Study in Germany as an International Student

At last count, there were nearly 250,000 international students enrolled in German universities, accounting for over 10 per cent of the country’s total student population.

Indeed, it is one of the most popular study destinations in the world. This is due, no doubt, to its plethora of world class universities.

There are an impressive 42 German universities in the top 500 of the 2016 QS World University Rankings®, 15 of which make the top 200. These high quality institutions are made even more appealing by the low cost of tuition, which will cost you no more than €250 a semester, and in some regions, nothing (universities are administered by regional rather than federal authorities).

Internationalization is a big priority for a lot of German universities, so as well as a warm welcome, you’ll find support groups, programs and events for international students in place. Another major consequence of this drive towards internationalization is a coming into line of the structure of German higher education with the rest of post-Bologna Declaration Europe. You’ll find bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs of the same length and of equivalent weight as you would almost anywhere else.

There are three types of German higher education institution. The first are known simply as Technical universities or Universitat. These are largely multi-disciplinary, research focussed establishments. Next are Fachhochschulen and Hochschule –universities of applied sciences – which are focussed on preparing students for workplaces that require specific skills and knowledge. Courses at these establishments will often feature practical elements or internships. The third category, colleges of arts, film or music, are more inclined towards creative vocations and often have special admission requirements, such as aptitude tests.

Though a range of courses are taught in English, particularly at graduate level, the majority are conducted in German. Most universities offer intensive courses, and there are options, such as Goethe institutes and the TestDaF that allow you to arrive prepared. Socially, though many Germans speak very good English.