STUDYING

IN GERMANY
A comprehensive guide
 Table of Content

Page 03
Introduction
Find out what this ebook is all about.

Page 04
Why is Germany a popular study destination?
Know all the reasons making Germany a favorite
destination among internationals.

Page 08
German higher education system
Learn all about higher education, from types of universities to ECTS.

Page 12
Applying to a German university
Check the most important steps to make it easier for you.

Page 15
Securing your German student visa
Brief checklist with the most important things you should keep in mind.

Page 17
Conclusion
Enjoy your relocation to Germany now that you have our
informative guide.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

2
 Introduction

German universities enjoy an

excellent reputation and offer optimal
conditions for successful studies. In
this guide, you will learn everything
you need to know about the German
higher education landscape from the
types of universities to the
grading system.

With this comprehensive information,

Expatrio supports you in finding your
way to a German university.

Secure everything
you need to study
in Germany.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

3
 Why is
Germany
a popular
study
destination?
Germany is one of the most popular
non-English speaking host countries
for international students.

According to the OECD, it is the third most popular destination country worldwide.
And according to DAAD and DZHW (Wissenschaft Weltoffen), it is the most popular
non-English-speaking study country. Let’s take a look at the reasons behind Germany
being so popular among international students!

1 No-tuition fees at
public universities

In Germany, international students at

most public universities do not have to
Semester ticket for
public transportation
Contribution to the
student council

pay tuition fees. Instead, it is customary to

pay a so-called Semesterbeitrag (semester
fee) at the beginning of each semester,
which can range from €65 to €230.
The semester fee includes a semester
ticket that allows students to use public
Social contribution Possible additional
transportation in their city or even across
for the Studentenwerk fees to cover
the whole region at a low cost. This is how
(student union) administrative costs
the Semesterbeitrag is calculated:

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

4
 2 Affordable tuitions
at private universities

Even private universities have very

affordable tuition fees. On average, a
Bachelor’s degree at a private university
comes at the cost of €520 per month. This
makes studying at a private university in
Germany more expensive than at a public
institution, but often the undeniable
advantages of a private university - such
as individual support, modern equipment
and close connections with the business
world - make the additional investment
worthwhile.

3
High-quality education
and world-recognized
degrees
German universities offer an outstanding Germany also has an excellent reputation
level of teaching and research that for top-notch degree programs in
is among the best in the world. The engineering and other technical subjects.
government systematically promotes this A staggering 42% of international students
with funding projects such as the so-called in Germany are enrolled in engineering
Exzellenzstrategie (excellence strategy), degree programs. No wonder a degree
which is designed to ensure that German from a German university is recognized
universities are internationally oriented, worldwide and opens up excellent
world-class research institutions. opportunities on the job market.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

5
 4 Wide range of
courses

The range of courses on offer is huge,

allowing students to focus on exactly
what they want to study. The practical
relevance of the study options also makes
the offer to study in Germany particularly
attractive. In many courses, theory and
practice are closely intertwined, not
least because many universities work
directly with companies. This happens, for
example, through research collaborations
or joint events with companies that
accompany students’ entry into the
professional world.

5
English-taught
programs
(and German too, of course)

German universities have significantly

expanded their range of foreign language
and international degree programs in
recent years.

While there are still many German-

language degree programs, there are
more than 1,500 English-taught courses
at universities in Germany. So, it is super
possible to complete an entire study
program if you only speak English.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

6
 6 Affordable costs and
high standards of living

In Germany, costs of living are very affordable

and the standard of living is very high. The
average net household income is €36,000,
while the OECD average is €28,000.

Germany is among the top 5 OECD countries

in terms of health spending. This high level
of funding ensures above-average access
to healthcare services in Germany. There
is easily accessible infrastructure, a high
number of health professionals, and a large
share of the costs is covered by the insurance
systems.

7
Great job
opportunities

Germany has the largest economy in If you have a university degree or

Europe and the fifth-largest in the world, professional qualification, work experience
so there are many jobs in the country for and speak at least some German, you
internationals with specialized skills. have a very good chance of finding a job in
Germany.
Germany also has one of the lowest
unemployment rates in the EU, at 3.7% in Do you want to study in Germany? Find
May 2021. This is well below the Eurozone your dream study course with Expatrio’s
average of 7.9%. Study Finder!

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

7
 German
higher
education
system

1 Private and public

universities

Universities in Germany generally offer Private universities have become a

an extensive range of subjects. serious alternative to public universities in
Germany. This is because one of the major
Public universities have the right to award advantages of most private universities
doctorates and serve both research and is the higher quality of student support.
teaching. Universities are usually much The number of students per teacher is
larger than universities of applied sciences usually significantly lower than at public
and can therefore offer more specialized universities, which allows for a more
courses. intensive supervision of students. The
strong practical orientation of private
No tuition fees are charged at most public universities is particularly appreciated by
universities. In contrast, studying at private companies, which could be your potential
universities always involves tuition fees. employers.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

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 2 Types of
universities

Public and private higher education in

Germany is provided by two types of
universities: Universities of Applied Sciences
Concentrate their study programs on
Universities engineering and technical subjects,
Offer the full range of academic business subjects, social work and design.
disciplines. Traditionally, the focus at The mission of applied research and
German universities has been particularly development implies a clear practical
on research, so that advanced studies orientation and a job-related studies
are primarily theoretical and research- focus, which often include integrated
oriented. The oldest German university is and supervised internships in industry,
Heidelberg University, established in 1386. companies or other relevant institutions.

