Study in Germany Costs 2026: Full Breakdown for Indian Students

Germany can be less expensive than destinations with high international tuition, but studying here is not free. Your real budget depends on three separate figures:

1. the money you must prove for the student visa
2. the tuition and university fees charged by your exact programme
3. the cash you will actually need before and after arrival

Confusing those figures can lead to double-counting or, worse, arriving without enough accessible money.

Last reviewed: 6 June 2026. Fees, insurance contributions, exchange rates, transport prices, and university rules can change. Recheck every amount before transferring funds.

Quick answer

As of 6 June 2026, the German Missions in India state that a student can use a blocked account containing EUR 11,904, released at up to EUR 992 per month, as proof of living funds for the first year.

That EUR 11,904 is your living money, not a government fee and not an extra amount to add on top of twelve months of living expenses.

You must normally budget separately for:

• tuition, if your programme charges it
• semester contributions
• APS and visa costs
• blocked-account provider or banking fees
• travel and temporary travel insurance
• rent deposit and first rent
• residence permit fee
• initial household and setup costs
• an accessible emergency buffer

DAAD currently advises planning roughly EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 per month for living costs. Expensive housing can push the total above that range.

Use the Cost Calculator to build a personal estimate, but verify the university and visa figures directly before paying.

The most important distinction: proof of funds versus cost

Proof of funds

The blocked account demonstrates that you can support yourself. The money remains yours and is released in monthly amounts after the account is activated in Germany.

Accepted alternatives may include:

• a recognised German or EU scholarship
• a formal obligation letter from a sponsor in Germany
• another form of evidence accepted by the responsible German mission

A normal education loan does not automatically replace the blocked-account requirement. Follow the current checklist for your visa category.

Actual cost

Your actual spending includes rent, food, insurance, transport, study materials, and personal expenses. These are paid from the blocked-account releases and any other lawful funds available to you.

Do not calculate:

EUR 11,904 blocked account + EUR 11,904 living expenses

That counts the same living money twice.

Upfront cash need

The blocked account does not solve every arrival expense. The German Missions in India explicitly warn that students may need more than EUR 992 at the beginning, particularly for a rent deposit.

Keep separately accessible funds for:

• the deposit and first rent
• temporary accommodation if permanent housing is delayed
• travel from the airport
• household essentials
• semester enrolment payments
• delays in activating the blocked account or German bank account

There is no official universal buffer amount. Calculate it from your actual housing offer and arrival plan.

2026 planning worksheet

This table is a starting point, not a quote. Your university, insurer, landlord, airline, bank, and blocked-account provider determine the payable amounts.

Tuition at German universities

Many state-university programmes

There are generally no tuition fees for Bachelor's programmes and many consecutive Master's programmes at state higher education institutions. Students still pay the semester contribution.

Do not assume that every public-university programme is tuition-free. Continuing-education programmes, selected Master's programmes, second degrees, long study periods, and state or university-specific rules can create fees.

Baden-Wuerttemberg

The state generally charges non-EU international students EUR 1,500 per semester at its state universities. Statutory exemptions exist, and the university decides whether an exemption applies.

An Indian applicant should therefore check both:

• the programme's normal fees
• the Baden-Wuerttemberg international tuition rules

Technical University of Munich

TUM charges tuition to many newly enrolled students from third countries. Its published general ranges are:

• Bachelor's programmes: usually EUR 2,000 or EUR 3,000 per semester
• Master's programmes: usually EUR 4,000 or EUR 6,000 per semester

Some programmes have a different amount or no international tuition. Exemptions and waiver scholarships may also apply. Use TUM's fee navigator and the page for the exact degree.

Other Bavarian universities

Bavarian higher education institutions can decide whether to charge tuition to students from outside the EU/EEA. TUM's policy must not be treated as a universal Bavaria-wide fee table.

Private and continuing-education programmes

Private universities and continuing-education Master's programmes set their own prices. A broad national range is not reliable enough for budgeting.

Before accepting an offer, obtain:

• the full fee schedule
• the number of payable semesters
• payment deadlines
• refund and withdrawal rules
• scholarship or waiver conditions
• confirmation of any additional examination or administration fees

The German Missions in India require separate proof of financing for the first two semesters of tuition when tuition is charged. The visa checklist describes accepted evidence.

Semester contribution

The semester contribution is not tuition. It normally funds student services and student representation, and it may include or subsidise local transport.

DAAD gives a current national range of approximately EUR 70 to EUR 430 per semester.

Check the university's current semester page for:

• the exact total
• whether a transport ticket is included
• the transport area covered
• whether a separate discounted Deutschlandsemesterticket is offered
• re-enrolment deadlines

Do not assume transport is free. If no suitable student ticket is included, the regular Deutschlandticket costs EUR 63 per month in 2026 and covers local and regional public transport, not long-distance ICE or IC trains.

