Busting Myths About Studying For Free In Germany

June 2022

As stated by German statistics, 25,149 students from India mustered to the country for Winter Semester in 2019-20. Despite the Covid-19 affecting the lives of people all over the world, the percentage of students going for an abroad education has been constantly surging, post the pandemic. The sought-after fields of studies in Germany encompass Engineering, Management, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.

To all intents and purposes, students flock to Germany owing to the fact that there are "free" universities in Germany. But the point of concern is to which extent is this a fallacy or a truth. The average tuition fees in Germany range between €25,000 - €30,000 per annum. However, the programs in Engineering and Management, coveted courses, are presumably a tad bit exorbitant.

Does Germany offer free education to international students?

A false impression about Germany is that all public universities in Germany are unconditionally free of cost for international students. It stands true that as of 2014, 16 public universities in Germany did away with their tuition fees. However, in the year 2017, the state of Baden- Wurttemberg made public that non-EU students will have to make a fee payment of €1,500 per semester. Alongside each other, free public universities in Germany will also have to pay a nominal enrollment fee each semester, which ranges between €250 - €350.

What are a few of the renowned free universities in Germany?

Some of the well-liked institutions for international students in Germany that are either free or charge a nominal average fee per year are:

1. Free University of Berlin €311.99
2. Humboldt University Berlin - €685 - €1000
3. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich €300
4. RWTH Aachen University €1095
5. Technical University of Berlin €308
6. Technical University of Munich €258

Some of the private German universities with an average fee starting with €1000 and above include the following:

1. Bard College Berlin €29,700
2. CODE University of Applied Sciences €9,800
3. EBC Hochschule €10,000
4. GISMA Business School €20,000
5. Munich Business School €24,000
6. SRH Hochschule Berlin €10,000
7. University of Applied Sciences Europe €1,400

Despite that, the misconstruction isn't uncloaked at this point. One also has to bear in mind and consider all the other expenses that have to be borne which the university won't be providing.

The living cost in Germany approximately sums up to an average of €800 - €1,000 per month. As stated by the statistics of DAAD, an international student at on average spends on the following:

1. €42 on clothes and essentials
2. €168 on food and groceries
3. €61 on for leisure activities
4. €31 on the phone bill, internet bill, TV bill
5. €94 on transportation
6. €20 on work/study materials

Concurrently, a student is also bound to spend on other sundry activities such as application fees, traveling expenses, visas, etc.

To pursue education in Germany, an application costs €75 for applying for the first time. Additionally, if a candidate applies through UniAssist, it costs €30. Medical and health care expenses in Germany approximately cost a candidate €80 - €150 on a monthly basis. It is compulsory for an international student to hold a German bank account throughout his/ her stay in Germany. For the same, a student has to show an average sum of roughly $10,000 annually. Also, students are permitted to withdraw €895 per month in a single year. Over and above, to acquire a German visa, a candidate is charged an amount of approximately €60 - €75.

How to pursue education in Germany for free?

In addition to sending an application to well-known public universities in Germany, you can also perform research and look for scholarships to study in Germany. The top scholarships for Indian students to study in Germany are as given below:

1. DAAD WISE Scholarship Program: Under this scholarship, a student receives €750 per month for living expenses, €1,075 for travel allowance, and health insurance.
2. Heinrich Boell Scholarships: A candidate pursuing a Master's program or a Ph.D. in Germany will be entitled to secure €850 per month (for Master's) along with subsidiary individual allowances. Ph.D. students can receive an amount of €1000 per month and a €100 travel allowance per month.
3. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarship: Students applying from developing countries like India, will receive either a tuition fee reimbursement of up to €500 or a monthly stipend of €1,100 for 3 years.

Other prestigious scholarships such as Kofi Annan MBA Scholarships, EMS Undergraduate Scholarship, Master Scholarships at the University of Stuttgart, ESMT Women's Academic Scholarship, etc are also recognized among Indian students willing to study in Germany for free.

All said and done, a student looking to study in Germany must be ognizant the fact that no German university is actually "fully" free. For the reason that you still have to endure basic expenses. Howbeit, Germany continues to remain an excellent study destination with a plethora of opportunities when your vision surpasses the myths of free education.

For further assistance or queries students can contact us, Edwise International, and avail for our wide range of services for students on destinations like Universities in Australia, study in Australia, study in UK, study in USA, study in Canada, study in Ireland, study in New-Zealand, study in Singapore and many other countries.

Also read: 5 Best Study Abroad Programs for Indian Students

Back to All "Overseas Education Articles, Resources, Tips and Tricks"

For Complete Information About Overseas Education, Contact Edwise Overseas Education Consultants, on 1-800-102-0336 (Toll Free)