EnglishEN
Free help applying

Photo: Mira Kireeva on Unsplash

Cost of a year

What will a year really cost?

From the country guide: tuition, living costs and the visa fee, plus the money you must show. The part you lose if the visa is refused is marked.

In short: a first year in Germany costs about USD 11,000 to 21,000: tuition, twelve months of living costs and the visa fee. The visa also asks you to show USD 13,300 before it is decided.

Last checked: 24 September 2026, against the official sources linked below.

A year in Germany

In EUR as publishedIn USD
Tuition, one year EUR 200 to 700 USD 223 to 781
Public university, international student
Living costs, twelve months EUR 9,600 to 18,000 USD 10,720 to 20,090
Visa or permit feeNot refunded if the visa is refused EUR 75 USD 84
First year, all inUSD 11,020 to 20,960
Money you must show for the visa EUR 11,904 USD 13,290
Held in your account before you apply; most of it then pays your living costs
Work while you study
20 hours a week in term
Stay after you graduate
18 months, Jobseeker residence permit (section 20 Residence Act)
If the exchange rate moves. Today 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (rate of 8 November 2026). A 10% move either way changes this first year by about USD 1,600, and a whole three to four-year degree by roughly USD 4,800 to USD 6,400. Plan with a margin, and pay large sums when the rate suits you.
Worth knowing. Baden-Wuerttemberg charges non-EU students EUR 1,500 a semester and TU Munich charges non-EU students EUR 2,000 to 6,000 a semester.

The full Germany guide, with every source →

Germany: what a year costs next to

Tuition, living costs and the visa fee side by side, in your currency.

Germany vs NetherlandsGermany vs FranceGermany vs AustriaGermany vs ItalyGermany vs CanadaGermany vs United KingdomGermany vs SwitzerlandGermany vs Poland

Leaves out flights, deposits and insurance unless the guide includes them. Currency: Rates by Exchange Rate API, 8 November 2026.

Questions

How much does it cost to study in Germany for a year?

a first year in Germany costs about USD 11,000 to 21,000: tuition, twelve months of living costs and the visa fee. The visa also asks you to show USD 13,300 before it is decided.

How much money do I need to show for a student visa in Germany?

EUR 11,904 a year (about USD 13,300), from the official source in the Germany guide.