Study in Germany

Germany is one of the most popular places in the world to study. In the 2025/26 winter semester, about 426,200 international students and doctoral candidates were enrolled at German universities, around 6% more than a year earlier, and a record 130,000 of them were first-year students. A big part of the draw is cost: most public universities charge no tuition fees at all.

Types of universities

• Universities focus on research and theory. They offer the widest range of subjects and award doctorates.
• Universities of applied sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften, also called Fachhochschulen) are more practical, with strong programmes in fields such as engineering, business and social work. Most courses include a work placement.
• Colleges of art and music teach fine art, design, film, music and the performing arts.

Degrees and how long they take

• Bachelor's degree: usually 6 to 8 semesters, or 3 to 4 years.
• Master's degree: usually 2 to 4 semesters, or 1 to 2 years.
• Doctorate (PhD): offered by universities and most colleges of art and music, either with an individual supervisor or as part of a structured programme.

How much it costs

Public universities charge no tuition for bachelor's and most master's programmes, even for students from outside the EU, though a few states are exceptions.

• Baden-Württemberg (Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Freiburg and others) charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester. Doctoral students are exempt.
• Bavaria lets each university decide whether to charge non-EU students. Some do, and the fee can run to several thousand euros per semester, so check each programme's own page.
• Semester contribution: every student pays this – usually between €70 and €430 per semester.
• Living costs: the DAAD estimates €900 to €1,200 a month, depending largely on the city.

Proving you can pay: the blocked account

To get a student visa, you need to show that you have at least €992 a month, or €11,904 for the first year. Most students do this with a blocked account (Sperrkonto): you pay in the full amount before you apply, and once you arrive you can withdraw up to €992 each month. A scholarship or a formal letter of obligation from a sponsor living in Germany also works. Keep in mind that a blocked account covers living costs only, so if your programme charges tuition you will need separate proof for that.

Applying

• Where to apply: many universities use uni-assist to check international applications. It charges €75 for your first programme in a semester and €30 for each additional one. Other universities take applications directly through their own portals, and each programme page says which route to use.
• School-leaving certificates: certificates from many countries do not give direct entry to a German bachelor's degree. In that case you can take a one-year preparatory course in Germany, called a Studienkolleg, and pass its final exam (Feststellungsprüfung). For some qualifications, completing a year or more of university study at home is accepted instead. The DAAD admission database shows the rule for your exact certificate.
• Language: German-taught degrees usually ask for a TestDaF or DSH result, while English-taught degrees usually ask for IELTS or TOEFL. Because a Studienkolleg is taught in German, you need German at roughly level B1 to B2 before you begin.

Getting your student visa

You apply at the German embassy or consulate that serves your country, and most of them now use the Federal Foreign Office's online portal.

1. Get your admission letter, or a place at a Studienkolleg.
2. Open your blocked account and arrange health insurance. Travel insurance is not enough.
3. Apply online through the Consular Services Portal and upload your documents. The mission checks them and then sends you a link to book an appointment.
4. Attend the appointment with your original documents. After a short interview and fingerprinting, you pay the visa fee.

Working while you study

As a student you can work up to 140 full days or 280 half days a year. Alternatively, you can work up to 20 hours a week during the semester, with no limit during the breaks. Jobs as a student assistant at your own university do not count towards these limits.

Staying after you graduate

After graduating, you can get a residence permit for up to 18 months to look for a job that matches your qualification, and you are free to do any kind of work while you search. Once you find a suitable job, you can switch to a work permit or an EU Blue Card. Graduates of German universities can then apply for a settlement permit (permanent residence) after working in Germany for more than two years.

Recent rule changes

Changes to the Skilled Immigration Act came into force in March 2024, raising the work limit for students from 120 to 140 full days and adding the 20-hours-a-week option. In August 2026, the government approved a bill to raise student support (BAföG) rates from the 2027/28 winter semester. Since the blocked account amount is linked to these rates, it may go up later. The bill is not yet law, though, so for now the figure remains €992 a month.