Germany

Tuition

At public universities, Bachelor's and consecutive Master's programmes are generally tuition-free for both EU/EEA and non-EU students, but two states charge non-EU/EEA students beyond the general semester contribution. Baden-Württemberg has, since the 2017/18 winter semester, applied a state-wide fee of EUR 1,500 per semester to non-EU/EEA students without a German higher-education entrance qualification, under its Landeshochschulgebührengesetz (state higher education fees act). In Bavaria, by contrast, each higher education institution decides independently whether to charge non-EU/EEA students and how much; where a fee is charged it can run to several thousand euros per semester. The Technical University of Munich (TUM), for example, has charged newly enrolled non-EU/EEA students since the 2024/25 winter semester, usually EUR 2,000 or EUR 3,000 per semester for Bachelor's programmes and EUR 4,000 or EUR 6,000 per semester for Master's programmes, exact amounts depending on the programme; students with a German higher-education entrance qualification, a prior degree from a German university, an established domestic connection, doctoral candidates and exchange students are generally exempt. Regardless of nationality, all students additionally pay a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) of roughly EUR 70 to EUR 430 per semester, covering administration, student services and often a regional public-transport ticket; private universities and some non-consecutive Master's or further-education programmes charge separate, institution-specific tuition on top of this. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Visa

National (category D) study visa, followed by a residence permit for study purposes (Section 16b of the Residence Act) issued by the local foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) — 140 full workdays per year (or 280 half-days). ^{[4] [5]}

Applications

For programmes starting in the winter semester (October), applications via uni-assist or directly with the university are typically due around 15 July; for the summer semester (April) the typical deadline is around 15 January. Many universities and uni-assist itself also set earlier, institution-specific deadlines, and admission-restricted subjects such as medicine run on their own schedule through hochschulstart.de, so the relevant university's own deadline should always be checked. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Application portals

• uni-assist e.V.
• hochschulstart.de (Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung)

Language

Deutsch. German is the primary language of instruction, but Germany also has one of Europe's largest offerings of English-taught programmes: DAAD's "International Programmes" database lists well over 1,800 bachelor's, master's and PhD programmes, plus preparatory and language courses, taught fully or partly in English at German higher education institutions. ^[9]

Health insurance

Health insurance is compulsory for every student in Germany and must be proven at enrolment. Most students join the statutory system (GKV), which offers students under 30 (or below their 14th subject-semester) a reduced student rate of about EUR 120–130 per month; from age 30, or in later semesters, students pay the standard, higher contribution or may switch to private insurance (PKV), which is often cheaper for older students but harder to switch back from. Statutory health insurance from another EU/EEA country can be recognised via the European Health Insurance Card plus a confirmation of exemption from German statutory insurance. This is general guidance, not individual insurance or legal advice. ^[10]

Universities

• Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), München ^{[11] [12]}
• Technische Universität München (TUM), München ^{[11] [13]}
• Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg ^{[11] [14]}
• RWTH Aachen University, Aachen ^{[11] [15]}
• Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Bonn ^{[11] [16]}

Scholarships

• DAAD-Stipendiendatenbank (DAAD Scholarship Database) — DAAD's central scholarship database bundles the funding programmes of the DAAD, German ministries, foundations and other organisations for international students, graduates, doctoral candidates and researchers who want to study or do research in Germany; individual programmes differ in subject focus, degree level and eligible countries of origin. ^[17]
• Deutschlandstipendium — A merit-based, income-independent national scholarship of EUR 300 per month, funded in equal parts by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and private sponsors, paid for at least two semesters and up to the standard duration of study. Around 33,000 students received it in 2024. It is open to students at state or state-recognised German higher education institutions, including international students. ^[18]
• Erasmus+ — The EU's programme for education, training, youth and sport funds study or traineeship mobility periods at partner institutions, including exchange semesters in Germany, through grants that contribute to travel and living costs during the mobility period; exact grant amounts depend on the destination country group and the national or institutional agency administering the funds. ^[19]