Each German university is responsible for determining its own admission policies. That’s why you should ask the International Office at the German university of your choice whether you fulfill all the requirements for admission and how much of your previous academic work will be recognised.

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!

You can find general requirements on our website. For specific admission requirements pertaining to your course of study, you should refer to the degree programme’s website.

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). For more information, see the section on foundation courses.

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.

Yes, as a general rule, you need TOEFL or IELTS in order to apply for a program that is entirely taught in English at a German university. If, however, you’re applying for a postgraduate program and already hold a Bachelors degree with English as the language of instruction, you do not need TOEFL or IELTS; it goes without saying: no need for TOEFL or IELTS if you’re a native speaker of English.

Let’s first mention what they have in common: they both lead to Bachelors and Masters degrees (or their equivalents in Germany). However, ‘Fachhochschulen’ do not award Ph.D. titles; in order to earn a Ph.D. a postgraduate course at a university has to be attended.

Universities of Applied Sciences (a.k.a. ‘Fachhochschulen’) are so conceived as to maximize the practical utilization of theoretical knowledge; they are suitable for candidates who have no intention of pursuing academic careers, but are rather interested in the acquisition of as much practical experience as possible. Hence, the vast majority of degree programs taught in them are in the fields of engineering and hard sciences; programs in business administration get taught at ‘Fachhochschulen’ too, but to a lesser extent, whereas courses in humanities and social sciences are rarely offered.

As a general rule, all higher education institutions in Germany provide Internet access and set up email accounts for their students. In addition to that, they have libraries and archives that are very well stocked and that supply many of the titles that are mandatory reading for students so they don’t have to buy a lot of the reading material for their study courses.

No, there are no limitations set on age.

The entrance application must be submitted by January 15 each year for the summer semester (beginning on April 1) and by July 15 for the winter semester (beginning on October 1). Students from outside Germany now have the opportunity to apply to several universities with only one set of documents through the Application Services for International Students (assist). assist will check that all necessary documents have been included and that they meet the necessary formal requirements, and will then forward them on to the respective universities.

As a general rule, the assessment of degrees and academic credits for admission purposes is the responsibility of universities. In assessing foreign higher education qualifications and degrees, the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) of the Conference of German Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) assists with provision of recommendations that are country-specific.
Pursuant to ‘The Assessment and Recognition of Foreign Professional Qualifications Act of 2012,’ the certification authorities of the federal state of residence (or the state in which he/she intends to reside) of the applicant are responsible for the recognition of foreign higher education and degrees earned for the purpose of enrolling on an advanced study program.

No, if the exclusive language of instruction will be English you don’t need to know the German language; however, a little knowledge of German will take you a long way in your everyday life as a student.

Not necessarily, it’s possible to extend your student visa for one year, after completing your Bachelor’s degree.

In Germany, a prerequisite (and also the traditional route) to enrollment into a tertiary level education institution (university, university of applied sciences a.k.a. ‘Fachhoschule,’ college of art and music, etc) is a passing score on the final examination whereby a certificate called the ‘Abitur’ (or Fachabitur) is obtained. As a general rule, Abitur – formally enabling students to attend a university – is necessary for enrollment into most universities, but exceptions to this rule are not infrequent (one of the alternative routes is a passing score on the ‘Begabtenprüfung’ a.k.a. ‘the aptitude test’).

As an international student, however, you need to apply well in advance in order for the International Students Office (Akademisches Auslandsamt) to consider your application – including previous academic record – and determine whether it meets all admission requirements; for this purpose you will need to produce proof of completion of secondary education (e.g. high school diploma, ‘Matura,’ ‘A-Levels,’ or if required in your country, proof of having passed a university entrance examination) that is an equivalent of Abitur.

As to whether your high school diploma gets accepted for purposes of studying in Germany, depends on what country it was issued in; if your high school diploma was issued in a EU or EEA member country, then it is accepted for direct application at a university, otherwise you may have to undergo (again depending on the country of issuance of your high school diploma) a ‘Feststellungsprüfung’ assessment examination, after having attended a Studienkolleg (preparatory course). For further details go to https://www.daad.de/deutschland/nach-deutschland/voraussetzungen/en/6017-university-admission-and-requirements/?id=1&ebene=1

Certain universities of applied sciences a.k.a. ‘Fachhoschulen,’ may require that you complete a working internship prior to enrolling.

