MS in Germany: How to Apply, Exams, Colleges, Fees, Courses & Visa

Last Updated on August 10, 2023 by Diya

Germany is the most preferred destination among today’s youth for doing their master’s as this country has a historical record of maintaining a higher education system. The German Institutes offer a variety of programs to choose from, and they teach most of their courses in English. Most of the business schools charge no tuition fees for their award-winning curriculum the students, which makes it more affordable for numerous candidates.

Germany is the place where knowledge is produced every day from the big towers of ivory and library. Hence this place is also known as the “birthplace of the research universities”. The German education model emphasizes producing knowledge and making new discoveries and most of the colleges from different countries are also adopting these models today.

Why choose Germany?

Germany is also known as the “Land of Ideas” as it has produced some of the finest scientists, researchers, inventors, and academics in the world. Germany is the hub of the automobile as the best companies like Benz, BMW, Porsche, etc had been started in this country.

So, it is not wrong to say that Germany has one of the best training environments in the world, and thus, the rest of the world is also taking advantage of the opportunities to get an education from the “Land of Ideas”.

Apart from the extraordinary education qualities, Germany has other benefits, such as far cheaper degree costs than the USA. In this country, health Insurance comes at a reasonable price, i.e. slightly more than peanut cost (Approx. 50 Euros).

If you are looking for some reasons to pursue your MS from Germany, then the below-listed points will help you to clear your mind:

Innovative Historical Background

Germany is well versed in innovative technologies from the starting date of the Industrial Revolution. Apart from the developments in Science and Technology, this country has also contributed to a long, rich art, music, philosophy, etc.

Modern Education Techniques

The German Institutes follow modern education methods which enhance the overall growth of the student in a particular field. The modern research university from the 19th century has been transformed a lot from the date it has more focused on academic freedom, integrity, and rigor.

Proud International Outlook

Germany must feel proud while looking at its international outlook as over 13 % of seats in the educational institutions of German colleges are occupied by foreign countries students. Thus, this improves the image of the country in science, technology, innovation, and German colleges also offer great post-study work opportunities for both German and non-German students.

Education System in Germany

Many young people from all over the world choose to study in Germany. There are over 18,000 different courses including over 1,800 international programs, and most of them are conducted in English. Every student finds their chosen subjects as colleges have a vast range on offer.

There are over 400 state-accredited higher education institutions at around 180 different locations. Universities are mostly research-oriented and offer the widest range of subjects. They teach both theoretical knowledge and methodological expertise.   The University of Applied Sciences concentrates on the application of scientific knowledge and primarily teaches professional practice. The range of subjects is focused on areas such as technology, business, social affairs, and media. Colleges of art and music train budding artists, musicians, directors, actors, and designers.

But for these courses, candidates must display their special artistic talent during the entrance examination of these courses. A few courses are also offered at other specialized institutes. In Germany, there is a public and private higher education institution within which more than 90% of students are enrolled in state-run universities and colleges. Thus, with such a vast choice, you are bound to find the course that is right for you. German technical colleges offer bachelor, master’s, and doctorate degree in different fields of study.

However, you have the freedom to decide whether to pursue your MS from Germany or not, but a degree from a German higher education institution will increase your chances in the future. The cost of living in Germany is moderate compared to other countries around the world, and there are no tuition fees at higher education institutions. In Germany, a student receives a first-class education with degrees that are recognized worldwide, and you are also offered excellent support.

Requirements to get into a German University

Germany receives a hefty number of applications every year for enrollment into German institutes. On the other hand, these institutions have only 30 to 50 seats for international students which makes the admission process very much demanding, and it also becomes very much ferocious and competitive for pursuing MS in this country.

A student should not worry about the admission process in German colleges as it is quite straightforward. But, the admission requirements are strict due to very limited seats. It is mandatory to have a good aggregate score throughout your career to get into these institutions. To be on the safe side, a student must have a score of at least 65 percent throughout their academics. An honors degree in the respective field of study will provide better chances of cracking the seats.

Apart from the good academic score, they look for an overall profile like extra-curriculum activities, live project experience, etc. They check if you are groomed well enough in your career or passed by looking into external things. So, students having industrial experience are more preferred for the seats while those who are more exposed to extra-curriculum activities are also preferred over the normal candidates.

