Study in Germany: Education in Germany

Germany’s institutions of higher education are internationally accredited – according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), 6 of the top 100 and 18 of the top 200 universities in the world are German. Studying in Germany will place you among some of the oldest and most established universities in the world, as well as some of the newest and most innovative. 

Public and Private Universities

There are 400 public universities in Germany, which are attended by 95% of the university student population. These institutions are state-funded, meaning that students do not pay tuition fees (apart from a small administrative cost at the start of each semester). There are also around 120 private institutions which do not receive government funding and are not state regulated, meaning that they set their own tuition fees.

The Bologna System

Higher education in Germany recently converted to the three-tier degree system of the European Higher Education Area established under the Bologna System. Rather than the old one-tier ‘long’ programs, Germany now offers undergraduate courses which result in a Bachelor’s degree, and postgraduate courses which result in a Master’s or PhD (Doctorate). This system is designed to be the same throughout Europe, facilitating international educational mobility and enhancing flexibility.

Undergraduate Education

Education in German higher differentiates between different types of universities for different disciplines:

• Technische Universitäten (Technical Schools) teach science, technology and engineering
• Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science) specialize in business, engineering and social science
• Kunst-und Musikhochschulen are universities of fine and performing arts, music, media and communication

Degrees in Germany

Bachelor’s Degree

The first higher education qualification in Germany is a Bachelor's degree. The standard period of study in a Bachelor's program in Germany is 6 semesters or 3 full academic years. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree, students can start their professional work or apply for a master's degree.

Master’s Degree

The second higher education qualification in Germany is the Master's degree. It takes 2 - 4 semesters to complete studies in a German Master's degree program, which will take about 2 years. Many postgraduate courses in Germany are offered in English. Germany is one of the countries with the highest number of universities in the world, and studying in these universities is almost without the need to pay tuition, and the cost of paying to the university is less than 200 euros per semester.

They are either ‘consecutive’ or ‘non-consecutive'. Consecutive Master’s programs build upon an obtained Bachelor’s – they follow on from a related undergraduate degree and do not ordinarily charge fees. Non-consecutive programs focus on a more specialized area of study. These courses may charge fees and are more likely to require professional or practical experience on top of an undergraduate degree.

PhD Degree

The third higher education qualification in Germany is the PhD degree. There is no standardized period for completing doctoral studies in Germany, as this is a more in-depth and individual specialization. The most important requirement for admission to the doctoral program is the presentation of a master's degree. Doctoral studies in Germany are free and you do not have to pay tuition.

German universities are internationally accredited and above global higher education standards in a variety of disciplines. An MBA in Germany is highly sought after and also a great opportunity for achieving your business career goals in the future.