MS in Germany | No tuition, quality education, and abundant opportunities!

If you want to study Engineering, Natural Sciences, or Law, and don’t mind learning a bit of German, pursuing your MS in Germany is a sweet deal!

The country offers quality education, does cutting-edge research, and is home to some of the top universities in the world. But that’s not where it ends.

Germany also has very low tuition fees, super-friendly immigration policies, and job opportunities in brands like Adidas, Mercedes Benz, and BMW!

Read on to know all about studying in Germany.

Why study in Germany

One of the most popular study abroad destinations, Germany attracts more than 150,000 international students every year.

Let’s find out why-

1. 12 German universities rank among the top 200 institutions in the world
2. Students interested in courses like Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Automotive Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Data Science, Law, Mathematics, etc. find great quality education in this country
3. Germany has a very high employability ranking
4. You can stay up to 18 months after graduation and work in Germany
5. The country has a rich culture worth exploring and is connected with some of the most beautiful countries in the world, like Spain, Paris, Italy, etc.
6. Most importantly, education is Germany is super cheap – almost all public universities in Germany do not charge any tuition fees to any international student

If this isn’t enough to answer the question “Why study in Germany?” read on!

Is MS in Germany free?

Yes, all the public universities in Germany offer free education to all students. All you would have to do is make a small payment of 250 euros every semester as the enrollment fee.

But if you decide to apply to any of the private universities, you will be asked to pay the standard tuition fees accordingly.

And although most programs in Germany are free of cost, some programs such as MBA, which require you to demonstrate work experience after your graduation, charge tuition fees to their students.

Will I have to learn German?

That depends on three factors – the university you’re applying to, which course you want to study, and your plans after graduation.

If the university course you are applying for is taught in English, you won’t need to learn German.

However, if you plan to stay back after your graduation and look for a job in Germany, then yes, you will have to learn the language and take a test to prove your efficiency in it.

Top universities in Germany for masters

A leader in STEM courses, Law, and Economics, Germany has a range of Universities of Applied Sciences and Technical Universities.

While the former is for those who want to pursue their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, the latter also offers Ph.D.’s to aspiring international students who are less research-oriented.

Let’s take a look at some of the top public universities in Germany and learn how to create a personalized shortlist-

University	THE Ranking	Popular MS programs
Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich	32	English, CS, Data Science, Management, Economics
Technical University of Munich	43	Management, Data Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science
Heidelberg University	44	Physics, Data Science, English, Electrical Engineering, Economics
Humboldt University Berlin	74	Economics, English, Social Work, Data Science
Charite Universitatmedizin Berlin	80	Neuroscience, epidemiology, medicine, health science
University of Freiburg	86	English, CS, Robotics, Embedded Systems
University of Tubingen	91	Machine learning, CS, Economics, English
RWTH Aachen	99	CS, Automotive Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Data Science
Technical University Berlin	149	Mechanical Engineering, CS, Energy Engineering
Free University of Berlin	117	English, Psychology, CS, Management

According to the DAAD, there is no such thing as ‘top public universities in Germany.’

You have to figure out what kind of a course you want to pursue if you want it to be research-oriented or not, and see if you fulfill their admissions requirements.

Only then will you be able to shortlist the right universities for your applications.

Cost of studying in Germany

As we’ve already mentioned, the cost of studying at public universities is very low. All you have to do is pay a yearly enrollment fee of 250 euros every semester.

However, when it comes to private universities, your cost of studying in Germany can range anywhere between 3000 and 19,500 euros, depending on which course and university you choose.

Here’s a range for you to refer to-

• Tuition fees at public universities: 250 to 620 euros
• Tuition fees at private universities: 3000 and 19,500 euros

Coming to the cost of living-

• The average cost to live in Germany is around 850 euros per month

Like other countries, the cost of studying in Europe differs between cities.

For example, you would need more money living in Munich than in a smaller city like Leipzig.

Most students in Germany live in residence halls and share a flat with roommates.

Another way to offset your living expenses is to find a part-time job that will allow you to work for 20 hours during the week.

Scholarships to study in Germany

Scholarships are the one way forward for international students looking to study in Germany for free. There are three avenues that you can try to make your entire MS in Germany free of cost-

1) The Deutschlandstipendium

This scholarship is the result of a public-private partnership. In these student scholarships in Germany for Indian students, a private entity (any company or individual) and the German government pledged to share the burden of each individual student equally. And it’s the discretion of a university administration to select the scholarship holders of Deutschlandstipendium.

2) DAAD Scholarships

The German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD is the largest German support organization with respect to international academic co-operation. DAAD scholarships cater to thousands of international students striving for free education in Germany. Students going for free post-grad study in Germany have a better shot at DAAD grants.

3) Erasmus+

Erasmus + is a European student exchange scheme that can help you in your goal to study in Germany for free.

It is worth mentioning that such scholarships in Germany for Indian students are more or less available to individuals that have maintained an exceptional academic record throughout. However, there are many such deserving students out there, and building your profile to match scholarship requirements is something that might definitely help.

German university admission process

There’s a lot of research that goes into the German university admission process. And that is why it’s best to begin 6 months before the applications open in September for the Summer intake (or July for the Winter intake)-

1. The first thing you need to know is that before you study in Germany, you are required to have a Hochschulzugangsberechtigung (HZB), meaning ‘higher education entrance qualification.
2. Once you have that, find out if your qualifications are accepted by the German university you want to apply to.
3. Conduct extensive research and find a program and a university that best suits your scores as well as preferences.
4. Then, check the university language requirements. Ideally, you are required to submit proof of proficiency in the German language up to the B2 level for applying to a partially German-taught program and a basic B1 level for English-taught programs.
5. Submit your scores on tests such as GRE, GMAT, IELTS /TOEFL, etc. along with your past education scores and the relevant documents.
6. Now, all you need to do is submit your applications and wait for the results.

But wait, is it easy to get a job in Germany?

Germany has a 2.4% unemployment rate!

This means that only 24 out of 1000 people in Germany don’t get a job.

So, yes, it is fairly easy to get a job in Germany after graduation – the country is an industrial powerhouse!

Jobs are always available to graduates in industries involving Engineers, Scientists, Researchers, Architects, Accountants, etc.

These jobs can earn you a handsome salary of anywhere from 90,700 euros to 162,000 euros per annum, depending on which city and field you land your job in!

Plus, you get 6 months to search for a new job and 18 months to freely stay back and work in the country!

Is Germany for me?

Almost free tuition, high-quality education, research opportunities, high-end jobs, and a chance to stay back – what else do you need?

Germany is a beautiful country brimming with adventure and opportunity for those who want to pursue STEM abroad.

And so what if you have to learn German to get there – it will be another arrow in your quiver?

So what’s the next step? Shortlist the right universities for your MS in Germany. And if you get stuck, feel free to reach out to us or drop a comment! We’d be very happy to help.