Marburg: most beautiful city in Hessen

Why did you choose to go to Marburg, Germany?

I was doing an Erasmus practicum programme - I was offered an internship on one of the institutes and because the research work there was really interesting and the city looked great on the pictures, I decided to go to Marburg.

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How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

I got money for 4 months, it was about €450 per month from Erasmus fund and than additional €80 per month from my home country.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Marburg to other students?

I would definitely recommend Marburg to everyone! It is the most beautiful city in Hessen, people are nice and living there is quite cheap. The university offers you "semester ticket", which allows you all public transport in whole Hessen free of charge. I was not attending lectures though, but the research institutes have really high standard and laboratories are well equipped. The city is small so you always meet someone familiar on the street, which is great. University also offers language courses and different sport activities.

What is the food like?

The food is typical german. You can of course find also some places with different world cusine, fast food etc. There are many different restaurants if you want to eat out. In university cafeteria - "Mensa" - they offer daily about 5 different menus (everyday also one vegetarian, one vegan, one with meat), you can also get a snack there or a coffee. There are 2 cafeterias in Marburg (one in the city district and one on Lahnberge).

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Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Marburg?

If you are planning to study in Marburg I would recommend that you find an accommodation in advance. If you are Erasmus exchange student you can chose in your application that you want to stay in a dormitory - which for 1 or 2 semesters is (in my opinion) the best option. I was placed in a dorm in Studentendorf. The dormitories are located all around the city - for me the best location was Oberstadt (directly in the old city center) and Studentendorf. Wehrda is a bit too far to walk from there to the city (which can be a problem if you are partying) but it is located in a really peaceful environment, whereas Studentendorf could be quite noisy. The prices for a dorm are app. €190-240 per month (internet included). Some dormitories don't have internet though (like in Fuchspass) - in this case you can find some students who have their own internet connection in their rooms and arrange if for small amount of money they could share it with you.

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The dorm rooms are not really new, and the one I was staying at was quite small (most of them are single-bed rooms). But there are a lot of students living in a dormitories so you meet a lot of new people which is a big plus.

If you want to live in a private apartment it is important that you start looking for a room early. The prices are a bit higher than dormitories though.

How much does it cost to live in Marburg?

It depends on how often do you want to eat out, how much do you go partying etc. I mostly cooked in the dormitory and ate in Mensa (a menu there is app. €3-4). For going out - price for a beer is around 3€. Public transport for students of Philipps Uni is free (included in semester fee). I think that Marburg is a lot cheaper than some other cities around (like Frankfurt which is really expensive). For food it depends where you buy your groceries (the cheapest shop would be Aldi or Lidl and the expensive Edeka).. So it really depends on a person.

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Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

I did know some German before I arrived in Marburg. I think that also for a total beginner it is possible to learn basic phrases you need in a shop or a bar. There are many language courses in the Uni (they cost around €60 per semester). The course I took was 2 times per week. Before each semester begins there are also 1 month intensive language courses for exchange students. If you don't know any German I would recommend you to attend those courses. Some lectures are in German, some in English - it depends on your field of study. Language spoken at the institutes is mostly English.

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What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Marburg from your city?

I took a bus from Ljubljana to Münich and then another from Münich to Marburg. Around Germany there are a lot of cheap bus connections (Flixbus, Hellö bus, IC bus, Postbus). Frankfurt airport is also an option and just an hour away. DB also have good connections to Marburg.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Marburg?

Most students like to sit at Lahn river to hang out. There are mostly pubs and bars in Marburg. My favourites were Bierwerk, Hinkelstein and Südhaus. Good places are also Cavete and shot bar Shotz next to Lahn. If you prefer clubs it is better to go to Frankfurt. There are some clubs in Marburg though (Nachtsalon). Best parties for me were parties in the dormitories and by the Lahn.

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And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Marburg?

If you want to try typical German food I would recommend Barny's. There is a good sushi place (Sakura) and Mexican restaurant Enchilada (also serve cocktails). Havana serves Cuban food. If you want to enjoy a beer with view go to the place next to Kaiser Wilhelm Tower.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

The castle, church of St. Elisabeth, Kaiser Wilhelm Tower, Oberstadt (old city center) with Rathaus, Grimm house... Since brothers Grimm have studied in Marburg there are hidden objects from their fairy tales all around Marburg. With semester ticket you can also travel free of charge around Hessen (visit Frankfurt, Kassel, Heidelberg, Mainz... ).

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Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Marburg in the future?

Marburgers are really nice people, the city is full of students and there are so many different things you can do around the city. Don't worry about German language, most of the students are fluent in English so that won't be a problem. Try to find an accommodation soon.

Otherwise - enjoy your stay in Marburg!

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