FEES
When many students dream of studying abroad, the high costs often make them reconsider. Germany, however, stands out with lower tuition costs,
even compared to universities in the UK, Canada, Australia or the USA.
There are semester fees and tuition fees.
Public Universities
Tuition Fees
When it comes to tuition fees, there are not any for public universities in Germany.
Tuition fees were abolished in 2014 by the federal government and states, which is the cause for the belief that education in Germany is entirely free. Higher Education is not completely free of cost, however it is very affordable compared to education in other countries!
Hence you’ll not have tuition fees at public universities, but have to pay semester fees.
Semester Fees
Public universities in Germany charge €100 to €350 annually.
The small semester fee covers administrative services such as student administration, student union contributions, and a public transportation pass covering public transportation within the region.
Exceptions
However there are some exceptions when it comes to not paying tuition fees in Public Universities. You might be required to pay tuition fees in the following cases:
Specialized Programs.
Some specialized programs, usually graduate degrees, may have tuition fees.
These programs provide unique advantages like specialized training, language courses, or international experiences.
Professional Study Programs.
Executive MBAs, other executive-level courses, postgraduate certificates, etc. often involve tuition fees. Depending on the program level and content, these can vary greatly.
The Federal State of Baden-Württemberg.
The Federal State of Baden-Württemberg introduced tuition fees for non-EU international students in 2017 costing €1,500 per semester.
The Federal State of Bavaria.
Here the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act (BayHIG) allowed universities to charge tuition fees for international students from third countries starting in 2023. But, only the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has applied these fees yet.
Privat Universities
Private universities, on the other hand, charge higher fees, making them a less popular choice for students.
Tuition fees
Private universities usually range between €5,000 to €20,000 a year or more.
Each university is free to set its own fees and regularly review them for potential changes.
Although smaller in number, private universities offer a great variety of specialized programs.
Most of them have different fees for each program, so your choice of program can affect your expenses.
Semester Fees
Private universities charge up to €5,000 to €20,000 annually.
Programs like MBAs can cost up to €65,000 for the entire program.
