Over the years, we have seen students who because of fear of the unknown, gave up on their dreams of studying abroad in Germany. Their reason? They feel there are no free tuition universities in Germany that teach in English language. The reasons being that they never found satisfactory answers to the following questions.
Well, in this article, I will be answering every question you have asked about “Studying in Germany for free“.
Free tuition universities in Germany, sound impossible, isn’t it? Well, in 2014, 16 German states abolished tuition fees for undergraduate students at all German public universities.
Why study in Germany as an international student? Thanks to the free courses offered by these German universities for international students! Tuition fees are charged in many countries such as: In the US, Canada, and Australia, between $ 10,000 and $ 50,000 per year for international students. Though there is the opportunity to study free in the United States via financial aid and need-based scholarships. These German universities do not charge tuition fees as this is a government policy.
This means that presently, domestic and international students in German public universities can study for free. Hence, you can study in Germany for free regardless of whether you are from Africa, a developing or developed country, as an international undergraduate or master’s student. The students only pay a small fee to cover administrative and other fees per semester.
Don’t believe it? Here is what Gabriele Heinen-Kljajic, a German politician for the Alliance ’90 / The Greens had to say.
“We got rid of tuition fees because we do not want higher education to depend on the wealth of the parents.”
That said, Germany is currently the fourth most popular destination for international students to study abroad; behind the US, the UK, and Australia. Still in doubt? Continue reading you will find out that the German education system allows international students to study in Germany for free.
Also read Top 10 German Universities to Study Computer Science and Information Technology
Watch and Compare Germany & USA in the video below
Table of Contents
German universities are internationally accredited. According to the World University Ranking, 6 of the world’s top 100 universities and 18 of the top 200 universities in the world are German. If you study here, you will be studying at some of the oldest and most established universities in the world as well as the newest and most innovative. In Germany, there are two kinds of universities; PRIVATE and PUBLIC universities.
There are 400 public universities in Germany, where 95% of students study. These institutions are funded by the state. That is students do not pay tuition fees (except for a small administration fee at the beginning of each semester). There are also some 120 private Universities that receive no state funding and are not regulated by the state, ie they set their own tuition fees.
Well, It doesn’t mean that you still can’t study at these private universities. With international scholarships like DAAD, Erasmus Mundus scholarships e.t.c students can comfortably pay their tuition fees. Meanwhile, Germany now is part of the BOLOGNA PROCESS.
This system is designed to be the same throughout Europe, facilitating international educational mobility and enhancing flexibility in educational objectives. The Bologna Process has 48 participating countries. Higher education in Germany has recently been transformed into a three-tier system of the European Higher Education Area, established under the Bologna system. Instead of the old one-tier ‘long’ programs, Germany now offers Bachelor’s programs and postgraduate programs. Thus allowing undergraduate study in which students obtain a bachelor’s degree and master’s or Ph.D. degree for postgraduate students.
The German higher education system differentiates between different types of universities for different disciplines
The Master’s degrees are taught (compared to Ph.D. which are research-oriented degrees) and usually take two years (four semesters). They are either “consecutive” or “non-consecutive”. Successive or consecutive Masters’s programs are based on a Bachelor’s degree – they are from a related Bachelor’s degree and usually do not charge tuition.
Non-consecutive master’s degree programs focus on a more specialized area of study. These courses may be subject to a fee and are more likely to require professional or practical experience in addition to a bachelor’s degree.
Hence, if you are a master’s student wishing to pursue a different degree or field of discipline do well to get enough experience or certification that you have been in the field for quite some time. Now, you understand the kind of education system, that is run in Germany, perhaps its time to break it down 8 steps you must take if you want to study in Germany.
Also read Top 10 Degrees that Guarantees Employment in Germany
If you have read to this point, it means you are serious to get all the answers to your study abroad in Germany questions. Follow these 8 steps one by one to keep track of where you are right now and what you need to do to make your dream of studying in Germany a reality.
The search for a university and the choice of a study program that suits your interests is the first step in planning your studies in Germany.
This is unlikely to be a big problem, as there are many universities and countless degree programs – and their quality is undoubtedly world-class. No matter which direction you want to go, there will definitely be a syllabus that suits your desires and future plans.
However, finding a university and a degree program may take a long time if you do not really think about studying in Germany before starting your application process.
The high number of courses available could be one of the reasons why you have not made a decision yet.
I recommend that you think about the study program for at least 3 months before making a final decision. During this period, you can search all German universities that offer courses for your professional field.
If you have found these German universities, you can concentrate on a smaller list of universities that you consider ideal. You can either focus on a university or apply to several universities of your choice to increase your chances of getting admission.
