Germany

The DAAD admission database will tell you whether your university entrance qualification is recognised in Germany. You can obtain more specific information about other countries and certificates at Anabin. This database contains information on how foreign secondary school-leaving certificates are evaluated. It provides all relevant information, e.g. whether your certificate will be recognised and whether you will need to meet further requirements. The final decision is always made by the university, to which you apply. Therefore, we recommend asking the International Office at the university of your choice whether you meet all the requirements!

If your secondary school-leaving certificate is not recognised in Germany, you can gain entrance qualification to German university by completing a foundation course (“Studienkolleg”). You first have to pass an entrance examination to participate in a foundation course. Good German language skills are a prerequisite (B1 level of the European Framework of Reference for Languages). 

The first thing to do is to find out whether your university entrance qualification is recognised in Germany. The DAAD admission database can help you with this. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact one of the DAAD offices all around the world. For more information, see the section on application.

Compared to other European countries, the cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable. The prices for food, accommodation, clothing, cultural events, etc. are basically in line with the EU average. You will need around 853 euros per month to cover your living expenses. The largest expense is your monthly rent. In most cases, applicants have to prove that they have around 10,236  euros at their disposal for one year. 

The tuition at German universities is very low, and some universities charge no tuition fee at all. Most German universities are funded by the government. Normally students in bachelor’s programmes don’t have to pay tuition fees. Low tuition fees are charged, however, for master’s degree programmes. All students have to pay a semester contribution.

Some international students require an entry visa for Germany depending on where they come from and how long they plan to stay. You will find general information on visas and residence permits on our website. For more information about visa requirements, contact the German embassy or German consulate in your home country. On the website of the German Federal Foreign Office you can find the addresses of German diplomatic missions abroad.

On the website of the German Federal Foreign Officeyou can view the most recent visa requirements for all countries.

Our database contains hundreds of suitable degree programmes. If you’re looking for English-language programmes, check out the DAAD database of International Programmes.

In the section service you can find our helpful guide Ten steps to studying in Germany.

As all German universities offer very good education, it’s hard to say which university is the best. The best university for you is the one which best meets your expectations. When choosing a university, you should take several aspects into account, like the range of subjects, the size of the university and city, as well as the cost of living in that city. You can find all of the degree programmes at German universities in our database.

As all German universities offer very good education, it’s difficult to say which university is the best. You might say the best university is the one which best meets your expectations.

Alle deutschen Hochschulen bieten eine sehr gute Ausbildung. "Die beste Hochschule" ist darum die Hochschule, die am besten zu dir und deinen Erwartungen passt. Bei deiner Hochschul-Wahl solltest du verschiedene Punkte beachten, zum Beispiel das Angebot und die Größe der Hochschule sowie die Größe und die Lebenshaltungskosten der Stadt. Alle Studiengänge und Hochschulen findest du in unserer Datenbank.

Alle deutschen Hochschulen bieten eine sehr gute Ausbildung. "Die beste Hochschule" ist darum die Hochschule, die am besten zu dir und deinen Erwartungen passt.

For information about German university towns, visit our section German cities.

Our database allows you to search for specific degree programmes in all German university towns.

You can find undergraduates scholarships on the DAAD Scholarship Database. The application requirements are listed in the respective description. Please note, however, that very few scholarships are awarded tofirst-time students.

You can find scholarships for master’s degree students on the DAAD Scholarship Database. The application requirements are listed in the respective description.

You can search for subject-specific scholarships on the DAAD Scholarship Database. Information about application requirements is listed in the respective description.

You can search for suitable scholarships for various countries on the DAAD Scholarship Database. Information about the application requirements is listed in the respective description.

The application procedure depends on which subject you would like to study and where you come from. On our website you can find more information about the application process. In the section service you can find our helpful guide Ten steps to studying in Germany.

Visit our website for information about applying for enrolment in degree programmes at German universities. In the section service you can find our helpful guide Ten steps to studying in Germany.

First of all, you should check the admission requirements in the degree programme of your choice. You’ll find them on the degree programme’s website. That’s where you will also find information about application procedures. Visit our website for general information about applying to German university.

I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree. I want to know whether you can get into a master’s programme at a German university with a three-year bachelor’s degree.

Unfortunately we cannot provide information about admission criteria because each German university is responsible for determining its admission policies. Nevertheless, you can check out the requirements of the programmes you wish to apply to on their website. 

If your school-leaving certificate is not recognised in Germany, you can still study at a German university by participating in a “Studienkolleg” (foundation course). Good German language skills are required. To gain admission to a foundation course, you must first pass an entrance examination. Participation in the course is usually free of charge. Foundation courses take one year to complete and conclude with the “Feststellungsprüfung” (university qualification assessment examination). 

Yes, there are many courses and degree programmes taught in English, especially master’s courses. You can get an overview in the extensive DAAD database of International Programmes. Having said that, we strongly recommend that you try to learn a little German, because knowing the language will make you feel more at home in Germany and help you make German friends faster.

If you want to attend a language course, you can apply for a language course visa in many countries. It’s only valid for the duration of the course and cannot be converted into a student visa (“Visum zu Studienzwecken”). If you want to attend a language course in combination with university studies, you have to indicate this on your visa application form. In this case, make sure to apply for either a student applicant visa (“Visum zur Studienbewerbung”) or a student visa (“Visum zu Studienzwecken”). On our website you can find more information on visa procedures.

You can find German language courses offered at German universities on the DAAD Language and Short Courses database. If you don't have any German skills yet, we strongly recommend attending a language course in your home country first, for example, at the Goethe-Institut. Visit the the website of the Goethe-Institut for more details

Check out this database of German courses and providers. 

I’d like to improve my German using free online sources. Are there any good website you can recommend?

The Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Welle and the Alumniportal Deutschland provide helpful online language training. 

There are two different tests you can take to demonstrate your language proficiency in German. One is called the “DSH” (German Language University Entrance Examination for Foreign Applicants) and the other is the “TestDaF” (Test of German as a Foreign Language). Language certificates are also issued by the Goethe-Institut. On our website you can find more information about language certificates.

If you want to study in English, universities generally require an official English test such as IELTS or TOEFL. Exemptions are made for native speakers. For a listing of programmes in which English is the language of instruction, check out the DAAD database of International Programmes. 

With a degree from a German university, you have numerous job opportunities on the German labour market. On our website you can find more information about how to launch a successful career in Germany.

You can find extensive information about working in Germany on the website Make it in Germany

You can find jobs for English speakers on the job database of the Federal Employment agency which includes a search field for key words, e.g. “English”. There is also a section called "Small jobs/ mini jobs” which includes student jobs. Please note that most job descriptions are in German because they require German skills.

There are no master’s degree programmes in Dentistry in Germany because Dentistry is not split into bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Dentistry programmes usually takes six years to complete and conclude with what we call the “State Examination” (Staatsexamen). 

There are no postgraduate courses for Medicine in Germany because Medicine is not split into bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Medical students in Germany have to complete a six-year programme which concludes with the State Examination (Staatsexamen). There are no courses offered in English, so you will need very good German skills to complete the programme and pass the examinations. 

Like all special areas of medicine, Internal Medicine is not offered as a course of study at German universities. Candidates must complete a period of medical specialisation training. To be eligible for admission, you will need very good German skills and usually a degree similar to the German State Examination (six years of university study). For more information about working as a doctor in Germany, visit the website of the German Medical Association.