Most public universities in Germany charge international students no tuition. Your main costs are living costs, about 900 to 1,200 euros per month. Before you travel, you must usually show 11,904 euros for the visa. Most programmes are taught in German, and a school certificate from India, Nigeria or Pakistan is often not enough on its own for a bachelor’s. After graduating, you can stay up to 18 months to look for a job.
Key points
- Little or no tuition at public universities, except in Baden-Württemberg and at some Bavarian universities.
- Plan for 11,904 euros in a blocked account for your first year, before the visa.
- Bachelor’s applicants often need a Studienkolleg or study at home first.
- Master’s applicants: the university decides. With an Indian degree, you generally need an APS certificate.
- Most programmes are in German; English-taught programmes need an English test.
- You can work up to 140 full days a year, and look for a job for up to 18 months after graduating.
Is Germany right for you?
Germany suits you if these points work for you:
- Low tuition. Most public universities charge no tuition for bachelor’s and most master’s programmes.
- A route to a job. After graduating, you can stay up to 18 months to look for work that matches your degree.
It may not suit you if:
- You cannot show the money upfront. The visa usually needs 11,904 euros in a blocked account before you apply.
- You want to study only in English. Most programmes are taught in German, so your choice of English-taught programmes is smaller.
- You need to start soon. Admission, APS for Indian applicants and the visa each take time. The missions in India say the visa alone may take several months.
Sources: DAAD: Costs of education and living; DAAD: Requirements and enrolment, overview; Residence Act (AufenthG), section 20: Job search after studies; German Missions in India: National visa FAQ.
What does it cost to study in Germany?
Your largest costs are living costs and the money you must prove for the visa, not tuition. This table lists the costs most applicants from India, Nigeria and Pakistan will meet.
Scroll sideways to see the notes.
| Cost | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition at public universities | Usually none | Generally no fees for bachelor's and most master's programmes. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students 1,500 euros per semester; Bavarian universities may charge several thousand euros per semester. |
| Tuition at private universities | Set by each university | Can be substantial. Check the programme's own page. |
| Semester contribution | 70 to 430 euros per semester | Paid by all students, often including a public transport ticket. |
| Living costs | 900 to 1,200 euros per month | Depends on the city; rent is the largest part. |
| Proof of money for the visa | 992 euros per month (11,904 euros a year) | Usually paid into a blocked account before you apply. |
| Visa fee | 75 euros | For applicants over 18; not refunded if the visa is refused. |
| uni-assist | 75 euros, then 30 euros each | Only if your university uses uni-assist. Per semester: first course, then each further one. |
| APS certificate (India only) | 18,000 Indian rupees | For applicants with a bachelor's or master's degree; non-refundable. |
The visa amount is higher than what students in Germany spend on average, according to the DAAD, so plan with it. Our blocked account guide explains how the account works, and the blocked account calculator works out your deposit.
Sources: DAAD: Costs of education and living; German Missions in India: National visa; uni-assist: Pay and submit; APS India: Information leaflet for students with a Bachelor or Master degree (valid as of October 2026). Figures last verified 7 November 2026.
Bachelor’s: is your school certificate enough?
To start a bachelor’s directly, your school-leaving certificate must count as a university entrance qualification in Germany. With a certificate from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, the DAAD says you often need one of two routes first:
- Two or three semesters of comparable study at a university in your home country.
- A Studienkolleg in Germany. This is a two-semester preparatory course that ends with an assessment test, the Feststellungsprüfung. Passing it lets you apply for programmes that match your course.
A Studienkolleg is taught in German, so you need German at level B1 to B2 and must pass an entrance exam. Only a few private Studienkollegs offer a state-recognised test. Check your own certificate in the DAAD admission database or anabin, and confirm with the university’s international office, because it makes the final decision.
Sources: DAAD: Requirements and enrolment, overview; DAAD: Studienkollegs (preparatory courses) in Germany.
Master’s: how admission works
Each university chooses its own master’s students. Depending on your country, qualification and subject, you apply directly to the university, through uni-assist or through the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung. uni-assist checks your documents for its member universities, but the university decides on admission. Our admission guide explains how universities check subject fit, credits, grades and English scores.
If your degree is from an Indian institution, you generally need an APS certificate for the student visa, whatever your nationality. For intakes from the summer semester 2027, graduates in fields such as engineering, commerce and management must also take the dMAT test, unless an exemption applies. See our APS certificate guide.
At a private university, check that it is state-recognised and accredited before you apply; our private universities guide shows how. Most of the private universities in our 2027 deadline calendar start master’s programmes only once a year.
Sources: DAAD: Application process; uni-assist: FAQs, get information; APS India: Frequently asked questions; APS India: Digital Master Test (dMAT); Wissenschaftsrat: Leitfaden der Institutionellen Akkreditierung nichtstaatlicher Hochschulen (Drs. 9837-22).
Do you need German?
For most programmes, yes. German is the language of instruction for most subjects, and most universities ask for German at level B2. You prove it with a certificate or a test at the university.
English-taught programmes ask for an English test instead. Universities may accept only certain tests, and the minimum level often depends on the programme. Some German is still useful for daily life.
