Money
Money, plainly
Tuition-free doesn't mean free. Here are the real numbers for the 2026 cycle, so you can decide before anyone asks you for a rupee.
Tuition at a public university
€0
in 15 of 16 states
Germany charges no tuition at public universities — to Indians and Germans alike. One exception, and we'd rather you heard it from us: Baden-Württemberg bills non-EU students €1,500 per semester, which covers Heidelberg, Mannheim, Tübingen, Hohenheim and KIT.
Blocked account (Sperrkonto)
€11,904
for the first year
The Federal Foreign Office figure for 2026, derived from the BAföG rate. It is released back to you at €992 a month once you arrive — this is your own money held in escrow, not a fee.
Semester contribution
€100–€400
per semester
Paid to the university instead of tuition. At many universities it includes a regional public-transport pass, which on its own is usually worth more than the contribution.
Student health insurance
€110–€165
per month
Statutory public insurance at the reduced student rate, commonly around €141. Legally mandatory — you cannot enrol or get the visa without it. Over 30, expect materially more.
Living costs
€950–€1,250
per month
Rent is the whole variable. Munich and Frankfurt sit at the top of that range; Leipzig, Dresden and the smaller university towns at the bottom.
Visa fee · APS · dMAT
€75 + ₹18,000
non-refundable
€75 for the national visa (€37.50 for a minor), paid at your appointment. ₹18,000 to APS India, non-refundable whatever the outcome. Master's applicants who need the dMAT pay g.a.s.t. a further €150.
The first consultation and your profile assessment are free — no deposit, no “registration fee”. If you decide to go ahead, you get a fixed fee in writing, itemised by service, before any money moves. We don't take commission from private colleges, so the shortlist we build has nothing to do with what pays us.
Third-party figures above change annually and are set by the German authorities, not by us. We'll confirm the current numbers for your intake on the call.
