Masters Scholarships in Germany

The German higher education system is well-established as one of the best in Europe, but did you know that it’s also one of the most affordable?

On this page you can find out everything you need to know about fees and funding for Masters programmes in Germany. This includes a guide to the university fee in Germany for both domestic and international students, as well as a breakdown of scholarships for Masters degrees at German universities.

For more general information, check out our comprehensive guide to studying a Masters in Germany. Or, if you’ve already decided that Germany is the international study destination for you, why not get started searching for your ideal German Masters degree?

The German university system is underpinned by a philosophy of affordable and accessible higher education. Undergraduate courses at public universities in Germany are completely free and many German Masters degrees are also free.

The self-proclaimed ‘land of ideas’ made headlines in 2014 when it completely abolished tuition fees for all of its undergraduate programmes. Fees still apply to postgraduate programmes, but the typical cost of a German Masters degree is far less than you might think.

There’s also plenty of financial support available for both domestic and international students. In fact, the body responsible for promoting German higher education and supporting students (the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, or DAAD) is one of the largest in the world.

What is the cost of a Masters in Germany?

Instead of being determined by nationality, study costs in Germany will mainly depend on whether it is regarded as a ‘consecutive’ or ‘non-consecutive’ programme:

• Consecutive Masters programmes build upon related undergraduate degrees in the same subject. Tuition for these courses is usually free.
• Non-consecutive Masters programmes are not intended to directly follow undergraduate study. These are often professional degrees designed for returning students or discrete academic programmes for those seeking to acquire new skills and training at postgraduate level. Non-consecutive Masters programmes usually incur tuition fees of around €500 per semester, but some may cost more.

The best way to find out what fees are charged for a particular course is to check the programme details provided by universities.

Why not start by looking at the hundreds of German Masters programmes in our course listings? There you can find information on specific fees, as well as contact details for inquiries.

Do international students pay more university fees in Germany?

Fees for international students in Germany are normally the same as those for domestic students. This applies to EU and EEA nationals as well as citizens of other countries.

One exception to this rule is the state of Baden-Württemberg, which charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester.

Are there any other costs for Masters students in Germany?

The full cost of postgraduate study in Germany includes some supplementary costs in addition to tuition fees. Of course, if you do not pay fees for your Masters in Germany, these supplementary charges will actually be the only ones you pay:

• Semester fees (or Semesterbeitrag) pay for basic registration and administration costs. In some cases these will also entitle you to student discounts. Prices are usually around €100-€350 per semester. In some federal states you will also be required to pay an administrative fee of around €50-€75 per semester.
• Health insurance is required by all students in Germany. If you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) this will be sufficient. Other students may need to take out private health cover during their Masters. Discounts are available to students under 30 and some part-time employers will also provide health cover.

In some states, you may be charged up to €500 per semester if you do not complete your degree within the required period.

Private universities

The cost of a Masters from a private university in Germany will usually be higher than at a public institution. Private universities are not obliged to waive fees and their degree pricing may not distinguish between consecutive and non-consecutive courses.

Cost of living for Masters students in Germany

Living costs for students in Germany are comparable to those in other European countries. Official estimates recommend that you budget around €867 a month to cover accommodation, food and other routine expenses.

The exact amount you’ll need will vary depending on the location of your university and your own lifestyle. As a rule, the cost of living in larger German cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt or Munich will be higher than elsewhere.

You can find more information in our guide to living as a postgraduate student in Germany.

Various forms of financial support are available to help with the cost of postgraduate study in Germany. These are not necessarily intended to cover tuition fees (which are usually low, if charged at all) but can help you with living costs and other expenses.

Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG)

The German government provides a combination of need-based grants and loans to students at public universities. These are provided under the Federal Training Assistance Act, or Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz, commonly abbreviated as BAföG.

The amount of BAföG support you can receive will vary based on your economic circumstances, up to a maximum of €934 per month. Of this, 50% will be given to you as a grant and the remaining 50% will be provided as an interest-free loan (with the total repayable amount capped at €10,010).

You can qualify for BAföG assistance with a Masters in Germany if you're a German citizen and you:

• Are under 45 years old
• Are studying a recognised programme at a German university
• Can demonstrate financial need based on your parents’ income and your own economic circumstances

In order to be eligible for help from BAföG, you’ll usually need to be a German citizen. However, in some certain situations international students will also qualify. For example, if one of your parents has German citizenship, you have a German spouse or you’ve worked in Germany for five years before the start of your studies, you may be eligible for BAföG.

More information on eligibility criteria and application processes is available from the official BAföG website.

Deutschland Stipendium

In addition to need-based support via BAföG, German students can also access government support via the Deutschland Stipendium (Germany Scholarship) programme. This provides funding to exceptional students of all nationalities at German universities.

