Study in Germany: Tuition Fees & Scholarships

Public universities

As of 2014 German universities are fully funded by the German government, meaning that neither home nor international students pay tuition fees. Students need only to pay a fee of around 60-200 EUR per semester for administration, travel, and food facilities. This has greatly increased Germany’s population as a destination for studying abroad – it is now the world’s third-most popular destination for international study.

Private universities

Private institutions do not receive subsidization from the government and are therefore dependent on tuition fees. These are not regulated by the government and can cost up to 20,000 EUR per year. This fluctuates depending on the institution of study and chosen degree program – engineering or business degrees are usually higher in cost than social sciences, for instance.

Master’s programs

Master’s courses in Germany are either ‘consecutive’, meaning that they follow directly on from a related Bachelor’s degree, or ‘non-consecutive', meaning that they are standalone courses in a more specialized area. Consecutive courses are usually free of charge in Germany for home, EU, and international students. Non-consecutive Master’s courses can cost up to around 5000 EUR per year for public universities, and up to 30,000 EUR per year for private universities.

PhD programs

For the first six semesters of study, tuition fees do not apply for Doctorate programs at public universities. However, as with Master’s and Bachelor’s options, PhD students are required to make a contribution of no more than 300 EUR per semester.

Scholarships in Germany

For students who struggle to meet the financial criteria for their chosen degree, the Federal Student Financial Aid Program (Bundesausbildungsforderungsgesetz or BAfoG) can be accessed by both German nationals and EU students, as well as international students under some circumstances. Half of this takes the form of a state-grant and the other half is an interest-free loan that is gradually paid back.