15 Top Courses in Germany, 40 Free English-taught German Universities, Cost of Study and Living

Let’s take a look at the Top courses in Germany that one should study across the various Free and Paid Universities in Germany

German Universities being among many universities within the World Rankings. Germany offers high-quality education opportunities in different fields. Germany is also highly reputed for its various researches.

Being well-known for its forward-thinking and modern facilities, Germany is one of the best choices for international students. Despite being smaller than some other popular study abroad destinations such as the USA and the UK, Germany has offered a fortune of cultural experiences.

It is a great destination to further your education if you already hold a degree. The country offers many undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities, especially at a doctoral level.

It should also be noted that requirements for entry in German universities solely depends on the University you are applying to but the most common and general documents needed for entry are as follows;

Recognized qualifications and credentials

1. Certified transcripts of your grades from previous education
2. Proof of English/German proficiency(depending on the main language the University teaches)
3. Post graduate: GRE(Graduate Record Examinations) or
4. GMAT(Graduate Management Admission Test)
5. Reference letters (optional)

Why Study in Germany?

In 2014, statistics from OECD shows that Germany was the world’s third leading destination for international study. Germany’s higher education institutions are sub-divided into three main types; university, university of applied sciences and colleges of art, music, or film.

Thousands of programs are offered, which means there will be a course for everyone. Whilst many of the institution types offer closely related courses, their focuses are slightly different.

Universities generally focus on research-driven programs, whereas Universities of applied sciences offers a more practical approach to subjects.

Germany also offers a wide range of unusual degrees including Aerial Archaeology, which studies the history of the earth from a bird’s eye view.

Another example bionics, which teaches students to imitate nature as closely as possible, it is the combination of technology, biology, and engineering.

A Little About Germany

Germany is the most populous member of the EU, with almost 83 million Habitants. The country is known for its somewhat violent history and relationship with neighboring countries.

However, in the 21st Century, Germany has established itself as a global powerhouse. It has a strong economy, with the 5th largest GDP in the world (2017). This makes it an excellent place for employment once your studies are complete.

It also prides itself on a universal health system, environmental protection, and tuition-free higher education system.

Whilst the climate doesn’t have much difference from the Northwestern and Coastal regions of Germany as you head inland, the overall climate of the country is moderate.

The country tends not to have any long periods of cold or hot weather. With a long and established heritage for culture and tourism, Germany has a lot of interesting and historical magnets that are worth paying a visit!

Many of the museums and art galleries throughout the country offer discounted prices for students, which is definitely worth taking advantage of.

The most highly rated tourist attractions in Germany include:

• Oktoberfest (Munich)
• Berlin Wall (Berlin)
• Kölner Dom (Cologne)

Cost of Studying & Living in Germany.

Germany uses the Euro (€) as its currency. Many public institutions in the country offer their programs for a very small price.

Generally, they ask for a registration fee of €50-€250 per semester.

Depending on the university, this applies to both EU and non-EU students. However, in Baden-Württemburg state, institutions can charge a fee of €1,500 per semester for non-EU students.

Private universities are permitted to set their own tuition fees, so, they can charge up to €20,000 per year.

When choosing your University, make sure you are aware of fees and budget for your current situation.

So, the following is a list of some Universities in Germany for International Students that are Tuition-Free

1. Technical University of Munich
2. Ludwig Maximilians University
3. Heidelberg University
4. Karlsruher Institute of Technology
5. Humboldt University of Berlin
6. Free University of Berlin
7. RWTH University
8. Technical University of Berlin
9. University of Tubingen
10. Albert Ludwig University
11. Georg-Augusta University of Göttingen
12. University of Hamburg
13. University of Bonn
14. Goethe University
15. University of Stuttgart Darmstadt
16. University of Technology TU Dresden

If you are interested in applying to these free universities in Germany, you need to be very smart about which universities to apply to, in other to maximize your chances.

To increase your chances of studying in Germany for free, you should apply to universities that accept a high percentage of the applicants.

Also, These German universities are indeed tuition-free, but they do not provide some necessary things like accommodation and living expenses.

You can either support yourself with your own money or by getting a scholarship.