In order to be admitted to a post-graduate (Master’s or Ph.D.) program, a formal recognition of your university degree is required, from your home country or another country.

As a general rule, you only send certified documents; certain additional documents, however, such as proof of internship, etc. are exempt from that rule.

Your German language skills need to be at the B1 level (proof thereof is required), which is considered an equivalent of roughly 600 hours.

In order to be allowed to study in Germany, you need a ‘Hochschulzugangsberechtigung’ (university entrance entitlement): this simply means a school-leaving qualification that entitles you to study at university. In Germany, this is the ‘Allgemeine Hochschulreife’ (Abitur) or ‘Fachhochschulreife’. So how do you find out if your qualification is also recognised? On the Anabin website (only in German) you can select both your homeland and the qualification you have obtained. When you have entered this information, you will receive a detailed explanation of whether or not your qualification is adequate for direct university entrance.

You have to show them a valid insurance in Germany (Mawista Student and Mawista Science are accepted by all universities),
You have to show them the notification of admission,
You have to have a receipt of the payment to the student organization,
You have to give them a passport picture,
You have to show them your passport with the valid visa.

Most universities in Germany offer the so called “Duales Studium”. This special way of studying makes it possible for students to study theory at a traditional university and at the same time practice what they have learned at companies who partner with the university or program.
Depending on you visa you will most likely be able as a foreigner to work only 120 days out of the year. As long as this is in agreement with your university’s program you can participate in the highly successful Dual Studium program.

Studentenwerk is an organisation which acts in the interest of the students of each particular region in Germany. Each German region has its own studentwnwerk, but they cooperate closely on the national level. Studentenwerke generally organize and run cafeterias, restaurants, housing units, the BAföG for the government, and even psychological and low level health services.
Some regions and universities mandate a certain yearly fee by each student for the studentenwerk, making it legally a very close cooperation between the semi-independent organisation and the local governments.

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 670 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 8,700 euros at their disposal for one year. For more information, see the section on money and costs.

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. For more information, see the section on money and costs.

Even in the last few years tuition fees were pretty much a non-issue in German higher education since they were ridiculously low compared to other developed countries. Also only two out of the 16 federal states (Bavaria and Lower Saxony) used to allow their higher education institutions to charge tuition fees – and when they did, they charged up to €500 per semester. As of October 2014, Germany decided to waive tuition fees in all of the provinces making higher education literally free of charge.

Postgraduate courses (Master’s and Ph.D.) however, are liable for some extra costs, varying between €650 and a few thousand Euros per semester; it is advised that prospective foreign postgraduate students do their due diligence.

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 670 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 8,700 euros at their disposal for one year. For more information, see the section on money and costs.

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

19. Do I need a student visa to study in Germany?
That depends on what your nationality is; citizens of EU or EEA member countries do not need a visa – only a valid ID card (once they settle and find a place to live in, they only have to register with the local authorities at the city they’ll be studying in – the ‘Einwohnermeldeamt’ – get the certificate confirming they have the right to reside in Germany, and they’re good to go).
Even if you’re a national of a country the passport-holders of which don’t need a visa to enter Germany and stay for up to 90 days, you have to exit the country after 90 days just as anyone who has entered on a Schengen visa has to, unless you are a citizen of a small number of countries (Andorra, Australia, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Canada, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea and the United States of America) who can apply for a residence permit within three months of entry.
(For information pertaining to your nationality check http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/EinreiseUndAufenthalt/StaatenlisteVisumpflicht_node.html)
So, if you’re not a national of an EU or EEA member country (or of any of the above-mentioned countries the citizens of which can apply for a residence permit while still in Germany) than you need to be issued a national type visa before leaving for Germany if your intention is to stay there for longer than three months.
You apply for a student visa well in advance of planned departure for Germany at the German embassy or consulate general in your country.

You have to inquire at the German embassy or consulate general in your country in order to be certain; usually the following documents need to be submitted:

proof of your previous studies (and a higher education entrance qualification recognized in Germany),
proof of admission from your university (or confirmation that you are soon to receive a letter of admission),
proof of your health insurance coverage,
proof of possessing sufficient financial resources (income or assets of roughly €8000 per year) and
proof of your language skills in German (or plans to attend a language course while in Germany).

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.

