Universities in Germany for International Students

Below: how to choose a German university, the top public universities with their cities and fees, the TU9 group, which programs are in English, the entry requirements from African qualifications (no APS for Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya), and exactly how to apply through uni-assist.

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Choosing a German university

There is no single “best” university in Germany — the right one depends on your subject, your level, and the language you can study in. A few honest pointers before you fall in love with a ranking:

• Public, not private, is the norm. Germany has 273 public and 149 non-state institutions, and about 90% of students study at public ones — which is also where tuition is free or near-free.
• Three institution types. Research universities (including technical universities) suit students aiming at master’s, PhD and research. Universities of applied sciences (Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften / Fachhochschulen) are more practical and industry-linked. Art and music colleges are a third track. There are roughly 120 universities, 245 universities of applied sciences and 57 art/music colleges.
• Language decides more than prestige. If you can’t study in German yet, your real shortlist is the universities running your subject in English — almost always at master’s level (see below).
• Cost is mostly about the state, not the university. Public tuition is €0 in most of Germany, with two exceptions covered in the fee table.

For the full money picture — semester fees, the blocked account and living costs in your local currency — see our guide to the cost of studying in Germany.

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Top public universities in Germany

These are among Germany’s highest-ranked universities (QS World University Rankings 2026, released June 2025). All are public. Read the semester-fee column carefully: most charge no tuition, but every public university in Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students about €1,500 per semester (≈ €3,000/year), and in Bavaria TUM charges its own non-EU fees.

University	City	English programs	Semester fee (non-EU)
Technical University of Munich (TUM)	Munich	Many at master’s	€2,000–3,000/sem (BA) · €4,000–6,000/sem (MA)
LMU Munich	Munich	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution ~€100–400
Heidelberg University	Heidelberg	Many at master’s	€1,500/sem (Baden-Württemberg)
Free University of Berlin (FU Berlin)	Berlin	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)	Karlsruhe	Many at master’s	€1,500/sem (Baden-Württemberg)
RWTH Aachen University	Aachen	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
Humboldt University of Berlin	Berlin	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
TU Berlin	Berlin	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
University of Hamburg	Hamburg	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
University of Freiburg	Freiburg	Many at master’s	€1,500/sem (Baden-Württemberg)
University of Tübingen	Tübingen	Many at master’s	€1,500/sem (Baden-Württemberg)
FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg	Erlangen	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
University of Bonn	Bonn	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
TU Dresden	Dresden	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution
TU Darmstadt	Darmstadt	Many at master’s	€0 + semester contribution

The fee rule in one line: Baden-Württemberg (Heidelberg, KIT, Freiburg, Tübingen) charges non-EU students ~€1,500/semester; TUM in Bavaria charges its own non-EU fees; everywhere else, public tuition is €0 and you pay only the semester contribution. Always confirm the current fee on the university’s own page before applying — these change. (Building an IT or computer-science shortlist? See our dedicated guide to IT universities in Germany.)

“English programs = Many at master’s” reflects the national pattern — English-taught study in Germany is overwhelmingly a master’s-level offering. Availability is program-specific; verify per course on the university’s site.

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TU9 and technical universities

If you’re aiming at engineering, computer science or the natural sciences, look first at the TU9 — the alliance of Germany’s nine leading technical universities. They include RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, TU Darmstadt, TU Dresden, Leibniz University Hannover, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), TU Munich (TUM), University of Stuttgart and TU Braunschweig.

Why TU9 matters for African students:

• Strong research reputation in engineering and the sciences, so the degree carries weight with employers worldwide.
• More English-taught master’s in technical fields than the national average — engineering and natural sciences are among the better-served subjects.
• Most are tuition-free, except KIT and Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg, ~€1,500/sem) and TUM (its own non-EU fees).

A technical university is not automatically “better” than a classic research university — it’s about your subject. For arts, humanities, law, medicine and social sciences, the broad universities in the table above will usually serve you better.

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English-taught programs

Germany offers around 2,381 English-taught degree programs — but they are not spread evenly across levels:

• Master’s: about 1,928 English-taught programs — roughly 81% of all English degrees, and about 18% of all master’s programs. This is where the choice really is.
• Bachelor’s: only about 424 English-taught programs — about 4% of all bachelor’s degrees. Most bachelor’s are taught in German.

