Cost of Studying in Germany for Indian Students in 2026-27

  • Last Updated on: November 2, 2026 by
  • Swapna Kanchikacherla
Cost of Studying in Germany for Indian Students
Cost of Studying In Germany For Indian Students

On a public university route, the cost of studying in Germany for Indian students is about EUR 12,458 to 13,333 for the first year in 2026-27. Most of it is the EUR 11,904 blocked account that the German Missions in India student visa checklist asks for, and that isn’t a fee. It’s your own living money, released to you at up to EUR 992 a month, so you never add it on top of rent and food. Each route below gets a year-one total with the sums shown, including TUM, whose fees rise for winter semester 2027/28 starters.

Written by
Swapna Kanchikacherla
Head of European Desk
Specialises in Germany and France student admissions and visa documentation, with a focus on Campus France, APS, blocked-account and proof-of-funds files.
9 Years, 1100 Visas
Reviewed by
Sridhar Kongara
Managing Director
Mr. Kongara Sridhar, Director of AOEC India, has over 12 years of experience in overseas education consulting, admissions, and student visa guidance.
Over 12 years Experience

Key Takeaways

  • Public university, most states: year one costs EUR 12,458 to 13,333 (₹13.27 to 14.21 lakh).
  • Baden-Wuerttemberg adds EUR 1,500 (₹1.60 lakh) a semester in tuition for non-EU students.
  • TUM master’s, starting before winter 2027/28: EUR 20,512 to 24,667 (₹21.86 to 26.28 lakh); fees rise for 2027/28 starters.
  • At private GISMA, a bachelor’s year one starts at EUR 26,143 (₹27.86 lakh).
  • The EUR 11,904 (₹12.68 lakh) blocked account is your own year-one living money, not an extra cost.
  • Work is capped at 140 working days a year, and planned job income isn’t on the German Missions in India list of visa proofs.
  • Next step: pick your route, then open the blocked account before your visa appointment.
Table of Contents
Tuition Fees in Germany for Indian Students by University Type Scroll here ↓ Blocked Account: Your Living Money, Not an Extra Cost Scroll here ↓ Monthly Living Costs in Germany by City Scroll here ↓ One-Time Costs Before You Fly: Visa, APS and Rent Deposit Scroll here ↓ Total Cost of Studying in Germany: Year 1 Budget by Route Scroll here ↓ Scholarships and Part-Time Work That Lower the Cost Scroll here ↓ Frequently Asked Questions Scroll here ↓

Tuition Fees in Germany for Indian Students by University Type

Most German state universities charge no tuition for bachelor’s or most master’s courses, the DAAD confirms. In 2026 the main bill is a EUR 70 to 430 contribution each semester. Baden-Wuerttemberg charges non-EU students a fixed fee and Bavarian universities may set their own, so the state decides the bill.

RouteTuition fee
Most public universitiesEUR 0
Baden-Wuerttemberg, non-EU studentsEUR 1,500 a semester (₹1.60 lakh)
TUM bachelor’s, starting before WS 2027/28EUR 2,000 or 3,000 a semester (₹2.13 or 3.20 lakh)
TUM bachelor’s, starting WS 2027/28 or laterEUR 2,300 or 3,400 a semester (₹2.45 or 3.62 lakh)
TUM master’s, starting before WS 2027/28EUR 4,000 or 6,000 a semester (₹4.26 or 6.39 lakh)
TUM master’s, starting WS 2027/28 or laterEUR 4,600 or 6,800 a semester (₹4.90 or 7.25 lakh)
GISMA bachelor’s (private, 2026 intakes)EUR 13,825 a year (₹14.73 lakh)
GISMA master’s (private, 2026 intakes)EUR 16,250, 19,200 or 25,100 for the whole 1, 1.5 or 2-year programme (₹17.31, 20.46 or 26.74 lakh)
GISMA Global MBA (private, 2026 intakes)EUR 22,500 for the whole programme (₹23.97 lakh)

INR figures use the live Google-published rate captured on 2026-10-15: EUR 1 = ₹106.55. Rates move daily; figures are indicative.

You also pay the Semesterbeitrag (semester contribution) at enrolment and before each new semester. For winter semester 2026/27 it is EUR 381.80 at Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin, including the Deutschlandsemesterticket (Germany-wide student travel pass). At TUM’s Munich, Garching and Weihenstephan campuses the TUM semester fee is EUR 97.

Tuition, not the city, makes the biggest difference to the cost of studying in Germany for Indian students. On the TUM tuition fees page, the exact fee depends on the programme. Fees apply only to non-EU/EEA students newly enrolled since winter 2024/25, and the 2027/28 rise spares students already enrolled until they finish.

Free tuition is also why the public route usually costs far less than a degree in the UK or USA.

