Studies in Germany

Germany is one of the most popular destinations for international students thanks to its wide variety of excellent higher education institutions, attractive study programs and a wealth of funding opportunities.

There are more than 390 higher education institutions in Germany.

Important details

Main categories of institutions

Universities / Technical universities
Universities of Applied Sciences
Schools of Fine Arts and Music
Private universities

Requirements for admission

high school diploma
Cyprus / Greece university entrance exams with a general access grade above basic
certificate of language proficiency

Important information:

For admission to universities, the grade of the high school diploma is not taken into consideration, but only the grade of success in the university entrance exams.

Regarding the choice of school, one can only choose the schools that correspond to the scientific fields of the major he/she followed in High School.

Graduates of private secondary schools of the same or other type have the possibility of access to higher education in Germany, either

a) with the same terms as above or

b) depending on the orientation of the private school (British, American, French, Arabic, Russian system, etc.) based on the current regulations in the country from which these schools originate. For example:

British system: „GCE-Advanced Level“ and „GCE-Advanced Subsidiary Level“ according to the assessment system of Great Britain.
USA-American High School Diploma (HSD), according to the US assessment system
International Baccalaureate Diploma

Range of study programs

German higher education institutions offer a wide range of study programs (around 10,000 at undergraduate level and 8,000 at postgraduate level) in both German and English. Studies are usually divided into three-year undergraduate programs (Bachelor) and two-year postgraduate programs (Master). Exceptions are the branches of Law, Medicine (including Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine), Pharmacy and Pedagogy, for which the studies last longer and end with participation in state exams (Staatsexamen).

Tuition fees

There are usually no tuition fees at German public universities. Students are only required to pay their six-monthly contribution to the university's student club, the amount of which varies from 50 to 250 euros depending on the university's facilities.

General information

Universities enjoy international prestige, promoting innovation and research. As modern universities, they combine basic and applied research. Interdisciplinary cooperation agreements with multinational companies or extra-university research centers are common practice and contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of graduates.

The numerous universities of applied sciences offer high-quality academic training for those who do not necessarily wish to pursue an academic career, but without being deprived of the right to obtain a doctorate at a university. In addition to the theoritical knowledge they offer, great importance is given to practical experience through companies or organizations.

The Schools of Fine Arts, Music and Film are an integral part of Germany's higher education system, offering high-level study programs. The entrance exams to these schools are usually extremely difficult, and candidates are asked to prove their artistic talent in competition with young people from all over the world.

Courses at German higher education institutions are divided into two periods: the winter semester starting on 1 October and the spring semester starting on 1 April.

An innovative education system offered by Germany is the so-called Duales Studium. Here the emphasis is on the combination of theoretical training at universities and at the same time a paid professional training in a company. Graduates are either hired by the company in which they completed their vocational training or have quick access to the free labor market due to the experience they have gained.