Finding a university and a degree program is very important because it determines everything. In this article, I listed the free tuition universities in Germany below as well as the private universities too.
Also read Top 10 Best German Universities to Study Economics
After you have decided on a university and a degree program, you must check all prerequisites. Visit the University’s website and its section Admission Requirements. If you do not understand some things, do not hesitate to contact the university directly.
The entry requirements vary depending on the university and the type of course chosen. It is therefore recommended to read the requirements section several times.
Wrong timing and missing documents are the most common issues that occur at this time. Both can lead to late admission or even rejection of applications.
To avoid this, you must prepare these documents in good time. For example, to complete a standardized language test for German, you must take a language course of at least three months. When you start learning German from scratch, it takes much longer.
The later legalization of your documents can have a similar processing time until they are issued to you. For temporary delays resulting from the nature of the procedure, you must begin preparing your documents at least 4 months before applying for your place at the university.
Your success at the university depends heavily on your German language skills, even if your program is in English. Solid knowledge of the German language ensures that you understand the learning material, understand what is taught in the lectures, and properly express your thoughts.
In Germany, most undergraduate courses are taught in the native language, while many postgraduate courses are held entirely or partially in German. Except at the university, you often have to speak German with locals.
Learning German from the ground up can be difficult, but if you start early when you come to Germany, you speak fluent German. We recommend that you start (or apply if you need to speak fluent German) at least 6 months before the course starts to gain a basic understanding of the German language.
You can also see our list of the best language schools in Germany this way, you make your choice even before you leave your country.
Even if, you are going to study at a free tuition university, you will still need some financial support.
Hence, the next step is to make sure that you have the financial means to live and study in Germany. Foreign students who are not EU or EEA citizens must have sufficient financial means to finance their stay in Germany during their studies.
An international student in Germany must have at least € 10,236, which is considered sufficient to cover the cost of living in the first year of study.
This amount must be transferred to a German blocked bank account
Important Tip: To increase your chances of getting a student visa to study in Germany, you must use a secure account as proof of financial resources.
A blocked account is a special kind of bank account for foreign students in Germany. It shows that you have sufficient financial resources to spend a year in Germany during your studies.
According to estimates, a foreign student in Germany will spend at least €853 euros per month from 2020 onwards. You must have €10,236 euros in your bank account before you can apply for a German student visa. Of course, that’s a lot of money for a student and it takes time to get it. I highly recommended starting saving early unless you have received a scholarship and are using it as proof of your financial resources.
Normally, six months before you apply, is early enough to begin collecting this money, and two weeks before applying for your student visa, you must have it deposited.
Also read Top 10 Scholarships in Germany for International Students
After re-examining your application, it’s time to submit the application. Applications may be online, but some universities may only receive applications in person or by mail. Contact your university to find out how to apply. Most German universities are part of the online application platform of the national universities, UniAssist.
In addition, some universities operate their own online admission platform on their website. Remember that the German universities are a hub for foreign students and admissions committees for foreign applications are in high demand.
Checking all applications takes time and you need to submit your application as soon as possible to use it. You must submit your application as soon as the call for applications is open and then wait for the letter of admission. Depending on the educational level you are aiming for in Germany, the application procedures vary slightly.
If you are a student from a non-EU or EEA country, you need a German student visa. Since public universities in Germany are operating tuition-free education as stated earlier, students do not need to bother about tuition fee payments, but they will need you to show the embassy that they have a sufficient amount of money to take care of their living expenses.
If you are putting together your documents, we recommend that you personally contact the German embassy/consulate and make an appointment for a visa.
Make sure you have enough money to study in Germany. One of the easiest and best ways to convince the authorities that you have enough money to cover your education and living expenses is to open a block account.
A minimum of €8000-10,000 on a block account is usually needed by the embassy. Alternatively, if a student has gotten a scholarship, he can present a letter from the scholarship provider stating that he has been granted a scholarship.
We recommend that you open an escrow account at Fintiba. Fintiba is a German company officially approved by the German Foreign Office.
In addition to other documents, the German embassy/consulate in your home country also requires you to have health insurance before receiving a student visa. Please contact the German embassy in your home country for more information on how to apply for the visa.
Now that you are officially registered as a student in Germany and have your student visa, you need to think about where you want to settle. Housing in Germany for international students is not that expensive, but it is normal for you, as a foreign student, to make an effort to find the most financially suitable housing.
We recommend that you give priority to this topic as it can cost you a lot of time you would otherwise have used to learn. In this context, you can try to find accommodation online before landing in Germany.