Each year, the Center for Higher Education Development (CHE) publishes Germany’s most comprehensive ranking of higher education institutions. This multidimensional ranking uses up to 40 different indicators to provide a differentiated and detailed view of the strengths and weaknesses of German higher education by subject areas. This is complemented by a research ranking published every fall to provide specific information on the research contribution of German higher education institutions. On the CHE website you can find out what the top-ranked German universities are in every subject area.

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.

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.

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). Courses on Dentistry you can find in our database

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. Courses on Medicine you can find in our database.

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.

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). On our website you can find more information on foundation courses.

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.

Yes. There’s plenty of International Degree Courses taught in English (in the first semesters, at any rate) for students whose command of the German language isn’t sufficiently good to warrant their studying be done entirely in German. Both before and during the program there are German language courses offered. A large number of postgraduate courses (Master’s and Ph.D.) are designed and taught entirely in English.

Go to https://www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programs/de/ and select “English” from the field “Course Language” to find all programs in English!

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.

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.

The Goethe-Institut, Deutsche Welle and the Alumniportal Deutschland provide helpful online language training. We also post useful links for learning German on our Facebook page on a regular basis.

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.

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

Our website outlines all the requirements for doing an internship in Germany and includes numerous links to job portals.

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.

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.

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. You can find information about the courses in our database.

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). On our website you can find more information on foundation courses.

It is a one-year preparatory course which has to be joined by individual candidates who wish to study at a German higher education institution but whose school leaving diploma is deemed insufficient to apply for a degree program.

The course covers full-time education in the subjects of a degree program as well as the German language, for five days a week. A passing score on the final Assessment Examination qualifies you to apply for a degree program that is suitable for you at any German university.

International Degree Courses have been introduced by institutions of higher education in Germany with the express aim of facilitating the process whereby international student applicants realize their educational objectives in Germany. The medium of instruction is primarily English, with gradually increasing usage of German.

These courses, which have been designed to high academic standards and are available to not only international but German students as well, cover both undergraduate (6 to 8 semesters resulting with a Bachelors degree) and postgraduate (3 to 5 semesters resulting with a Masters degree – in some courses, 6 additional semesters lead to a Ph.D.) studies.

The Accommodation Finder on our website is a helpful tool for obtaining information about various student residences in your university town. Our website offers information on finding accommodation as well.

Persons who are coming to Germany with a visa and who intend to stay for a longer period in Germany have to have a residence permit. The responsible authority therefore is the foreign office. For the residence permit you need a certificate of the enrollment from the university, the registration from the authorities, a proof of financing and a valid health insurance contract. A residence permit for the purpose of studying is issued for a period of two years and have to be extended before the two years run out. When you are going to extend your visa you always have to show them a valid insurance contract.

As a general rule, the validity of foreign driver’s licenses is limited to six months. If, as a full-time student you claim residence in Germany, and after six months your driver’s license expires, the only way for you to continue to drive legally would be to transfer your license. Whether the transferring of your license requires you to undergo the theoretical and driving tests administered by driving schools, depends on the country of issuance of your driver’s license (find out what regulations apply to your home country by contacting the local dept. of motor vehicles/driver’s licenses).

For the purpose of transferring your driver’s license in Germany you will need to produce the following:

Your original driver’s license (has to still be valid),
Passport-size photograph of you,
Proof of residency in Germany and
Your passport or ID card.

In Germany there are two kinds of health insurance, the public insurance and the private one. Without an insurance it is not possible for you to matriculate at a university. Up to the age of 30 years or until your 14th term of study you normally have to be insured over a public insurance company. But you also have the possibility to exempt yourself from the public insurance company if you would like to be insured over a private insurance. For getting this exemption you will have to go directly to the public insurance company before you are going to matriculate yourself at the university. But please note, if you exempt yourself from the public insurance company you can´t be insured over them as long as you are a student. The product Mawista Student is a perfect choice for foreign students in Germany!

If you would like to register for a room or an apartment in the student accommodation you should contact your local Studentenwerk directly. On their website you can also find the offers of accommodation, information on the prices and also for the furnishing. The offers are varied and range from simple rooms to flats for couples, for students with children and also for students with disabilities. The furnished rooms are mostly equipped with a writing desk, a bed, a wardrobe and shelving. But pillows, blankets, bedding and towels are not provided. But this can be bought or rented as well. If possible do not arrive at the weekend or late at night, in case there is no other choice you have to inform the Studentenwerk so that you can discuss with them where you can get the keys from. If you still don´t have a flat after your arrival in Germany, please go as soon as possible to the Studentwerk they often have an emergency accommodation available at the beginning of term.

