One can study for free in Germany, is that true?
Hello dear Steemians... today the topic of my article is "tuition fee for studying in Germany".
During the last few years we often saw some news or even ads on the media (both online and conventional) that one could study for free in Germany as well as that Germany warmly welcomes international students.
I also often got mails from my Indonesian fellows who wanted me to confirm those news.
To answer those questions more efficiently I decided to simply write about it in my blog.
When the news first appeared in the media in 2014 I decided to write about it using Indonesian language in my WordPress-Blog, but since the topic is relevant to every high school graduates worldwide now I would like to write it again here in English, additionally because there was a revision concerning this topic which makes me need to update my old article.
Education policy in Germany doesn't belong to the jurisdiction of the federal government but to the federal states instead, so that it may differ in each state and can always change again, especially when the winner of the next election in that particular state belongs to different party than before.
Many years back there was still no tuition fee in the universities financed by the states nationwide. Considering these favorable conditions one can imagine why the development of technology was so advanced and great innovations so numerous in Germany and strongly contributed to the achievement of this country holding the leading position in Europe.
When the talented young generations need not to concern about the costs and just concentrate on studying as well as researching, without time pressure, then it is just logical that great results can be attained. There are of course risks that some students may study really slowly, but on the other hand who says that it's always better to be as fast as possible? Efficiency doesn’t always go in line with speed.
It is rather unlikely to have good quality results if the work is done under high time pressure.
Unfortunately some of states started to charge the students some fees, for example in 1998 Baden Wüttemberg at first had started to charge tuition fees for students who studied much longer than average, but then also for all other students as well. This decision was followed by the other states in Germany one by one.
The amount of tuition fees in each university was varying, but most of the time accounted for around 650 € per semester. However, the student card can be used as a semester ticket for every public transport available, which is valid for the entire routes within the state where the university located.
Considering this we must admit that this amount is actually still quite low, compared to the tuition fees in many other developed countries worldwide. Even in Indonesia, if one wants to study in a reputable university that is not owned by the government, one must pay more than that, and without any transportation facility.
However, the duty to pay tuition fees didn’t last very long, at least as for the average student. For example students who have been studying much longer than average (like 16 Semesters or more), older students (older than 49 years old), people who want to have their 2nd Undergraduate Degree still have to pay tuition fees in some states of Germany. Hessen for example abolished the tuition fees again only a year later.
The Saarland had charged tuition fees in 2007 but abolished them again in the winter semester 2010. The similar case goes with other states in Germany, and the last one was Lower Saxony when the news about “Studying for free in Germany” spread in the foreign media.
By the way, to be more exact it’s actually not completely free because one still has to pay a semester contribution to finance the semester ticket for public transportation, student organisation’s membership fee and some administration fees. The amount is varying between 100 and 300 € per semester.
The bigger the state the more expensive is the fee because the public transportation facilities you can enjoy for free are naturally more numerous as well.
As a comparison I paid 188 € for my last semester ticket and could travel around anytime by bus, train and metro in my state for free, but since I graduated, the cheapest available (non-student) ticket is an annual subscription for public transportation which would cost me 1068 € / semester for the same service coverage.
(But well, at least this ticket is transferrable, so one family with one little child under the age of 6 like us need not to have more than one subscription. We both can use the same card as my hubby can walk on foot to work LOL. But since during a normal day life one need not to travel in the whole state anyway so one could just pay a subscription for a particular region which costs circa 620 € / year.
Our family can still travel in the evening, at holidays or weekend together by public transportation as often as possible only with one ticket. In case we occasionally need to travel together on weekdays I’ll just buy the daily ticket, it’s still very cost-effective. ^_^
Therefore at the moment we can really do without a car, a small contribution for our mother earth).
However it is indeed correct that at the moment there is no tuition fee in any university in Germany, and it is generally applicable for every student for his 1st Degree and disregarding his nationality or residency status.