The student visa in short
You need a national (D) visa. You usually apply online in the Consular Services Portal, then attend an appointment at the German mission responsible for where you live. In Nigeria that is Lagos for nearly everyone; in Pakistan it is Islamabad or Karachi, depending on your province.
Expect the visa to be the longest step. The missions in India say processing may take several months, and the Consulate General in Mumbai reports a long waiting list for student appointments. Our student visa guide covers documents by country, waiting lists and what to do after a refusal.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office: Consular Services Portal; German Missions in India: National visa; German Missions in India: National visa FAQ; German Consulate General Mumbai: Notice on student visa appointments; German Missions in Nigeria: Which mission is responsible; German Embassy Islamabad: Visa for students.
Working during and after your studies
During your studies
Your residence permit for study lets you work up to 140 full working days a year. A day of up to four hours counts as half a day. During the lecture period, a week of up to 20 hours can also be counted as two and a half days. Student assistant jobs at your university do not count towards the limit.
A side job helps, but the DAAD says it is very hard to pay all your living costs this way. Do not plan your budget around it.
After graduating
Once you successfully finish your degree in Germany, you can get a residence permit to look for a job that matches your qualification. It is granted for up to 18 months and cannot be extended beyond that. You must be able to support yourself during this time.
Sources: Residence Act (AufenthG), section 16b: Studies, paragraph 3; Residence Act (AufenthG), section 20: Job search after studies, paragraphs 1 and 2; DAAD: Costs of education and living.
Your steps in order
- Check your entry route. Bachelor’s: is your school certificate enough, or do you need a Studienkolleg? Master’s: does your degree fit the programme?
- Indian applicants: start APS early, and the dMAT if it applies to you.
- Choose programmes and apply, directly or through uni-assist, before each university’s deadline.
- After your admission: open the blocked account and arrange health insurance.
- Apply for the visa in the Consular Services Portal and book your appointment.
- After arrival: register your address, enrol and apply for your residence permit.
Plan backwards from your start date, with the visa as the longest step. The deadline calendar shows how early some universities close.
Sources: DAAD: Requirements and enrolment, overview; German Missions in India: National visa.
Frequently asked questions
Is studying in Germany free for international students?
At most public universities, yes: there are generally no tuition fees for bachelor's and most master's programmes. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students 1,500 euros per semester, and Bavarian universities may charge fees. All students pay a semester contribution of 70 to 430 euros.
Source: DAAD: Costs of education and living.
How much money do I need to study in Germany?
For the visa you usually prove 992 euros per month, which is 11,904 euros for the first year, in a blocked account. The DAAD estimates living costs at 900 to 1,200 euros per month, depending on the city. Tuition at private universities comes on top.
Source: DAAD: Costs of education and living.
Can I start a bachelor's in Germany straight after school?
Only if your school-leaving certificate is recognised as a university entrance qualification in Germany. With a certificate from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, you often need two or three semesters of comparable study at home first. The alternative is two semesters at a Studienkolleg in Germany, followed by an assessment test.
Do I need to speak German to study in Germany?
For most programmes, yes: German is the language of instruction for most subjects, and most universities ask for level B2. English-taught programmes ask for an English test instead. A Studienkolleg is taught in German and needs B1 to B2 for admission.
Can I work while studying in Germany?
Yes, within limits. Your residence permit allows work of up to 140 full working days a year. A day of up to four hours counts as half a day. Student assistant jobs at your university do not count towards this limit.
Can I stay in Germany after graduating?
Yes. After you successfully finish your degree in Germany, you can get a residence permit to look for a job that matches your qualification. It is granted for up to 18 months. You must be able to support yourself during that time.
Source: Residence Act (AufenthG), section 20: Job search after studies.
Sources and method
This guide summarises our detailed guides on Germany. On 7 November 2026 we also read the DAAD pages on costs, entry requirements and Studienkollegs, and sections 16b and 20 of the Residence Act. We checked each rule against the original text. Amounts are kept in one place and dated. We review this guide at least every three months.
- DAAD: Costs of education and living
- DAAD: Requirements and enrolment, overview
- DAAD: Studienkollegs (preparatory courses) in Germany
- DAAD: Application process
- uni-assist: Pay and submit
- uni-assist: FAQs, get information
- APS India: Frequently asked questions
- APS India: Information leaflet for students with a Bachelor or Master degree (valid as of October 2026)
- APS India: Digital Master Test (dMAT) (6 November 2026)
- Wissenschaftsrat: Leitfaden der Institutionellen Akkreditierung nichtstaatlicher Hochschulen (Drs. 9837-22) (8 July 2022)
- Federal Foreign Office: Consular Services Portal (15 June 2026)
- German Missions in India: National visa (1 October 2026)
- German Missions in India: National visa FAQ
- German Consulate General Mumbai: Notice on student visa appointments
- German Missions in Nigeria: Which mission is responsible
- German Embassy Islamabad: Visa for students (27 November 2025)
- Residence Act (AufenthG), section 16b: Studies
- Residence Act (AufenthG), section 20: Job search after studies
