Study in Germany

Germany stands out for almost tuition-free study at public universities, a strong tradition in engineering and science, and many English-taught master’s programmes.

Why Germany?

• No tuition fees at most public universities — only a semester contribution
• Hundreds of English-taught master’s programmes
• Europe’s strongest economy and an 18-month job-seeker permit for graduates
• Wide scholarship opportunities such as DAAD

Education system and levels

• Universities are academic and theoretical, while Hochschulen / Fachhochschulen (universities of applied sciences) are practice-oriented.
• Bachelor’s: 3–4 years, mostly in German. An Azerbaijani school certificate usually does not give direct entry — a Studienkolleg (foundation year) or 1–2 years of university study in Azerbaijan may be required.
• Master’s: 1.5–2 years, many in English.
• Applications are made directly to the university or through uni-assist .

Tuition and living costs

• Public universities: a semester contribution of about €150–€400 (often including a public transport ticket).
• In Baden-Württemberg and at some universities (e.g. TUM), tuition fees apply to non-EU students.
• Private universities: €10,000–€25,000 per year.
• Living costs: about €900–€1,200 per month. For the visa you must show one year’s funds in a blocked account (Sperrkonto).

Scholarships

• DAAD — various programmes for master’s and doctoral studies (monthly stipend, insurance, travel costs)
• Deutschlandstipendium — €300 per month, through the university
• Scholarships from political foundations: Heinrich Böll, Konrad Adenauer, Friedrich Ebert, etc.
• Erasmus Mundus joint master’s programmes

Admission requirements and documents

• Diploma, transcript and their translations (sometimes certified copies)
• English (IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL) or German (TestDaF, DSH, Goethe C1)
• Motivation letter and CV (Europass format is often requested)
• Reference letters; GRE/GMAT for some programmes
• Recognition of your degree is checked in the anabin database

Student visa: step by step

1. Get your admission letter (Zulassung).
2. Open a blocked account (Sperrkonto): €11,904 (€992 per month). Alternatives: a scholarship or a Verpflichtungserklärung.
3. Buy travel health insurance with at least €30,000 cover.
4. Apply online only via the Auslandsportal (digital.diplo.de/studium).
5. Create a TLScontact account: your documents are checked online, then you get an appointment at the visa centre for fingerprints and payment.
6. A decision usually takes 2–8 weeks. After arrival you get a residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.

Fees

• National visa (D) fee: €75
• TLScontact service fee is paid separately

Can you work on a student visa?

You can work 140 full or 280 half days a year; student assistant (HiWi) jobs at the university do not count toward this limit.

Source: Almaniyanın Bakıdakı səfirliyi — təhsil vizası, Auslandsportal. Checked: October 2026. Rules and fees can change — check the official website before applying.

Universities and programmes in Germany

Note: amounts are approximate and vary by university, programme and year. It is important to check the official source before applying. Last updated: October 2026.

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