meal | |
| Restaurant main course | €12.50–21 / meal | |
| Shawarma plate | €9.50–14.50 / meal | Arabic restaurants in bigger cities. |
| Coffee / cappuccino | €2.40–4.50 / cup | Cheaper in the Mensa café. |
| Soft drink / juice in a café | €2.80–4.50 / glass | |
| Water bottle (supermarket) | €0.30–0.80 / bottle | Plus a small deposit you get back. Tap water is safe to drink. |
| Ice cream scoop | €1.70–2.40 / 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 | €75–190 once | Kleinanzeigen or university bike markets. Buy a good lock. |
| E-scooter ride | €2.80–5.50 / ride | Lime, Tier and Voi in bigger cities. |
| Taxi (5 km) | €14.50–21 / 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 | €14.50–24 / cut | Barbers are often cheaper. |
| Laundry (dorm machine) | €1.40–2.80 / 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) | €19–35 / month | Check the contract length and sign-up fee. |
| Public swimming pool | €2.80–5.50 / entry | Student discount with ID. |
| Climbing / bouldering hall | €9.50–14.50 / entry | |
| Football boots / sports gear | €28.50–75 once | Decathlon is the budget choice. |
| Fun & activities | ||
| Cinema | €7.50–12.50 / ticket | Cheaper on discount days (often Tue or Wed). |
| Museum | €4–9.50 / entry | Student prices with ID; many museums are free on certain days. |
| Castle / palace visit | €5–14.50 / entry | |
| Bundesliga football ticket | €14.50–45 / ticket | Standing tickets are cheapest. Book early. |
| Escape room / bowling | €11.50–24 / person | |
| Student party entry | €2.80–9.50 / entry | |
| Christmas market snack | €2.80–5.50 / item | Roasted almonds, crêpes, children's punch. |
| Weekend trip (hostel + food) | €55–145 / trip | Travel is free on regional trains with your ticket. |
| Clothes & seasonal | ||
| Winter jacket | €55–145 once | You will need it from November to March. |
| Winter boots | €40–95 once | Waterproof. Snow and slush are common. |
| Rain jacket / umbrella | €14.50–55 once | |
| Toiletries & drugstore | €24–40 / 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 Thuringia
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 Thuringia
Employers in Thuringia that take interns in engineering, business and computer science. Click a company to search its current openings.
ZEISS
Jena
Optics and medical technology.
Engineering
Jenoptik & SCHOTT
Jena
Photonics and specialty glass.
Engineering
Bosch
Eisenach
Automotive electronics.
Engineering
Opel (Stellantis)
Eisenach
Car plant.
Engineering
CATL
Arnstadt
Battery cell plant.
Engineering
Intershop
Jena
E-commerce software.
Computer Science
Career fairs
- Usually autumn and springCompany fairs at TU Ilmenau, EAH Jena and FH ErfurtIlmenau, Jena, Erfurt
- 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
- LEJLeipzig/Halle FlightsRyanairEurowingsAbout 1.5 h from Erfurt, Jena or Weimar
- NUENuremberg FlightsRyanairEurowingsFrom Ilmenau and Schmalkalden
- FRAFrankfurt FlightsLufthansaCondorRoyal JordanianDirect to Amman; about 3 h from Schmalkalden
- ERFErfurt-Weimar FlightsHoliday chartersSmall airport, tram from Erfurt
Your Deutschlandsemesterticket covers the regional trains to most of these airports. What the ticket covers
Daily life
Living in Thuringia
Getting around
VMT (Erfurt, Jena, Weimar). Trains are hourly or less in small towns on Sundays.
Weather
Cold, snowy winters in the forest; pleasant summers.
Halal food & community
Erfurt has Arab grocery shops and a mosque. Students in Schmalkalden, Ilmenau and Nordhausen usually buy halal meat in Erfurt, in Suhl or online.
Local food to try
Thüringer Rostbratwurst (pork – halal versions exist) · Thuringian Klöße (dumplings) · Rostbrätel · Viba nougat
Tip from past students
Apply for Studierendenwerk Thüringen dorms as soon as applications open for your semester; first come, first served.
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