How to apply for a Master's in Germany as an international student

German universities continue to see record-breaking interest from international students.

The 2025/26 academic year saw approximately 420,000 foreign students enrol – a four percent increase year-over-year. This surge is driven by Germany’s expanding portfolio of over 2,400 English-taught degree programmes (ETPs), making it the second-largest provider in Europe after Ireland.

Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Germany has become a popular choice for international students: public universities here offer tuition-free Master’s degrees for students from around the world.

Also, student-friendly residency laws make studying and staying here relatively straightforward.

One significant plus being that a German student visa allows you to travel visa-free throughout the entire Schengen Area.

It also allows you to work in Germany to support yourself during your studies – non-EU students can work up to 140 full days, or 280 half days, per year (or roughly 20 hours per week). And once you graduate, German residency rules allow you to stay in the country for another 18 months to look for a job. 

As you can see there are quite a few perks for international students who wish to join a Master's program in Germany. So if you'd like to try to do so, here's what you should know about how to apply.

What opportunities are there?

Germany has a wide range of educational institutions to choose from—some of which we’ve written about recently in our reporting on Germany’s top rated universities in 2026 and the 'universities of excellence' for science and research.

There are also many private universities. These are not state-funded, and tend to charge anywhere between €8,000 and €20,000 per year for Master’s degrees.

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Criteria and requirements

First, to apply for a Master’s course in Germany, you generally need to have completed an undergraduate degree in a closely related subject. German universities are typically quite strict about this.

So, if you completed an undergraduate degree in English Literature, you may not be able to jump right into a Masters in Mathematics. In many cases, you may first need to complete a pre-Masters course or even an entirely new undergraduate program. 

Your undergrad must also be equivalent to a German bachelor degree and should be attained at an accredited institution. You can check whether your institution is recognised by German public institutions in the 'anabin' portal of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB). 

If the course you are applying to is taught in German (and your previous studies were not), you will, unsurprisingly, need to prove you have adequate skills. The required proficiency level may differ between universities and individual courses of study, but you will generally need a certificate such as a DSH, DSD, TestDaF or from the Goethe-Institut. 

If you’re not from an English speaking country and your course is in English, you may also need to provide certified proof of your English language skills. If you don’t have an English-language degree, an IELTS or TOEFL will do. 

The documents you'll need

Putting together an application for German university program requires a lot of documents, so you'll want to start collecting these well ahead of your deadline. Make sure you makes copies of all these and keep the originals if you can.

Here’s a list of documents you will need to apply for a Masters in Germany:

• An up-to-date CV
• Personal statement
• Course language test verification certificate – if required
• School leaving certificate in the country’s original language (officially certified)
• Official translation of your school leaving certificate, if not in German (officially certified)
• University degree certificate in the country’s original language, if already available (officially certified)
• Official translation of the university degree certificate (officially certified)
• Complete degree transcript in the country’s original language (officially certified)
• Official translation of the degree transcript (officially certified)

Some schools may accept documents in English, but you'll want to confirm this detail before submitting your application.

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Keep an eye out on the application page of the specific course you’re applying for, as they might need additional documents, such as proof of specific skills, internships or placements.

Note for Indian, Chinese, and Vietnamese applicants: you will likely need to obtain an APS certificate before applying to verify your academic documents.

How and when to apply

Like anywhere, where and how you apply depends on a number of factors, including your country of origin, previous education and program-specific restrictions. Many Masters in Germany require certain previous grades to be admitted – this is called “numerus clausus,” or “NC” for short.

The easiest way to determine the correct path is to ask the university directly. For EU/EEA students or those with a German undergraduate degree, it will typically be with Hochschulstart.

A large number of universities—around 180—use uni-assist to evaluate international certificates. For the first application, you pay €75, and €30 for each additional application in the same semester. 

If applying to certain schools (like those in Bavaria) via uni-assist, you may need a Vorprüfungsdokumentation (VPD) before the actual deadline. This is is an official document that certifies your foreign educational qualifications meet German university entrance requirements.

Other universities use their own internal portals where you can apply directly. 

It’s best to apply sooner rather than later, particularly for more prestigious universities. A pro-tip here is to try to get your application in eight weeks before the deadline so that the university can get in touch with you if you’re missing anything. 

Generally speaking, winter semester, which starts in October, has a standard application deadline of July 15th. The summer semester, which starts in April, has a standard deadline by January 15th. 

However, it’s common for top universities to have much earlier deadlines. For example, many TU Munich programs close on May 31st. It’s best to check the specific deadline on your chosen course on the university website. 

How much money do I need?

Before applying for a Masters in Germany, you’ll need to make sure you can support yourself financially throughout the program.

Germany is still pretty affordable for European standards, but you should expect to spend between €900 and €1,200 per month to cover your living costs, health insurance and so on. 

While tuition is free at public schools, students pay a Semesterbeitrag, which comes to around €300–€400 per semester. This covers the administrative costs and a mandatory public transportation ticket (called the Semesterticket).

Student visas for non-EU/EEA students in Germany require applicants to prove they have at least €992 per month (totaling €11,904 per year) available via a blocked account (Sperrkonto).

If you’re from a country like the USA, Canada, or Australia where you don’t need a visa to enter, it’s possible to open a blocked account after you arrive, but this can lead to delays. To avoid extra steps and prolonged waits, it's best to open an account directly with an approved provider or with a German bank such as Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB) or Sparkasse. 

Alternatively, you may be able to get around this requirement if you have a parents or close relative with sufficient funds who is willing to provide a 'letter of commitment' (Verpflichtungserklärung) for you.

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It’s always worth looking at funding opportunities, as there are plenty available. The DAAD Scholarship Database lists nearly 200 different financial awards tailored to various backgrounds and subjects, while the Deutschlandstipendium provides a merit-based grant of €300 per month regardless of your nationality. 

If you do choose to stay and work in Germany after your Master's, your tuition fees and study-related expenses may be tax-deductible. Be sure to keep your receipts and file a tax return in Germany as you could well be in for a large tax rebate on your first post-Masters salary!

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