If you have a residence permit in Germany and if the duration of your stay is expected to be longer than one year, than family reunification is possible. However, in order for them to join you in Germany, you have to be able to support them without burdening social assistance in any way.

It is the amount of money you’ve earned working as well as the duration of your stay in Germany, that determine whether you have to pay taxes or not. You are exempt from having to pay taxes if your stay in Germany doesn’t exceed six months and/or if you haven’t made more than €450 per month (considered to be income from a so-called ‘mini-job’ and therefore tax and pension contribution exempt) working in Germany.
If your annual gross income is less than €8,130 you will get all the taxes you paid refunded back to you at the end of the year when you file your tax return with tax authorities.

Spouses/Husbands accompanying foreign students may, under certain conditions, be permitted to work. If you are planning on having your husband or wife accompany you during your studies in Germany and hope they’ll be allowed to work, they must fully disclose their intention to work when applying for the visa.

Assuming the degree currently held qualifies him/her for a doctoral program in Germany, the typical path a candidate would have to follow to a doctorate, in a nutshell, would be as follows: once the area of study is selected, the candidate needs to find an academic supervisor/mentor a.k.a. the “Doktorvater” or “Doktormutter” in German, who will guide the doctoral candidate through the research phase leading to the writing of his/her dissertation.

There are different ways of going about finding an academic supervisor in Germany: either through personal contacts your professors may have in Germany or through online research of various scientific publications, e.g. http://www.hochschulkompass.de/en/

Once an academic supervisor is found, the doctoral candidate has to enroll at a university program for several semesters, where he/she will be gaining scientific experience and working as an assistant, all the while researching and writing the dissertation.

Another increasingly popular (especially among foreign students) way to earn a Ph.D. in Germany is through one of the so-called ‘structured doctoral programs,’ wherein a team of professors supervises a group of doctoral candidates.

Persons who are coming to Germany with a visa and who intend to stay for a longer period in Germany have to have a residence permit. The responsible authority therefore is the foreign office. For the residence permit you need a certificate of the enrollment from the university, the registration from the authorities, a proof of financing and a valid health insurance contract. A residence permit for the purpose of studying is issued for a period of two years and have to be extended before the two years run out. When you are going to extend your visa you always have to show them a valid insurance contract.

If you wish to gain a Ph.D. in Germany, then you definitely need to hold a university degree which is equivalent to a degree gained at a German university. Equivalency is decided by the university in question and you should contact your chosen institution directly.

You can find more information at http://www.hochschulkompass.de/en/doctoral-studies.html

The most important formal requirement is a very good university degree that is recognised in Germany. Generally, your degree must be equivalent to a master’s degree, awarded after at least eight semesters of university study. There is one exception: Especially qualified international applicants who hold a bachelor’s degree may be admitted to a doctoral programme in what is called a “fast track programme”. In such cases, applicants are usually required to pass an examination.

Each German university is responsible for admitting candidates to its PhD programmes and recognising prior academic achievement. This is why candidates must apply directly to the Dean’s Office or the faculty’s doctoral committee to have their past degrees recognised. In certain cases, admission to a PhD programme is determined by an additional examination which assesses whether the candidate’s knowledge is equivalent to that of a holder of a degree from Germany.

You can obtain more information from the professors who are responsible for the subject in question. It may also be helpful – and in some cases, necessary – to include letters of recommendation from your university professors at home. Source: DAAD!

As soon as you have chosen a topic area, you need to find a professor, who will act as your academic supervisor. Once you have an academic supervisor for your doctoral thesis, you will be required to enroll at the relevant university for a number of semesters and attend certain courses. Please inquire as soon as possible, whether the degree you currently hold is qualified for a doctoral program.
German universities are increasingly creating special programs for foreign doctoral candidates which have been specifically designed to meet the needs and interests of international applicants. These special measures primarily involve preparation, guidance-counselling and the provision of favorable research conditions. Not only can the thesis often be written in English or another world language, but study-integrated German language courses also help students overcome the language barrier. Such program includes:

PhD support programs,
Binational doctoral arrangement,
Graduate Schools.
Information on these programs as well as the addresses of all HEI and all doctoral programs and doctorates can be found on the following website: www.higher-education-compass.de