Cost of Studying in Germany

The primary factor of overseas education that we often ponder upon is the tuition fee of the program along with the cost of living in the chosen country. Sometimes, it is not feasible for everyone to choose a course which is easy on the pocket as well. Known as the land of poets and thinkers, Germany has set a unique example for other countries by providing free education. With an aim to provide education to children belonging to the varied background, the Government of Germany, since 2014, has been offering free education across its public universities without compromising the quality of academic programs. This blog will elucidate the varied details regarding the cost to study in Germany at both public and private institutions of the country.

Overview of Cost of Studying in Germany 

Public University	12,000 INR – 1,30,000 INR
Private University	Up to 28,00,000 INR
Accommodation and Utilities	18,721 INR – 46,000 INR

Cost of Studying in Germany: Public Universities

Education is a virtue which everyone deserves. Germany believes in the fact that education should not be commercialized and that’s why the cost of studying in Germany when it comes to the public universities is zero. Earlier, the country offered its academic programs at minimal tuition fees but in the year 2014, the German government declared the education as absolutely free only at the public institutions. By availing free basic and higher education, the government of Germany aims to offer equal educational opportunities for everyone along with ensuring commercial and economic growth of the country. Even for international students, the academic programs do not charge any tuition fee and that has invested massively to the popularity of the country as a study destination. Other than this, the immigration procedures for foreign students are quite simplified. The average cost of programs offered by public universities is around 12,000 INR/per year – 1,30,000 INR

Following are the public universities with their average tuition fees:

University	Average Tuition Fee
Ludwig Maximilian University	244 EUR/per year
Technical University of Munich	144 EUR/per year
University of Heidelberg	364 EUR/per year
Humboldt University Berlin	620 EUR/per year
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	1500 EUR/per year
Technical University of Berlin	308 EUR/per year
Free University of Berlin	354 EUR/per year
RWTH Aachen University	No Tuition Fees for International Students

Cost of Studying in Germany: Private Universities

Just as the other world-famous universities spread across the globe, private universities of Germany charge tuition fees from local as well as international students. Although the cost of studying in Germany for a particular course varies from one university to another, private institutions in the country are renowned for their specialized programs in order to potentially pose competitions against those offering free education. The average cost of programs offered by private universities is around 1,21,000 INR – 28,30,000 INR and the cost of accommodation is approximated at 1,00,000 INR. 

Given below is the list of Private Universities cost with the average tuition fees: 

University	Average Tuition Fee
Bard College Berlin	28,700 EUR
CODE University of Applied Sciences	9800 EUR
Munich Business School	24,000 EUR
EBC Hochschule	10,000 EUR
GISMA Business School	20,000 EUR
Friedensau Adventist University	3,500 EUR
Hertie School of Governance	32,500 EUR
SRH Hochschule Berlin	10,000 EUR
University of Applied Sciences Europe	1,400 EUR
WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management	15,000 EUR

Living Costs

While the tuition fee cost of studying in Germany’s public universities has been exempted, the living expenses are still unavoidable. While the university accommodation costs might vary from one institution to another, if you are planning to stay on your own, the monthly rent of an apartment (depending upon whether you are living within the city centre or outside) can range from 722.37€ (16,000 INR) to 722.37€ (21,000 INR) as per Numbeo. The following table shows the breakup of the monthly expenditure of a student, irrespective of the cost of studying:

Rent for Apartment (1 Bedroom)	530 EUR
Meal for a Single Person	10.00 EUR
Local Public Transport	2.70 EUR
Taxi Tariff/km	2.00 EUR
Utilities per Month	215 EUR

Cost of Studying in Germany: Key Points To Remember

Since the country offers free education to all at both higher and basic level, the admission process has been made quite rigid and complex. Candidates who are aspiring to study in the country must check the eligibility criteria of their chosen courses and clear the required exam like GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS etc. As the cost of studying in Germany has been exempted or made affordable to an extent, German institutions have set particular qualifying bands for each eligibility exam which the candidates need to clear in order to apply for a program at the public university of their choice. However, if you are planning to pursue a program at a private institution, the eligibility requirements are quite simplified as compared to public universities.

Also Read: Study in Germany without IELTS 

UG Cost of Studying

Although top universities in Germany do not charge any tuition fee from candidates making higher education affordable for international students. However, these universities do charge for the registration, confirmation and administrative fee from candidates which is near about 250 Euros (20,000 INR). Study abroad students also need to get a hold of Semesterticket which is a public transport ticket valid for 6 months. 

PG Cost of Studying

Masters courses in Germany is free of cost only when candidates opt for consecutive programs, wherein they continue Masters in Germany just after completing a Bachelor’s degree from the country. Students taking a gap in their education or have pursued undergraduate course from any other country do not get a chance to avail this opportunity. For non-consecutive programmes, the cost of studying is approximately 20,000 Euros (1670760.00 INR) in public and 30,000 Euros (2506140.00 INR) in Private colleges.

List of German Universities Offering Free Education

Offering a perfect combination of free and quality education, students don’t have to worry much about the cost of studying in Germany. Here is a list of universities that provide courses at no tuition fees in the country: 

• Ludwig Maximilians University
• Technical University of Munich
• Karlsruher
• Institute of Technology 
• Heidelberg University
• Free University of Berlin
• Humboldt University of Berlin
• University of Tubingen 
• RWTH University 
• Humbolt University of Berlin 
• Albert Ludwig University
• Georg-Augusta University of Gottingen
• Goethe University 
• University of Hamburg
• University of Stuttgart  

Why Study in Germany?

Cost of Studying in Germany: Scholarships 

Below are some scholarships you can apply for in Germany: 

• DAAD Scholarships 
• The Deutschlandstipendium
• Erasmus +
• Humboldt Scholarship 
• Helmholtz Scholarship 
• Heinrich Boll Foundation Scholarships 

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog provided you with the key aspects of calculating the cost of studying in Germany. Providing quality education at null or lesser costs, the country has become a popular study destination for international student. If you are planning to study in Germany and don’t know where to start, reach out to our experts at Leverage Edu and we’ll guide you in selecting a suitable course and university as well as throughout the admission process to get you successfully shortlisted.