If in the end, you do not find what suits you, you have at least a list of resources that you can turn to secure your accommodation the day you arrive in Germany. As with the steps outlined above, you must find accommodation once you have received your student visa. Everything should be ok two weeks before landing in Germany.
The final step in getting an official place of study at the University of your choice is to register for the course you have been admitted to. In this sense, the registration process leads you from a successful candidate to a registered student in Germany.
Public higher education in Germany is free, but you still have to pay a registration fee of between 150 and 250 euros. In addition, you must pay for your semester ticket to use public transport for 6 months free of charge.
To register for your university course in Germany, you must present yourself in person at your university office and present the following documents:
After registering with the university administration, you will receive a registration card (ID card), which can then be used to apply for a residence permit and visit your courses.
An important note: you must re-register each semester after the end of the previous semester and pay the same registration fee.
A more detailed guide to studying in Germany as an international student and all you need to know can be found in the comprehensive guide to free study in Germany.
Also read Top 10 Exciting Careers in Germany
Now you know the steps to take if you want to apply to study in Germany, perhaps we can delve into the tuition-free universities available in Germany to enable you to narrow down your choice.
If you want to apply for these free universities in Germany, that’s great! However, you have to be very smart at which universities you have to apply to maximize your chances. In order to increase your chances of free study in Germany, you need to contact universities that accept a high percentage of applicants. I mean, that’s common sense, right?
But first, where can I study in English language in Germany? I bet that’s the next thing on your mind now.
From the beginning, you should know: if you plan to take a bachelor’s degree or even a Master’s degree at a German public university, you will have trouble finding a course taught in English because the absolute majority of them are taught in German.
The first question I can think of is which universities offer higher education in English. Nobody wants to choose a university simply because they offer programs in English, but studying in a language you understand, would determine the quality of the education you will receive.
One of the possibilities for you is to conduct an online search by consulting the websites of the universities to find out if they offer study programs in English. To alleviate this burden, we have compiled a list of universities offering the opportunity to study in English in Germany.
Admission requirements are similar to those taught in German. The main difference is that you have to demonstrate English proficiency in English-taught classes by sending a standardized test result, with TOEFL and IELTS which are the most common.
The following documents will be requested in other to be admitted into German University taught in the English language
Your qualifications must meet the standards of German higher education, otherwise, you may not attend a normal university course. On this occasion, the University of your Choice may require you to complete a preparatory course to acquire the skills and knowledge you need to participate in the normal course you intended to study.
Depending on your English proficiency, there are several types of recognized grades accepted at German universities, but most often TOEFL and IELTS test grades are preferred.
The minimum admissions score is 80 for TOEFL and 6.5 for IELTS but varies depending on the university and the type of course. At the graduate level, English has a higher standard, which means that the minimum score is higher than that of the undergraduate courses.
In any case, we recommend that you achieve the best possible result, as this plays an important role in your admission, especially in high-demand universities where competition is fierce and the admission committees must have several performance elements.
The other standardized tests mentioned in the list are mainly needed in the business and commercial sectors. If you have chosen a course of this kind, you should be prepared to follow the GMAT or GRE as stated by the University of your choice.
The Technische Universität München is a large research university based in Munich and other locations in Garching and Freising-Weihenstephan. The university is one of the highest-ranking universities in the country. It is also a member of the TU9 group of renowned technology institutes in Germany.
The university has consistently produced graduates who are leaders in their respective fields. The alumni also include more than 15 Nobel Prize winners. The main campus houses engineering, business, technology, social, and sports facilities, while the Garching Campus houses science departments, computer science, and mathematics.
Since its founding in 1868, TUM, which occupies a leading position in technology and science, has gradually transformed Munich into a technology and industry center. Another good thing is that the tuition is free, as the title suggests!
The Munich-based Ludwig Maximilians University is known as one of Germany’s oldest universities and a public research university. The LMU is one of the most renowned universities in Germany and Europe.
It is also one of the top 100 universities in the world. More than 40 Nobel laureates are alumni, including Wilhelm Röntgen, Max Planck, and Otto Hahn.
This free tuition university in Germany is currently one of the most populated in Germany with more than 50,000 students enrolled. The majority of English courses are taught at Masters and Doctoral levels. With more than 18 faculties, the LMU has various fields of study, ranging from natural sciences and law to medicine and economics.
The Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, better known as the University of Heidelberg, is a notable public research university based in Heidelberg.
Founded in 1386, this institution is one of the oldest universities in the world founded during the Holy Roman Empire! It is currently one of the 50 to 60 best universities in the world and among the best national universities in Germany.
