Choose your Education
Germany’s institutions of higher education are internationally accredited – according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), 6 of the top 100 and 18 of the top 200 universities in the world are German. In Germany, you can generally study for free at public universities. There are 400 public universities in Germany, which are attended by 95% of the university student population, and there are more than 1,000 study programmes in total.
- Do you want to study in the city or in the country?
- Do you want to study at a small or large college or university?
- Is it important that you live somewhere warm or cold?
- What level qualification do you want? (certificate, diploma, degree etc). You will probably find that the course you want to study is offered at several places in Germany.
- You will also need to consider the institution’s academic entrance requirements, as each college or university and each course has its own standards. If you don’t have enough Standard German, you will need to think about German Language too.
Tuition Fee
Public Universities
If you choose to study in Germany, you’ll be happy to know that public universities don’t charge tuition fees for Bachelor’s and Master ‘s programs (unless you’re planning to pursue a Master’s degree that focuses on a topic other than the one you’ve been studying as a Bachelor’s). Given the fact that there are no tuition fees you have to pay for, Germany’s universities charge a small amount of money for administrative costs, student union and public transport. This payment is called “semester contribution” and is paid at the beginning of each semester with a price that hardly reach €300. The only exception is the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, which, at the end of 2017, reintroduced tuition fees of €3,000/year for non-EU/EEA students.
Private Universities
At German private universities, tuition costs can reach €26,000/year for a Bachelor’s degree and €40,000/year for a Master’s.
Below is a list of averaged tuition fees in Germany private universities:
• Bard College Berlin – €28,700
• CODE University of Applied Sciences – €9,800
• EBC Hochschule – €10,000
• Friedensau Adventist University – €1,200 – €4,900
• GISMA Business School – €3,000 – €33,000
• Hertie School of Governance – €32,500
• Munich Business School – €24,000
• SRH Hochschule Berlin – €10,000
• WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management – €15,000
• University of Applied Sciences Europe – €1,400
• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich – €258/year
• Heidelberg University – €20,000/year
• Technical University of Munich – €258/year
• Humboldt University of Berlin – no tuition fees
German Language
German language level is a major determinant of your studying experience abroad in Germany. At university, you’ll attend lectures and participated in discussions where your ability to understand what is being said and express your opinions freely is very much needed. In regard, you need to achieve an outstanding level of German language (or English if your course is conducted in the English language) when studying in Germany as an international student. Applying to private language schools is easy, all you have to do is fill out an application form on the school’s website, and you don’t even need to submit your grades. Everyone is welcome, regardless of your background and language level. The only obstacles are that you have to be able to pay for your course and get a visa to your country of study.
Below is the list of the top language schools in German:
– German courses in Berlin
– German courses in Munich
– German courses in Frankfurt
– German courses in Hamburg
– German courses in Cologne
Education Providers
- Universities (Universität)
- Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen)
- Colleges of art / music (Kunsthochschule/Musikhochschule)
The distinctive feature of universities and higher education institutions with comparable responsibilities is their emphasize on academic teaching and research. Additionally, almost all universities have the "Promotionsrecht", which implies a doctorate degree can be attained there.
Universities typically offer the most extensive studies of all higher education institutions, including medicine, law, theology, natural sciences and humanities, social sciences, social sciences, business sciences, mathematics, computer science, engineering, agriculture and forestry, etc.
These institutions offer the whole range of academic disciplines focus heavily on social sciences and humanities.
Some (private) universities focus on a certain range of topics in their course catalogue, for example, medical universities, veterinary universities and sports universities. Some universities offer cooperative studies.
- Universities of technology/technical universities
- Universities of the Federal Armed Forces
- Medical universities/schools
- Veterinary medical universities/schools
- Sports universities
- Universities of education
These institutions, which are unique in Baden-Württemberg, offer trainings for teachers at elementary schools, secondary modern schools, craft schools and Realschulen as well as special needs schools. For the education of teachers at grammar schools as well as teachers at vocational college, the pedagogic institutions cooperate with universities and universities of applied sciences.
Universität, Würzburg
German universities of applied sciences or “Fachhochschulen” are independent higher education institutions providing practically-oriented and responsive teaching and research programs, towards labour market needs. These institutions are mainly self-sustained, and some of them are publicly funded.
The key distinction feature of German universities of applied sciences is inclusion of a paid practical training (practical job) “Praxissemester” in the study program. Such trainings are carried in premises of private businesses or public institutions/administrations aimed at placing the student closer to the labour market needs.
Teaching professors in Fachhochschulen, despite being academics, have a strong background of professional experience in the labour market, out of the academia.
German Universities of applied sciences offer the following study courses:
- Agricultural economy
- Design
- Technology
- Business
- Social work
German colleges of art and music are higher education institutions delivering study courses for education of the future artists or musicians, including teachers of art or music. Some of these institutions teach all art subjects and some others only certain study subjects of such area. These institutions offer studies for artistic careers in fine arts, performing arts and music; in such fields as directing, production, writing in theatre, film, and other media; and in a variety of design areas, architecture, media and communication.
German colleges or art and music offer the following study courses:
- Visual, design and performing arts
- Film, television and media
- Fine arts
- Art history and art pedagogy
- History and teaching of music
- Media and communication
- Digital media
- Church maintained Colleges and Private Universities
- Public Universities
- 6. Dual universities
These institutions are run either by the Catholic or the Protestant group. Male and female students can get training to be a pastor or a teacher in three universities run by the protestant church.The significant part of private colleges is that students pay at least a part or even free of charge of their tuition fees.
