Study in Frankfurt, Germany

About Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main, in the federal state of Hesse, is the financial centre of Germany and one of its best-connected cities. It is home to banks, stock exchange institutions and the European Central Bank, and its international airport and central railway station make it an easy place to arrive in and to travel from.

For students, Frankfurt combines a large public university with a specialised business school and a choice of German courses. It suits students of finance, economics and business in particular, but the city's main university covers almost every field.

Studying in Frankfurt

SpainExchange lists four schools in Frankfurt, including two universities and a language school. The Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (Goethe University) describes itself as one of Germany's largest universities and as the first German university rooted in a civic tradition. It is spread across five campuses in the city, and its teaching ranges from the humanities and social sciences to the natural, life and medical sciences. The university has partnerships with more than 450 universities worldwide. In October 2026, its alliance with JGU Mainz and TU Darmstadt (the Rhine-Main Universities, RMU) was named an Excellence Alliance, with funding from 2027.

The Frankfurt School of Finance & Management grew out of the Bankakademie, founded in Wiesbaden in 1957 to train bank employees; it moved to Frankfurt in 1966 and took its current name in 2007. It is accredited by AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA. Its full-time bachelor's programmes last seven semesters; Business Administration is taught in English and German, and newer programmes such as Artificial Intelligence & Data Engineering are taught in English. Student residences are next to its campus on Adickesallee.

For German, Akademie Germanica offers courses from A1 to B2 and private lessons, in person in Frankfurt or online via Microsoft Teams. Part-time group courses cost between €70 and €120 per four weeks. Its intensive course for a language course visa has 20 lessons of 45 minutes a week at levels A1 to C1, costs €200 per four weeks and must be booked for at least four months.

Cost of living for students

State universities in Germany generally charge no tuition fees for bachelor's degrees and most master's degrees, according to the DAAD; private institutions such as business schools set their own, much higher fees. All students pay a semester contribution of between €70 and €430, which at many universities includes a public transport ticket.

The DAAD estimates that students need between €900 and €1,200 a month, depending on the city; rent is the largest item, at an average of €410 a month across Germany. Frankfurt is one of the more expensive cities for housing, so it is worth applying early. The Studierendenwerk Frankfurt am Main runs 34 residences with about 3,726 places, 30 of them in Frankfurt near Goethe University, the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst.

Students from outside the EU who need a visa must prove funds of €992 a month (DAAD figure as of 1 January 2025). Courses taught in German usually require at least level B2, while English-taught international programmes are exempt. Applicants from outside the EU apply through uni-assist or directly to the university. A prospective student visa is valid for up to nine months and allows a language course or a Studienkolleg; a tourist visa cannot be converted into a student visa.

Getting around and daily life

Frankfurt has underground, tram, suburban rail and bus lines, and the city centre and the university campuses are close together. Since January 2026 the Deutschlandticket, valid on local public transport throughout Germany, costs €63 a month; where a university offers it as a Deutschlandsemesterticket, students pay 60% of that price. Frankfurt Airport is one of Europe's main hubs, with long-distance trains to most German cities.

Frequently asked questions

Is studying in Frankfurt free?

At Goethe University, as at other state universities, bachelor's and most master's degrees generally carry no tuition fees, but students pay a semester contribution. Private institutions such as the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management charge tuition.

Can I study in English in Frankfurt?

Yes. The Frankfurt School of Finance & Management teaches several full-time bachelor's programmes in English, and English-taught international programmes do not require German. Most programmes at state universities are taught in German at level B2 or above.

Can I learn German in Frankfurt with a visa?

Yes. Akademie Germanica offers an intensive course of 20 lessons a week for a language course visa, booked for at least four months. The visa itself is decided by the German embassy or consulate.

How much money do I need for a student visa?

According to the DAAD, students who need a visa must prove €992 a month (as of 1 January 2025), for example through a blocked account.