What studying in Germany actually costs

1. Tuition and the semester contribution

The claim that studying in Germany is free is broadly true at public universities and needs two qualifications.

First, you always pay a semester contribution. It is not tuition: it funds student services, the student body and usually a public transport ticket. In many cities the transport ticket alone is worth more than the contribution, which makes it one of the better deals in European higher education.

Second, two federal states charge non-EU students. Baden-Württemberg has a per-semester fee, and Bavaria has introduced fees that vary by institution. Both remain far below fees in the English-speaking world, but they need budgeting.

2. Living costs, by city

This is where the money actually goes, and the variation between German cities is large enough to matter more than any fee difference.

Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Stuttgart sit at the top of the range and their housing markets are genuinely difficult. Leipzig, Dresden, Halle, Magdeburg and many smaller university towns sit well below it, often with universities of comparable quality.

3. The blocked account

Non-EU students generally have to prove they can fund their first year before a visa is issued. The standard instrument is a blocked account: you deposit a year’s living costs, and the bank releases a fixed monthly amount to you after you arrive.

For commencing studies in 2026, the standard amount is €11,904 for 12 months, with €992 normally available each month. The responsible mission decides which proof it accepts.

• A blocked account with a provider the missions accept
• A scholarship covering your living costs, which can replace the blocked account entirely
• A formal declaration of commitment from a sponsor resident in Germany
• A bank guarantee from a German bank

4. BAföG: current amounts versus the planned 2027 reform

BAföG is means-tested student support and is mainly available to German nationals and people with a qualifying connection or residence status. An international student should never assume eligibility from enrolment alone.

On 12 August 2026, the Federal Cabinet approved a reform draft. It plans to raise the housing allowance from €380 to €440 from summer semester 2027 and the student basic-needs amount from €475 to €503 from winter semester 2027/28.

Those proposed amounts are not current law. This guide keeps current and Cabinet-approved figures separate so a draft cannot inflate a present-day budget or application.

5. Health insurance

Health insurance is compulsory and you cannot enrol without proof of it. Students in statutory insurance pay a reduced student rate up to an age limit, above which the rate rises substantially. That age threshold catches older Master’s and doctoral students, who should check it before budgeting.

European Health Insurance Cards from EU and EEA countries are generally accepted for enrolment. Insurance from outside the EU usually is not, and travel insurance definitely is not.

6. Working, and where the savings actually are

Part-time work is normal for German students, and non-EU students may work within a defined limit as a condition of their residence permit. It is not usually enough to fund a degree on its own, and it cannot substitute for the visa proof of funds.

• Choose the city carefully: the rent difference between Munich and Leipzig outweighs every fee in this article
• Apply for a hall of residence place the day your admission arrives
• Use the semester ticket rather than buying separate transport
• Eat in the Mensa, where meals are subsidised for enrolled students
• Claim the broadcasting contribution exemption if you receive BAföG
• File a tax return: students working part-time are often due a refund
• Look for a HiWi post at the university, which pays reasonably and fits around teaching