Wherever you want to study in Germany, it’s important to be aware of the living costs and associated study fees before you apply. Compared to other European countries, costs of living in Germany for students are very reasonable. On average, students in Germany spend around 850 euros per month on living expenses. The largest expense is rent.
No tuition fees
As a rule, state higher universities do not charge tuition fees for Bachelor’s or many Master’s degree courses. However, there is one exception, the federal state of Baden-Württemberg has charged non-EU citizens tuition fees of 1,500 euros per semester for their academic studies since 2017/2018. Furthermore, tuition fees must be paid for some individual Master’s programmes and online courses of study.
Semester contribution
In Germany, all students at a university are required to pay the semester contribution. The semester contribution is not the same as tuition fees. It covers your contributions to student services and the student government. At many universities this includes also a semester ticket for public transportation. The amount varies depending on the university and on average, the contribution is around 250 euros per semester.
Health Insurance
Public health insurance costs around 80 euros per month if you are not older than 30 years old or have not yet finished the 14th subject-related semester. After that, the contribution increases to at least 160 euros per month.
Monthly student budget
| Rent and utilities | 250-330 euro |
| Food and drink | 150-170 euro |
| Study materials | 15-20 euro |
| Travel sots (car and public transportation) | 80-95 euro |
| Health insurance, medical costs, medicine | 80 euro |
| Phone, internet, TV | 30-35 euro |
| Leisure, culture, sports | 50-60 euro |
| TOTAL | 655-850 euro |
© 2TM d.o.o. based on the materials of the following website www.mastersportal.com
