867 Euros a Month in Living Costs

867 euros a month is, on average, what you will need to cover your living costs as a student in Germany. You can expect to pay the following:

  • a semester fee
  • living costs (rent, food, clothing, books, telephone etc)
  • health insurance
  • and – depending on the German state in which you are located – tuition fees
 
 
 
 
 

Tuition Fees

As a rule, state higher education institutions do not charge tuition fees for Bachelor’s or many Master’s degree courses. In a few German states you are charged fees for a second degree course, or if you do not complete your study programme within a certain period.

Exception: The state of Baden-Württemberg introduced tuition fees of 1,500 euros per semester (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Diplom, Staatsexamen) for non-EU citizens in the winter semester 2017/18. The fees do not apply to doctoral students. Students who were already enrolled before the charges were introduced can also complete their degree programmes without incurring tuition fees.

Certain Master’s programmes and online degree programmes do charge tuition fees – and they can be high. In some exceptional cases you might have to pay more than 10,000 euros per semester. Private higher education institutions mostly charge very high tuition fees.

In Germany, the amount of tuition fees does not reflect the quality of the education provided. Degree programmes that are free of charge are also of very high quality.

 

Scholarship Programmes for Students

There are many ways of funding your studies in Germany. The DAAD offers scholarship programmes for German and foreign undergraduates, postgraduate students, as well as researchers.

International students can also apply for scholarships from political or business-linked foundations or religious organizations.

Please note that it is rarely possible to get funding from the DAAD and most other institutions for your entire programme of study — from your first to your last semester. Generally, scholarships are not awarded to students who are just starting out. The selection criteria are very exacting. You have no general entitlement to a scholarship.

 

Erasmus+

There are special exchange programmes for students from each one of the 27 EU states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Turkey and Macedonia. The Erasmus+ scheme is one example.

The project supports people who want to study or do an internship abroad. While internships can last from two months to a year, study placements last from three to 12 months. Under Erasmus+ you can also apply for a total of 12 months’ funding for each academic stage (Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctorate). You will receive a grant on a monthly basis. Your home university will determine how much you will receive, according to European Commission guidelines. Erasmus+ students are also exempt from paying tuition fees at the higher education institution that they are visiting abroad.

You can receive information and advice about the various options, application processes and application deadlines at the international office of your university and .