Independent guides to living and studying in Europe
Study in Europe · Germany
STUDY IN GERMANY · BEST FOR ANY FIELD
Study in Germany. Pay no tuition.
Public universities across Germany charge no tuition, for any nationality, at bachelor’s and master’s level, and graduates get one of the best post-study work visas anywhere.
Tuition
€0 at public universities
Blocked account
€11,904 a year
Living costs
€850–1,100 a month
After graduating
18 months to find a job
WHY GERMANY
Free tuition, world-class universities and an 18-month job-seeker visa.
Nine German universities sit in the global top 100, and there are over 2,000 English-taught degree programmes, mostly at master’s level.
Bachelor’s degrees are largely taught in German, so budget six months to a year to reach C1 (TestDaF or DSH).
WHERE TO STUDY
- Berlin Largest student population, strong tech and startup scene.
- Munich TU Munich and LMU. Higher cost of living.
- Leipzig, Dresden, Bochum Strong universities, meaningfully lower living costs.
WHAT IT COSTS
The tuition really is zero. The living costs really are not.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition, most public universities | €0 |
| Baden-Württemberg, non-EU students | €1,500 a semester |
| Semester contribution | €150–350, usually with a transport pass |
| Private universities | €10,000–20,000 a year |
| Living costs | €850–1,100 a month |
| Health insurance | About €120 a month |
All in: Roughly €12,000 a year must sit in a blocked account before the visa is granted. For most families that, not tuition, is the real hurdle.
THE HONEST PART
Two steps most guides skip.
- APS certificate. Applicants from India and several other countries must have documents verified before a visa. Start before you have an offer.
- Studienkolleg. A 12-year school qualification is often not equivalent to the Abitur, so a one-year preparatory course may come first.
- Work rights are capped. About 140 full or 280 half days a year. Do not build a budget on it.
Germany suits you if
- You can raise the blocked-account sum
- Your child is heading for engineering, sciences or IT
- Your child will learn German
Look elsewhere if
- You cannot block about €12,000 up front (Poland or Romania ask far less)
- You need to start this year and have not begun APS
- You want an English-taught bachelor’s (Netherlands or Ireland)
Coaching and guidance only, not legal advice. Not an immigration lawyer or agent. Every pathway goes through the official channel of the destination country.
Is Germany the right fit for your child?
30 minutes, €50, credited in full toward any guidance package. We take no commission from any university.
Compare with
Netherlands
Global reputation, English throughout.
Poland
The best all-round value, with unrestricted work rights.
France
Low public tuition, far better value outside Paris.