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A country of artists and bright minds, a place of hope and friendship, education and careers, a utopia for explorers and adventurers — that’s Germany for you!
It wouldn’t be all that difficult to fill a book with reasons why Germany is the perfect place to study abroad. Germany will make you fall in love with all that it is and all that it has to offer, and the worst part is… you will want to stay!
Each year, thousands of internationals trust their education to German universities. You’ve probably been thinking of doing the same, and that’s just as well.
Let’s go through some of the top reasons Germany is the perfect place to study abroad:
Education is Free (Or Just Crazy Affordable)
Now this is probably one of the main reasons studying in Germany is a great idea. Students love getting a quality education at a great cost, and Germany is the perfect example of this.
Public universities in Germany do not charge tuition fees, only semester fees, which usually range from €100 to €350 per semester. This has been the case since 2014 when tuition fees were abolished in public universities across Germany. Good thing Germany is dominated by public institutions (a total of 309 public institutions compared to 114 that are private).
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In the years that followed, the federal state of Baden-Württemberg re-introduced tuition fees for non-EU international students (so if you belong in this category, you are required to pay €1,500 per semester). In 2023, the federal state of Bavaria also allowed universities to charge tuition fees for non-EU nationals, but most universities have yet to implement this.
>> You can read more on this in our guide on what it costs to study in Germany.
German Universities Top Global Rankings
And not just because we say so!
According to , eight German universities rank among the top 100 best worldwide universities; and 21 rank among the top 200 in the whole world.
Five German universities rank in the top 100 global universities according to ; and nine rank among the top 200!
These are impressive numbers considering it’s a worldwide ranking. And it gets even better when you realize the cost of attending these universities is nearly free.
From Classroom to Career in Record Time
It’s a known fact that German higher education emphasizes the hands-on aspect of education.
Germany has what is referred to as ‘the dual education system.’ You can find specific dual programs that combine academic training with practical experience through partnerships with companies (that, in most cases, pay students for their work).
These programs are usually offered by Universities of Applied Sciences but also by other higher education institutions in Germany. If you go to the , you will find over 2,000 dual programs.
Antanina Malei, an international student from Belarus, currently studying for her Bachelor’s in Sales and Marketing at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences takes pride in being a student in Germany. She loves how practical her studies are.
“I am so glad I’ve chosen my Hochschule – which mostly focuses on practical implementation. I adore the fact that we have projects with companies every semester and various guest lectures from EY, Barilla, Vodafone, Salesforce, Hubspot, etc.,” she explains.
To Antanina, getting involved during your university studies in Germany is very important. Whether it’s volunteering or simply taking initiative with classes and professors, it will benefit you.
“Just try to tackle all the opportunities that come your way—the scholarship applications, volunteering (strongly recommend DEGIS and AIESEC Germany), take on initiative with classes and professors, etc. The more involved you get right now, the bigger the payoff will be in the future,” advises Antanina.
With 400+ Universities – You Can Study Literally Anything
Germany has 423 higher education institutions (309 are public and 114 are private). Now this number includes all types of HEIs in Germany:
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- Universities of Applied Sciences,
- Colleges of Education,
- Colleges of Theology,
- Colleges of Art and Music,
- Colleges of Public Administration.
This means you can study literally anything! Of the 2.8 million students enrolled in higher education in Germany, statistics show that 1.6 million chose universities.
Germany higher education expert, Gent Ukëhajdaraj, tells us the most popular fields of study in Germany are the Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences. On the other hand, the most popular field for international students is Engineering (he says over 40% of all international students in Germany choose this field).
“International students have countless study programs to choose from in Germany, from more traditional ones like law or medicine to emerging fields like artificial intelligence. Germany is very practical in its approach to higher education, which also explains why so many international students are interested in its engineering programs,” Ukëhajdaraj explains.
You Can Travel Europe With Your Student Visa (Ofc, On Your Free Time)
If you need a student visa to Germany, your residence permit will allow you to travel visa-free in the whole Schengen Area. From Austria to Switzerland, you will be able to travel around during your free time, without having to worry about applying for another visa.
Germany borders Austria and Switzerland to the south, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands to the west, Denmark to the north, and Poland and Czechia to the east – imagine all the places you’d be able to visit!
>> You don’t know if you need a student visa to study in Germany? We have your answer, it’s just in a different article – this one here.
Maybe Not the Cheapest But Among the Most Affordable (In Terms of Living Costs)
If we’re being real, Germany is quite affordable – although many people can see this as something subjective because who do you usually compare it with?