Although classes are mainly in German, several postgraduate courses are held in English. These courses are completely free for national and international students. The University is also associated with more than 50 Nobel Prize winners.
International students account for more than 20% of the student population, with students from more than 130 countries.
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, better known as KIT, is a public research university in Karlsruhe, southern Germany. Although founded in 2009, it has become one of the leading engineering and science centers in Europe and one of the largest universities in Germany.
The university is also known for its IT courses and ranks 26th worldwide. The KIT currently trains more than 25,000 students and offers courses at 11 different faculties. Various options are offered with the possibility of curriculum and cross-curricular programs. The university is also associated with five Nobel laureates and one of their alumni, Karl Benz and Heinrich Hertz.
The Humboldt University of Berlin is located in Berlin’s Mitte district. It was founded in 1810. Divided into more than nine faculties, the university offers about 150 to 200 different courses for a student population of 32,000 people.
Humboldt is considered one of the world’s leading institutions of science and enjoys a first-class reputation and reputation in the arts and humanities.
Not surprisingly, more than 50 Nobel laureates are university alumni associated with critical scientific breakthroughs, including the discoveries of Albert Einstein himself. It is also known that it was this free university in Germany that introduced the Humboldt model of higher education, which has strongly influenced other universities in Europe.
The Free University, based in Berlin is a research university founded in 1948. It is one of the most renowned universities in Germany and is a member of the Excellence Initiative of German Universities.
The Free University is especially known for its social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. As expected, admission to the university is very competitive as there are only 4,000 places per year. Currently, more than 31,000 students are enrolled at this prestigious institution and have access to over 190 different degree programs and study programs.
It should also be noted that the Free University, as the name implies, apart from minor registration fees, small contributions, etc. does not charge tuition fees in the classical sense. In fact, very talented students have the opportunity to receive a monthly commission from the university. Basically, they are paid for learning!
The RWTH is a research university in Aachen. It is one of the largest technical universities in the country and has more than 40,000 students enrolled.
The RWTH offers its students around 140 courses and courses. Although it is a technology-based university, it offers education in medicine, arts, humanities, commerce, and many other fields.
In 2011, tuition fees were cut by the university, so tuition fees for most programs at this prestigious university are virtually non-existent. The university is also closely linked to the industry and is one of the most exclusive university groups in Europe.
Among the many universities in Berlin, the Technical University is another member and was founded in 1879 as a research university. It is commonly referred to as TU Berlin and is known for its prestigious engineering, computer science, and economics programs.
Currently, more than 34,000 students are enrolled at this institution studying about 200 different programs and courses. TU Berlin is a member of TU9, a specialist company of technology institutes in Germany. The research in this remarkable institution is flourishing and state-of-the-art facilities such as the European Institute of Innovation and Technology have been established.
This is also underlined by the university’s close ties with the industry. Another advantage of the study at the TU Berlin is that this free university in Germany with more than 24% of the students in the 2018 academic year has one of the highest proportions of international students in their population.
This is a public research university, commonly known as the University of Tübingen, is located Tübingen in southwestern Germany. The university is one of the best of its kind in the country and is a center for law, medicine, religious studies, philosophy, and theology.
In addition, the university is not “campus-based” and the buildings are scattered within the city limits. Comprising a total of around seven faculties, the university offers more than 200 different courses for undergraduate and graduate students and has around 28,000 students studying on its walls.
Due to its reputation and rankings, Tübingen has regularly trained well-known alumni, from prominent scientists to senior government officials, presidents, and ministers. The university is also associated with about 11 Nobel laureates in chemistry, medicine, and physiology.
The Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg im Breisgau in southwestern Germany was founded in 1457 and is one of the richest in history. Despite its age, this institution remains the fifth oldest university in Germany! With a student population of nearly 20,000, the university is known not only to attract students from Germany, but also from 120 different countries in the world. Currently, 18% of students are international students.
It is one of the most prestigious universities in the country and has a long-standing reputation in the arts, humanities, natural and social sciences. You can learn these courses completely for free! Not only is the university associated with 21 Nobel Prize winners, but it also has many respected alumni, including Max Weber and Hans Krebs.
The university also maintains close international relations with universities around the world and organizes several exchange programs for its students. The research is taken very seriously and several renowned institutes like the Max Planck Institute and the Confucius Institute are affiliated with this university.
The Georg Augusta University Göttingen is located in the northwest German city of Göttingen. This important public research university was founded in 1734 mainly as a religious educational institution.
It is currently one of the largest universities in the region and has more than 31,000 enrolled students in its degree programs. With its status as a high-ranking research institution, this free university in Germany is also a member of the German university research group U15 and the group of European Universities of Coimbra.
