How much does it cost to study in Germany for international students?

Studying in Germany is definitely reasonable. Even if you don’t have to pay a tuition fee to study in Germany you will certainly have to spend on other factors to secure yourself as a student while studying in Germany. Thus, you can expect a regular expenditure of € 860 in Germany as an international student.

Is education totally free in Germany?

No! Even if students are not paying any tuition fee in public universities in Germany, they are still required to pay a fee in the form of semester contribution or administrative fee.

Is living in Germany expensive for students?

As compared to other study abroad destinations such as the UK and US, Germany is relatively less expensive. To have a hassle free experience while studying in Germany, it is important to have a safe funding plan. You can seek help from an expert or a peer who is familiar with the process of study abroad. It is best to seek guidance from someone who has done their educational research or is studying abroad to let you in on private insights. Facts about how easy or difficult it is to find a job or repay the education loan etc will help you choose the right thing for you.

Total Expenses to Study in Germany: Tuition Fees in Germany for International Students & Germany Education Cost

If you are aspiring to study abroad, someone would have certainly advised you to go to Germany to study for free. However, is that really true? Do international students really get free education in Germany? Well, let’s take the lid off the topic and check out what is the actual cost of studying in Germany. Studying in Germany is definitely cheaper as compared to other countries. The exclusion of Germany tuition fees has amped up the number of international students studying in the country. In this blog, we help you understand the actual costs of studying in Germany. Find out what you need to pay for and where!

Table Of Contents

Germany Education Cost: What will you spend while studying in Germany?
Cost of Living & Other Expenses for Studying in Germany
Total Cost of Studying In Germany
Financing Your Education: What are some of the ways you can finance your studies?

Germany Education Cost: What will you spend while studying in Germany?

Making an expense plan for Germany is a smart decision. Knowing exactly how much you will be spending in Germany will keep you prepared well in advance.

The cost of studying in Germany for Indian students and other international students depends upon the type of university and course you opt for.

Germany Public University Fees

You will not have any sort of Germany university fees for public institutions. However, in some cases, there might be a small enrollment fee that you might have to pay every semester. This enrollment fee usually ranges between €250 - €350.

Here is a quick look at the Germany university fees for the top public institutions-

University	Average Fees per year
Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich	€ 300
Technical University of Munich	€258
Humboldt University Berlin	€685 - € 1000
Technical University of Berlin	€ 308
Free University of Berlin	€ 311.99
RWTH Aachen University	€ 1095

Germany Private University Fees

While public universities are very affordable, the story for students studying in a private university is different. Tuition fees in Germany for international students studying at a private university can cost anywhere between €25,000 - €40,000, depending on your course. MBAs and Engineering courses are usually the most expensive.

Have a quick look at the Germany university fees for private colleges -

University	Average Fees per year
University of Applied Sciences Europe	€ 1,400
GISMA Business School	€ 20,000
SRH Hochschule Berlin	€ 10,000
CODE University of Applied Sciences	€ 9800
Munich Business School	€ 24,000
EBC Hochschule	€ 10,000
Bard College Berlin	€ 29,700

Variations in German Education Fee with Regions

In 2014, 16 German states abolished tuition fees in public universities for both domestic and international students. However, in 2017, the state of Baden-Württemberg reintroduced tuition fees for non-EU students.

Students in the state of Baden-Württemberg are required to pay €3,000 per year for pursuing a degree at any of the public universities.

Cost of Living & Other Expenses for Studying in Germany

Spending on Germany College fees is one of your main expenditures. Apart from your tuition fees in Germany for international students, you will also have to bear the cost of living and other additional costs. Let us take a look -

Living Cost In Germany for Students

Your cost of living includes various factors of living such as the accommodation, commute cost etc. This is the money you will have to keep aside every month to survive in Germany.

Maintaining your cost of living in Germany will include:

Accommodation: Spending money on your rent is one of your major expense in Germany. The cost of living in Germany varies from city to city and the type of accommodation you live in. The cheapest accommodation can range from €450 - €550. Whereas, if you live in a city like Munich, your rent might come up to € 900-€1200 per month.
Transportation: Germany is very well connected and commuting around the cities is quite reasonable. Bus tickets range from €1-€2 and the train charges range from €19-€40, depending on the distance you are travelling.
Food: If you cook often while studying in Germany, you will be able to save a lot of money as a student. Restaurants in Germany are expensive and thus, eating regular meals from a restaurant wouldn’t be feasible as a student. Therefore, if you cook, you will spend around € 50 - € 75 per month on food.
Shopping: Shopping clothes, shoes, bags and everything else you would love to possess is a part of your student life. You will obviously be excited to shop in Germany. However, the tricky part of shopping as a student is that you need to budget yourself well and so, you will have to set aside at least €100-€150 per month for shopping. This way you will be able to shop without worrying about going overboard with your expenses in Germany.

Other Expenses for Students Studying in Germany

Students in Germany will also have to incur additional Germany education cost such as the German Blocked Bank account, student visa fees and health insurance charges.

Health Insurance: To have health insurance covering your health emergencies in Germany is important. The authorities check if you have insurance before you take off. Therefore, this is another essential you will have to spend while studying in Germany. Generally health insurance plans for students cost €80 - €150 per month.
Blocked Bank Account: International students have to open a German blocked account. Students are required to show that they have enough funds to survive in Germany for a year. It is mandatory to show about $10,000 for a year. You will be allowed to withdraw €895 per month for a year.
Student Visa: After you complete all the necessary formalities, you will have to spend for your student visa. To get a German student visa, your university acceptance letter, blocked account details, health insurance, loan documents and marks sheets need to be submitted. It will take about 25-30 days to get your student visa by paying about €60 - €75.

Total Cost of Studying In Germany

As you will look into your expenses for Germany, let’s look at the sum of Germany cost of studying. The table below shows how much you will spend on what respective factors:

Expense	Cost per month
Germany College Fees	€ 250
German blocked bank account	€ 10,332
Health insurance	€ 80
Student Visa	€ 70
Cost of living	€ 1000+
Total Expenses To Study In Germany	€ 11,732

As mentioned above, you will be spending around €11,000+ to study in Germany. However, remember that you will be paying the charges of the German blocked account and the student visa only once. You will also be drawing the blocked amount in the first year of your studies in Germany.

Therefore, the regular cost of living and cost of studying in Germany for a student sums up to € 850 - € 1200, based on the city you choose to live in. Therefore, the cost of studying in Germany for Indian students would be 72,000 1,00,000 INR per month.

This video will walk you through the best courses and colleges in Germany, along with the reasons to study in Germany for Indian students!

Financing Your Education: What are some of the ways you can finance your studies?

In order to cover your expenses while studying in Germany helps you live a struggle-free life. Wisely planning your expenses for Germany will help you understand how much you can afford to spend and the amount you need to earn in Germany as a student to make ends meet. Here are different ways to finance your education in Germany:

1. Personal Savings

One of the ways you can finance your Germany education cost is by using your personal savings. Most students take up their masters in Germany after working for a year or two. So, if you have saved or are planning to work, you can save money for a year or two to study in Germany.

2. Education loan

The most common way of covering Germany education cost is by taking an education loan. And here's the good news, student loans for Germany are easily available and have a low interest rate to repay. You can also remain stress free about repaying the loan as you need to repay your loan after six months of completing your studies.

3. Part-time jobs

To manage your everyday expenses in Germany, you can also take up part-time to support yourself. You are allowed to work for 20 hrs/week in Germany. Students are paid the daily wage amount while working in Germany. You can earn upto €450 per month working part time.