Berlin · Europe

Germany

Public universities charge no tuition, engineering is world class, and a Semesterticket gets you around an entire region for almost nothing. The catch is paperwork: the blocked account, the APS certificate, the Anmeldung. We have done it hundreds of times.

Tuition / yr: Free – $4k
Living / mo: ~$1,100
Work rights: 120 full days/year
After study: 18-month job-seeker visa
Intakes: October · April
Language: German · English

Why Germany

World-class engineering, mostly tuition-free.

01 No tuition at public universities
02 Strong industry links
03 Affordable cities

The honest take

What we tell our own families about Germany.

Why students love it

No tuition at public universities, only a semester fee of €150–350

18-month job-seeker visa after graduation

Semesterticket: regional transport included in your fee

Over 2,000 English-taught master's programs

Strong link between universities and industry (Siemens, BMW, SAP)

What to plan for

Blocked account of about €11,900 must be shown up front

Bachelor's programs are mostly in German

Finding a flat in Munich or Berlin takes weeks

Bureaucracy is slow and mostly in German

Winter is dark; October to March needs a plan

Getting around

Leave the car at home.

Your Semesterticket covers buses, trams, U-Bahn and regional trains. The Deutschlandticket (€58) covers the whole country if your university does not include it.

Semesterticket / Deutschlandticket

Unlimited regional travel; included or discounted for students.

€0–58 / month

Bicycle

Every city is bike-first. Buy second-hand on eBay Kleinanzeigen.

€60–150 once

ICE trains

Fast intercity trains; book early on bahn.de for Sparpreis fares.

€20–60 per trip

Add Semesterticket included in the semester fee to my budgetAbout €30 a month

Food & groceries

What a week of eating really costs.

Germany has the cheapest supermarkets in Western Europe. Aldi, Lidl and Penny keep a weekly shop under €40, and the Mensa serves a hot lunch for €3–4.

Döner kebab

Berlin's invention and the €6 student dinner.

Schnitzel with potato salad

Beer-garden staple; chicken versions everywhere.

Mensa lunch

Subsidised university canteen, halal and vegan lines.

Brezel and Käsespätzle

Bavarian comfort food.

Build your cart

Supermarket prices in Berlin, EUR. Quantities per week.

Milk (1 L)€1
0
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Bread (loaf)€2
0
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Eggs (12)€3
0
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Rice (1 kg)€2
0
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Chicken breast (1 kg)€9
0
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Pasta (500 g)€1
0
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Apples (1 kg)€2
0
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Bananas (1 kg)€2
0
—
Tomatoes (1 kg)€3
0
—
Cheese (500 g)€5
0
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Coffee (250 g)€4
0
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Yogurt (500 g)€1
0
—

Your weekly cart

€0 ≈ $0

Per month

€0

Eating out

Mensa lunch€4
Döner€7
Cafe cappuccino€3
Restaurant dinner€15

Where to live

Dorm, shared flat or studio: pick one and watch the budget.

Studentenwerk dorms are the cheapest rooms in Germany but have waiting lists of months. Apply the day you accept your offer; use a WG (shared flat) as plan B.

Where students actually live

Neukölln, Berlin
Cheap-ish, international, cafes and Turkish markets.
€500–700 WG room
Maxvorstadt, Munich
Next to TUM and LMU; museums and beer gardens.
€700–950 WG room
Südstadt, Cologne
Relaxed, student bars, river walks.
€450–600 WG room
Plagwitz, Leipzig
Creative, cheap, ten minutes to the university.
€350–480 WG room

Before you pay anyone

WG-Gesucht.de is where 80% of student rooms are found; write a short personal message, not a template
Never transfer a deposit before a video call and a contract
Register your address (Anmeldung) within two weeks of moving in
Kaltmiete excludes heating and utilities; ask for Warmmiete

Student life as an international

German student life is independent: nobody will chase you for attendance, and nobody will stop you from travelling to Prague on a €19 train.

The international offices run buddy programs; take one.

Buddy program in week one

Hochschulsport: dozens of sports for a few euros a semester

Christmas markets, Karneval, Oktoberfest

Learn German to B1: it changes your job prospects

Work: 120 full days or 240 half days a year; minimum wage €12.82 an hour. Student jobs (HiWi) at the university pay well.
Healthcare: Public health insurance about €130 a month for students under 30; mandatory and comprehensive.
Safety: Very safe. Bikes get stolen; buy two locks.