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For students & parents · 4-year total

How much for 4 years of German Uni?

The real cost: blocked account for the visa, rent, food (with desi-specific groceries), semester fees, insurance. See the total in euros and rupees so parents know what to save.

Updated 13 August 2026

🎓 Your plan

Which city?

Living situation?

Food preference?

Will you study for:

How many flights home per year?

University type

Annual budget (living + study)

€ 0

€ 0Blocked account (visa)

€ 0Total for full degree

💰 Monthly breakdown

🧾 First-year upfront & hidden costs

One-off costs before or just after arrival, on top of the blocked account. Fees are approximate; the VFS charge and provider fees change, so check current prices.

📊 Year-by-year

🇮🇳 In Indian Rupees (for parents)

₹ 0
Total cost for the full degree in ₹

This amount needs to be saved before the move. Most families fund this over 2–3 years of parent saving + some student part-time work (see the work-hours planner below).

New · 2026 rules

Work-hours planner: how much can you earn legally?

⏱️ Your work plan

Hourly wage (€ gross)

Minimum wage is €13.90/hour in 2026. Typical Werkstudent jobs pay €14–18.

Days/week during lectures

Hours per day

Weeks worked in breaks

Days/week in breaks

Hours per day in breaks

Assumes about 28 lecture weeks a year. A day over 4 hours counts as a full day; 4 hours or less counts as a half day. Jobs as a student assistant (HiWi) at your university don't count towards the limit.

Average monthly earnings (gross)

€ 0

0of 140 full-day equivalents

0%of your monthly budget

✅ Rule check

🪞 Student budget reality check

The first 2–3 months are the most expensive. Deposits (often 2–3 months' rent), temporary housing, a laptop, winter clothes and semester fees all land at once, before any job income. Bring €2,000–3,000 on top of the blocked account.
Don't count on job income in semester 1. Finding a job takes time, and German helps a lot. Plan year 1 as if the blocked account plus family support is all you have.
Dorm places are scarce. Apply to the Studierendenwerk the day you get your admission letter. Most students end up in a WG.
Working too much has a cost. Over 20 hours a week in term can cost you your student insurance status, and failing exams can put your visa extension at risk, because the Ausländerbehörde checks study progress.
Private universities change everything. Tuition of €10,000–20,000 a year isn't in this calculator. Add it separately if it applies.
The rupee matters. Every ₹5 move in the EUR/INR rate changes a €12,000 year by ₹60,000. Fund large amounts when the rate is reasonable, not in a hurry.

📌 Key points for parents

The blocked account is living money, not a deposit. You transfer €11,904 before the visa; the student receives €992/month from it during year 1. It's part of the budget above, not on top of it.
Tuition is free or ~€300/semester. Most of this budget is rent, food, insurance — the student lifestyle costs, not the degree.
Part-time work helps, within limits. Non-EU students can work 140 full days or 280 half days a year. At the 2026 minimum wage of €13.90/hour, €500–900/month is realistic once a job is found. Use the planner above.
Budget for flights home. At ₹70k per ticket, 1–2 flights/year add ₹7–14 lakh to the 4-year cost. Some families skip year 1 & 2.
Grants & scholarships exist. DAAD, Erasmus, and smaller foundations fund Indian students. Apply early.
Desi food costs 2–4× home. We've factored this in. If your child wants to save, the "German + cheap" option cuts ₹2 lakh/year.

ℹ️ Estimates only. Not official advice. Always verify with official sources. Last updated: 11 October 2026. Real costs vary by: actual flat prices (search immo24.de), food inflation, flights booked in advance (cheaper), and individual spending. Use this for the *conversation* with parents/sponsors. We've assumed: tuition-free state universities, student health insurance (~€130/mo), no car ownership. If your child needs a laptop or has medical costs, add 10–20% buffer.