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Low or no tuition · Official source: the German mission in your country, plus DAAD

Study in Germany

Public universities charge little or no tuition, even for international students. The trade-off is a documentation-heavy process and, for some nationalities, an academic verification step that has to happen months ahead.

At a glance

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Start here advisory

The APS certificate comes before everything else

Applicants whose prior qualification is from India, China (including Hong Kong and Macau) or Vietnam must obtain an APS certificate verifying their academic documents before a consulate will process the student visa. Processing takes several weeks, and the certificate is valid indefinitely once issued. Start this before you start applying to universities, not after.

Find out whether APS applies to your qualification →
Application timeline

Fifteen months, five stages

Germany starts earlier than any other destination on this site, because verification and language both take months before an application can even be filed.

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Cost breakdown

What a year in Germany actually costs

Item Public university Private university Notes
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Advisory

The blocked account is not a fee. It is your own money, held in a restricted account and released to you monthly once you arrive. The required amount is reset annually and reported inconsistently by third parties, so confirm the current figure with the German mission in your country before you transfer anything. A few federal states also charge tuition to non-EU students at public universities.

Funding

Four ways students cut the bill

With tuition already low, funding here is mostly about living costs rather than fees.

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National visa, type D

The visa process, step by step

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The documentation gate

Three documents decide whether the file moves at all

Germany rarely refuses on judgement. It refuses on paperwork, and usually for one of these three reasons.

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Book a document check

APS status, blocked account provider and amount, and the right insurance for your age and programme, checked before your consular appointment.

Reserve a slot

Common questions

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Start the paperwork before the applications

Book a free 30-minute consultation. We will tell you whether you need APS, whether your degree is recognised, and what German you need for the programmes you want.