Germany

No, not for everyone. Public universities charge no tuition for a first degree in every state except Baden-Württemberg, which charges non-EU students 1,500 EUR per semester. TU Munich is the one university-level exception nationwide, charging non-EU students newly enrolling from winter 2024/25 between 2,000 and 6,000 EUR per semester. Everyone pays a semester contribution too, typically 100 to 350 EUR. And "free" stops at the first degree: a second degree and continuing-education master's programmes can be charged for in any state.

Tuition at a private university is set per programme, so the number varies — check the programme page for the fee, and if it charges tuition you will also need to prove you can cover that on top of the standard 11,904 EUR of living costs. What does not vary is the degree's standing: a state-recognised private institution carries the same study visa, the same work allowance while you study and the same 18-month post-study permit as a public university, because German residence law names state and state-recognised institutions as equal alternatives, not a first and second tier. You can check any institution's official status yourself on Hochschulkompass, the state register.

For 2026 the figure is 11,904 euros, held in a blocked account, which works out at 992 euros per month for a year. This is the standard proof of financial resources for a student visa and applies to most non-EU nationalities. EU, EEA and Swiss students do not need one. The amount is set nationally and is reviewed periodically, so confirm the current figure at the time you apply rather than relying on an older number.

A blocked account, or Sperrkonto, is a German bank account you fund before you arrive and then draw down in monthly instalments. You deposit the full year's amount, and the bank releases one twelfth of it to you each month — currently 992 euros — so the money cannot be withdrawn in one go. Its purpose is to prove to the visa authorities that you can support yourself for a full year without working. You open it before your visa appointment, because the confirmation is part of your application.

Yes, if your programme is taught in German — expect to prove B2, or B1 if you are entering through a preparatory course. If it is taught in English instead, you prove English, usually with IELTS or TOEFL, with the score set by that programme. Language depends on the individual programme, not on whether the university is public or private, so check the programme page rather than assuming from the sector.

2,003, according to DAAD's database for 2026/27, across 231 German institutions — 1,582 of them master's and 237 bachelor's, so choice is far wider at master's level. Listing with DAAD is voluntary, so the real number is higher. No authoritative source breaks this figure down for public universities alone, so treat any such number you see elsewhere as an estimate.

Often, yes. A Numerus Clausus is a cap on places, not a national minimum grade. Most caps are local, set by one university for one subject, so a subject that is full at one university can be open at another. Only 4 subjects are capped nationwide: human medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy. An NC is also a public-system device. It is how public universities ration a limited number of places. An institution that runs its own admissions sits outside that system, so a grade cap is not part of how it decides.

Usually not. If you are not legally equivalent to a German applicant, which is the case for most non-EU students, you apply directly to the university. That holds even for the 4 nationwide-capped subjects, where you compete inside a quota reserved for international applicants. Many sites say the opposite. Hochschulstart's own guidance says this.

15 July for a winter start and 15 January for a summer start are the standard deadlines. But each university sets its own, and many now set earlier ones, especially for master's programmes. Always check the programme page rather than the national date.

You may not have lost the year. 15 July and 15 January are not national law. They are the common public pattern, and each university sets its own dates, so an institution that runs its own admissions sets them independently of that pattern. Check the summer intake, and check institutions that admit on their own timetable, before you write off a year. Deadlines also vary by degree level, by whether the subject is capped, and sometimes by the country your certificates come from.

Allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing from the day they receive it, and apply at least 8 weeks before the deadline. It costs 75 EUR for your first application in a semester and 30 EUR for each one after that.

Your admission letter, the Zulassungsbescheid, is the document the whole application is built around — nothing else on this list substitutes for it. Beyond that you need your language proof, a signed application form, your passport and copies, a biometric photo, your prior certificates translated and legalised, a CV and a motivation letter, plus the 75 EUR fee. Since 2025 you can file the paperwork online through the Consular Services Portal, but you still attend in person for biometrics and to present your originals.

Yes, if your academic certificates are from India, China or Vietnam. An APS certificate confirms your documents are genuine, and it is issued by the German mission in your country, normally required before your visa can be processed. It takes time and does not run on your visa application's deadline, so start it before anything else on your checklist.

Cover that is unlimited in term and does not end because your status or activity changes. A plain travel insurance policy is not accepted as final proof. Germany's statutory health scheme only starts once you have registered your address and enrolled at your university, so you need a policy that covers the gap between arrival and enrolment before switching to statutory cover.

Yes, and it is not optional. Proof of health insurance is a condition of enrolling at a German university, and you will also need it for your visa and residence permit. Most students under 30 join the public statutory scheme at the student rate. If you already hold insurance from your home country, check whether it is recognised in Germany before you rely on it, because many policies are not.

Register your address first, then apply to your local Ausländerbehörde for the study residence permit. Do this with a national category D visa — a Schengen visa cannot be converted into a residence permit, so travelling on the wrong visa type leaves you with nothing to convert.

Two things. You can submit a new application at any time, and there is no waiting period. That is the practical route for most students, because the usual cause is a document rather than a judgement about you. Or you can sue: a Klage at the Verwaltungsgericht Berlin. It has to be in German, it carries court costs, and it can take months.

Yes. Graduates of German universities are entitled to an 18-month residence permit to look for qualified employment. It is an entitlement rather than a discretionary decision, so if you have completed your degree and submit the paperwork correctly and on time, you will receive it. Two things matter in practice. The 18 months run from the date you officially graduate, not from the date the permit card is issued, so time spent waiting counts against you. And you should apply as soon as you have proof of completion, because applying late can lead to a refusal. During those 18 months you may take any work to support yourself while you look for a role in your field.

No, the cap itself is the limit — but it is more generous than it looks. It is 140 full days or 280 half days a year, where a half day is up to 4 hours, and no labour office approval is needed as long as you stay within it. Student assistant jobs at your own university do not count against the cap at all. If you are on a language course or a preparatory year rather than full enrolment, the day allowance only applies during the holidays.

50,700 EUR gross a year in 2026 for most applicants, or 45,934.20 EUR if you graduated within the last 3 years. A degree from a German university counts automatically, with no separate equivalence check needed.

Yes, but only if you were already married when your own student residence permit was granted — marrying afterwards does not qualify you for this route — and your stay must be expected to last more than a year. Your spouse is entitled to work once they have their permit, which is the part most people are really asking about. You will need to show suitable living space for the family and enough money to support them without public funds, assessed on top of your own 11,904 EUR and judged against local housing costs and family size; there is no single published figure per family member, so budget from the actual rent and costs where you will live rather than from a number you find quoted online. Children under 16 join on the same basis with no further conditions, while those aged 16 and over must show German or that they are otherwise likely to settle in. Basic German at A1 is normally asked of a spouse, though an exception applies where only a temporary stay is planned; whether it applies to you is decided case by case by the visa section, so ask them rather than assuming it. These rules are for non-EU students — if you hold EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship, different free-movement rules apply.