Tuition at most public universities is free, but you need €11,904 in a blocked account for the visa and should budget roughly €13,000–19,000 for the first year, depending on the city and state.
Public universities in most German states charge no tuition for Bachelor's or consecutive Master's degrees. What you always pay is the semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag), usually about €150–420 per semester. It funds the Studierendenwerk and student union and in most places includes the Deutschlandsemesterticket, which costs €226.80 per semester from winter 2026/27 (60% of the €63 Deutschlandticket).
Non-consecutive and executive Master's programmes at public universities may also charge fees.
For a student visa you must prove you can support yourself, usually with a blocked account (Sperrkonto) holding €11,904 for 12 months — €992 a month, the same as in 2025. Common providers are Expatrio, Fintiba and Coracle. They charge setup and monthly fees, so compare before you transfer. Remember: this is your own living money released monthly in Germany, not an extra cost on top of living expenses. An official scholarship or a formal declaration of commitment (Verpflichtungserklärung) from someone in Germany can replace it. Details: blocked account guide.
€992 a month is the visa minimum, not a comfortable budget in Munich, Frankfurt or Hamburg.
Rent is the biggest variable. The WG-Gesucht/Moses Mendelssohn Institut survey puts the average shared-flat (WG) room at about €510 a month across 90 university towns for winter 2026/27, with Munich far higher. The MLP Student Housing Report 2026 estimates the warm rent of a 30 m² student flat at about €880 in Munich, around €720 in Berlin and Frankfurt, and about €280 in Chemnitz. A Studierendenwerk hall room is usually much cheaper, but waiting lists are long — apply as soon as you have your admission letter.
| City | Typical monthly total* |
|---|---|
| Munich | ~€1,350 |
| Frankfurt | ~€1,200 |
| Hamburg | ~€1,150 |
| Berlin | ~€1,100 |
| Dortmund and other Ruhr cities | ~€950 |
*Rent, food, health insurance, phone and personal costs for a student in a WG; our estimates. Plan your own with the student budget planner or compare two cities.
Desi food: Indian groceries cost two to four times the Indian price. A monthly desi pantry runs about €80–150. Online stores such as Dookan and Jamoona ship nationwide; use the grocery finder for local shops.
Students under 30 at a German university are insured in public student insurance (KVdS). In 2026 it costs about €112 for health at the average additional contribution plus about €31–36 for long-term care, so roughly €143–148 a month, or about €1,750 a year. You need cover from enrolment; buy travel or incoming insurance for the first weeks before enrolment and for any language course or Studienkolleg. More in German health insurance explained.
| Item | Berlin | Munich (TUM Master's) | Stuttgart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (2 semesters) | €0 | €8,000–12,000 | €3,000 |
| Semester contributions (2) | ~€650 | ~€200 (ticket optional, extra) | ~€400–€700 |
| Living costs (12 months) | ~€13,200 | ~€16,200 | ~€14,400 |
| Visa, APS, uni-assist | ~€350 | ~€350 | ~€350 |
| Total (excl. flights and deposit) | ~€14,200 | ~€24,750–28,750 | ~€18,150–18,450 |
Living costs include health insurance. Stuttgart living cost uses ~€1,200/month as an estimate. Check every fee on your university's website.
Four years in rupees: a Berlin Bachelor's with mixed food and one flight home a year comes to roughly €44,000; Munich about €54,000. Convert at today's rate with live EUR/INR rates. If you borrow, model repayments with the education loan calculator.
Non-EU students may work 140 full days or 280 half days a year. A part-time job of about 20 hours a week at the €13.90 minimum wage brings in about €1,200 gross a month; typical earnings are €500–1,200 a month depending on hours and pay. Do not count on this income for the visa or for your first months — jobs take time to find, especially without German. See Werkstudent jobs.
At most public universities, yes — you pay only the €150–420 semester contribution. Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester and TU Munich €2,000–6,000.
€11,904 for a year, released at €992 a month.
Roughly €14,000 in Berlin up to €18,000+ in expensive cities without tuition, plus flights and a rent deposit.
About €143–148 a month in 2026 for students under 30 in public insurance.
Partly. At 20 hours a week at minimum wage you earn about €1,200 gross a month, but jobs are not guaranteed early on.
Checked against these sources on 14 October 2026. Rules and fees change; confirm with the authority before you apply.