Besides the overall enhancement score, which is calculated through a candidate profile, there are some documents that are also required for getting admission. These documents include your CV, Bachelor’ Score, Passport, etc.   All the required documents which play a role in pursuing MS from German Institutions are as follows:

• CV (Curriculum Vitae).
• SOP (Statement of Purpose).
• Bachelor’s Degree Certificate.
• Language Certificate.
• Passport.
• School Certificate.
• LOR (Letter of Recommendation).

Through this post, I am giving you the detailed role of each of the documents which are mentioned above. Let’s study them in detail:

Important Documents & Certificates

CV (Curriculum Vitae)

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a very important document, and it plays a crucial role in the process of selection of your application. The CV is a person’s personal brochure and you can enlist all the aspects that make you a perfect candidate for all the German universities.

SOP (Statement of Purpose)

An SOP is a statement of purpose containing about 1000 words that describe a student’s motivation behind the chosen career path and their future goals. An SOP must include your goals, career path so far taken, and a person’s academic progress. You can also include personal motivation for choosing a particular field for doing MS from the university.

Bachelor’s Degree Certificate

You should have a suitable bachelor’s degree for admission for Masters’ into German Institutions. Along with Bachelor’s degree (a German degree is not necessary), you need to provide a high school graduate certificate, which is known as Abitur in Germany.

Language Certificate

If you are planning to complete your master’s in the German language, then at least a B2 level of the German language is required, and it is more appreciated if you have a C2 level certificate. Moreover, if you are planning to complete a master’s in the English language, then you do not need any German language proficiency certificate. However, you are required to bring your IELTS scorecard during the admission process.

Passport

If you are not German, but willing to pursue your MS from Germany, then you would have a valid passport of your country. A passport is required for a candidate’s authentication or identity proof by the respected institutes.

LOR (Letter of Recommendation) / SOP (Statement of Purpose)

While GRE or GMAT score represents your aptitude and knowledge, LOR or SOP shows your intent. So, I advise you to be professional while writing your LOR as it is a very important document for the application procedure.   A LOR must reflect a candidate’s aspirations and potential dreams. I recommend you bring some personal touch to your LOR, making it feel like a generalized essay.

Relevant Exam for Persuading MS in Germany

Students have to pass a certain number of additional tests if they want their application to get accepted by most of universities for admission. But, students are generally confused about what exams should they take.   These exams take a lot of time for preparation. So, it is wise to take only those tests which are accepted worldwide. Through this post, I am sharing a certain number of relevant exams that are accepted in Germany, so you will save your money and other resources by not wasting your time on the irrelevant exam.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

TOEFL is an English proficiency test that is widely accepted throughout the world. TOEFL currently offers an only computer-based tests, or an internet-based test, which is a four-hour long test conducted worldwide across numerous test centers. This test comprises a total of 120 points, of which 30 grades are allotted to each section. The four sections of the TOEFL test are reading, listening, writing, and speaking section.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS)

Like TOEFL, IELTS is also an English language proficiency test that is conducted throughout the world. Moreover, IELTS is also accepted as proof of your language proficiency for certain working permits and for immigration. IELTS guarantees to give your test evaluation report within 13 days after your examination. You can see your test report on the official website page of IELTS by logging in, or it is mailed directly to you from the national IELTS office on the same day.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

If you are looking to complete your Master’s in Engineering discipline, then GRE is the most recommended exam for you. GRE is accepted at thousands of graduate and business schools. This exam tests one’s ability in the field of verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. A GRE score is required by most of the institutes for admission into the engineering discipline. This exam takes more time for preparation as compared to IELTS/ TOEFL, as it measures both the English and basic maths skills of a candidate.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

GMAT is an aptitude test that tests a candidate’s ability in multiple fields. It is very much a required score for doing your Master’ in management as GRE is for a Master’ in the engineering discipline. This test comprises a different section which includes analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache (TestDaF)

It is very much true that getting admission for a degree whose medium of instruction is German quite easier in comparison to those who want to pursue their MS in the English language. This test is quite similar to IELTS and TOEFL, except for the language as it has four sections, i.e. it comprises reading, writing, speaking, and reading sections.

Admission Process for Pursuing MS in Germany 

Having MS from Germany is one of the best decisions you have taken, and I am very gratified to provide you with the required information regarding the different procedures involved in applying for MS. As you know, there are no tuition fees in German institutes, except for a very small semester fee, and this part attracts a lot of international students.