The practical rule:

• Master’s → plenty of English options across the universities above, strongest in engineering, natural sciences, maths and economics/law.
• Bachelor’s → expect to need German (around B2–C1), take a Studienkolleg foundation year, or choose an English-taught private university.

For English-taught programs you’ll typically need IELTS ~6.0–6.5 (bachelor’s) or ~6.5 (master’s), or an accepted equivalent (TOEFL, PTE, Cambridge) — confirm the exact score per university. A Medium-of-Instruction waiver is sometimes possible if your previous degree was taught in English — but it is not automatic, and some universities’ auto-waiver lists exclude African countries, so confirm per university.

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Entry requirements for African students

To study at a German university you need a recognised university entrance qualification (Hochschulzugangsberechtigung, HZB). What counts depends on your level and your home certificate:

For a master’s: a recognised bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, with the right number of credits and often a minimum grade. No Studienkolleg is needed. Your degree’s equivalence is checked through anabin (the official German recognition database) and, where required, uni-assist.

For a bachelor’s: most African school certificates (WASSCE/NECO, KCSE and similar) do not give direct entry on their own. You’ll usually need either a year of recognised university study at home first, or a Studienkolleg — a roughly one-year foundation course ending in the Feststellungsprüfung exam, which then grants your HZB. Public Studienkollegs are free (semester contribution only). A South African NSC “bachelor’s pass” can be closer to direct entry — check anabin per case.

No APS for Nigeria, Ghana or Kenya. This is the single biggest myth to clear up. Germany’s APS (Akademische Prüfstelle) certificate is currently required only for applicants from China, Vietnam and India — not for Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia or South Africa (re-check per embassy each cycle). Instead:

• Your certificates are verified through uni-assist + anabin (the university must be rated H+ and your degree must read as equivalent).
• Nigeria submits WASSCE/NECO with the WAEC scratch-card for online verification.
• Ghana has a separate German Embassy document-verification step (a fee, not APS).

Don’t pay anyone for an “APS certificate” for these countries — it isn’t required.

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Tuition and semester fees

Two numbers cover most of it:

• Tuition: €0 at most public universities, even for non-EU students.
• Semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag): about €100–400 per semester (average ~€250), usually including a public-transport ticket.

The exceptions: Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500/semester statewide, and TUM in Bavaria charges its own non-EU fees. Private universities are a separate world — roughly €6,800–20,000/year and up — and are not covered here.

For the complete first-year breakdown — semester fees, the €11,904 blocked account, living costs and health insurance, all in your local currency — see our cost of studying in Germany guide. The visa side, including the blocked account, is covered on our Germany student visa page.

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How to apply through uni-assist

Most German universities ask international applicants to apply through uni-assist, which pre-checks your foreign certificates and forwards your application. Some universities handle applications in-house instead, and a few restricted subjects (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary) go through Hochschulstart. Here’s the uni-assist route, step by step:

1. Check recognition on anabin. Confirm your home university is rated H+ and your qualification is listed as equivalent.
2. Create a uni-assist account and select your target universities and programs.
3. Upload your documents — school certificate, degree and transcripts, language proof (English or German), and country-specific items (e.g. Nigeria’s WAEC scratch-card).
4. Pay the handling fee — €75 for the first program and €30 for each additional program in the same semester; non-refundable.
5. Wait for evaluation. uni-assist takes about 6–7 weeks for applications from Africa; apply at least 8 weeks before the deadline.
6. Receive your decision / VPD and complete enrolment with the university.

Key deadlines: 15 July for the winter intake (starts Sept/Oct) and 15 January for the summer intake (starts March/April) are typical — but master’s programs and Studienkollegs are often earlier, so check each program.

A note on agents. uni-assist states it does not cooperate with commercial placement agencies. Be wary of anyone who claims a “special channel” — the application is yours to submit, and we help you do it cleanly rather than pretend to bypass the system.

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How we help

World Study helps African students shortlist the right German university, run the uni-assist credential check correctly, prepare a clean application, and get the student visa — honestly, with real costs and no inflated promises. Our core guidance is free; you only pay if you choose our optional premium visa-and-relocation support.

Talk to a World Study advisor on WhatsApp or take the free 2-minute eligibility check → to see which universities in Germany you qualify for.

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