Blocked account and visa financing

The current German Missions in India student-visa checklist states:

• blocked amount: EUR 11,904
• maximum monthly release: EUR 992
• national visa fee: EUR 75

The EUR 992 figure has applied since 1 September 2024 and remains on the current checklist. It should not be described as a newly introduced 2026 amount.

If your university charges tuition, the mission asks for proof covering the first two semesters in addition to the living-funds evidence.

Provider setup, monthly, closure, and transfer fees vary. Compare the current contractual price and refund process rather than relying on an old provider table.

For provider-specific checks, use Blocked Account Comparison: Expatrio vs Fintiba vs Coracle and then confirm the current terms on the provider's own website.

For the complete document sequence, read the German Student Visa Application Guide.

A realistic monthly living budget

DAAD currently recommends allowing EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 per month, depending mainly on location and rent.

Use this structure:

Housing

Housing is normally the largest variable. Deutsches Studierendenwerk reports an average rent of about EUR 318 per month including utilities in Studierendenwerk residences, but these places are limited and waiting lists are common.

That national residence average is not a promise for your city. Private rooms and apartments can cost much more, especially in high-demand locations.

Before signing, identify:

• cold rent
• utilities and heating advance
• electricity
• internet
• furniture
• deposit
• minimum contract period
• notice period

Use A City-Wise Comparison of Living Costs in Germany for location research and the German Housing Hunt Guide for contracts and scam checks.

Rent deposit

For a normal residential lease, Section 551 of the German Civil Code limits a cash deposit to three months of cold rent. A tenant is entitled to pay a cash deposit in three equal monthly instalments.

This legal ceiling is more useful than a fixed national deposit estimate. A deposit based on a EUR 350 cold rent is different from one based on a EUR 800 cold rent.

Broadcasting contribution

The broadcasting contribution is currently EUR 18.36 per month per dwelling. One person normally registers and pays for the household.

In a shared flat, residents can divide the cost privately. A room in a student residence can count as a separate dwelling depending on its layout and access.

Food and personal spending

There is no dependable nationwide grocery basket for every student. Diet, city, Mensa use, and eating out make large differences.

Build a weekly amount for:

• groceries
• university cafeteria meals
• Indian ingredients and speciality products
• occasional eating out
• household consumables

Then multiply it by 4.3 for a monthly planning figure.

Health insurance in 2026

Health insurance is required for enrolment and residence purposes, but the correct product depends on age, course status, and previous insurance history.

Statutory student tariff example

TK publishes the following total monthly contributions from 1 January 2026:

• EUR 141.16 for insured students under 23 without children
• EUR 146.29 for childless insured students from age 23

Parents can have a different long-term-care contribution. Other statutory funds set their own supplementary contribution, so request the exact total from the insurer you choose.

At or after age 30

The standard compulsory student tariff normally ends around age 30, although statutory exceptions can extend it.

Using TK only as an example, a voluntarily insured student with no income pays a substantially higher minimum contribution than the student tariff. The 2026 TK totals are approximately:

• EUR 267.49 for a person under 23 without children
• EUR 275.40 for a childless person from age 23

Do not use an old EUR 35 to EUR 80 private-insurance estimate as the default budget for every student over 30. Private premiums, exclusions, deductibles, long-term consequences, and university or visa acceptance vary by policy.

Obtain written confirmation from both the insurer and, where necessary, the university before choosing private coverage.

Costs in India before departure

APS

APS India's individual-procedure checklist states a non-refundable INR 18,000 procedure fee for applicants with Indian academic documents.

APS is not required in every case. Check the current APS and German mission exemptions before paying. The APS Eligibility Quiz can help you identify the likely route, but the official checklist controls.

Visa

The national student visa fee is EUR 75, payable in INR at the exchange rate and payment method stated by the German mission.

Do not rely on a fixed INR conversion in an article. The payable rupee amount changes with the mission's rate.

Travel insurance and flight

The visa checklist requires suitable travel health insurance for the period before German student insurance begins.

Flight and insurance prices are quote-based. Compare them for your actual dates, baggage requirement, refund rules, and coverage rather than using a national average.

Costs after arrival

Common arrival expenses include:

• first rent
• rent deposit instalment
• temporary accommodation
• local transport before a student ticket starts
• SIM card
• bedding, kitchenware, and basic furniture
• residence permit
• semester contribution, if not already paid

The standard fee for issuing a temporary residence permit is EUR 100. Extensions are normally EUR 93 or EUR 96 depending on the extension period.

Registering an address late is not a sensible budget item. Complete the Anmeldung within the required period instead of assuming a small fixed fine.

For the first administrative steps, use Your First Week in Germany.

Can part-time work fund your studies?