At GISMA, most international students pay a EUR 1,500 deposit, some pay EUR 3,000, and bachelor’s students from certain countries pay a full year’s fee upfront. For the visa, a private-university student must also show the fee invoice and proof that the first year’s fees, or a substantial deposit, are paid. Compare fee-free options in our list of public universities in Germany.

Blocked Account: Your Living Money, Not an Extra Cost

A German blocked account (Sperrkonto) for a student visa from India currently holds EUR 11,904 (₹12.68 lakh) for the first year. No more than EUR 992 (₹1.06 lakh) can be released per month, as the German Missions in India student visa checklist requires. It funds first-year living costs and is not a fee.

These come out of it, not on top of it:

  • rent for your room
  • food and daily shopping
  • monthly health insurance
  • local transport and your phone

Bank fees are paid on top of the blocked amount, under the Federal Foreign Office blocked account rules. The German Missions in India also accept a German or EU scholarship, or a formal letter from a sponsor living in Germany who agrees to cover your costs.

The amount follows the top BAföG (German state student support) rates. A BAföG reform, not yet law, plans higher rates from 2027, so the blocked amount may change. Open the account early, so the blocking confirmation is ready for your visa appointment. Providers and refunds are in our blocked account guide.

Monthly Living Costs in Germany by City

Rent decides whether EUR 992 a month is enough, and our guide to studying in Germany helps you pick a city.

Depending on the city, you’ll need EUR 900 to 1,200 a month, mostly for rent, the DAAD estimates. The semester contribution comes on top.

CityTypical WG (shared flat) room per month
MunichEUR 850 (₹90,600)
BerlinEUR 650 (₹69,300)
HamburgEUR 650 (₹69,300)
CologneEUR 640 (₹68,200)
FrankfurtEUR 630 (₹67,100)
Average of 90 university townsEUR 510 (₹54,300)

Asking rents for winter semester 2026/27, city medians and a weighted 90-town average, according to the Moses Mendelssohn Institute and WG-Gesucht rent study. Eastern cities such as Leipzig and Dresden are usually cheaper.

Health insurance also comes out of your monthly money, and your visa needs public (statutory, gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) or private cover from the day you arrive. In 2026 the TK student contribution rates for students without children are EUR 141.16 a month up to age 23 and EUR 146.29 from 23.

The Deutschland-Ticket costs EUR 63 a month in 2026, and the student version costs 60% of that where your university offers it. The full ticket rises to EUR 66.80 from 1 January 2027, according to epd reporting on the transport ministers’ decision.

Books and other study materials depend on your course, and a student ID often gets you cheaper theatre, museum and cinema tickets.

Parents, do the sum: with the EUR 510 average room, rent plus TK insurance takes about EUR 651 to 656 of the EUR 992. That leaves about EUR 336 to 341 for food, phone and the rest. In Munich, the EUR 850 room plus insurance comes to EUR 991 to 996, which uses up the whole EUR 992, so plan a top-up there.

One-Time Costs Before You Fly: Visa, APS and Rent Deposit

Pay these once, mostly in India before you fly; our guide to Germany admission requirements explains APS.

ItemCostWho pays and when
National (D) visaEUR 75 (mission’s rupee fee ₹8,300) from 18; EUR 37.50 (₹4,200) under 18In rupees at the appointment; not refunded if refused; service fee extra
APS certificate (check of your Indian academic documents)₹18,000At APS registration; not refunded
dMAT testEUR 150 (₹16,000)Digital Master Test, only for some master’s applicants from summer semester 2027; field list being updated
uni-assist handling feeEUR 75 (₹8,000) first course; EUR 30 (₹3,200) each extraPer semester, only where the university uses it
Blocked account setupEUR 70 to 150 (₹7,500 to 16,000)When you open the account
Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)EUR 100 (₹10,700)After you arrive
Rent deposit (Kaution)Up to 3 months’ basic rent, without utility chargesAt move-in, or in 3 equal monthly parts

APS verification takes at least two weeks, so register early, and add your own flight fare. Visa steps are in our German student visa guide.

Total Cost of Studying in Germany: Year 1 Budget by Route

In 2026-27, the first-year cost of studying in Germany for Indian students runs from EUR 12,458 on a public route to EUR 34,898 on a one-year private MBA. Every row carries the same living money, set by the German Missions in India student visa checklist. Tuition is the line that moves most.

