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Cost of Study in Germany

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The German city of Berlin is not as expensive as Munich or Hamburg

Germany has become a popular study abroad destination among international students thanks to the tuition- free education offered at its public universities. And the country is definitely more affordable than a lot of its European counterparts. However, the major chunk of your expenses would be taken up by your house rent.

Cost of studying in Germany

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None of the public-funded universities in all the 16 states of Germany charge any tuition fee from local and foreign students, especially for undergraduate (bachelors) courses! However, at the beginning of every semester, some universities do charge a semester fee (€ 50-250) which covers administrative costs as well as the cost of your “semester ticket.”

 

Free education is however limited only to public universities, for private universities charge anywhere between 15,000 – 30,000 Euros for bachelors & masters degrees.

Some institutes charge a “long-term fee” if you exceed your standard period of study. That is, if you are pursuing a 5 year course and for sme reason you’re unable to complete your studies within this stipulated time, then from the 6th year onward, you might need to pay a long-trm fee of an additional 500 – 800 Euros per semester.

Here’s a look at how the universities charge fee across the 16 German states:

German state

General tuition fees (~ 500 )

Long-term fees (~ € 800 )

Administration fees  (~ € 50 )

Baden-Württemberg

no

no

yes

Bavaria

no

no

no

Berlin

no

no

yes

Brandenburg

no

no

yes

Bremen

no

yes

yes

Hamburg

no

no

yes

Hesse

no

no

yes

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

no

no

yes

Lower Saxony

no

yes

yes

North Rhine-Westphalia

no

no

no

Rhineland-Palatinate

no

no

no

Saarland

no

yes

no

Saxony

no

yes

yes

Saxony-Anhalt

no

yes

no

Schleswig-Holstein

no

no

no

Thuringia

no

yes

yes

Cost of living in Germany

The total monthly cost of living in Germany can range anywhere between € 600 – € 800 (Rs. 43,000 – 58,000) depending on whether you manage to find affordable accommodation.

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House rent

Rents differ widely from city to city and from student’s personal choices. Rents range from 180 euros to 325 euros per month. Rents in cities like Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt am Main are higher than other cities like Berlin, Chemnitz or Dresden which are cheaper. As a student if you wish to cut down on expenses, you can opt for shared accommodation.

As a student, you can take use of several student discounts. State museums, theatres, opera houses offer special discounted rates to students. Magazines and journals are also available at a discount if you subscribe for student copy.


Health & Accident Insurance

As an international student who has decided to study in a higher education institution in Germany, it is mandatory for you to have health insurance cover. You can choose between private (PKV) and statutory public health insurance (GKV) carriers and companies in Germany. Till the age of 30 or up to the 14th full study semester you must be insured by a statutory health insurance carrier. Only in exceptions will you be allowed to take out private insurance.

A public health insurance cover has reasonable rates and if you shop around a little you will find that some even offer substantial discounts to students and you can even have the liberty to choose your own doctor. A statutory health insurance currently amounts to 50 euros per month and your spouse and children are also covered within this insurance.

If you are privately insured in your country, then you have to check if the same insurance can be valid in Germany or not.

Important Tip: Always carry your Versichertenkarte or health insurance card with you. It will serve as an entry ticket to all medical services.

Cost of travel/ transport in Germany

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Travel becomes affordable for students in Germany if they have access to a “semester ticket” that makes travel in public transport free

Semester ticket: If you have a “semester ticket”, you can travel in trams, buses, local trains and suburban trains without having to pay extra. For example a “semesterticket” given by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will cost you € 65 per semester and will allow you to use all the underground/ suburban trains, trams, buses plying in the entire Munich public transportation network, for free. However, a “semesterticket” is not available at all higher education institutions.

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