By receiving scholarships, you can truly study in Germany for free with the combination of free tuition universities and scholarships for other necessary things.

A lot of Scholarships are available for study in Germany, DAAD maintains a renowned scholarship database.

Applicants should also be aware that applying for scholarships will be quite competitive, therefore applicants should not rely on this to fund your studies.

It is recommended that foreign students budget around €800-€900 per month. This should cover your rent, food, entertainment, and travel costs.

If you live in a big city, such as Hamburg or Munich, your living costs will probably be higher.

In many German cities, discounts are available for both EU and non-EU students.

These include museums, art galleries, restaurants, and leisure activities discounts. Part-time work is one of the ways a student can earn money while they study.

If you are from an EU country like Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, you are permitted to work as many hours per week as you wish.

However, if you work over 20 hours per week, you must pay towards the national insurance.

To save money, and to make sure that their studies are a priority, students choose to work 20 hours or less per week.

If you are from countries outside the EU, you are permitted to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year.

If you wish to work more than this, you must request permission from the local employment agency and the foreigners’ registration office.

If you choose to work, some German language skills will be of great help, and it is a great opportunity to improve those skills.

Language

The official language of Germany is German. Many courses are offered in both German and English, however, some are only offered in one of the two language.

Roughly 150 universities out of 400 in Germany offer courses and degrees completely in English. This makes Germany the second country to offer the highest degrees in English after the Netherlands.

The language advantage attracts international students who find it quite hard to learn German. If your course is taught in German, you will need to show that your German language skills are good enough.

You can do this by passing either the TestDaF or the DSH before applying. If your course is taught in English, you will need to show that your English language skills are sufficient.

You can do this by providing evidence of scores of an accepted English language test. These tests are known as the IELTS and TOEFL.

You should check with your institution to see what their required test scores are, and what tests they accept.

If your language skills in German or English do not meet the required standard, many institutions offer language courses to help one get better at them.

If your course is offered in English, it is still encouraged that you try your best to engage in the new language by Speaking to your course-mates and locals to pick up the language, and make an effort to communicate frequently in German.

This skill will add a lot of values to your CV!
The following are some of the best universities in Germany, which offer degree courses in English:

List of Universities in Germany

1. Hochschule Mannheim –University of Applied Sciences
2. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
3. Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
4. Bremen University of Applied Sciences
5. Jacobs University Technische
6. Universitat Munchen
7. University of Gottingen
8. Max Planck Institute Freie
9. Universitat Berlin Technische
10. Universitat Dresden Munich
11. University of Applied Sciences
12. University of Bonn Saarland
13. University Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
14. Technische Universitat Kaiserslautern
15. Universitat Hamburg
16. ULM University
17. HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management
18. University of Bayreuth
19. WHU-Otto Beisheim School of Management
20. University of Stuttgart
21. Universitat Berlin
22. University of Hohenheim
23. University of Erfurt
24. University of Freiburg

Best and Highest Paying Degrees in Germany

Most students who want to study abroad and away from their home countries think about going to the UK or the US.

These countries have a reputation for providing the best quality of education, but increasingly this reputation is decreasing.

Recently, some studies which aim to find the best place to get a degree actually rank another country as the best one. In a study from Study.eu, which ranked countries according to education, career, life and cost says that the best country to study in is Germany.

Germany surpassed the UK scores by a long way. Germany scored 83.2 out of 100, while the UK scores were only 69.8.

The following are visualizations of the degrees, and their salaries, while below there are also descriptions of what each degree means.

Applicants should also note that These Jobs are also open to international students that can meet all the requirements for the job

1. Medicine and Dentistry

Doctors and dentists are valuable professionals throughout the entire world. Health is seen as one of the most important factors of having high wellbeing in any country.

Because of that, medical occupations are the highest paid degrees in Germany.

A doctor or a dentist is expected to make the highest amount of money out of graduates with other degrees.

The average annual pay is €79,538.

2. Law

Lawyers are also highly important. Having a good justice system makes a country look and feel more developed and fair to its people.

Whenever we have any legal problems, we are faced with the difficult task of finding a good lawyer. In Germany, this is not a challenge.