You can apply for admission into any German institute directly by visiting their portal and creating an account. Most of the colleges do not charge any admission fees for applying to their colleges. You need to post the application directly to their office after uploading all the required documents on the portal.   Further, I have mentioned all the required procedures step by step from the very beginning in detail:

Enroll For a Passport:

Your passport is like a passkey that will open many of the doors along the way to complete the application process. So, you should first start with enrolling for a passport if you haven’t one or renewing it if one has expired.

Take All The Required Tests:

You have to give all the required tests like IELTS, TOEFL, etc., and score superbly in it. We have already discussed the necessary exams for applying for MS in the last section.

Order your Bachelor’s Transcripts:

You must have your transcripts and degree if you are applying for post-graduate courses. So, if you are still in your final year, then skip this step by now, and if you are a working professional, you need to order copies of your transcript by visiting your university.

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

As discussed earlier, your CV plays a very important role in your admission process. It is another mandatory document that is enlisted on every university’s requirement page. So, I recommend you send your updated CV which shows your strengths.

Statement of Purpose (SOP):

Your SOP or letter of motivation should be original, and it not should be copied from other students. Your Sop should genuinely reflect on overcoming circumstances in the study and other aspects of life.

Letter of Recommendation (LOR):

LORs are the recommendation letter given by your supervisor to join the Master’s program. LORs are given higher importance in German universities and play a major role in getting admission. So, I recommend you to get at least 2-3 LORs from the previous or current supervisors which could be your university professor, project manager, etc.

Send your Applications:

Now, that you have got every required document, you need to start the application process by either applying online on their websites or by sending hard copies of your documents to the desired universities.

Education Loan:

To bear your daily expenses needs like travel and living costs, and tuition fees for your study in a country like Germany, you need to apply for an education loan if required. However, applying for an education loan is a tedious process, but I would still recommend you to go for it as the MS in Germany would help to brighten your career.

Transfer money to Deutsche Bank:

You have to transfer money equivalent to about 8700 euros to a German bank blocked account before your Visa Interview. This is one of the mandatory steps, and it is also not a hectic process at all. However, you need to take extra care of the currency exchange rates.

Travel Insurance:

Travel insurance is also a mandatory step in the application process, and this is a required document that will be asked to produce during the Visa interview or during Visa collection.

Apply for a German Student Visa:

Applying for a German student Visa is the final step towards achieving your goal. The student visa will be asked for getting admission into any Master’s courses.

Prepaid Card:

After arriving in a foreign country, i.e. Germany, you may need a prepaid card for withdrawing money whenever possible. Since it might take a few days to withdraw a sum of money from your German bank account, you can pre-load money to your prepaid card and use it like any other debit card.

Feeling excited for the Journey. Yeah! You should be, but you shouldn’t be negligent while packing your bags. So, get prepared all the shopping list first, and then pack accordingly.

Prominent Courses And Colleges For MS In Germany

Germany has become one of the most favored and emerging destinations to complete their master’s with an ever-increasing number of international students. Besides of highly subsidized and no tuition fees policy, most international students are choosing this country because of its continuously focusing on research-oriented subjects.   In fact, this country is investing 2.8% of its GDP in research and development which makes it the most favorable choice by international students.

About half of the population of international students opt for STEM subjects at the Master’s level. These STEM subjects are Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics respectively which are also the hottest study options preferred by the international students.   Through this article, I am enlisting the top of the MS specializations in Germany:

Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Engineering is known as the backbone of the German Country and so, it is also one of the largest industries in Germany which generates over 1 million killed employees annually. Germany is the third largest machinery and plant manufacturer after the USA and China. With a large demand for the skilled worker for production in Germany, this country has become the center for the mechanical engineering student. Most of the popular German universities ranked among the top 50 mechanical engineering colleges.

Automotive Engineering

Being one of the countries that have the biggest automotive market in the world, Germany itself signifies the purpose to complete the master’s in this field of engineering. It has over 700,000 workforces in the automotive industry, thus contributing the maximum percentage in this field. At present, Germany is focusing on new advancement and technology by investing one-third of the research and development funds in this sector which makes it the hottest destination to pursue your post-graduation study in this field. Absolutely, a degree or post-graduation in the automotive industry from this country will give you wings to achieve new and emerging approaches in the automobile design sector.

