Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
About
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz charges no tuition (just a ≈€600/year semester contribution) — among the lowest mandatory fees in Germany — across humanities, natural sciences, law, medicine, social sciences, and economics, IELTS 6. Its EU-recognised degree opens Germany's 18-month post-study job-seeker visa, and the Rhine location puts Frankfurt's job market within easy reach.
Mainz is a medium-sized university city on the Rhine with a relaxed, scholarly atmosphere. The cost of living is moderate, student housing is plentiful, and the old town has wine bars and parks where students actually congregate. It feels less cosmopolitan than Berlin but far more livable on a tight budget.
Application deadlines
- WiSe (selective MSc)Nov 15
Note: application opens Oct for WiSe MSc intake — deadline Nov 15 applies. Verify per programme on JOGU-StINe portal
- SoSeJan 15
Via a preliminary assessment of your school certificate (VPD) from the central application service (uni-assist) + JOGU-StINe portal. Selective MSc SoSe: May 15; non-selective MSc: Sep 1
- Winter semester — open-admission (zulassungsfrei) Bachelor's programmes1 September
Confirmed, matches the stored rule. Application window opens in early June. Source: https://www.studium.uni-mainz.de/mein-studium/fristen-termine/
- Winter semester — restricted-admission (NC) Bachelor's programmes, nationwide or university-internal15 July
Added: the stored row only covered open-admission programmes; the page also states an earlier deadline for NC-restricted Bachelor's programmes. Source: https://www.studium.uni-mainz.de/mein-studium/fristen-termine/
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to study at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz as a non-EU student?
Tuition for non-EU students at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz is €0 per year. A mandatory semester contribution of ≈€600 per year (administration and transport, not tuition) is charged on top. Living costs in Mainz are separate.
What IELTS score do you need for Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz?
English-taught programmes at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz typically require IELTS 6 or equivalent. Confirm the exact requirement per programme on the official admissions page.
How much money do you need to show for a student visa to Germany?
For a student residence permit in Germany you must prove €11,904 per year (2026, DAAD / Study in Germany — proof of financing (blocked account, 992 EUR/month for 12 months): https://www.study-in-germany.com/en/plan-your-studies/requirements/proof-of-financing/).
Does Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz offer scholarships?
DAAD: Master's/PhD, merit-based (RU/BY de-facto restricted post-2022). Deutschlandstipendium: €300/mo, all nationalities, merit + social commitment. Apply via university portal (Apr–Jun).
Where is Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz located?
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz is in Mainz, Germany. Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße, 55128 Mainz
What can you study at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz?
Fields offered include: Humanities, Natural Sciences, Law, Medicine, Social Sciences, Economics, International relations.
Accommodation
Studierendenwerk Mainz — multiple dormitories. Single room in flatshare €303–408/month; single apartment €310–418/month. All-inclusive (utilities + internet). +€7/month from Sep 2025. Apply well in advance — high demand
- Studierendenwerk Mainz · regional student services — it allocates the halls, not the university
- WG-Gesucht
- HousingAnywhere
- ImmobilienScout24
Scholarships
- 🏛DAAD
- 🏛Deutschlandstipendium
DAAD: Master's/PhD, merit-based (RU/BY de-facto restricted post-2022). Deutschlandstipendium: €300/mo, all nationalities, merit + social commitment. Apply via university portal (Apr–Jun).
National funding for this destination
Honestly
Why this works
- Tuition is €0 for non-EU students; the only compulsory payment is a semester contribution of ≈€600 per year, which funds administration and student services rather than teaching.
- As a public research university in Rheinland-Pfalz, Mainz charges no non-EU semester surcharge unlike Baden-Württemberg universities.
- A German university degree carries EU-wide academic recognition and opens access to the 18-month post-study job-seeker visa.
- The broad field portfolio — humanities, natural sciences, law, medicine, social sciences, and economics — suits diverse academic profiles.
- Mainz sits on the Rhine near Frankfurt, giving students access to one of Europe's largest financial and logistics job markets.
- Germany grants international students 120 full or 240 half working days per year, supporting part-time income alongside studies.
What to check
- Most bachelor programmes are taught in German; without C1-level German, study options are severely limited.
- Non-EU school leavers without a recognised Abitur equivalent must typically complete a preparatory year (Studienkolleg) before admission.
- Germany requires proof of funds via a blocked account (Sperrkonto) of approximately €11,904 before a student visa is issued.
- The Mainz and Frankfurt Rhine-Main area has a well-documented student housing shortage, making affordable accommodation hard to secure.
- Medicine and law programmes at public universities are highly competitive and often require German-language entry requirements regardless of IELTS score.
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These fields in the country
Tuition and deadlines change with each academic year — the date beside the figures says when we last confirmed them on the official source. Visa rules are set by governments and can change between our checks.
We break down figures like these in the channel — each one with a source and a date. Open the channel