Study in Germany

Who this applies to

International (foreign) students at German universities. Germany is fairly centralized at the framework level (DAAD/uni-assist/anabin), though tuition and some rules vary by the 16 Länder (states).

Governing authority

Federal govt + 16 Länder; coordinated by KMK & HRK. Key bodies: DAAD (info + scholarships, daad.de); uni-assist (application clearinghouse for ~180 universities, uni-assist.de); anabin (foreign-credential recognition database).

Degree system

Bachelor 3–4 yrs (6–8 sem) · Master 1–2 yrs · PhD 3–5 yrs (research-based, often salaried, usually no tuition) · State exam (Staatsexamen) for medicine/law/teaching/pharmacy.

Undergraduate Admission

Entry Qualification

Requires a recognized university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB). If a foreign secondary diploma is not deemed equivalent, the applicant must attend a 1-year Studienkolleg (foundation course) and pass the Feststellungsprüfung (assessment exam), or pass a recognized alternative.

Where To Apply

Via uni-assist (most universities), directly to the university, or via hochschulstart.de for nationally-restricted subjects (e.g. medicine). Numerus clausus (NC) applies to some high-demand subjects.

Exams

No single national entrance exam; admission is on HZB/grades + program requirements. Recognition checked via anabin/uni-assist VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation).

Graduate Admission

Master

Recognized bachelor's in a relevant field; applied via uni-assist or directly; language proof; some programs require GRE/GMAT or a motivation letter + CV.

PhD

Secure a supervisor or join a structured doctoral program; recognized master's; research proposal; often a paid researcher contract rather than 'tuition'.

Language Requirements

German Taught

DSH-2, or TestDaF (TDN 4 in all parts), or telc C1 Hochschule, or Goethe-Zertifikat C2, or DSD II.

English Taught

IELTS ~6.5 or TOEFL iBT ~80–90 (set per program); growing number of English-taught Master's (and some Bachelor's).

Required documents

• Recognized secondary diploma / prior degree + certified translations
• Transcripts
• Language certificate (German and/or English)
• Passport
• CV + motivation letter (grad)
• uni-assist VPD / anabin recognition where required
• Proof of financing (blocked account)
• Health insurance proof

Tuition per year (international)

Public Universities

NO tuition fees for Bachelor's and consecutive Master's at public universities — for ALL students including internationals — EXCEPT the state of Baden-Württemberg, which charges non-EU/EEA students €1,500 per semester (~€3,000/yr). Some Länder also charge for a second degree or non-consecutive/specialized Master's.

Semester Contribution

All students pay a 'Semesterbeitrag' (semester contribution) of ~€100–€350/semester covering administration, student services, and often a public-transport ticket — this is NOT tuition.

Private Universities

€5,000–€20,000+/yr (and some specialized/international Master's at public unis charge €6,000–€15,000+).

Source

DAAD; uni-assist; Baden-Württemberg tuition law

Living Cost And Visa

Student visa & residence permit

Non-EU/EEA students need a national student visa, then a residence permit after arrival.

Blocked Account

Proof of funds via a blocked account (Sperrkonto) of ~€11,904/year (2024 figure, ~€992/month).

Living costs

~€900–€1,200/month depending on city (Munich highest).

Health Insurance

Mandatory; public student health insurance ~€120/month.

Scholarships

DAAD scholarships (flagship); Deutschlandstipendium (€300/month merit); Erasmus+; political/church foundation scholarships (e.g. Konrad Adenauer, Heinrich Böll). EU students enjoy the same (free) tuition status as Germans.

Sources & references

• framework/application/recognition — https://www.uni-assist.de/en/ (2026-06-10)
• tuition/living/blocked-account/scholarships — https://www.daad.de/en/ (Studying in Germany, DAAD) (2026-06-10)