University Tuition Fees and Living Costs in

Germany Low-Cost German Degrees Costs

and funding
19 Apr 2016 by

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Germany is a study destination that provides you with high rewards and world renowned
degrees. Top quality is one of the major characteristics of university programs of Germany,
whether they are undergraduate or postgraduate degrees. You can choose between learning in
English or German. However, there are high chances you will not pay tuition fees.

Below you will find all the information you need in order to calculate your budget for a study
programme in Germany. Check details about tuition fees, living costs and scholarship
opportunities in Germany.
1. Tuition fees in Germany

Public universities from Germany do not charge tuition fees for Bachelor and Master programs
(except if you plan to pursue a Master's degree that focuses on a different subject than the one
you studied as a Bachelor student). The free-tuition system is available for all international
students, regardless of their country of origin.

Compare Master's degree courses in Germany

Most of the German universities are public, so you will only have to pay an administration fee
which usually costs around 100 - 200 EUR/year. This fee covers the Student Organization
services and your enrolment. Also, you will have to re-enroll every semester and pay this tax.

There are exceptions to this rule, however. If you dont finish your degree course on time and
you study in Bremen, Lower Saxony, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt or Thuringia, you may
have to pay tuition fees.

Tuition fees at private universities

Private universities from Germany are financed from tuition fees, so some international students
will have to pay between 3,000 and 20,000 EUR/year. Fees are set depending on each university
and field of study, as some degrees such as engineering or business usually have higher tuition
compare to degrees in fields like education or social sciences, for instance.
Tuition-free universities for international students

Examples of free universities in Germany:

1. University of Hamburg

2. University of Bremen

3. University of Cologne

4. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

Tuition fees at top-ranked universities in Germany

Here is a list of average tuition fees at the top ranked German universities:

1. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich no tuition fees

2. Heidelberg University average tuition fees 6,000 EUR/year

3. Technical University of Munich average tuition fees 2,000 EUR/year

4. Humboldt University of Berlin no tuition fees

2. Student living costs in Germany

Germany is a pretty accessible country where you will need around 800 EUR/month, including
accommodation, which also is the largest expense you will have.
Larger cities: Berlin, Frankfurt or Dusseldorf total living costs of 800 950 EUR/month

Smaller cities: Freiburg, Leipzig or Hannover you will need 600 750 EUR/month.

Here is an estimate of monthly living costs and more about expenses for students in Germany.

Accommodation costs in Germany

Housing is the highest monthly expense you will have and it represents 34% of the total budget.
Cheaper options for international students are in residence halls or in shared private rental
apartments. You can also rent a single apartment. Below you will find the average
accommodation costs for a student in Germany:

Living alone: 363 EUR/month

Living with partner/child: 351/month

Living on-campus: 237 EUR/month

However, rooms in student residence halls are pretty difficult to secure, since only 11% of the
international students find on-campus accommodation, according to a European study. Also, 55%
of the students are satisfied with the accommodation in student halls.
Other costs associated with accommodation

If you rent an apartment in Germany, you will also have to pay for:

Utilities: around 200 EUR/month

Internet pass: around 24 EUR/month

Food costs

As a student in Germany, you will pay a bit below 100 EUR/month on food. Some of the
cheapest supermarkets you will find around the country are Aldi, Lidl and Netto.

If you wish to have dinner in a restaurant once in a while you will pay 10 EUR for food in a
cheap one. A three-course meal for two in an average restaurant costs 40 EUR and an additional
light drink will be 3 EUR.
Transportation costs

According to a DAAD study, around 10% of the total monthly student budget is spent on
transport.
 A public transport pass for students is between 30 and 60 EUR/month, depending on the
city.

You can easily get around with a bicycle throughout any city in Germany. Rates for
renting a bicycle are around 15-20 EUR/day.

Use Germanys Deutsche Bahn train system and visit any German city you want; fares
are between 20 and 70 EUR.

Funding & student support

The German state strongly supports higher education and finances the universities by covering
the tuition fees. In addition, the German government also includes programs of financial support
for students.

1. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is a programme of financial aid that
focuses on German and international students and researchers.

2. Deutschlandstipendium offers awards of 300 EUR/month for talented students for at

least two semesters.

Find more scholarship opportunities in Germany!