Grants are match-funded. This means they are usually made up of €150 of government funding and a further €150 from private donors (sometimes this can include the university at which you study). This funding can also be combined with need-based BAföG support, where appropriate.

Applications for Germany Scholarships are processed by the university at which you wish to study your Masters. More information is available on the Deutschland Stipendium.

StipendiumPlus Scholarships

StipendiumPlus is a network of twelve funding organisations, coordinated by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. They offer a number of awards to gifted students at various levels of study. You’ll usually need to qualify for BAföG to be eligible for a StipendiumPlus scholarship.

Various individual organisations participate in the StipendiumPlus network. Some offer funding in specific fields or in support of specific social and political agendas. Others have a wider remit and will support students working in a variety of areas.

You can find out more about individual StipendiumPlus funders and access their contact details at the network’s website.

The Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (or German Academic Exchange Service) is one of the world’s largest international study agencies. It promotes German higher education and study opportunities around the world, with offices in numerous countries.

This breadth of coverage means that the DAAD should usually be your first port of call for international Masters funding in Germany. Various DAAD scholarships are offered to fund study in Germany by students from specific countries.

DAAD United Kingdom – Study Scholarship for Postgraduate Students

DAAD’s London office administers a scholarship for current students of British or Irish universities to study a Masters in Germany. This funding provides up to €861 per month, as well as coverage for travel expenses.

You can apply regardless of nationality, provided you are studying (or have studied) your first degree in the UK or Ireland. All subject areas are eligible, but some have specific application criteria.

Further information is available from DAAD United Kingdom.

DAAD America – Study Scholarships

DAAD’s American office organises exchanges between Germany and the USA. This includes support for American students seeking to fund a Masters in Germany.

Funding is usually available for either a full Masters degree programme, or for a year of postgraduate study abroad in Germany (including the second year of a Masters degree in progress).

The scholarship provides a stipend of €861 per month, plus travel expenses. In addition, the DAAD will usually provide healthcare coverage and may also assist with accommodation in some cases.

More information about these scholarships for postgraduate study in Germany is available from DAAD America.

Masters funding for Indian students in Germany

There are lots of different funding options and scholarships for Indian students (many of which are also available to people from developing countries). The DAAD maintains a useful database of scholarships that you can use to search for other sources of German Masters funding for Indian students.

Combined Study and Practice Stays for Engineers from Developing Countries (KOSPIE) with Indian IITs

This scholarship allows Masters students from the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to complete a study exchange at one of Germany’s TU9 universities (some of the country’s leading technical universities).

The funding allows Indian students to spend a semester in Germany under the supervision of a local professor, working on a project that will contribute to their dissertation. The benefits include:

• 861 euros (INR 0.7 Lakh) monthly living stipend
• German language classes
• Research allowance
• Health insurance
• Travel expenses

Find out more about the KOSPIE scholarship.

Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS)

This funding is available to graduates from developing countries (such as India) who have a professional background in development policy. It’s available for a selection of Masters degrees (PDF) at some of Germany’s top universities. Depending on the course, the funding has a duration of between 12 months and 42 months.

The EPOS programme provides scholarship holders with:

• 861 euros (INR 0.7 Lakh) monthly living stipend
• Health insurance
• Travel expenses

Find out more about EPOS.

Helmut-Schmidt-Programme (Masters Scholarships for Public Policy and Good Governance – PPGG)

The Helmut-Schmidt-Programme provides postgraduate funding for students from developing countries like India to study a Masters in a subject that could promote democracy and social justice back home.

If successful, you’ll receive:

• A tuition fee waiver
• 931 euros (INR 0.76 Lakh) per month
• Health insurance
• Travel expenses
• German language classes

Find out more about the PPGG scholarship.

Friedrich Ebert Foundation – Scholarship for International Students

Scholarships from the Friedrich Ebert Foundation are available for talented students from the Global South to study in any subject area. Although you can choose to study in English, you’ll need to show that you have sufficient German language skills (in fact, much of the application is in German).

The benefits of a Friedrich Ebert Scholarship include:

• 850 euros (INR 0.7 Lakh) monthly living stipend
• Health insurance

Find out more about the Friedrich Ebert Scholarships.

DAAD funding in other countries

In total there are 15 DAAD offices around the world, as well as numerous other administrative centres. This means that DAAD funding for Masters study in Germany is probably available to you, wherever you live.

To find out about funding for students in your country, take a look at the country index on the DAAD website.

If you’re an international student looking to complete all or part of a Masters degree in Germany, you may be able to receive funding from the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme.

Erasmus+ funding provides support for Joint Masters Degrees (offered by partnerships of institution in various countries) or for shorter periods of international study. As of 2016 the Erasmus+ programme is also offering its own loans for students from Italy (Emilia Romagne region), Spain, Turkey, Croatia and Romania studying a Masters abroad in participating countries (including Germany).

You can find out more in our detailed guide to Erasmus+ Masters funding.