Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern

What Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern does

Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern is a public-law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) operating under the Higher Education Act of Rhineland-Palatinate (HochSchG) and supervised by the Ministry for Education, Science, Continuing Education and Culture. It provides social infrastructure services — dining, student housing, childcare, psychological and legal counseling, financial support, and ancillary student services — to approximately 13,723 students enrolled at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern across three campus locations in Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, and Pirmasens. Operational scale includes approximately 2,500 meals served daily, 1,909 housing places, 62 daycare places, and roughly 1,950 counseling consultations per year, delivered by about 154 employees. The service portfolio spans five dining facilities (including the Mensaria Atrium, a Robotic Kitchen, and the Freeflow/DIY MENSA self-service concept), seven Wohnheim dormitory sites, the Spielwerk Kita, and a central counseling center.

The business model combines mandatory per-semester social contributions (currently €125 per student) with own revenues from housing rents, dining operations, and ancillary service fees (e.g., €3 per certified copy, ISIC card issuance), supplemented by state grants from Rhineland-Palatinate. Technology infrastructure centers on the Chipkarte — a barcoded student ID with an integrated cashless payment function (€70 balance cap, €250 monthly limit, optional autoload) used at turnstiles, registers, and vending machines. The go-to-market is direct service delivery: students gain access automatically through university enrollment and re-registration, with no commercial sales motion. The 2026 ProVeg Deutschland e.V. recognition as one of Germany's most vegan-friendly canteens and formal sustainability commitments (fair trade, cage-free, regional sourcing) form the principal reputational and ESG positioning. No revenue figure is publicly disclosed.

Name

Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern

Legal name

Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts

Website

https://studierendenwerk-kaiserslautern.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Public-law student services institution (Studierendenwerk) in Rhineland-Palatinate providing dining, housing, childcare, and counseling to ~13,723 students at RPTU and HS Kaiserslautern across three campuses, funded by social fees, state grants, and service revenues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Student Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117), Accommodation and Food Services (72), Caterers (722320), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Service & Dining Operations Management (Managed Cafeterias) (EDAEALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

University Dorms & Affiliated Summer Housing (THAMAGAA), Guest, Visitor & Conference Housing Services (Summer/Break Housing) (EDAEAFAN), Catering & Events Food Service (EDALADAC), Student/Academic Serviced Residences (THAGAEAF), Nutrition, Dietary Management & Allergen/Accommodation Services (EDALADAJ)

Keywords

• Student services
• University catering
• Student housing
• Higher education support
• Dormitory management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaiserslautern

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Social Fees: Mandatory social contribution paid by all students upon enrollment and re-registration. Currently 125 EUR per semester. Reviewed and approved by the Administrative Board and Ministry of Science and Health.
2. Service Charges and Own Revenues: Revenue from dining hall and cafeteria operations, student housing fees, childcare fees, and other service charges. Represents the organization's own generated income.
3. State Grants: Grants from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate to supplement service delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern is a public-law institution that operates university catering (Mensa meals, Mensaria Atrium, Robotic Kitchen, evening dining), student housing (~1,909 places), daycare (62 places), and counseling services (psychological, legal, disability, financial) for approximately 13,723 students across three campus locations in Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, and Pirmasens. The organization also provides ancillary services including chip card payment systems, document certifications, ISIC cards, job placement, and vehicle rental. Services are funded through mandatory semester social fees (€125/semester), own service revenues, and state grants from Rhineland-Palatinate.

