Studying For Free In Germany

16 states in Germany in the year 2014 put to an end to tuition fees for undergraduate students in all public German universities. This implies that at the moment undergraduates at public universities in Germany both domestic and international do not have to pay for their studies except a semester fee of around 200 euro. Private institutions take exceptions to this as they depend on tuition fees for their funding; their fees can be as high as €20,000 a year (~US$24,400).

On the same note, Master’s degree at German universities are often free when they are regarded as “consecutive” – this means they follow directly from a related bachelor’s degree gained in Germany. Aside from this, there is a small fee per semester for enrolment.

There are courses that are taught in German and they require students to have a German language certificate from reputable awarding bodies while many courses in English require the Exam test certificate like TOEFL and IELTS. There are however exceptions to these requirements.

Top Scholarships for International Students In Germany

• DAAD Scholarships

The DAAD scholarships remain the best for German and international students of all levels to study in German universities. Researchers also benefit from scholarships.

• The Deutschland stipendium

This is another great scholarship for international students in Germany. They aim at promoting gifted and committed students at state-recognized universities in Germany. In addition to good grades, the awarding of the Deutschland stipendium also includes social commitment and special personal achievements – such as the successful overcoming of obstacles in one’s own educational biography.

• Erasmus Mundus

Erasmus is another scholarship that is worth applying for as it is the largest provider of scholarships to study in the EU. It is sponsored by the European Commission, funding international students to study in Europe. It provides grants towards living costs when participating in an exchange program to study in Europe.

• Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellowship

The Einstein International Postdoctoral Fellowship is a Fellowship sponsored by the Einstein Foundation for postdoctoral research at a university in Berlin.

• Humboldt Research Fellowship

The Humboldt Research Fellowship is exclusively for scientists and scholars of any subject and nationality.

Scholarships in Germany for African Students

• DRD Scholarships

This scholarship is available for Sub-Saharan Africans. It is a merit-based scholarship for students from developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa pursuing a master’s degree in development studies, public administration and development management at Ruhr University Bochum. Program twinned with UWC in South Africa.

• Kofi Annan MBA Scholarships

This scholarship is for up to five international students from developing countries to study a full-time, one-year MBA at the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin.

• The KAAD Scholarship

The KAAD Scholarship is for international students from developing countries (in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America) to study at a German university at master’s or PhD level. Candidates must possess German-language skills and be of Catholic-Christian denomination.

• Marie Curie

This offers Postdoctoral research scholarships for international students from developing countries who wish to study in Germany and it is funded by the European Commission.

Universities Offering Scholarship In Germany

Almost all the public universities in Germany offer free education with a semester fee of about 200 euro but there are some schools that offer scholarships instead.

RWTH Aachen University has funding opportunities for international and home students.

Universität Hamburg offers Scholarships to all outstanding international students of all levels and courses who have been enrolled in their program for at least two semesters.

Ulm University has need-based scholarships for international students close to their graduation. The funding is offered solely for a semester.

Hamburg University of Applied Sciences offers scholarships to international students for all subjects with an exception to design, public health and public management) enrolled in a master’s program at the university.

Heidelberg University has a variety of scholarships for international students like the Amirana Scholarship for students from developing countries to study medicine or dentistry at the university.

Cost Of Living In Germany

When placed side by side with some other European countries, Germany is not quite expensive. The cost of food, housing, clothing and cultural activities are arguably higher than the EU average. On average, students in Germany spend around 850 euros per month on living costs.  Rent takes a large part of the expenses.

Most students in Germany will either live in a student hall of residence or private accommodation. Student accommodation in Germany on the average costs around €350 a month for university halls, rising to around €500 for a room in a shared house. Inexpensive cities such as Frankfurt and Munich, students pay in the region of €700 for a room in a shared house or flat and €400 – €500 for student accommodation.

Application opens for scholarships in Germany for international students from Africa and developing countries every year. These are either partial or full fee scholarships for undergraduate, master or PhD/doctoral degrees.

Start here to apply for Germany scholarships for African students, developing countries and international students, from around the world.