Germany, with its high quality universities, affordable tuition fees, and rich cultural landscape, is the ideal blend of academic excellence and opportunity for personal growth for international students.
Bordering with 9 other European countries, Germany is a great location for international students. This is, in part, due to how easy it is to explore Europe from Germany. The country is an incredibly popular destination for both undergraduate and postgraduate level studies, and offers many programmes in a wide variety of fields. As well as this, tuition fees are relatively low or non-existent at some public universities. For more information about tuition fees, see our article about the cost of studying in Germany.
Germany’s higher education institutions are split into three main types; Universität (university), Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) and Kunstschulen, Musikhochschulen, or Filmschulen (colleges of art, music, or film). Universitäts generally focus on research-driven programmes, whereas Fachhochschule offer a more practical approach to subjects.
Germany has many bustling and exciting cities for international students to explore alongside their studies. These are spread throughout the country, and include the capital city Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Frankfurt. For more information about Germany’s best student cities, take a look at our article about the top 8 German student cities.
International students wishing to move to Germany for their studies will need to obtain a student visa. For more information, see our Germany Student Visa Guide.
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Find out moreAre tuition fees in Germany free?
Many public German universities offer their higher education programmes at a very low price for both domestic and international students. This often means that you do not pay any tuition fees, but pay a very small registration fee each semester. Private universities are allowed to set higher tuition fees, so studying at one of these could cost you a lot more.
Find out more about Public vs Private Universities.
Can I move to Germany as an international student?
Germany is a great place to study as an international student, and is very welcoming of the international community. As an international student, you will likely need to obtain a visa in order enrol at a university in Germany. For more information about this, take a look at our German Student Visas page.
Do I need IELTS to attend university in Germany?
If your first language is not English, or you haven’t previously studied in English, you will need to provide evidence of your language proficiency. Most German universities accept an IELTS or TOEFL certificate. For more information, see our article about language requirements for German universities.
The official language of Germany is German. A large number of programmes, particularly at the postgraduate level, are taught in English, making them accessible to non-German speakers.
If your course is taught in German, you will need to prove your German language skills are good enough. You can do this by passing either the TestDaF or the DSH before applying. If your course is taught in English, you will need to prove your English language skills are sufficient. You can do this by providing evidence of scores of an accepted English language test. These tests are known as the IELTS and TOEFL.
You should check with your institution to see what their required test scores are, and what tests they accept. If your language skills in German or English do not meet the required standard, many institutions offer language courses to help you improve.
If your course is offered in English, it is still encouraged that you try your best to engage in the new language. Speak to your course-mates and locals to pick up language, and make an effort to communicate in German. This skill will look fantastic on your CV, and will increase your chances of getting a postgraduate job in Germany, if that is one of your goals.
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