Free education in Germany

Is higher education in Germany really free? This question is of concern to many studying the German language. After all, the prospect of getting a prestigious education abroad is very tempting.

Yes, education in Germany is free. The law decides that education in public institutions of higher education in all federal states of Germany should remain free of charge for both Germans and foreigners. But, besides this, you need to consider that for many things you have to pay.

To begin with, many universities have Semesterbeitrag (semester tuition fees / student fees). But usually these fees are about 200-300 euros every six months, which is not a significant sum for Germany, to call it a tuition fee. This sum includes fees for preferential travel for students (and it is much cheaper in comparison with a regular travel card), some study materials for students and, depending on the university, much more.

Plus, one should not forget that the process of income is expensive. You have to pay when you submit documents (60 euros maximum), you need to pay visa fees and buy inexpensive training materials.

The very living in Germany will fly in penny. It all depends on you, but it is unlikely that you will spend less than 600-700 euros a month (in a big city), including rent, food and personal expenses.

All these shortcomings are quickly undone by a single plus: after arriving on a student visa, you have the right to work 20 hours a week (half a working day). And this is quite good for a country with an average wage of 3,700 euros a month (without paying taxes).

In addition to free education in universities, there are a lot of scholarships for foreign students. Most of these scholarships are offered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): about 60,000 scholarships each year. They not only cover the training costs, but also allocate money for living and personal expenses. A grant can even cover the cost of studying in a language school. On the site daad.de you can find a scholarship that is suitable for masters, bachelors, graduate students, etc. Also there are separate programs for different specialties: medicine, art history, sociology …

There are many foundations that offer both academic exchange programs and scholarships for those wishing to study in Germany. There is something to choose from: the Erasmus exchange program, the Heinrich Böll Foundation, the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the Humboldt Research Scholarship, the German National Scholarship and many others.

In terms of opportunities for obtaining affordable and good education, Germany is the best option, given the number of scholarships, free education and the quality of German universities.

Then we will tell you what you need to do in a higher education institution in Germany, but we do not recommend losing time, because it is better to start studying today.