RouteTuition and semester fees (year 1)Living money (blocked account)One-off costsYear-1 total (EUR)Year-1 total (INR)
Public university, most statesEUR 140 to 860EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 12,458 to 13,333₹13.27 to 14.21 lakh
Public university, Baden-WuerttembergEUR 3,140 to 3,860EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 15,458 to 16,333₹16.47 to 17.40 lakh
TUM bachelor’s, starting before WS 2027/28EUR 4,194 or 6,194EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 16,512 to 18,667₹17.59 to 19.89 lakh
TUM bachelor’s, starting WS 2027/28 or laterEUR 4,794 or 6,994EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 17,112 to 19,467₹18.23 to 20.74 lakh
TUM master’s, starting before WS 2027/28EUR 8,194 or 12,194EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 20,512 to 24,667₹21.86 to 26.28 lakh
TUM master’s, starting WS 2027/28 or laterEUR 9,394 or 13,794EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 569EUR 21,712 to 26,267₹23.13 to 27.99 lakh
GISMA bachelor’s (private, per year)EUR 13,825EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 494EUR 26,143 to 26,223₹27.86 to 27.94 lakh
GISMA 1-year master’s (private, whole programme)EUR 16,250EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 494EUR 28,568 to 28,648₹30.44 to 30.52 lakh
GISMA 1-year Global MBA (private, whole programme)EUR 22,500EUR 11,904EUR 414 to 494EUR 34,818 to 34,898₹37.10 to 37.18 lakh

How the sums work: living money is 12 x EUR 992 = EUR 11,904. One-off costs are the EUR 75 visa, ₹18,000 APS (EUR 169), EUR 70 to 150 account setup and the EUR 100 residence permit. Public and TUM rows add up to EUR 75 for uni-assist, the application service many universities use. The fees column includes two semester payments: EUR 70 to 430 at most universities, EUR 97 at TUM. Munich routes need a monthly top-up. The rent deposit and flight are left out.

Parents checking the sums: in year two, the one-off costs drop away. A residence permit is usually issued for two years, or for a shorter course’s length, so a two-year public master’s in Germany totals about EUR 24,502 to 26,097.

From our counselling desk: The budget error we see most in Germany files is adding the blocked account on top of living costs. That makes a public-university plan look nearly twice its real size.

The second is forgetting the rent deposit, which landlords want at move-in, before the monthly release covers much.

Scholarships and Part-Time Work That Lower the Cost

If your family can fund the blocked account but not two full years, a scholarship and a capped part-time job can close part of the gap.

  • DAAD Study Scholarship for master’s studies: its call for funding that starts in 2027 is not open to applicants living in India, so don’t plan your budget around it.
  • Deutschlandstipendium: EUR 300 a month, paid by your university and awarded regardless of income.

Work is capped at 140 working days a year, the Arbeitstagekonto (140-day work account), under the Residence Act rules on student work. A day of up to four hours counts as half a day. Or, if it suits you better, a week of up to 20 hours in the lecture period counts as 2.5 days. Any week of part-time work outside the lecture period also counts as 2.5 days, so 20 hours every week of the year uses 130 of the 140 days. Student assistant jobs at your university don’t count toward the cap.

The German minimum wage is EUR 13.90 an hour in 2026 and EUR 14.60 from 1 January 2027. A Minijob (small job up to a monthly earnings limit) can pay up to EUR 603 a month in 2026, and the 2027 Minijob limit is EUR 633.

The honest catch: planned job income isn’t on the German Missions in India list of visa proofs, so treat work as help for year two. Many Indian families also use an education loan; if you have one, that checklist asks for proof of it with your visa papers. Every funding route is in our Germany scholarships guide.

Get in Touch

Frequently Asked Questions

Most students need EUR 900 to 1,200 (₹95,900 to 1.28 lakh) a month, mostly for rent, depending on the city. Your blocked account releases up to EUR 992 (₹1.06 lakh) a month, enough in an average-rent city but usually short in Munich.

Not from DAAD’s general master’s scholarship: its call for funding that starts in 2027 is not open to applicants living in India. Most public universities charge no tuition, though, so the main sum your family must fund is the EUR 11,904 (₹12.68 lakh) of first-year living money.

For year one at a public university in most states outside Munich, yes: about ₹13.27 to 14.21 lakh before the rent deposit and flight. It isn’t enough for Baden-Wuerttemberg, from ₹16.47 lakh, or for TUM or a private university such as GISMA.

At a public university in most states, year one costs about EUR 12,458 to 13,333 (₹13.27 to 14.21 lakh). A TUM bachelor’s starting before winter 2027/28 runs EUR 16,512 to 18,667 (₹17.59 to 19.89 lakh). The dMAT is only for master’s applicants, so you won’t pay it; our guide to study in Germany after 12th covers the route.

Partly. TUM fees rise for winter 2027/28 starters, the Deutschland-Ticket is reported to rise to EUR 66.80 (₹7,100) a month, and the minimum wage and Minijob limit go up. The blocked account may follow a planned BAföG reform, but no new figure is official.

Ardent Overseas guides Indian students through Germany applications from offices in Hyderabad and Tirupati. We build each family’s year-one budget from official figures, check the blocked-account and visa papers, and match the route to your marks and funding.

Sources

Official sources first, then reputable third-party.

Show 20 more sources

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