Is university really free in Germany?
At public universities, yes for tuition. Undergraduate and most consecutive masters programs charge €0 in tuition fees. The one long-standing exception is Baden-Württemberg, which charges non-EU students roughly €1,500 per semester. Private universities and many MBA or specialised masters programs charge full fees — those are not covered by the tuition-free rule.
What you always pay is the semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag), usually €150–€350 per semester. It covers student services and, at most universities, a public transport ticket for the whole region.
What it actually costs per year
- Tuition: €0 at most public universities
- Semester contribution: €300–€700 per year
- Rent: €350–€700 per month depending on the city (Leipzig and Aachen are cheap; Munich is not)
- Health insurance: around €130 per month for public student insurance
- Food, phone, books: €250–€350 per month
Plan for roughly €11,900 per year in living costs. That number matters because it is the amount the German government requires you to show before issuing a student visa.
The blocked account (Sperrkonto)
Non-EU students prove financial means with a blocked account holding the annual living-cost figure — €11,904 for the 2026 intake, released to you at about €992 per month. Providers such as Expatrio, Fintiba and Coracle open the account online in a few days. A formal scholarship award letter or a German sponsor's Verpflichtungserklärung can replace the blocked account.
Admission requirements
- Recognised school leaving certificate. If your certificate does not directly qualify, you complete a one-year Studienkolleg and pass the Feststellungsprüfung. Check your country's status in the DAAD/anabin database before anything else.
- Language. English-taught programs need IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 88 in most cases. German-taught programs need TestDaF 4x4 or DSH-2 (roughly C1).
- Grades. Masters programs typically want the equivalent of a German 2.5 or better — around 3.0/4.0 GPA or 65–70% in most systems.
- APS certificate. Required for applicants from India, China, Vietnam and a few other countries. Start it early; it can take weeks.
Deadlines to work backwards from
Winter intake (October start) applications usually close on 15 July; summer intake (April start) closes on 15 January. Many masters programs close earlier, in December or March. Add three to five months before that for APS, language tests and document translation, and roughly six to twelve weeks after admission for the visa appointment.
Can you work while studying?
Non-EU students may work 140 full days or 280 half days per year. Student jobs pay around €13–€15 per hour, which covers part of your living costs but not the visa requirement. After graduating you get an 18-month residence permit to look for work.
Free tuition plus a stipend
Tuition-free study still leaves living costs. DAAD scholarships, the Deutschlandstipendium and Erasmus Mundus joint masters can cover them entirely. Those awards are competitive and each has its own GPA and language thresholds — which is exactly what our matcher checks for you before you spend money on applications.