The only exception is in Baden-Württemberg because since winter semester 2017 / 2018 until at least the next election the non-EU citizens have to pay 1500 € tuition fee per semester. Nordrhein-Westfalen at the moment seems to be planning to do the same, let’s wait and see whether they would really do it next semester.
But let’s also hope that the condition of “no tuition fee” won't change for the worst again.
If Germany really wish to stay in the frontline among its peer in regard to economic growth and at least maintain the welfare standard of their citizen, then the tight saving policy in education area should just stop.
Note: Aside from the absence of tuition fee, students who don’t get financial support from their families still have a possibility to apply for a student loan and they generally only have to pay back a half of it after they finish studying and are able to finance their life independently without any social support.
Ok, that's it for now. I'll give further informations related to this topic again next time, and hopefully soon. ^_^
Nice write-up of an important topic! And I can fully back that all that you are writing is at least currently true. And you also have a hint that this can change if government changes.
Thanks alot ! Would love to have more foreign students over here.
Kind regards
Jan
Well, unfortunately I'm not sure whether foreign students would be coming more. In general non-EU citizens have to visit "Studienkolleg" (a preparation course) for 2-3 semesters if they want to get their first degree in Germany, and that's the fastest possible. Some might need 4-5 semesters if they need to repeat some classes because of the failed exams. After finishing this course, then they would finally get the right to apply in any university. The problem is, there are very few University that still runs this classes. Saarland has just closed it down last year and now only runs classes for refugees.
This is again part of the tight saving policy.
Welcoming foreign students is not a charity programm at all, but it could actually be a future investment. Studying in Germany is not easy and who would know what kind of role in the society those graduates would have in the future in the country where they finally settle down.
I wonder if you know that Indonesian 3rd President was an Indonesian genius who has spent his youth studying and few years working in RWTH Aachen. His Son is also inherited his brain quality :-D and studied in Germany as well. He had once started and led Indonesian national project to produce aeroplane until the stupid politicians stopped the funding.
What I'm trying to say is: when you're practically grown up or at least spent long time living here in Germany (for example), then you would normally have a special bonding to this place and somehow would be more approachable to Germany when you hold some important project in your own country.
This ex-President of us has obviously special feeling towards Germany so that he came back after retiring and his wife had her cancer treatment here too until her last breath.
Don't you think it's an advantage? Doktoral study would only last 1 to 2 years perhaps, and that's generally not enough to build this special bonding but when one started studying here since graduated from high school, then the lenght of stay is enough to build the feeling.
China is now growing fast, so it would be a good investments too having Chinese citizens studying here.
Have a nice weekend.
baik banget pemerintahnya hehehe...btw, itu beda harga tiket per semester antara student dgn non student buanyak banget ya mbak? memanglah, punya status student itu banyak dimanjakan hehehe
Enak kalau masih kuliah hahaha, banyak diskon pula. Jaman aku masih students, kalau mau ke salon bawa kartu mahasiswa, biar dapat harga students, lumayan lho itu wkwkwkwkk.
wah, ke salon bisa pakai kartu mahasiswa juga? asyik banget dong soale nyalon di eropah kan luarang pool hahaha
There's still the living expenses issue to get around though! Are there any distance/online learning programs in Germany? :P
And btw.. yes, this option exist, but mostly they are run by private university, so they would charge tuition fee. :)
If one could obtain the special visa with working permit, one could try applying for a Dual-Studium.
I would write some more about various options available in Germany next time. Just wait. :)
Yes, that's true, and that's why foreigner need to prove that they're financially sufficient by getting a blocked account around 8700€. This should be enough to cover the average living cost for a year.
(Foreign students are normally a lot richer than most Germans LOL. How many German students has 8700€ in their bank account hahaha).
The student can only withdraw the money around 600-700€ monthly.