Georg-Augusta is known for his close relationships with Nobel Prize winners among his alumni, professors, and researchers. The university also houses Germany’s largest university library, which houses a collection of more than 8 million volumes.
The large campus consists of 13 major faculties, which are divided into 47 institutes as well as university and research departments. The university is currently one of the 100 best universities in the world. It manages several Erasmus programs and student exchanges with other universities in the world.
In Hamburg, the second-largest German city, the University of Hamburg was founded in 1919. But do not make a mistake! This university has quickly become one of the most prestigious institutions in the country and Europe.
It is currently one of the top 200 universities in the world and occupies 14th place in Germany. The university has about 42,000 students and offers about 150 different programs and programs.
Research is central to the university and several institutions such as the Max Planck Institute, the Hamburg Observatory, and the Confucius Institute are affiliated with the university. Admission is very competitive and the university welcomes about 7,000 students each year.
The University of Bonn is a large, high-ranking university in the northwest German city of Bonn. The university was founded in 1818 and does not have a central campus, but several university buildings across the city. It has one of the largest university libraries in the country and houses a collection of about 5 million volumes. There are currently around 35,000 students studying at this prestigious institution, which offers a variety of free basic and graduate programs. Of these 35,000, there are about 4,000 international students.
The University takes a serious perspective in promoting international relations with other universities around the world.
Thanks to its high research intensity, many contributions have been made to the world of science and technology, such as the discovery of radio waves. Max Ernst, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Karl Marx are among the most well-known graduates of the university.
Founded in 1914 as a citizen’s university, the Goethe University is an institution based in Frankfurt am Main. The university was named in honor of the eminent German philosopher and writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and today is a university, where more than 40,000 students are trained.
Goethe has 16 major faculties, ranging from law and economics to theology and education. In addition, this free university in Germany is linked to several research institutes such as the Max Planck Institute.
In terms of campus structure, the main campus is divided into four sub-campuses, including Campus Westend, Bockenheim, Riedberg, and Niederrad. Renowned for its academic work and research, the university regularly educates first-rate graduates and graduates, including 18 Nobel Prize winners such as Max Born and Max von Laue.
The University of Stuttgart in southwestern Germany is a public university founded in 1829. As part of the TU9 university group, which deals with the technology of the country, it is one of the oldest universities of applied sciences in Germany.
The study programs of the university in the areas of construction, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial engineering are rated particularly well. In addition to its prestigious university, the university seeks to maintain a high standard of research and has contributed to several advances and improvements in the areas of automotive engineering, industrial manufacturing, and activity-based costing. and aerospace engineering.
It is no surprise that Gottlieb Daimler, the inventor of the automobile, studied at this facility! The university currently offers some 27,000 students education and offers its students about 150 different study and study programs. It is one of the best engineering universities in the world and one of the best engineering institutions in Germany.
This renowned research institute, based in Darmstadt, is also known as the Darmstadt University of Technology.
This free tuition university in Germany, founded in 1877, was personally recommended by Albert Einstein for his engineering skills! As a member of the renowned TU9 network in Germany, the TU Darmstadt has become one of the most important universities in Germany and Europe.
It is also considered the driving force for teaching information technology and information technology. In fact, this university surpasses even other prestigious institutions such as Oxbridge and ETH Zurich! More than 21,000 students are being trained at the TU Darmstadt in more than 100 different study programs.
Student life is very active and the university promotes the participation and involvement of all of its students in extracurricular activities to improve their environment.
The Technical University of Dresden, better known as TU Dresden, is a public research university in the German city of Dresden. With a student population of 37,000 or more, it is one of the largest universities in the region.
As the name implies, the university occupies an important place in engineering and technology studies. The TU Dresden is a member of the TU9 collective Deutscher Technischer Institute. Currently, about 35,000 students are enrolled.
They offer access to around 120 different courses and degrees from 14 leading faculties. One of the University’s strengths in research in biotechnology, microelectronics, and traffic sciences. The TU Dresden has always been one of the best universities in the world, usually among the 100 to 200 best universities, and is one of the top 10 universities in Germany.
Also read Study and Live in Germany for International Students.
There you have it, final advice is to apply to as many universities to increase your chances, but don’t apply to too many because you will not be careful with your application. Around 10-15 is sufficient for undergraduate, and around 5-10 is sufficient for Masters and Ph.D., to increase your chances. These German universities are indeed tuition-free, but they do not provide accommodation or living expenses. You can either support yourself with your own money or you can support yourself with scholarships.
This post was last modified on June 18, 2024 6:28 pm