If we’re talking numbers, a student in Germany will need around €992 per month, which translates to €11,904 per year. This is according to the Blocked Bank Account requirement for students in Germany, which means it’s a sum decided by German authorities, and it is in line with the country’s cost of living.
For the purpose of this analysis, I will be comparing the cost of living in Germany with the US.
- A person in Germany would need around 12% less money compared to someone in the US for one month.
- Consumer prices, such as food, beverages, rent, etc., are around 26% lower in Germany.
- At the same time, a one-bedroom apartment in the city center is cheaper in Germany by around50% compared to the US.
While the cost of living in other EU countries is somewhat similar to Germany’s, we’re also taking into account the quality of education in Germany to portray why this country is the perfect place to study abroad. So, world-class education plus an affordable cost of living equals the perfect destination for international students in our book.
>> You can read more about the cost of living in Germany and find a more detailed comparison in our guide here.
Work While Studying for Some Extra Money & Experience
As of March 1, 2024, Germany has increased the number of hours an international student can work during their studies. Currently, it stands at 140 full days or 280 half days per year. Before that, international students could work 120 full days or 240 half days per year.
There are many student jobs you can do in Germany during your studies, including academic assistant roles, catering roles, and even jobs in retail or production. We have a specific page with information for students who want to work in Germany during their studies.
The Answer Is in the Numbers: 458,210 International Students
In our statistical analysis of international students in Germany, we reported that 458,210 international students are currently enrolled in German higher education. 90,632 of them are resident international students, while 367,578 are students who travel to Germany specifically for their studies, according to Wissenschaft Weltoffen.
According to , of the foreign population in Germany on 31 December 2023, 254,020 people had a residence permit for educational purposes.
In a press release in 2022, Destatis reported that from 2006 to 2021, a total of 612,000 international students from non-EU countries received a first-time residence permit for educational purposes in Germany.
According to higher education expert, Ukëhajdaraj, in the last 10 years, the number of international students in Germany has continued to increase. “If we compare it to 10 years ago, the number has increased by over 50%,” he says.
Students Love It So Much So They Decide to Stay
Surprise, surprise! Or not?
Data from the shows that a significant percentage of students from third countries who previously held a residence title for studies changed their residence status to labor migration during 2023. This means they either remained in Germany to look for a job, got a job, or received an EU Blue Card for highly qualified persons.
Specifically:
- 30.7% of students changed their residence title to “Job Seeking”
- 25.9% of students changed their residence title to “Skilled Worker with Academic Training”
- 37% of students got their EU Blue Card.
People come to Germany for a better life. Even those whose main goal may only be pursuing education in Germany soon realize that they can build a life here.
As the Former Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, once said, “Germany has become a country that many people abroad associate with hope.”
This is why these statistics are significant. They not only show that Germany provides this better life but also makes it easy to reach it. These are great opportunities; the job seeker visa is one of the best things students can ask for because it gives them time—and in time, there is opportunity.
90% of Students Who Stay to Look for a Job, Find One
The Monitoring of Educational and Employment Migration report for 2023, highlights changes in the status of residence permits of third-country nationals. According to this publication:
51.7% of third-country nationals with the right of residence for Job Seeking After Educational Measure changed their residence status to ‘Skilled Worker with Academic Training’ during 2023.
37.8% of the total under a Job Seeker residence status got their EU Blue Card.
You Learn German Through Practice
With more than 130 million speakers worldwide, learning German will always only be to your benefit.
Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Liechtenstein – these are all countries where German is an official language. Career-wise, imagine how many more jobs you’d be eligible for with knowledge of German.
Even if your program is not in German, simply being in Germany will allow you to practice your language better than via any language learning app! You will be exposed to German every day, and, honestly, it will be great for you!
>> If you want more information on why the German language will be good for you and how you can learn it, check out our specific guide.
The Whole Experience Will Enrich Your Life
We’ve lived this, we’ve heard this, and we’re sure – the whole study abroad experience in Germany will enrich your life. I have yet to encounter a student who did not like their study abroad experience in Germany.
According to Antanina Malei, studying abroad in Germany has helped her become much more independent, built her character, and made her plenty of friends—and her journey is still halfway through.
“I got to experience various cultures and found friends from around the world. I became so much more independent in the last two years,” she says. “I think this whole journey is about building up your character and showing you that nothing is really impossible—especially after having successfully dealt with German bureaucracy,” Antanina concludes.
So, are you ready to enrich your life?
Special thank you to the following individuals for their contributions to this article:
- Gent Ukëhajdaraj – Higher Education Expert
- Antanina Malei – International student from Belarus who relocated to Germany in September 2022 and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Sales and Marketing at Hochschule Niederrhein. [ on Instagram]
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