Some of the important Church financed and private universities:
- Jacobs University Bremen
- International School of Management (ISM) in Dortmund
- Provadis School of International Management and Technology in Frankfurt/Main
- The Bucerius Law School in Hamburg
- The Europa Fachhochschule Fresenius University of Applied Sciences, Campus Cologne
List of Universities in Germany for International Students that are Tuition-Free:
- Technical University of Munich
- Ludwig Maximilians University
- Heidelberg University
- Karlsruher Institute of Technology
- Humboldt University of Berlin
- Free University of Berlin
- RWTH University
- Technical University of Berlin
- University of Tubingen
- Albert Ludwig University
- Georg-Augusta University of Göttingen
- University of Hamburg
- University of Bonn
- Goethe University
- University of Stuttgart
- Darmstadt University of Technology
- TU Dresden
A cooperative study programme gives you the opportunity to link your academic training more closely to your entry into professional life. If you like "learning by doing", are highly motivated, have a good knowledge of German and want to progress quickly into employment, the dual university is the right place for you. Universities of applied sciences and universities of cooperative education, as well as individual universities, offer these types of degree course.
If you choose a cooperative studies course, you will also have to sign a contract with a company. The training then usually takes place at two separate locations: on the company's premises and at the higher education institution.
Popular Majors in the Germany:
• Medicine and Dentistry
• Law
• Industrial Engineering
• Engineering
• Mathematics and Computer Science
• Natural Sciences
• Business and Economics
• Architecture
• Psychology
• Earth Science
• Political and Social Sciences
• Teaching
• Philosophy and the Humanities
• Design
• And many more
Length of Courses
The following is a guide only. Each course and each college or university may be slightly different:
Bachelor’s Degree 3-4 years
Master’s Degree 1-2 years
PhD 2-5 years
How to Apply
Make your Decision
Once you have read through the information on the Popular Education website, you must consider:
• What kind of course you would like to study.
• What level qualification you would like to study.
• In which Germany city or town you would like to live and study.
Generally, in order to apply, you will need to provide details of your previous study, including copies of qualifications you already have. If your degree programme is entirely in German, then you will be required to provide proof of German language proficiency (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang (DSH) or TestDaF). Alternatively, if your course is taught in English, you will be required to have proof of your level of English (e.g. IELTS or TOEFL) as well as the name of the person responsible for paying your tuition fees.
Consult with Us
Contact us and send us information about your educational needs and goals.
• We will then give you free counseling via email and will advise you of your choices and opportunities in Germany.
• When you have decided on a particular university, college or school, Popular Education will help you make an application. We will advise you of the academic and German/English language requirements as well as other documentation you need to provide with your application.
• When you are accepted into a course, Popular Education will advise you and send you a Letter of Offer from your school, college or university.
• You must read the Letter of Offer and understand any conditions such as upgrading your German/English language skills. You will be asked to pay the first semester tuition fees as well as the compulsory medical insurance fee (if applicable) to pay for any medical or hospital treatment which you may need during your stay in Germany.
We Guide You All The Way!
• When we receive your fees, we will send you a Letter of Acceptance. You need the Letter of Offer, Letter of Acceptance and receipt for your first semester’s (or first year’s) tuition fees to apply for your student visa for Germany.
• Popular Education will give you advice about how you make a visa application. You will be asked to have a medical examination in order to get your student visa, and your doctor will fill out information on special forms.
• After all this, you will be told if your visa application is successful. The length of your student visa will be the same length as your course in Germany.
• Popular Education can assist you arrange homestay accommodation and we will tell you when you should arrive in Germany to start your studies.
Student Visa
Popular Education will give you advice about how to apply for your visa. To be given your visa, you will need to show the following:
• Letter of Confirmation of Enrolment from the school, college or university
• Letter of Offer Receipt showing you have paid your tuition fees Valid passport
• Medical report showing your good health
• Biometric Appointment and Interview Appointment
You should be aware of the conditions of your visa:
• You must leave the Germany when your visa has expired
• Your visa is not valid for permanent residency of the Germany
• You must satisfy course requirements and continue your enrolment
• You can work up to 20 hours a week during term time and up to 40 hours a week in the holidays.
Insurance
You will need health insurance if you want to study at Germany. International students are not eligible to enroll at German higher education institutions without it, so it’s a good idea to address the insurance problem early. Considering that Germany has signed social insurance agreements with the Member States of the European Union, the European Economic Area and other states, some international students’ statutory health insurance is also valid for medically necessary treatment (emergency care) during their stay in Germany. If you are not covered by a recognised health insurance provider in Germany, you will have to take out insurance here.
The statutory health insurance providers in Germany are obligated to offer an affordable tariff for students up to 29 years of age or until the end of their 14th subject-related semester. Students who reach the age of 30 while studying in Germany and who are not insured for at least 12 months in the student tariff cannot switch to the statutory health insurance for students. The student tariff comes to around €110 a month and is available until you are 30 years old or have completed your 14th subject-related semester. Tariffs vary because each health insurance provider can levy individual additional contributions. Your health insurance covers the cost of check-ups, treatment for illness or after an accident, and certain medications. General costs for hospital stays are also covered.
For more information on the various health insurance providers, click here.