Being a student in Giessen
Giessen, north of Frankfurt in the German state of Hesse, is a university town. In fact, there are almost as many students as the city’s population. In this sense, we can say that it has the highest student population in Germany. There are two universities in the city, one of which is a technical university. The older and more famous “JUSTUS-LIEBIG UNIVERSITY OF GIESSEN” has been providing education and training for 400 years.
Giessen is located in the heart of Germany and there are many old castles and beautiful historical cities like Wetzlar, Marburg or Friedberg. Giessen was heavily destroyed during the Second World War and 75 percent of the city was destroyed. That’s why you won’t find much of the historic old town. As we see in the “Ruhr” region, the buildings with more modern architectures are mostly concentrated and the city does not look very charming at first glance with its gray buildings. However, according to what I heard from the students who studied there, the average of those who leave the city, which is not preferred for studying in Germany, is quite low compared to Germany in general.
The city is teeming with universities and students are everywhere. They even say that the chance of meeting someone you have met once is 100%. Almost everything is built around students and serves them. However, the large number of students and the limited number of venues are the main complaints of students. For this reason, the city is famous for its student house parties.
LIFE IN GİESSEN
I mentioned that Giessen is a university city, but the whole city is like a university. The faculties and institutes of the three universities in the city are spread all over the city and the whole city feels like a campus. Transportation is usually by bicycle or bus, but you can reach most of the things you want on foot. The city is small but not boring. If you miss big city life, Frankfurt is 60 km away.
Giessen has the highest student population in Germany. As such, finding a place to stay becomes a problem. Although rents are average compared to Germany in general, it can be quite difficult to find a place to rent at the beginning of the semester. Therefore, if you are planning to study in this city, you should start looking for an apartment as early as possible. Otherwise, you will have to settle for shared apartments. Dormitory opportunities are limited as in every city. In the city, 13 dormitory complexes provide accommodation for around 3300 students. You can get information about these dormitories run by the student union and apply here.
Giessen has also adapted to students when it comes to nightlife. There are lots of small pubs. If you like disco or club atmosphere and you are not hungry here, Frankfurt is not far away. Moreover, you can travel for free with your semester ticket. In most pubs and discos in Giessen there is action every week. Apart from these, student councils or AstA organize parties all year round (of course, the prices are student prices). The most important event is the annual “Sport Dies” with day-long tournaments and shows. In the past years, with 12.000 participants, it broke the record for the largest university party in the state of Hesse. In short, for a city of this size you can expect a wide variety of cultural activities.
GİESSEN BY THE NUMBERS
| City Population | 88.546 |
| Number of Students | 40,055 |
| Student/resident ratio | % 45,2 |
| Number of beds provided by Studierendenwerk | 3.338 |
| Rents for accommodation provided by Studierendenwerk | 141-440 € |
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