Germany is a country that offers many opportunities to its resident and foreign students, offering a free education in the different academic programs: undergraduate, postgraduate, master's degrees, research projects, among others. In addition, it has a scholarship and financial aid program so that you can pay for accommodation, food and health expenses. Its universities are among the 100 best in the world, so it is undoubtedly the perfect destination for you.
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Germany is a country recognized for its beautiful countries and its indisputable German beer, but it is also a country with a very high level of education and quality of life , which is why it has currently become one of the most requested destinations for foreign students. in the last decades. Surely you are wondering how can I study in Germany if I don’t have a lot of money? Don’t worry! In Germany, a large number of universities are financed by the government, so the tuition fees are usually a little lower compared to other countries and even free.
However, to study in Germany you must take into account that, if you do not belong to a country of the European Union, you will have to apply for a Student Visa at the embassy closest to your home, where you will have to submit a series of documents and demonstrate that you meet the necessary requirements to enter the country as a student. In the same way, you should know that speaking German is not a demanding requirement to enter a German university , since there are programs that are taught in English. Similarly, throughout your stay in Germany you can attend German courses to learn to speak the language fluently. In recent decades, the foreign student population in Germany has grown exponentially, leaving some 350,000 student applications by 2020.
Among the visas that you can obtain to study in Germany are the following:
In addition, as a general fact, you should know that if you are an outstanding student you will be able to access a scholarship program that includes monthly financial aid to cover your tuition, accommodation and food expenses within the country. But do not worry if you are not an outstanding student, since studies in Germany are low cost compared to countries like the United Kingdom and the United States and are even usually free. If you are concerned about the quality of the studies, we tell you that Germany has an excellent educational quality where its universities manage to occupy high positions in the European rankings. For this 2020, the webometrics ranking placed 3 German universities and institutes within the 100 best universities in the country, among which are:
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Shared room |
$500 |
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Shared room |
$350 |
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2 bedroom apartment |
$1,222 |
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2 bedroom apartment |
$850 |
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Bus or Metro ticket |
$3,50 |
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Movie Ticket |
$9,78 |
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A beer in a bar |
$3 |
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A beer in the supermarket |
$1,60 |
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Typical Street Food |
$7 |
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Meal in a Restaurant |
$25 |
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Medical consultation |
$100 |
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Phone plans |
$15 |
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Average Cost of Living per Month |
USD $1,000 |
Living in a foreign country represents a great challenge for the student population, since it requires economic stability to pay tuition, room and board for the duration of the academic program. In general, Germany is a European country that has a stable economy , so its cost of living can be affordable for those who are starting their student life to later start the working stage, although currently, there are many students who combine studies with work practices to be able to pay their expenses throughout the degree. On average, the cost of living for a student in Germany is €700 to €800 per month (USD $860 to $980). Of course, everything will depend on the city where you decide to reside and the type of university where you want to study, whether public or private. In tuition fees you can pay from €200 to €300 per month for contributions , which in dollars is approximately USD $250 to $365 depending on the university campus.
Now, if you decide to reside in the city of Munich you must take into account the following costs:
In the case of studying in a colony, the expenses are usually the following:
As you can see, to live and study in Germany you must have a monthly budget of €700 to €850 (USD $860 to $1,000) to cover all your needs. Of course, if you manage to access a scholarship program for foreigners, the expenses may decrease considerably.
You can study for free in Germany if you have a scholarship. Although there are universities that do not charge tuition if they have stipulated rates called “academic contributions”, these contributions are around €230 (USD $282) and are paid monthly, so studying for free in Germany is only possible if you have a scholarship .
The good thing is that the German government allocates an annual budget of USD $400 million in tuition fees, health subsidies and transportation for foreign students. If you want to know the scholarship programs that the German government grants to foreign students, continue reading, since later we will mention the scholarship and financial aid programs that exist in Germany, as well as the requirements to apply for them.
Studying in Germany is a great opportunity to open up to new horizons and receive a multicultural education that will allow you to get to know new cultures through its academic bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs that are designed with an international projection. For this reason, the programs are taught in English or German so that the language is not a limitation.
Places to study at German universities are limited and there is a lot of competition to get them. That is why, before applying to a university, you must know all the requirements and the process to gain admission to a German university. You should bear in mind that German universities are very strict and rigorous with the level of studies required. Therefore, before applying, you must make sure that you comply with all the requirements and procedures corresponding to the academic program.
For programs taught in German you must meet the following requirements:
For programs taught in English you must meet the following requirements:
After having the language certificates, you must meet the general requirements:
It is important that all documents are apostilled and legalized before the corresponding authorities and are translated into the official language, German.
If you do not know what type of visa to apply for, below you will obtain information about each one of them.
Germany is a European country that not only stands out for its low-cost universities, but also has great aid programs for foreign students and has great international recognition for its academic programs that place it among the 100 most important universities in the world. world. The best German universities to study foreigners are the following:
It is important to note that as of 2016 the German government declared that university studies for residents and foreigners in Germany would be totally free ; that is, you will not pay tuition but, in the same way, you must pay a small contribution in both public and private universities.
