6 Ways to Make Postgraduate Study in Germany More Affordable

Germany is an excellent choice of study destination for the budget-conscious, with reasonable living costs and no tuition fees for most postgraduate courses!

But though Germany is a cheaper option for Masters and PhD students than many other European countries, any degree abroad is still a serious investment. To help you save as many pennies as possible, we’ve picked out six ways to make German postgraduate study more affordable.

#1 Check your course is definitely tuition-free

Their lack of fees is a big selling point for German universities, and it is true that the vast majority do not charge tuition to any students, regardless of nationality.

That said, you may be required to pay fees in a few cases:

• Private universities usually charge fees (the vast majority of German universities are public, however).
• Universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg charge €1,500 per semester for Masters courses. There are no charges for PhD programmes.
• You may have to pay fees for a highly specialised non-consecutive Masters degree.

If avoiding extra charges is high on your priority list, it’s important to be aware of these exceptions!

If you want to know more about the cost of a Masters or PhD in Germany, we delved deeper into whether postgraduate study in Germany is really free.

#2 Finish your course within the required period

Free tuition in Germany is usually conditional on you completing your course within a certain period. PhD students are entitled to three years (or six semesters) of free study. After this, you’ll probably need to pay fees.

The rules for Masters students are less clear cut and vary between states, but it’s possible that if you find yourself having to repeat a year – or are delayed in graduating for any other reason – you’ll incur some extra costs.

Of course, there may be extenuating circumstances which mean you take longer than expected to complete your programme, and such scenarios aren’t always possible to plan for! But it’s a good idea to check your university’s policy on study periods before you apply.

#4 Choose a cheaper city

The German government estimates that students in Germany will need around €867 per month for living costs – but this will obviously vary depending on the city you choose to study in.

Cities with above-average living costs include Cologne, Munich, Hamburg and Frankfurt. Eastern cities such as Leipzig, Dresden and Jena are considerably cheaper.

Of course, finding a university with a degree you really want to study should be your first consideration when it comes to picking a German study location! But if you’re on a tight budget, money will inevitably be a factor. Crowdsourced cost-of-living calculator Numbeo is a useful tool for comparing living costs between cities.