Study for a Degree in Germany

Why not choose to study for your degree in Germany, with its many excellent universities, such as Heidelberg University? Read on to find out if you are eligible to study in Germany, how to apply and how much it would cost to study there.

Am I Eligible?

If you decide you would like to study at a German university, you must have achieved A Level qualifications in 3 to 4 subjects. If you have only studied 3 subjects, a grade at AS Level can also be counted. These four subjects must normally include one language (not necessarily German) plus maths or a natural science.

Most undergraduate degrees are taught in German. You must therefore have a good level of German to attend a German university – this is normally a prerequisite for entry. You can prove your language skills by taking a test like the TestDaF or the DSH. The only occasion when you do not need proficiency in German is if you take an international degree course, which would normally be taught in English.

When deciding on a university in Germany, you will need to choose between a ‘Universität’ and a ‘Fachhochschule’. Fachhochschulen offer more practical qualifications and include an internship that students have to complete. These institutions are where artistic and technical subjects are normally taught. More academic subjects tend to be taught at the Universitäten.

How to Apply

Applying to a German university is not entirely straightforward, in that there are a number of places that take university applications: the university itself, uni-assist (The University Application Service for International Students) and The Trust for Admission to Higher Education (Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung). Where you apply depends on the subject you intend to study. The places for some courses are administered nationally (referred to as bundesweiter or zentraler Numerus clausus) as there is higher competition for them – courses such as Medicine, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine. In this case you should apply to the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung. If places for your course are determined at local level, you may be able to use uni-assist or apply directly to the university.

How Much Does it Cost?

For undergraduate degree courses at public universities, there is no tuition fee to pay, just a fee to cover administrative costs. This fee is usually between 150 euro and 250 euro. This may also include a semester bus ticket.

The cost of living in Germany is generally lower than in the UK. Popular cities like Berlin will, however, have higher living costs.

What Funding Is Available?

There are a number of institutions that offer scholarships to international students, such as the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst – German Academic Exchange Service). These scholarships usually only cover part of a degree and not the full three or four years. You can search the DAAD database for scholarships at https://www.daad.de/deutschland/stipendium/datenbank/en/21148-scholarship-database/

If you decide to study for your degree in Germany you can ship your luggage there with Send My Bag. Click here to learn more about shipping to Germany. Or visit our student shipping page to find about more about student removals and how to receive your student discount. We also have advice on what to pack for your time studying abroad.

If you would rather spend just part of your degree in Germany, you could do so by taking part in the Erasmus+ programme or the British Council Language Assistantship.

If you don't want to study in Germany, why not consider studying in France or in Spain? Or, if your foreign language skills aren't up to scratch you could still study in Europe but take a course taught in English.