RMU
Study at three universities at once

Imagine being able to study at not just one, but three strong universities. Flexibly, without additional fees and with significantly more opportunities than at other universities. That's exactly what the Alliance of Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) offers you.

Published: 01.12.2025

The Rhine Main Universities

The RMU comprises Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and Darmstadt Technical University. Three universities, two federal states, one common goal: to offer you a particularly broad, diverse and future-oriented course of study. As an RMU student, you can attend courses at all three universities, try out modules from other disciplines or supplement your studies with the strengths of the partner universities, all without additional costs or additional enrolment.

In short: You study at your home university and at the same time benefit from the teaching and research opportunities offered by an entire university region.

The locations of the three Rhine-Main Universities – Darmstadt, Mainz and Frankfurt – are only about 35 kilometres apart, and thanks to your semester ticket, you can get there by bus, train or car in 30 to 60 minutes free of charge.

There are two ways you can take advantage of the RMU:

  • You either choose a degree programme at one of the three universities and try out individual additional courses from the RMU programme that fit your degree programme – thus transforming your studies into an RMU University Course.
  • Or you can choose a cooperative degree programme from the outset and be based at two universities. There are both bachelor's and master's degree programmes offered as cooperatives.

Studying at three universities – how does that work?

Option 1: RMU programme

You take advantage of the courses offered by the other two universities in addition to your own degree programme, transforming it into what is known as an RMU Universities Courses. ‘The aim of the RMU programme is to look beyond your own degree programme and broaden your academic horizons,’ explains Henriette Reinecke from Student Services. The RMU programme can be taken on a semester basis and for individual modules. You only have to pay the semester fee at your home university.

You are enrolled at up to three universities at the same time and can take the courses listed in the RMU course catalogue. You will also receive an additional student ID card that gives you access to the libraries – and you only pay as much as you would if you were studying at a single university.

You can also take exams in courses at other universities and have them recognised at your own university – but you should discuss this with your study office beforehand.

What does that look like in practice? Melis is studying Biomolecular Engineering (BME) at TU Darmstadt, but wanted to try out the RMU programme:

Melis,
M.Sc. Biomolecular Engineering

I took an RMU module in my second master's semester. Some of the lectures were at TU Darmstadt and some at JGU Mainz. I was also allowed to attend lectures by professors from JGU and Goethe University Frankfurt. It was a great experience!

Picture: Viktoria Korin

Option 2: RMU cooperative degree programmes

On the RMU website, you will find an overview of all cooperative degree programmes offered by the Rhine-Main Universities. The cooperative degree programmes with TU Darmstadt include Medical Technology (B.Sc. and M.Sc.), Soft Matter and Materials (M.Sc.), International Studies / Peace and Conflict Research (M.A.) , Political Theory (M.A.), Urban Studies (M.A.) and Particle Accelerator Science (M.Sc.). This means that you study at two or even three Rhein-Main universities simultaneously for the entire duration of your degree programme.

What does that look like in practice? Maria is studying medical technology and attends lectures at both TU Darmstadt and Goethe University Frankfurt:

Maria,
B.Sc. Medical Engineering

At first, I couldn't really imagine how it would work with two universities. Then it turned out that we spend one day a week in Frankfurt. Studying at two universities is always varied and exciting.

Picture: Privat

Maria is studying the medical technology cooperative programme developed as part of the RMU. Her everyday student life takes place between the Technical University of Darmstadt and Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main. We asked her what she thinks of her studies, what a typical week looks like and what advantages this exciting cooperation brings her:

“When I discovered the Medical Technology programme, I thought it was cool that Frankfurt was included as a second location. I have 20 per cent of my courses in Frankfurt. We have lectures there in the mornings and seminars in the afternoons, and at the end of the semester we write some of our exams there. The other 80 per cent takes place at TU Darmstadt. Here we learn the basics of electrical engineering, maths and physics.

Of course, in addition to lectures and seminars, we also take practical courses in electrical engineering and medicine, which give us practical insights into the various disciplines. Gradually, the boundaries become increasingly blurred. There is a medical technology practical in Darmstadt and also biomechanics and biomaterials in Frankfurt, which no longer focus on the body itself, but on the methods and materials used on or in the body.

The teaching material is made available to us online via TU Darmstadt and its platforms, as are the documents from Goethe University in Frankfurt. Sometimes, however, I notice that I am studying at two universities. There are different concepts and structures. This is also because I am studying two very different subjects. You learn electrical engineering very differently from medicine. And the organisation is also a little different. In Frankfurt, we don't have a permanent lecturer for some courses, but several lecturers who teach us about their specialist areas in medicine. In radiology, there are specialists in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-rays and experts in computed tomography (CT).

I simply applied for the joint degree programme at TU Darmstadt, just like any other degree programme. However, I study at both universities and also have two student ID cards. With the semester ticket, we can easily get to Frankfurt for our events and, of course, use the libraries at both locations. And if there are any problems, we have contact persons at both universities who take care of our concerns. I am so satisfied that I would like to do my master's degree in medical technology and continue studying in Darmstadt and Frankfurt.”

Summary: Your advantages through RMU

1. The cooperation agreements mean that there is a wider range of courses and subjects on offer. If a particular subject is not offered at your home university, you can take it at one of the other two universities in the alliance.

2. Since you can attend courses at several universities, your studies become more flexible and interdisciplinary.

3. The three universities are centrally located in the Rhine-Main region and are geographically quite close to each other. This makes it easier to attend courses at the partner universities.

4. When you enrol in the RMU programme, you do not have to pay any additional tuition fees. You remain enrolled at your home university as usual and pay the corresponding semester fees there.

5. The Frankfurt-Rhine-Main region has strong links to business, research and infrastructure. Studying in this network means good opportunities for practical contacts, research projects and collaborations – both within the alliance and in the region.

If you would like to think outside the box and are interested in an RMU degree programme or a collaborative degree programme offered by the RMU, you can read all the important information on the Rhein-Main Universities website or on the TU Darmstadt website for RMU degree programmes.

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