3 Types of
degrees

The various courses of study at German Master’s:

universities and universities of applied The Master’s degree is the second degree
sciences can be completed with after a further 1 to 2 years. Master’s degree
different examinations and academic programs can be differentiated according
degrees: to the profile types “application-oriented”
and “research-oriented.”
Bachelor’s:
Bachelor’s degree programs teach Doctorate:
scientific fundamentals, methodological Universities in Germany and equivalent
competence and qualifications related institutions of higher education are
to the professional field. The Bachelor’s eligible to award doctorates. The formal
degree is awarded after 3 to 4 years. requirement for admission to doctoral
studies is a qualified Master’s degree
(universities of applied sciences and
universities) or an equivalent foreign
degree.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

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 4 Academic year
in Germany

The academic year in Germany is

divided into summer and winter Private universities are usually more
semesters. One year consists of 2 flexible with their semester starting dates.
semesters. The semesters include lecture periods and
lecture-free periods. The exact dates vary
At German universities, the winter from year to year. The WS lecture period
semester (WS) (in which most degree begins around mid-October and ends in
programs begin) generally lasts from early/mid-February. The summer semester
01.10. to 31.03. and the summer semester lecture period begins in mid-April and ends
(SS) from 01.04. to 31.09. of a year. in mid-late July.

5 Grading system and

graduation criteria

The German grading scale generally a regular thesis, which is written under
comprises 5 grades (intermediate the guidance of university instructors
grades may also be awarded): “Very and is usually only intended to reflect the
good” (1), “Good” (2), “Satisfactory” current state of research, a doctoral thesis
(3), “Sufficient” (4), “Not sufficient” (5). is an independent work of science that
At least the grade “Sufficient” (4) is is required to provide a research-based
required to pass. increase in knowledge on the subject.

In order to successfully complete their At a college of art or music, it may also be

studies, students in Germany usually possible to complete a course of study
have to write a thesis at the end of without writing a thesis in exchange for
their program. This mainly applies to proof of practical experience. In all other
Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. At many cases, a thesis is usually mandatory. The
universities, it is also possible to complete main aim here is to ensure the quality and
a course of study without an exam by comparability of degree programs and
writing a doctoral thesis. In contrast to degrees.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

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 6 European Credit Transfer and
Accumulation System (ECTS)

The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation

System (ECTS) is part of the Bologna Process,
which ensures a standardized higher
education system across Europe. ECTS credits
relate to the workload necessary to complete
a given study program, like a Bachelor’s or
Master’s degree. In general, one year of full-time
study is worth 60 ECTS credits. A single study
module is generally worth 3 to 6 ECTS points,
depending on the workload. For example, to
obtain a Master’s degree with a designated
study time of 2 years, you usually must
complete 120 ECTS credits total.

7 Attendance at
German universities

Mandatory attendance at public

8 How to find a
study program in
Germany?
As you can see, there are countless
universities in Germany is not opportunities to study in Germany.
uniformly regulated. The regulations
on compulsory attendance can differ You are definitely spoiled for choice!
from university to university and even Maybe you already know which city you
from subject to subject. want to move to? Then you can search for
suitable universities and study programs
Lectures are usually exempt from there. Or do you have a certain course of
mandatory attendance. Seminars are study in mind, but don’t yet know where
also often exempt from compulsory you want to study it?
participation. This is usually specified
in the examination regulations or the You can use our Study Finder to find the
module description. Only practical university that best fits your individual
exercises, internships, language courses needs! Simply filter by city, major or
and laboratory hours are usually directly degree to find the ideal study program for
declared as compulsory courses. you!

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

11
 Applying to
a German
university
Applying to a German university
involves some research and perhaps
challenges. We would like to give you
an overview of the most important
steps to make it easier for you:

1 Check your eligibility with our

Study Eligibility Checker

First, you need to check whether you can

be admitted to your desired university at
all. The best way to do this is to use our
Study Eligibility Checker.

If you meet all the criteria, you can apply

directly to the university. If not, you
may attend a preparatory course (or
Studienkolleg) to prepare for entering your
desired university in Germany.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

12
 2 Academic year
in Germany

Once you have decided on a particular are only offered in German, but for
university and a field of study, you Master’s programs it is easier to find an
should find out about the application international program.
requirements and restrictions of the
university in question (application Master’s, however, often have a different
requirements for German universities hurdle. In certain fields, such as business
often vary from state to state and even programs, you may need a valid GMAT test
from university to university). or a GRE test.

