Free Education in Germany: How to Study in Germany for Free

When it comes to achieving study abroad dreams within a budget, Germany appears as one of the most popular countries. Every year hundreds of international students wish to get free education in Germany. With no tuition fees at most public universities and affordable living costs, Germany offers a unique opportunity for students to receive top-tier education at one of the best education systems in the world without the financial burden. If you also want to take advantage of free education in Germany for international students, you are in the right place. In this blog, you will read all about how to study in Germany for free, requirements, and tuition free universities in Germany. Let’s begin. 

Can I Study in Germany for Free?

Although it can be difficult to study in Germany for free, the costs are significantly less than in other countries. According to NUMBEO, the cost of living in Germany is 10.8% lower than in the United States and 7.1% lower than in the UK. 

In other words, while studying in Germany is not completely free, the low or no tuition fees at public universities, along with available scholarships and financial aid options, make it a very affordable destination for international students. 

Moreover, even if you choose to study in any of the tuition free universities in Germany, you will still have to pay a small administrative fee, called “Semesterbeitrag,” ranging from EUR 150 to EUR 350 per semester for student services. Similarly, you will have to pay other costs of studying in Germany such as accommodation, transportation, and food.

Why Study in Germany for Free?

Germany has become a sought-after destination for international students, offering quality education at minimal or no tuition fees. With top-ranked universities, state-of-the-art facilities, and a multicultural environment, Germany provides an excellent platform for academic and professional growth.

• Offering an unconventional blend of professional training and research in academics, the universities in Germany are lauded for incorporating sophisticated teaching methods and making use of cutting-edge technology in the educational process. 
• Students worldwide see Germany as a potential destination for studying various courses in different disciplines. The unique specializations and a healthy study environment make it a viable choice for pursuing overseas education.
• Students often are sceptical about the quality of free education in Germany but the educational institutes of the country are constantly ranked amongst the top universities in the world. 
• Public universities in Germany offer the advantage of a multicultural environment, taking your educational experience to the next level without paying anything or a minimum value. The only charges that you need to pay are Administration, enrolment, and confirmation fees.
• If eligible, you can avail of scholarships for international students to study in Germany. This not only reduces your costs but makes living abroad a lot easier.

How to Study in Germany for Free?

In this section, you will find different ways to study in Germany for free as an international student. If you are still unsure which is the right path for you, feel free to reach out Leverage Edu for a quick call with our study abroad experts.

Choose Universities Providing Free Education in Germany

There are almost 3000+ universities and educational institutions that exist in Germany and some of them are either giving free education to international students (no tuition fees) or are charging very low to bare minimum administrative/service fees. 

Universities giving free education in Germany	Location
University of Cologne	Cologne
Ludwig Maximilians University Munich	Munich
Goethe University Frankfurt	Frankfurt
Universität Hamburg	Hamburg
University of Erlangen-Nuremberg	Erlangen
Technical University of Munich	Munich
Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg	Würzburg
RWTH Aachen University	Aachen
University of Münster	Münster
Ruhr University Bochum	Bochum
University of Duisburg-Essen	Duisburg and Essen

Apply for Scholarships to Study in Germany for Indian Students

Along with having a multitude of public universities providing courses with no tuition fees, Germany has also a varied range of scholarships on offer for students across the globe. Here is a list of prominent scholarships through which you can minimise the costs and to an extent, get free education in Germany:

• DAAD Scholarship Programs (For master’s and doctorate courses)
• Deutschland Stipendium National Scholarship Programme (For all programs)
• The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship (Doctorate programs)
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarships in Germany for International Students (Postgraduate, doctorate and research programs)
• Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships (Undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate programs)
• Erasmus Scholarship Programs (1-year exchange programs) 
• Humboldt Research Fellowships for Postdoctoral Researchers
• Bayer Foundation Scholarships (Fellowships in Medical Science, Biology, Chemistry, Agricultural Science, Non-academic professions)

How to Study in Germany for Free?

Accessing free education in Germany requires careful planning. To make sure you take full advantage of the opportunities available, here’s a step-by-step guide to studying for free in Germany:

Step 1: Choose the Right University

Most of the tuition-free education in Germany is offered at public universities. On the other hand, private universities may charge higher tuition fees. 

Step 2: Meet the Admission Requirements

Next, you need to meet the admission requirements as it can be pretty competitive. Although it may differ university to university, here are some general requirements to get free education in Germany:

• Academic Qualifications: For undergraduate programs, you need a recognized secondary school diploma equivalent to the German Abitur. For postgraduate programs, you’ll need to have a recognized Bachelor’s degree.
• Language Proficiency: If your course is in German, you’ll need to prove your German language skills by passing a test like TestDaF or DSH. Similarly, you need IELTS or TOEFL scores for English programs. 
• Visa Requirements: Non-EU students will need to apply for a student visa. To secure this, you need proof of admission to a university, health insurance, and more. 
• Entrance Examinations and Pre-Qualification: Some programs might require specific entrance exams (e.g., for medical degrees or engineering). Make sure to check the specific entry requirements for your chosen program.

Step 3: Apply for Scholarships and Financial Aid

Even though tuition is free, you’ll still need to cover your living costs. Scholarships and financial aid can help ease this financial burden. You can go for university-specific scholarships or government scholarships as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. 

Step 4: Plan Your Budget for Living Expenses

While tuition is free, you’ll still need to plan for accommodation, food, transportation, health insurance, and other costs of living in Germany. 