Medicine and Law are some of the toughest degrees to get admitted into. The high admittance criteria, and the fact that the courses are very challenging, makes them so valuable.

Lawyers, due to their effort to graduate and their importance in society get well-paid too.

The yearly average salary for a lawyer is €74,013.

3. Industrial Engineering .

The third highest paying degree is Industrial Engineering. Industrial Engineering is a branch of Engineering that works towards in making companies and organizations more efficient.

It can work with both products and services. In a factory which produces something it deals with reducing machine time, and other resources which are not really valuable in the industry.

In services, it looks to decrease time, money, and employee hours which do not add to the productivity and efficiency of the industry Because all companies are looking to become more efficient.

This degree pays a €70,288(average) per year.

4. Engineering

The standard degree of Engineering encompasses general knowledge from all branches and aspects of the profession.

Engineering degrees are some of the most difficult courses to study due to their scientific nature.

Engineers need to be very accurate as small errors could lead to big consequences. That is why engineers are compensated well too.

The yearly average salary for Engineering degrees is €69,850.

5. Mathematics and Computer Science

The science of mathematics has always been valued. Mathematicians deal with complexities of all that needs calculations.

They invent new models and formulas which solve difficult and challenging problems. In addition, the Advent of technology has made computer scientists extremely important too.

They discover algorithms and models which make it possible for easy and flexible communicate and work with each other only throughout a small screen.

Our dependency on mathematics, and computer science has made these degrees highly paid.

Those who have a diploma in computer or mathematics get an average yearly salary of €68,241.

6. Natural Sciences

Physics, chemistry, and biology are also highly accurate sciences. They assist people in making precise materials, knowing the laws of the natural world, and discovering new organisms, laws, and facts.

Throughout time these three sciences have made interesting and important discoveries about the world we live in.

Due to this, those with degrees in either of these natural sciences are compensated in hefty amounts.

They get average salaries which range around €66,954 per year.

7. Business and Economics

Having the knowledge to manage a company and compile its strategy makes the clear difference between success and failure.

All companies and organizations need people who know the basics, and the intricacies of business and economics.

Since we rely so much on our economy and businesses functioning well and providing us with employment and income.

The people with these degrees are compensated with around €65,404 per year.

8. Architecture

Architects design the buildings, and structures we live and work in. They plan our space and the way we use it.

Their skill does not only lie in coming up with buildings that look good, but in also having them to have high tensile strength and not prone to collapsing Together with engineers and other related professions, architects work to construct spaces that serve our living and working needs.

And they get well compensated for it, since the annual average salary for an architect is averagely €55,822.

9. Psychology

Doctors and dentists look after our bodies and teeth while psychologists take care of our minds. Increasingly, people deal with problems such as depression, anxiety or just plain overloading stress.

Psychology and its branches train people with whom we can discuss and find solutions to our mental health issues.

They prescribe medication, and slowly work through to make us healthier individuals. Their job is demanding and the degree that leads up to it is challenging too.

This makes their salaries moderately high too, at approximately €55,204 per year.

10. Earth Science

Earth is the planet we live in and until now, we do not have yet found an alternative to it. Because of this, we have been curious about its composition and the way it works.

We are also concerned with how it is evolving and how we should take better care of it. That is what Earth Scientists study.

Earth Scientists go through the details of how the earth is composed, its oceans, its geology, and its weather. 

They give us answers and advice on how to protect our planet, and they are well-paid for it.

People with this degree can make approximately €53,713 per year.

Aside from these 10 highest paid degrees in Germany listed above which are more scientific and accurate, there are other valuable degrees.

These are more visual or theoretical, and that is why they rank lower than the science, engineering and technology.

However, these degrees are still seen as earning people high salaries and life fulfillment. They are:

11. Political and Social Sciences – €52,974

12. Teaching – €50,000

13. Philosophy and the Humanities – €47,022

14. Historical and cultural Sciences – 46,836

15. Design – €46,075

16. Education and Pedagogy – €45,116

Summary

There you have it, the top courses in Germany which one can study in German universities and come out with their preffered degree/degrees.

Germany has become a better option for most people who wants to study abroad because their education cost is lower than other countries and, there are better chances of getting a job in their prefered profession.