In most cases, you will need to provide Tip: Should you need some guidance
proof of language proficiency, confirming for your application process, Expatrio
sufficient knowledge of German or English. offers you an Application Assistant and

3
Many Bachelor’s programs in Germany consultation with our relocation specialists.

Check and gather

necessary documents

In order to send exactly the right • Proof of a Bachelor’s degree is required

documents to the university, you can for Master’s degree programs
also contact the International Office • A passport photo
(Akademisches Auslandsamt) of your • A copy of your passport
chosen university before filling out the • Certified copies of language certificates
application. and other academic tests

In general, you will need the following Depending on the program, you may also
documents: need to submit a letter of motivation and/
or a letter of recommendation.
• A completed application form for the
study program Tip: It might be necessary to translate
• Your certificate of higher your documents if they are not in English
education entrance qualification or German. Be sure to obtain an official
(Hochschulzugangsberechtigung - HZB) translation.

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 4 Get a language
certificate

If you do not yet have a language certificate,

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you can acquire one. If you want to take a VE D
German test, you can either take the DSH 1234

5
test or the TestDAF as those are usually
accepted by most German universities.

There are many English proficiency tests

and you can choose the one that suits you
best. It is also possible that the university
requires a specific test. So, it is better to do
some research before you decide on a test
(this also applies to the German language
certificate). The most common English tests
are IELTS, TOEFL, or the Cambridge exams.

5 Fill out the forms &

Submit application

Don’t forget to fill out all the forms that

6 Get your
acceptance letter

Most likely, you will have to wait a few

the university requires you to submit. more weeks until it finally arrives: your
admission letter! Normally, you will
Have you double checked everything? receive it by e-mail and also by mail.
Now it’s finally time to submit your
application! Once your application has been
successful, you can begin the process of
After submitting your application, there obtaining your German student visa.
may be further steps. For example, an
interview or even sending your application Find out more about this topic in the
by mail. So keep an eye on your upcoming pages.
mailbox and prepare to send in further
documents.

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

14
 Securing
your German
student visa
The first half of the whole “Relocate
to Germany”-process is done! You
have received your admission letter
and secured a spot at a university of
your choice in Germany!

Now, there is one more important step to complete: the student visa for Germany. To
make sure this goes smoothly, we have created a brief checklist for you with the most

1 2
important things you should keep in mind:

Book an appoint-
ment at the relevant Gather your
German Mission documents

The first step is to arrange an appointment Next, you need to prepare the necessary
at the relevant German mission in your documents for the visa application.
home country. You can usually find the list of required
documents on the website of the German
embassy or consulate.

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15
 3 Open a Blocked
Account

An important requirement for the

What is a Blocked
Account?

A Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) is

a special account that the holder
issuance of a visa to study in Germany
cannot freely dispose of. It works
is that your livelihood is secured for the
as proof of financial resources
duration of your studies. You can prove
for people planning to apply for
this in the form of a blocked account.
a visa or residence permit for
their stay in Germany. The main
groups of people required to have
a Blocked Account are students,
language students, job seekers,
and basically everyone whose stay
in the country is not supported by
external sources such as salary or
scholarship.

To open a Blocked account a

minimum amount required by law
must be paid in - currently €861
for each month the student wishes
to stay in Germany. This means,
if the student wants to remain in
Germany for 12 months, €861 x
12 (= €10,332) has to be paid into
the account when opening it. This
amount remains blocked until
the holder arrives in Germany,
when it’s necessary to activate the
account.

They will receive their blocked

amount each month on their
current bank account.

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16
 4 Get Health
Insurance

Proof of health insurance is mandatory

for enrollment at a German university.
Most international students in Germany
can insure themselves with a public Value Package!
(also known as statutory) health
insurance. Students pay a monthly This is why we offer the best
discounted rate of about €110 option for an easy start in
to have access to the healthcare Germany. Our Value Package
system. is all-inclusive and saves you
time and money during your
relocation process: you open a
Why do you need it? blocked account directly and are
covered by health insurance from
Why exactly is health insurance so
day one!
important? Because it is required by
law and otherwise you will not get an
The combination of Blocked
Aufenthaltstitel (residence permit) in
Account, Health Insurance
Germany. However, it can be a bit tricky
bundle (Incoming Insurance and
because as an international in Germany
either Private or Public Health
you might not have access to statutory
Insurance), and current bank
health insurance straight away. This
account is all you need for your
can be the case, for example, if you
new life in Germany.
arrive in Germany before the official
start of your studies or if you first
attend a preparatory language course
(Studienkolleg).

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

17
 Conclusion

Relocate
We hope our guide has helped you
make the decision to finally relocate
to Germany! Now you also have a
good starting point and informative

to guidance even if you are already

in the middle of your application
process to study in the country!

Germany :) Here’s to a successful move to your

favorite German city and university!
Cheers!

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

18
 Website: expatrio.com
Email: service@expatrio.com

Studying in Germany / A comprehensive guide

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