Types of Programs Available for Free Education in Germany

Now that you know how to study in Germany for free, let’s take a look at courses for international students. This will also give you an idea about the average cost of studying in Germany for international students despite the tuition-free criteria. More than 17,000 study programs are offered across 380 universities out of which 300 universities offer free education in Germany. Whether you want to study STEM courses, Humanities or Arts and short term job oriented courses after graduation, Germany offers it all.

1. Although you can study for free as an undergraduate at public German institutions, there is a fee every semester for enrolling, confirmation, and administration. This is usually between €250 (INR 22,148) and €500 (INR 44,297) every semester, although it varies depending on the university.

2. Master’s degrees at German institutions, on the other hand, are typically free if they are classified as “consecutive“. In other words, they start immediately after a comparable bachelor’s degree obtained in Germany. There is once again a modest fee every semester for enrollment, confirmation, and administration, as well as a Semesterticket.

3. Tuition prices for “non-consecutive” master’s degrees, for individuals who earned their bachelor’s degree elsewhere in the globe, vary by university and can range from €20,000 (INR 17,71,912) to €30,000 (INR 26,57,868) per year at public institutions and up to €30,000 at private German universities. 

4. Tuition at the Ph.D. level is once again free at all German institutions — at least for the first six semesters. Ph.D. students, like all other levels of study, are expected to make a semester contribution of no more than €250 or so for administration and other expenditures.

Student Visa for Free Education in Germany

In Germany, applicants need a residence permit or student visa for Germany if they remain for over 90 days as a student. Candidates would be needed to demonstrate to the immigration officer that they have sufficient funds in a Blocked Account for one year, as previously indicated. The monthly payment would be €800 (INR 70876) to €900 (INR 79736) or €10,000 (INT 885956) to €11,000 (INR 974551) per year. A student’s residency permit is valid for a maximum of two years. If the course lasts longer than the specified two years, it must be renewed. After receiving your university admission letter and successfully applying for a German Student Visa, the next and last step is to go to Germany to follow your aspirations and dreams. 

Cost of Living in Germany for International Students

Although there are ways through which you can study in Germany for free or at low costs, you still need to bear other costs of living. For instance, if you prefer to choose a fully-funded scholarship to study for free in Germany, your financial aid may not cover accommodation, transportation, food, etc. Thus, it is important to consider these expenses when planning to study abroad.

Parameter	Cost of Living in Germany (in EUR)
Cappuccino	3.45
One-way Ticket	3.10
Taxi 1km	2.20
Basic utilities like electricity, heating, cooling, water	302.59
1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre	888.75
1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of Centre	670.58

Is Education Free in Germany for Indian Students? [BONUS]

There is a multitude of public universities in Germany that avail free education with no tuition fees but minimal administrative costs. For Indian students, free education in Germany can be accessed by opting for these public institutions though the criteria are quite complex to fulfil. Further, an administrative fee of 200 EUR-500 EUR (16,750-41,800 INR) annually is only needed for admissions into public universities while private academic institutions also charge quite a minimal tuition-fee amount of somewhere between 3000 – 20,000 EUR/year (2,50,500-16,70,300 INR) which varies as per the course and university. However, studying business, medicine or engineering degrees from private universities prove to be quite a little costly as compared to social science programs.

List of Top Public Universities in Germany (BONUS)

When it comes to offering world-class education, German universities have etched their name in the list of best universities including that in QS World University rankings 2022. Here is the list of top universities offering free education in Germany:

• Munich University of Applied Sciences
• Bundeswehr University Munich
• Albert Ludwig University
• Karlsruher Institute of Technology
• Dresden University of Technology
• University of Hamburg
• University of Bonn
• RWTH Aachen University 
• Technical University of Munich
• Heidelberg University
• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
• University of Tubingen
• Darmstadt University of Technology
• Free University of Berlin
• University of Stuttgart
• Technical University of Berlin
• Goethe University
• Humboldt University of Berlin
• University of Cologne
• Universität Jena
• Ulm University
• Goethe University Frankfurt
• University of Münster
• Passau University
• Dresden University of Technology
• Magdeburg University
• TU Kaiserslautern

Why Germany Provides Free Education?

Now you may be wondering, is university education free in Germany? So, the answer is ‘in a way.’ Tuition fees are charged by universities almost everywhere in Europe and across the world, even if just from foreign students who come to study there. Germany is one of the few nations in Europe where you may study for free, regardless of your nationality.

In general, Germans think that education should not be viewed as a commodity. It is rather looked at or viewed as a necessity and a basic right of all human beings. Germans believe that free access to higher education promotes economic progress and wellbeing for the whole population. There was legislation in the past that allowed public institutions to charge very cheap tuition rates of 1,000 euros each year. However, in recent years, German administrations have recognized the economic and social benefits of immigration.

Germany wants the brightest brains to come to the nation to study, and preferably to stay and work after graduation. As a result, there are no general tuition costs for overseas students who are coming to Germany for free or affordable overseas education. But there are other expenses like accommodation, travel, etc but as tuition fees are the highest charges that students pay, a large burden is reduced by studying in Germany.

FAQs

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This blog was all about free education in Germany. Do you still have any doubts about how to apply to these universities to secure scholarships? Worry not. Get in touch with Leverage Edu and our study abroad experts will provide end-to-end assistance over a phone call. From finding the right university to securing loans, accommodation, and scholarships, Leverage Edu has got you covered. Don’t hesitate. Reach out today and start your journey.