However, this amount must be in the bank account again when the time come to renew the visa, that is the standard procedure. ^_^
Whether one meets a very very nice immigration officer who probably doesn't want check your bank account again, that would only rely on your own luck. :-D
To be certain that your visa would be extended, the best option is still studying hard to try staying on schedule and always have sufficient money in this blocked account. :-)
Part time job is naturally a big help, however studying in a foreign language is hard and most students are not geniuses so, one can't work much either if one doesn't want to have a big problem in catching up the class. The drop-out quote in Germany is obviously not so low. :-D
Highly appreciated when you write article how about German free education condition from English. I think didnot any freedom education facility lot of countries. In this fact our country has not. Thats log topic to discuss. But i`m stopping. Great one @kobold-djawa.
Indonesia doesn't have it either. Education is very expensive there and not every citizen could study in the university despite their intelligence, because scholarship programm is also very limited, and mostly they are for graduate programm, there are extremely few for undergraduate programm.
If that true, I tell you now this is greatest way to studying German.
Long but interesting post.
Have a great day.
Well, if one could get the visa and a place in the university, that is correct.
But the way for getting a visa itself is a big struggle, and not cheap at all. :-D
If you're not rich it's nearly impossible as you need a financial guarantee for the visa, and the amount is huge. :-D
My husband is a German, that makes a big difference.
Absolutely awesome topic you discussed @kobold-djawa. As your article I can give some idea to you. Our country has free education facilities before 15 years. But Lot of Minister of parliament bring cancel suggestion and approved more than votes, therefore we have not free education. Any countries has these problem. Our politicians don`t need to protect country. Want only money to them. But i guess German situation very different. Its would be better.
Interesting post & Resteemed.
It's the same story in my country. Where are you living if I may know it?
Sri Lanka
Helpful.... Thank you. Nice writeup
You're welcome.
To be fair, you should mention the "Verwaltungskostenbeitrag" everyone has to pay every semester. Depending on the university, that is 100-300 Euro per semester. Not too much, but also not nothing.
Overall, I would recommend foreigners with an interest in getting a degree in Germany, to make a vocational training in the tech/industry sector. Today that is at least as much worth as a university degree plus you get paid for getting a degree. On top, you already got a job and have the chance for a university degree on the expense of your corporation. It's a common career scheme and I do regret not having used it.
@jaki01 has given the correct response on my behalf for your first 2 sentences .
And for the rest I would do it my self. ^^
The vocational training which you just mentioned is not that simple to obtain for foreigner like us, at least not for foreigners coming from non-EU countries.
This form of education would need more than just a student visa, because the working hours one must go through would exceed the limit set by the immigration (I have written about this working hours limitation before, but only in Indonesian language).
For this vocational training one need a special working permit from the relevant "Ministerium", and obtaining such permit is not that easy.
The only departement which open rather bigger opportunity for non-EU citizens are the health care department, because Germany needs more "Krankenpfleger und Altenpfleger o.Ä." :-D. Foreigner are cheaper and easier to be taken advantage of, that's why. Sad but that is the fact. ><
But for other department like "technique", Germans would always be first priority, then the next come EU-citizens and EEA-citizens, then citizen of the other allies. Foreigner from developing country would normally only get in the line if the boss of the company/institution as the visa sponsor could prove to the immigration and Department of Work, that only this particular foreigner could fill in the position the best, that the company couldn't find better candidate among Germans and EU-citizens available.
So foreigner who could obtain this kind of visum and a position in such vocational school really needs a big big good luck. Most of the time it's because they have studied here, during the study they might do a part time job there so that they have a good relationship with the boss, but unfortunately they failed the study of they just finally find out that university life is not their cup of coffee.
However they couldn't simply change the visa either, but they normally have to go back to their homeland first and apply the new visa from home.
My case is of course an exceptional case, because I'm married to a German, so my visa type was the one which already had gone trough this obstacle, and as a spouse of a German I logically would live together with him and probably need to help him earning money to finance the family, so I would definitely need this working permit :-D . Otherwise, I might increase the probability of my hubby to burden the gorvernment with social support LOL.
