Usually, fees aren’t charged for international students to study in public universities in Germany. In fact, Germany is one of those few nations in Europe that allows you to study for free, no matter which country you originate from. The Germans uphold the idea that education shouldn’t be commercialized. They believe that offering free access to higher education will ensure the growth of the economy and the welfare of the entire population.
Despite offering tuition for courses for free in public German universities, the high quality of education is kept intact. This is one of the factors that makes German universities ranked among the top world universities.
However, in private universities and certain particular public universities in some specific locations, you will have to pay tuition fees. Also, consecutive study programs in German universities charge tuition fees, even if they are public universities. In certain cities like Karlsruhe, Stuttgart, Freiburg, Mannheim, and Heidelberg, per semester fees are set at EUR1,500.
It’s also seen that some federal states in Germany may charge tuition fees of EUR500 to EUR650 per semester if pursuing a secondary degree is your goal.
Here are a few other expenses that an international student typically incurs in Germany:
|
Item of expense |
Average cost per month (in Euros) |
|
Food and drink |
200 to 250 |
|
Rent and utilities |
300 to 500 |
|
Phone and internet |
30 |
|
Health insurance |
100 |
|
Leisure and hobbies |
50 to 100 |