Not many universities offer tuition-free education regardless of whether you’re a national or an international student. Germany is well-known for its view on education in that it believes it should not be treated as a commercial product but rather free and accessible to all. In 2014, Germany’s 16 states abolished tuition fees for all public universities. This draws a lot of students to study in Germany, as it is now the fourth most popular study-abroad destination (after the US, UK, and Australia). However, many universities require you to be fluent in German to study, as the studies are not offered in English.

Read More: 50+ Universities with NO Tuition Fee for International Students

This is not very realistic for most international students, as learning another language to an advanced level takes several years of intensive effort. Recently, however, it has become more well-known that there are in fact free English-taught programs available in Germany.

Free German Universities with English-Taught Programs

Here is a list of tuition-free universities that have English-taught programs in Germany:

1. Technical University of Munchen
2. University of Bonn
3. University of Hamburg
4. TU Darmstadt
5. FAU Erlangen Nurnberg
6. University of Munster
7. Hamburg University of Technology
8. SRH University of Heidelberg
9. University of Applied Sciences Wurzburg Schweinfurt
10. Leibniz Universitat Hannover

Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a free meal. You will still have to pay for accommodation, living, and travel expenses to get to the university. This depends on where you wish to stay, how much you are willing to budget when it comes to living costs, and how far you live from Germany. Keep this in mind when applying to the university, as the university might still need to see a bank statement as your proof of funds to see that you can afford to live in Germany. 

Only public universities in Germany offer free tuition. Private universities are significantly more expensive and do not usually offer scholarships. However, this does not mean that your quality of education is low. It can be difficult to get into these universities as you are competing with a wide pool of candidates. You generally need to be an above-average student to be considered for one of these universities.

Also, note that many of these universities will still require an administrative fee of 150 to 300 euros each semester in order to be part of a student union, receive public transport tickets, and cover registration fees. 

If you’re interested you can check out our article that gives a full list of all the tuition-free universities that you can apply to here.

Apply to Study in Germany in English

Before you apply, make sure you read our Guide to Study in Germany for International Students

The guide shares all the information you need, including tuition costs, application deadlines, and eligibility!

 

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1. Book a free call with us to talk about your plans here.
2. Find a program to apply for on Global Admissions here.
3. Upload your application documents onto our platform.
4. We will contact you if anything needs to be fixed.
5. We will send your documents to the university.
6. Receive your acceptance to study abroad!