One of the most popular destinations for international students is Germany. And it is no coincidence: here you can get a high-quality and affordable higher education, for which thousands of students choose the country. We will tell you about the main features of the German educational system, answering the most popular questions of students.
Higher education in Germany
In Germany, students from all over the world study for free - you will agree, a rare feature of European universities. Moreover, this is a country with a high standard of living and one of the best education systems! Immediately I want to look for a trick, but there is none. Studying for free in Germany is possible thanks to the policy of the state, where they believe that education should not turn into a commercial product. And this approach brings a positive impact on the economy and population growth. In the recent past, students had to pay a small amount of money to study at universities, but after years of numerous protests, the authorities abolished tuition fees at all state universities in 2014. The only exception is the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in the southwestern part of Germany: here foreign students pay about 3,000 euros a year in state universities.
There are more than 300 public universities in Germany, so you have plenty to choose from. Let's present only a small list of German universities where which you can study for free:
- University of Cologne
- Ludwig Maximilians University Munich (LMU)
- Goethe University Frankfurt
- RWTH Aachen University
- University of Münster
- Ruhr University Bochum
- University of Duisburg-Essen
- Universität Hamburg
- FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
- Technical University of Munich (TUM)
- University of Würzburg.
Is it really free?
A student from any country in the world can study for free in all public universities in Germany, the main thing is to meet all the requirements of higher education institutions
A confident command of German is a very important criterion, since all studies will take place in the national language. However, if a student has not passed the language exam well enough, often German universities offer conditional admission and offer to take language courses, after which it is easy to pass the exam and enter the chosen specialty.
If the study is free, then, probably, not very high-quality?
After the news about the free education, students often have doubts about the quality of the educational system: if it is free, then, probably, not very high-quality? But no! German universities are among the best in the world: getting an education in these educational institutions, you can count on education of the highest level. German universities are consistently among the hundred best – just look at the positions of German universities in international rankings:
Technical University of Munich (TUM)
- QS Ranking 2021 = 50
- THE Ranking 2021 = 41
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 54.
Ludwig Maximilians University Munich
- QS Ranking 2021 = 63
- THE Ranking 2021 = 32
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 51.
Heidelberg University
- QS Ranking 2021 = 64
- THE Ranking 2021 = 42
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 57.
Humboldt University Berlin
- QS Ranking 2021 = 117
- THE Ranking 2021 = 80.
Freie Universität Berlin
- QS Ranking 2021 = 130
- THE Ranking 2021 = 118.
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
- QS Ranking 2021 = 131
- THE Ranking 2021 = 201
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 201.
RWTH Aachen University
- QS Ranking 2021 = 145
- THE Ranking 2021 = 107
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 201.
Technische Universität Berlin
- QS Ranking 2021 = 148
- THE Ranking 2021 = 140
- ARWU Ranking 2020 = 301.
In addition, you will learn from the best teachers: the country has very high requirements for teachers who receive state accreditation.
What expenses await the student during studying?
12% of students in Germany are foreigners. Perhaps the percentage would have been even higher if not for the high prices for accommodation and food in German cities. Each student pays a student fee to the university - about 300-400 euros per semester, the cost of which includes a travel card. The main items of expenditure during studies:
- Rental housing and utilities = from 300 to 500 € per month
- Food and beverage = from 200 to 250€
- Medical insurance = 100€
- Telephone and internet = 30€
- Leisure and hobbies = from 50 to 100€.
But even in these categories, students can save money by receiving a scholarship or winning a grant for studying.
Scholarships in German universities
- The Deutschlandstipendium is an organization that provides financial assistance in the amount of 300 euros to students who actively participate in cultural and social life.
- If you are interested in politics, international relations and take an active part in public life, we recommend considering the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftungprogram. By writing a good motivation letter, you will get a good chance of funding from this organization.
- For masters and postgraduates, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftungscholarship will be of interest. Study the values and ideas of the foundation, and if you speak German at a high level, you have a good chance of getting a scholarship.
- The Rosa-Luxembourg-Stiftung Foundation supports students with an active civic position and awards scholarships of 750 euros per month to undergraduates and graduate students.
Grants and scholarships from the largest organization DAAD
The most famous German organization offering a wide range of grants for foreign students is DAAD,thanks to which thousands of students have successfully completed education in Germany for free. There are especially many chances to get funding from master's and postgraduate students.
The grant covers tuition, health insurance, transportation costs, monthly personal expenses. The main requirements for obtaining financing:
- Diploma of specialist, bachelor or master not earlier than 2012
- Copy of diploma, certificate from postgraduate studies (for undergraduates)
- Letter of recommendation
- Motivational essay, autobiography (no more than three pages)
- International language certificate required by the host university
Application deadline: the conditions of participation are updated, see the official website of the organization.
