Germany is among the top 5 most popular countries for foreigners to obtain higher education
Tuition fees for foreigners
As Deutsche Welle notes, tuition fees at German public universities and universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule) were almost universally abolished in 2013. Almost, because from the winter semester 2017\/18, Baden-Württemberg introduced a mandatory fee for students from countries outside the EU or the European Economic Area. In this case, the fee at all universities in this federal state is 1,500 euros per semester for those pursuing their first higher education degree.
Exceptions are graduates of German schools abroad, as well as exchange students and doctoral candidates working on their dissertation in Germany. Also, foreigners whose parents, spouse, or children hold a passport from an EU or EEA country.
This right is also granted by an EU residence permit, as well as employment in Germany: if the applicant has worked for five years, or if at least one of their parents lived in Germany for six years before the start of the child's studies and was employed for three of those years. No payment is required during an internship provided for in the curriculum, and if you are attending a pre-university college in Baden-Württemberg.
Baden-Württemberg's example was to be followed in the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. But the government's plans sparked fierce criticism. The cost-benefit analysis lasted two years. As a result, no clear positive effect for universities was seen: most of the funds would have to be spent on additional administrative work. At the end of November, it was announced that fees for non-EU students would not be introduced after all, and to support universities, additional funds would be allocated from the state budget.
First and second higher education degrees
In Germany, "first higher education degree" means obtaining a bachelor's degree (Bachelor) or a specialist degree (Diplom), as well as the "State Examination" (Staatsexamen) form of study, which allows graduates to work in professions under state control (doctors, teachers, lawyers, pharmacists). If an applicant has a bachelor's, master's, or specialist degree obtained outside the EU and did not graduate from a university in Germany or another EU country, then this higher education is also considered the first.
Otherwise, subsequent studies, for example, to change specialization, will be a second higher education degree (Zweitstudium). This primarily applies to those who have obtained a master's degree (Master or Magister), a specialist diploma, or a diploma under the Staatsexamen form of study. Some universities also include a bachelor's degree in this group.
Obtaining a second higher education degree is fee-based in some federal states. In Baden-Württemberg (this also applies to non-EU foreigners) and Rhineland-Palatinate, the fee is 650 euros per semester, in Saxony – 350 euros, in Saxony-Anhalt – 500 euros.
It is not considered a second higher education if you decide to change your specialization before obtaining a degree. Or if you are studying two specializations simultaneously at one or different universities.
Master's programs vary
Did you get a bachelor's degree in Germany and want to pursue a master's? Whether it will be considered a first higher education depends on its type. Most master's programs at German universities are "consecutive" (konsekutiv). They are a logical continuation of bachelor's graduates' studies in the same or similar field. Such a master's is equivalent to a first higher education, and no tuition is charged.
There are also postgraduate master's programs (weiterbildende Masterstudiengänge). These are generally fee-based. They are designed for professionals with work experience and are considered a second higher education. Each program has its own pricing.
For example, a master's in "Management and Innovation" at the Technical University of Munich costs 28,000 euros. At Goethe University Frankfurt, you can study management in aviation and tourism for 19,900 euros. The "MBA in Engineering and Natural Sciences" program at Münster University of Applied Sciences costs 6,250 euros.
Semester fee and late study fees
All students at German public universities are required to pay a semester fee – it covers, among other things, the costs of operating the student cafeteria, sports clubs, and language courses, as well as a student transit pass. The amount of the fee varies by university.
For example, in this winter semester at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences it is 76 euros, at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg – 113 euros, at Cologne University of Applied Sciences – 275 euros, at the University of Bremen – 380 euros. In Baden-Württemberg, non-EU foreigners pay this fee in addition to the 1,500 euros – at the University of Stuttgart it is currently 188 euros. Without paying the semester fee, a student is not allowed to study in the next semester.
It is also important to know that if a student prolongs their studies and the duration significantly exceeds the standard program length, some states charge an additional fee (Langzeitstudiengebühren). In Bremen, those who need more than 14 semesters to complete their studies pay 500 euros per semester. In Saxony, after four semesters of delay, each subsequent semester costs 500 euros. Similar rules apply in Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, Saarland, and Thuringia.