Do you want to study in a country with high academic demands? Keep reading to find out about the types of visas, their requirements and the process that you must carry out in order to do so.
If you plan to have a stay of more than 90 days in Germany, you must process the National Visa that will allow you to study for a long time within the country. With this visa you can enter a German university; however, you must take into account that in order to remain in the country throughout the degree you need to process the Residence Permit at the competent immigration office.
With this visa you have complete freedom to study and work within Germany ; however, it is recommended that once you obtain the national visa and you are within German territory, you go to the immigration office to process the Residence Permit, since it gives you a longer stay in the country than the national visa.
Are you thinking of traveling to Germany for a period of no more than 90 days? If so, you must have a “Schengen visa”. This type of visa is granted to those foreign citizens of countries belonging to the Agreement of Application of the Schengen Agreement to carry out short courses of less than 90 days, tourist trips, visits to relatives or friends. It is important to note that this visa is personal and is addressed only to the country of destination; that is, if you want to travel to Germany, the visa will only be valid for that country. You will NOT be able to enter another country with the same visa. To find out if your country is part of the Schengen agreement , enter here .
No, in Germany the Schengen visa is only valid for short-term courses, tourism and family visits for a period of no more than 90 days (3 months). If you want to work in German territory, you will have to process a national visa that will allow you to work, do business, study and even later you can process the residence permit.
Every year there are thousands of foreign students who apply to German universities, so the number of courses to study German are innumerable and of course highly prestigious, since universities request certified language courses. The main schools or academies to study German are the following:
You can also find private and public universities for German courses. The cost of these courses is around €440 to €800, about USD$537 to $977, so you should estimate that budget before applying for a study visa.
The requirements to enroll in an academy or school to study German are the following:
Once you have completed all these admission requirements, you will be ready to start learning German.
If you want to travel to Germany to study their language “German” you must have a Schengen visa issued for the countries of the European Union but you can only be within the territory for a period of no more than 90 days, so if you have With this visa you can only take short-term courses. However, if you want to study a longer academic program, you can choose to apply for a Student Visa that will allow you to spend more than 90 days in Germany, even making it easier for you to opt for a Permanent Resident Visa. Regarding the process to follow and the requirements, you must submit those mentioned above depending on the type of visa you want to apply for: Schengen Visa or Student Visa. But in general you must have academic supports, letters of invitation, valid passport, child-size photos and pay the fee corresponding to each procedure. As you can see, it is a very simple process, since Germany is a somewhat flexible country when it comes to granting visas to foreign citizens who meet all the requested requirements.
What makes Germany a country in great demand for foreign students is its high academic level, its free study system and its great scholarship and financial aid programs for foreigners. The most important scholarship and financial support program in Germany is the DAAD, Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, which functions as the largest international exchange program for students and scientists in the world. Over the years the DAAD has supported more than 1.7 million students in Germany and around the world. The DAAD has more than 200 programs, where every year it allocates financial support to more than 120,000 students from Germany and the world. Among their offers include:
In Germany, you will find a large number of scholarships offered by universities, government institutions, foundations, and companies for various study programs. Germany is a country that promotes scientific research, so doctorates are greatly supported to encourage the execution of scientific activities within the country. Therefore, if you are going to do a doctorate or a master’s degree in Germany, you will be able to access great scholarship programs and financial support. The DAAD offers the following scholarship programs:
What do these scholarships generally include?
They are granted to those students who are carrying out advanced studies, projects, internships, summer courses and doctoral theses. The fields of studies that you must complete to obtain this scholarship are the following:
The calls are normally made in the months of July and August of each year.
It is a scholarship program aimed at students in the areas of medicine and veterinary medicine to carry out clinical training and contribute to the execution of scientific projects. Academic areas must have a focus on public health and projects related to:
The scholarship and financial aid program will depend on the next branch of study you want to do. In general, studies in Germany are free but, in the same way, the student will have to make contributions to the institutions, which is why the German government and private institutions dedicate a large part of their resources to the student support of German and foreign residents. .
Studying and working in Germany can be very easy if you have all the documentation required to start an academic program or job offers. In general, most foreigners who enter Germany start a career first and then get job offers in their fields or areas of study. If you want to work for short periods with the Student Visa, you can do so, but if, on the other hand, you need to stay in the country for a longer period of time, you will have to apply for a Residence Permit or Work Visa. In general, a foreign student in Germany can work 120 full working days or 240 half working days per year . While the student is in the class period, they may work a maximum of 20 hours per week.
If the current scenario for you is that you have finished your studies and you are thinking of staying in the country developing research and working, then you will have to process a Residence Permit or the German Work Visa. Like the other procedures, it is very easy to obtain a Residence Permit or Work Visa in Germany if you have previously studied or are part of projects that contribute to the development of the country.
Without a doubt, Germany is a country that offers many opportunities to foreign students so that they can carry out studies and projects in the country. In addition, to establish a free education for both residents and foreign citizens. If you want to know more about the programs taught both in Germany and in different countries of the world , in Go-Study-in you will find information backed by experts in the area.