Product overview

Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern is a public law institution (Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) providing social infrastructure services for approximately 20,000 students at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern across locations in Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, and Pirmasens. The organization operates as a multi-service platform offering: (1) University catering through Mensa meals, cafeterias (Mensaria Atrium), Robotic Kitchen, and evening dining (Dein Abendbrot); (2) Student housing with approximately 1,909 dormitory places; (3) Childcare through the Kita Spielwerk with 62 places; (4) Counseling services including psychological, legal, and disability support; and (5) General services including financial support, job placement, vehicle rental, document certification, and ISIC cards. The services are provided through dedicated facilities at each campus location and are funded through student social fees (€125/semester), own revenues, and state grants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mensa Essen 1 und 2 (Canteen Meals) Daily canteen meals (Essen 1 and Essen 2) served at the main Mensa Building 30 on the RPTU Campus, Monday to Friday from 11:30 to 13:45, providing affordable lunch options for students.
• Mensaria Atrium (Cafeteria) Cafeteria offering lunch menus, snacks, sandwiches, cold drinks, and coffee specialties at Building 30 on the RPTU Campus.
• Robotic Kitchen Automated food preparation facility in Building 30 offering robotic-cooked meals during lunch hours from 11:30 to 14:30.
• Freeflow / DIY MENSA Self-Service Self-service area featuring customizable meal options with salad buffet, available Tuesday to Thursday during lunch hours; lets students style their own food from a DIY MENSA-style buffet.
• Dein Abendbrot (Evening Dining) Evening meal service offering fresh ingredients and classic dishes in a cozy atmosphere, open Monday to Thursday from 15:00 to 18:30 at Building 30 on the RPTU Campus.
• Catering Services Catering services for events and gatherings provided by the Studierendenwerk.
• Student Housing (Wohnheime) Student dormitories and housing facilities across Kaiserslautern, Zweibrücken, and Pirmasens, providing approximately 1,909 affordable housing places for students.
• Gästehaus IBZ (Guest House) Guest house accommodation for international visitors, visiting scholars, and conference attendees at Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 31 in Kaiserslautern.
• Kita Spielwerk (Daycare Center) Daycare center for children of students and staff, offering 62 places across four groups with modern facilities including an outdoor play area and indoor sports hall, hours 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Psychological Counseling Professional psychological counseling services for students experiencing personal conflicts, crisis situations, or study-related psychological problems; offered free of charge to enrolled students.
• Legal Advice Legal counseling services for students available at the counseling center at Building 30, Campus RPTU.
• Studieren mit Behinderung (Disability Support) Counseling and support services for students with disabilities to ensure accessible studying, including accessible housing options.
• Financial Support (Finanzielle Hilfe) Financial assistance programs including emergency aid, loans, and information on federal student support (BAföG) for students in financial need.
• Job Placement (Jobvermittlung) Job placement service connecting students with part-time employment opportunities from companies, institutes, and private individuals.
• KFZ-Vermietung (Vehicle Rental) Rental service for moving vans and vehicles for students, available upon presentation of ID, student card, and driver's license.
• Document Certifications (Beglaubigungen) Official certified copies of documents for enrolled students at €3.00 per copy.
• ISIC Card (International Student Identity Card) International Student Identity Card providing discounts on transportation, accommodation, and leisure activities in over 130 countries worldwide; fee varies by card type.
• Semester Fee & Ticket Administration Administration of the mandatory semester social contribution (currently €125 per semester) which includes a regional transportation ticket, paid by all enrolled students upon enrollment and re-registration.
• Info Point Central information desk for general inquiries about Studierendenwerk services, chip cards, payment systems, and guest cards.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• VELA.insure (via Deutsches Studentenwerk)minorOthersFramework contract negotiated by Deutsches Studentenwerk (umbrella organization) with VELA.insure for health and liability/accident insurance coverage for foreign students studying in Germany. Students can access insurance online through VELA.insure platform.
• Deutsches StudentenwerkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational umbrella organization for all German Studierendenwerke. Negotiates framework contracts (e.g., VELA.insure) on behalf of member organizations. Provides professional development and advocacy for student services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Studierendenwerk Frankfurt am Main: Major Studierendenwerk serving Goethe University Frankfurt and partner institutions. Comparable comprehensive service offering including Mensa, dormitories, Kita, and psychosocial counseling at significantly larger scale.
• Studierendenwerk Hamburg: Statutory student services provider for Hamburg universities. Operates an integrated portfolio of dining halls, residential living, and advisory services under the same federal Studierendenwerk framework.
• Studentenwerk Berlin: Public-law student services provider for Berlin universities. Directly comparable multi-campus operating model with extensive Mensa network, student housing, and counseling services.
• Studierendenwerk Mainz: Public-law institution providing dining, housing, and counseling services for ~40,000 students at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. Operates under the same HochSchG framework as Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern and is one of the closest comparables in the same state.
• Studierendenwerk Koblenz: Sibling Studierendenwerk serving the University of Koblenz. Provides identical statutory-mandated dining, housing, and student services in Rhineland-Palatinate and competes for the same state-level funding and policy framework.
• Studierendenwerk Heidelberg: Studierendenwerk serving Heidelberg University and nearby institutions. Comparable in offering the full statutory service stack (Mensa, Wohnheim, Beratung, Kita) to a mid-sized student population.
• Studentenwerk München: Largest German Studierendenwerk, serving ~180,000 students across Munich's universities. Demonstrates the upper-end scale potential of the same operating model, including centralized dining, housing, and counseling.
• Studentenwerk Karlsruhe: Public-law Studierendenwerk serving KIT and other Karlsruhe institutions. Direct peer in scale and service scope, including technology-forward dining concepts similar to Kaiserslautern's Robotic Kitchen.
• Studierendenwerk Trier: Public-law institution serving the University of Trier under the same Rheinland-Pfalz Higher Education Act. Closely comparable in service mix (Mensa, Wohnheime, Beratung) and scale of operations.

Others

• Deutsches Studentenwerk: National umbrella organization of all 57 German Studierendenwerke. Negotiates framework contracts (e.g., VELA.insure) on behalf of member organizations including Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern and provides advocacy and professional development across the network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studierendenwerk-kaiserslautern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studierendenwerk Kaiserslautern