General Information

Students will be informed about housing options upon acceptance of the exchange application. The International Office (IO) at DHBW Mannheim attempts to place all students in a dormitory. Once the exchange application is received, accommodation will be reserved in one of Studierendenwerk Mannheim´s residence halls. Studierendenwerk Mannheim, the service company for all universities in Mannheim, is an independent company and the IO of DHBW Mannheim only takes care of the application process for exchange students. More information available at Studierendenwerk Mannheim. 

When living in a dormitory, students must rent a room for a minimum of 1 semester. In the fall semester, all housing contracts run from August 1 - December 31, and in the spring semester from February 1 – June 30. 

All rooms are furnished with a wardrobe, shelf, desk, chair, and bed. Additionally, bed linen will be provided. Internet access is free, but there is no Wi-Fi, meaning a Lan-Cable is required! Heating and electricity are included in the monthly rent. There is no meal plan and the dormitories are located in the center of Mannheim, approximately 30-40 minutes from the university by tram. The trams run 24/7.

If students cannot be placed in a dormitory, the IO will assist students in finding private accommodation. 

The costs for student housing depends on the site and is approximately a maximum of 1,925 EUR/semester. You will receive more detailed information about student housing via email.  

The expenses that arise in the course of leading a normal life, i.e. for accommodation, food, clothing and recreational activities, are called living costs. They are about average in Germany compared to other European countries, meaning they are significantly lower than in countries like Denmark, Luxembourg or Switzerland, but rather high compared to countries like Poland, the Czech Republic or Italy.

On average, a German student has expenses of approx. EUR 934 per month. That includes rent, travel expenses, expenditures for food, clothing, learning materials, health insurance, telephone, Internet, radio and TV licence fees, and recreational activities. HOWEVER, how high the cost of living really is, depends and the specific needs of each student. In fact, exchange students usually spend more money than their German counterparts, e.g. for travelling. Therefore, we recommend that all exchange students should plan with a budget of at least EUR 970 per month.

We recommend the website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for more detailed information.

All students in Germany are required to have a student health insurance policy. Students cannot be enrolled at DHBW Mannheim without providing proof of health insurance coverage. Travel insurance is not sufficient for studying in Germany!

EU students: EU citizens should have the EHIC (European Health Insurance Card). On presentation of this card students will be exempted from acquiring the necessary German health insurance coverage. Students need to present a valid card for enrollment.

Non-EU students: We strongly recommend that all our exchange students from non-EU countries purchase a statutory German health insurance policy for the following reasons: if you have international/private insurance, you will be responsible for all treatment costs up front and reimbursement by your insurance may take several weeks. Additionally, hospitalization is very expensive and can lead to financial problems!

General information about the health insurance system in Germany can be found here. 

IMPORTANT: We will inform all exchange students about the details regarding health insurance and what students need to do upon acceptance of their exchange application.

Recommended Insurance:
Personal Liability, Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation

By law, all enrolled students (including exchange students) must pay their contribution for the Studierendenwerk Mannheim, the service company for all universities in Mannheim. This is the “Semesterbeitrag”. Some of the benefits include: use of the sports facility either free of charge or for a small fee, inexpensive accommodation, and meals for a reduced cost at the main cafeteria. 

In order to be officially registered at DHBW Mannheim and receive the official Student ID, all students are required to pay 85,- euros per semester (valid as per 2024/2025).

In August, exchange students can take a 4-week intensive German course prior to the semester at DHBW Mannheim. Students can participate in the International Summer Academy! More information will be made available upon application, or can be found here.

There is a Buddy Programme for all international students in Mannheim organized by VISUM. Besides the Buddy programme, VISUM also organizes trips, events, and student parties. More information can be found here and on Facebook​​​​​​​.