Computer Science

With the modern enhancement in technologies, computer science has emerged and become the favorite choice of students. This subject is becoming very popular among international students who are planning for higher education in Germany. Communication Technology, Nano Technology, advanced mathematical subject, etc. are some top priorities of the students who are planning to complete their master’s from this stream. Being a technologically strong nation, those students who complete their master’s in computer science would definitely get access to the high-tech labs and computer stations.

Electrical Engineering

The electrical industry is emerging as one of the highest-generating revenue sectors in Germany as this country is investing a big sum of its funds in advanced research and technology. According to research, the German Electrical industry invests around 15 billion euros in research and development every financial year. These researches and developments in this sector provide employment of around 2 lakh electrical engineers in this field.

Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering is one of the top priorities of students for doing their MS from Germany. Germany comes the fourth-ranking in terms of the largest capital market. Thus, qualified MS students get opportunities to explore their interests and handle major positions in technical and other areas related to chemical engineering.

Prominent Colleges

Germany is a country that provides a hundred percent tuition fee waiver to international students, and so a large no. of enrollment is done for such programs every year. In total, Germany has 36 institutions, out of which one-third are in the top 50. This could be one of the reasons that it comes in second ranking under the well-represented nations given by the Time Higher Education World University.

Below is the list of the best universities provided by the Times Higher Education World University Ranking:

Times Higher Education World University Ranking

• Ludwig Maximilian University (LMU), Munich.
• The Technical University of Munich.
• University of Heidelberg.
• The Humboldt University of Berlin.
• University of Freiburg.
• RWTH Aachen University.
• Charite Universitatsmedizin Berlin.
• The University of Bonn.

Academic Ranking of World Universities

• University of Heidelberg.
• The Technical University of Munich.
• Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU), Munich.
• Georg August Universitat Gottingen.
• The University of Bonn.
• University of Freiburg.
• University of Leipzig.
• University of Munster.
• University of Wuerzburg.

Overall Cost of Doing MS in Germany

Germany is such a country where education costs would not affect your pocket very much as most of the colleges provide a hundred percent tuition fee waiver and almost all the costs are covered by the state. However, the rest of the expenses like living and lodging costs would make you think if you are from a middle-class family background.   We have divided the overall cost of doing MS into two different sections, i.e. Education Costs, and other living expenses. So, let’s discuss each section in detail:

Education Cost

The state-run universities have completely abolished the tuition fees for both German and Non- German students. However, there are certain minimal fees for paper works, maintenance fees for playgrounds and buildings, etc. It will cost you around 170 Euros to 550 Euros every semester, and most surprisingly, this fee also includes transportation costs up to a certain radius from the campus universities for the complete semester.

Living Cost

It is quite ironic that living expenses are quite expensive in a country that provides free education to students. However, living expenses vary from region to region and from person to person depending on one’s lifestyle. In this section, we have studied different components of living costs:

Accommodation

Flat-share could be the preferred choice by the students where they share the kitchen, bathroom, and living area in a common flat. The benefit of sharing a flat is that it will distribute the costs evenly among many members while everyone enjoys their privacy in the personal room. The approximate cost of sharing a flat varies between 170 Euros to 400 Euros. However, the range varies from city to city, as it will cost you around 170 Euros in Kaiserslautern while similar flats will cost around 500 Euros in Munich.

Health Insurance

It is a compulsion for every German and Non- German student to have public health insurance. It will cost around 80 Euros per month for each individual.

Food and Groceries

Food and Groceries also carry a big percentage of total spending. For a portion of good food and a comfortable lifestyle, it will cost approximately 100- 150 Euros per month. An additional amount of 50 Euros will add on to your monthly bill if you wish to eat regularly at the college canteen.

Telephone Bill and Other Expenses

Telephone bill is minimal in Germany which costs around 10- 20 Euros every month. Apart from these expenses, every person has other expenses related to their hobbies. However, some common expenses are clothing and trips which also costs a few bucks as transportation costs are included in your tuition fees, and clothes are not much more expensive in Germany because of the many schemes laid out by the stores every month.

Thus, if you sum up all the expenses, it would be around 500 Euros per month which is equivalent to 40,000 INR. You can apply for the scholarships provided by the DAAD which lists about 200 endowments to foreign students. The Federal Minister of Education and Research provides $240 for research programs, while the Deutschland STIPENDIUM award with an assistantship of 300 Euros for a year of study. Thus, this scholarship program is very best to bear your financial aid and live a comfortable lifestyle in Germany.