Studying in Germany — Application, Costs and Tips for Foreigners

Why Study in Germany?

Germany is one of the most popular study destinations worldwide — and for good reasons:

• No tuition fees at public universities (only semester contribution)
• High quality — many universities in international rankings
• International programmes — over 1,800 English-language degree programs
• Residence rights — 18 months job search permitted after graduation
• Good job market — shortage of skilled workers in many sectors

Types of Universities

Universität (Uni)

• Research-focused — much theory, scientific work
• Degrees: Bachelor (6–8 semesters), Master (2–4 semesters), Doctorate (Dr.)
• Study programmes: all fields of study, including medicine, law, teaching
• Examples: TU Munich, Uni Heidelberg, Humboldt University Berlin

Fachhochschule (FH) / Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW)

• Practice-oriented — many projects, mandatory internships
• Degrees: Bachelor, Master
• Study programmes: engineering, business administration, computer science, social work, design
• Smaller groups, more personal supervision

Duales Studium

• Combination of study and work in a company
• Remuneration from employer (€800–1,500/month)
• High workload, but practical experience from day one

Admission and Application

Requirements

1. Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (HZB) — Your foreign school certificate must be recognized
2. Check on anabin.kmk.org whether your certificate is recognized
3. If not: Studienkolleg (1 year preparation + entrance exam)
4. Language certificate
5. German-language programmes: TestDaF (TDN 4) or DSH (level 2)
6. English-language programmes: IELTS (6.0–6.5) or TOEFL (80–100)
7. Possibly entrance exam — e.g. for medicine (TMS), art (portfolio), music (audition)

Application Deadlines

Where to Apply

• uni-assist (uni-assist.de) — central application office for many universities (fee: €75 + €30 per additional university)
• Directly at the university — some universities accept applications directly
• Hochschulstart (hochschulstart.de) — for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy

Costs

Semester Contribution

At public universities there are no tuition fees (exception: Baden-Württemberg charges €1,500/semester for non-EU students). The Semesterbeitrag (€150–400) covers:

• Semester ticket (public transport in the region)
• Studentenwerk (cafeteria, counselling, student housing)
• AStA (student representation)

Cost of Living

Blocked Account for Studentenvisum

For the Studentenvisum you must demonstrate a blocked account with at least €11,904 (€992/month × 12). You can withdraw a maximum of €992 per month from this.

Providers: Expatrio, Fintiba, Deutsche Bank

Financing

BAföG (Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz)

• Who? Students up to 45 years old with certain residence status
• How much? Max. €934/month (maximum rate 2025/26)
• Repayment: 50% as interest-free loan (max. €10,010), rest is a gift
• Application: at your university's Studierendenwerk

Important for foreigners: You receive BAföG only with certain residence statuses (e.g. Niederlassungserlaubnis, after 15 months with Aufenthaltserlaubnis, as recognized refugee).

Scholarships

• DAAD (daad.de) — largest German scholarship organization for foreigners
• Deutschlandstipendium — €300/month, merit-based
• Foundations — Studienstiftung, Heinrich-Böll, Konrad-Adenauer, Friedrich-Ebert and others
• Stipendienlotse (stipendienlotse.de) — scholarship search engine

Part-time Work

• As a student you may work 120 full days or 240 half days per year
• As Werkstudent (max. 20 h/week during lecture period): reduced social contributions
• Minijob (€556/month): tax-free, no social contributions for you
• During semester breaks: unlimited work permitted

Residence Status for Studies

Studentenvisum (§ 16b AufenthG)

• Before entry apply at the German embassy
• Duration: initially 1–2 years, extendable for study duration + max. 10 years
• Requirements: admission, proof of financing, health insurance
• Part-time work permitted (120/240 days)

After Graduation

• 18 months Aufenthaltserlaubnis for job search (§ 20 AufenthG)
• Then: Aufenthaltserlaubnis for employment (§ 18b AufenthG)
• After 2 years: possibility of Blue Card EU or Niederlassungserlaubnis

Health Insurance

Up to age 30 (or 14th semester): student statutory health insurance (approx. €110–120/month). After that: voluntary insurance (approx. €200–250/month).

Tip: Arrange insurance before registration — without health insurance certificate you cannot enroll!

Tips for International Students

1. Apply early — especially for popular programmes and student housing
2. Learn German — even for English-language programmes, German helps in daily life
3. Student housing — cheaper than shared flats, apply via Studierendenwerk
4. Buddy programmes — many universities offer mentoring for international students
5. AStA and Fachschaft — student groups help with problems
6. Internships — use mandatory internships to gain professional experience

Status: March 2026. All information without guarantee.