I deeply apologize for overlooking the 100-300 Euro part.. Thanks for clarifying the vocational training part. It seems to be just another moronic regulation. I wouldn't see the problem with foreigners getting into the vocational training system - after all, the company trusts them enough to let them in (and pay them!), so there should be no problem. Maybe the best way to get into the system is via the dependence of a German corporation in Indonesia or elsewhere, but that exceeds my knowledge and probably depends on the local situation.
There is nothing to forgive. :-)
Anyone could overlook something, the article is rather long anyhow.
Bureucracy sucks, you're right. Trying to get a settlement in Germany through the subsidiary company in our homeland is indeed a possibility, but normally it's not for vocational school level but for at least the university graduates.
But you're right, the key point is the boss. If they like you enough and really want to hire you, then they should not mind going through the visa hassle and be helpful with it. However the reality is not always that nice.
As a university graduate with a major in STEM field in Germany, we have maximum 2 years time to find a job which could fulfill the requirement for the Blue Card, which means we need a job contract with annual income at least 39.624 € (brutto), and if it's not STEM-graduate we need annual income at least 50.800 € . So you see how difficult it is. Vocational schlool graduates would never be able to fulfill that T_T. Even most Germans do not earn that much.
I have a friend who jus finished her study here and actually got 2 job offers in 2 different city, however she just has to face a doom loop because of the visa issue.
The company said she will only be hired if she has got a working permit, but... the immigration and the Department of Work said that they would issue the resident and working permit if she could prove that she has got a job with a sufficient income.
The problem went on because the company didn't want to spend too much effort for a staff candidate who wouldn't occupy a high position in the company. It's not worth the time. There are plenty of graduates out there waiting in line who have no problem with visa.
Realit bites hard. :) Finally it is always those "Vitamin B" (connection), which could help us get the position, without "Vitamin B", most of the time one would meet the similar problem like what my friend has.
Fortunately this dear friend of mine has a serious relationship with a German, if she really would like to stay here, they could just get married. But that's not a romantic way of planning a marriage, is it LOL. Especially because they are both are so young, 23 yo.
Well, but not every foreigner would be that eager to stay here (often I would roll my eyes when I heard some prejudice from racist people here toward us foreigner as if every foreigner were beggars for social benefits from Germany).
She would rather bring her BF to Indonesia, her parent could provide them just well there. They could just run her parent's company hahaha.
Of course this would only work if the BF doesn't spoil his pride too much so that the love still wins.
Crazy isn't it?
But my own express wedding was also due to visa issue, but at least I'm not that young anymore, so it is ok, I have already mentally prepared for a marriage life anyway.
But it's really not a beautiful reason at all to get married.
Thanks for the elaboration. If it was about me, I would hand out everyone the citizenship who gets a degree in Germany (in something STEM - not social studis or comparable BS). But the way it is, people are confronted with so much insecurity that too many of the highly skilled leave again, I fully understand that. And on the other hand they invite illiterate criminals and Islamic extremists in the millions who will never do anything else but cost money and causing trouble. It couldn't be more idiotic.
But believe it or not, the situation has improved - you can feel lucky. A good friend of mine is from Islamabad and studied medicine in Germany. She was top of the class and had all doors open. Back then (~10 years ago) she only had half a year time to get a full time job. Eventually, she left and is now treating people in Dubai for more than just good money.
If you ask me, I don't think that this is coincidence. Something's seriously going the wrong way and it's done on purpose. It's probably the best thing to keep the place in good memory and just leave. It's such a pity that the country screws itself up so much.
That's exactly what @kobold-djawa has written:
see, that is what happens when you only skim over an article;-)
Good post @kobold-djawa
Anda orang indonesia ya ?
Iya, saya tulis juga tuh di data profil. ^_^
Jadi sekarang kamu tinggal d grman , bersama siapa anda di sana ?
Bersama keluarga kecil saya mas. :)
img credz: pixabay.com
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