Part-time income can reduce pressure after arrival, but it should not be the basis of your visa or first-semester budget.

Under the current student-employment rules, third-country students can generally work:

• up to 140 full working days per year
• or the corresponding half-day calculation
• or, under the weekly method, up to 20 hours during lecture periods

Student assistant work closely connected to the university can be treated differently. Always check the wording on your residence title and ask the foreigners authority if the job does not fit the standard pattern.

The statutory minimum wage is EUR 13.90 gross per hour in 2026. The 2026 minijob earnings limit is EUR 603 per month on annual average.

These figures do not guarantee:

• that you will find a job immediately
• a fixed number of hours
• a particular net salary
• that work will fit your course schedule

Arrive with sufficient financing even if you intend to work.

How to convert the budget into INR

Do not use one fixed EUR/INR rate months before payment.

For each transfer:

1. check the provider's actual exchange rate
2. add transfer and intermediary-bank fees
3. calculate the EUR amount required by the recipient
4. retain a currency-movement buffer until payment is complete

Use this formula:

INR required = EUR amount x remittance exchange rate + all transfer fees

Keep APS and other INR-denominated charges separate from EUR conversions.

A first-year cash checklist

Required or likely before the visa

• APS fee, if applicable
• application and document-delivery costs
• blocked-account funding or accepted alternative
• first two semesters of tuition financing, if charged
• visa fee
• temporary travel insurance

Required or likely before enrolment

• first semester contribution
• tuition payment, if due
• German health-insurance confirmation

Required or likely around arrival

• flight and baggage
• temporary accommodation
• first rent and deposit instalment
• residence permit
• household setup
• transport before student benefits begin
• accessible emergency money

The correct first-year number is therefore:

living funds + tuition + semester contributions + pre-departure fees + travel + arrival costs

The blocked account sits inside the living-funds component; it is not added to it again.

Scholarships and savings

Scholarships can reduce the amount you must finance personally, but each award has its own coverage and visa treatment.

Check:

• whether the scholarship covers living costs or only tuition
• the monthly amount and duration
• whether the German mission recognises it as proof of funds
• whether health insurance or travel is included

Use the DAAD and Scholarships Guide for Indian Students and verify each programme in the official scholarship database.

Practical savings include:

• applying early for Studierendenwerk housing
• choosing a shared flat
• checking whether transport is already included
• borrowing books and equipment from the university
• using Mensa meals
• buying household items second-hand
• treating part-time income as additional money, not guaranteed funding

Frequently asked questions

Is studying at a German public university free?

Many state-university Bachelor's and consecutive Master's programmes do not charge tuition, but semester contributions still apply. Baden-Wuerttemberg, TUM, other university policies, continuing-education programmes, and individual fee rules create important exceptions.

Is EUR 11,904 the confirmed blocked-account amount?

It is the amount currently stated on the German Missions in India student-visa checklist as of 6 June 2026. The checklist says up to EUR 992 can be withdrawn monthly.

Is the blocked account an additional fee?

No. It is your money for living costs, released after arrival subject to the account rules.

Is EUR 992 enough every month?

Not necessarily. DAAD recommends planning EUR 900 to EUR 1,200 monthly, and high rent can push spending higher. Arrival months can also cost more because of the deposit and setup expenses.

How much health insurance should I budget?

For one current statutory example, TK charges EUR 141.16 or EUR 146.29 monthly under the 2026 student tariff, depending on age and parental status. Obtain a personal quote because fund, age, children, employment, and insurance category affect the total.

Does the semester contribution include transport?

Sometimes. Coverage varies by university and semester. Check the exact contribution breakdown before purchasing another ticket.

Can I pay the rent deposit in instalments?

For a cash deposit under a standard residential lease, Section 551 BGB allows payment in three equal monthly instalments and caps the deposit at three months of cold rent.

Can I rely on a student job?

No. Work can supplement your budget, but job availability and income are uncertain, and the visa requires financing before you start working.

What INR amount should I prepare?

Convert the verified EUR obligations using the actual remittance rate on the payment date, then add provider and bank fees. A fixed article conversion can become wrong quickly.

Official sources

• German Missions in India: Student visa checklist
• DAAD: Costs of education and living
• APS India: Checklists
• Baden-Wuerttemberg: International tuition fees
• TUM: Tuition fees for students from non-EU countries
• TK: 2026 student contributions
• Federal Government: Deutschlandticket
• Federal Government: 2026 minimum wage
• Residence Act, Section 16b
• Residence Ordinance, Sections 45 and 46
• German Civil Code, Section 551
• Deutsches Studierendenwerk: Housing
• Broadcasting contribution information for students

This article provides general planning information, not financial, immigration, insurance, or legal advice. The university, German mission, insurer, landlord, and local authority determine the amounts and rules in an individual case.