4. TU Munich Introduces Fees for Non-EU Students
Starting from the winter semester 2024/25, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) will charge tuition fees for international students from non-EU countries.
This change is in response to the recently enacted “Higher Education Innovation Act” of the Free State of Bavaria, which allows universities to charge tuition fees from 2023 onward. TUM is the first university to implement this policy.
Students from third countries who plan to enroll at TUM in the upcoming semester or later will pay tuition fees ranging from €2,000 to €3,000 for bachelor’s programs and €4,000 to €6,000 for master’s programs. The fees do not apply for students who enrolled before this period.
Other universities in Bavaria such as the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) or the University of Passau will not charge tuition fees.
5. German Universities Receive €220 Million for EU’s Erasmus+ Program
Universities in Germany will receive around €220 million to support international mobility through the Erasmus+ Program in the two upcoming years.
Of this total, €186 million will be used to support student and staff exchanges abroad. This marks an encouraging €20 million increase from 2023. Around 58,000 students and staff members from German universities are expected to benefit from this opportunity.
An additional €31 million will be dedicated to funding around 7,000 international visits to Germany. If you’re an international student planning to visit Germany through Erasmus+, this is good news for you!
The “Cooperation Partnerships” project within German universities is also set to receive €11 million in funding.
6. International Students to Enjoy More Employment Freedom
From 1 March 2024, international students in Germany enjoy extended working rights after the second stage of the Skilled Worker Immigration Act took effect.
Here are the main changes:
- Increased work hours for students. International students can now work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per year, or up to 20 hours per week. Students in preparatory university programs (language course, internship placement, or Studienkolleg) will also enjoy this right.
- Part-time work possible when applying to a university in Germany. Prospective students (on a student applicant visa) can work up to 20 hours per week while they are in the process of applying to a German higher education institution.
- Extended residence and relaxed requirements for vocational training: Third-country nationals can now stay in Germany for up to nine months to find vocational training. The age limit for applicants has been raised to 35, and the required German language proficiency has been lowered to level B1. They can also work part-time up to 20 hours per week and do job trials for up to two weeks.
- More work opportunities for apprentices: Apprentices can now work part-time up to 20 hours per week alongside their training.
7. BAföG Increases Requirement Rates and Allowances
The 29th BAföG Amendment Act on July 24, 2024 marks some positive changes for BAFöG applicants and recipients:
- Requirement rates increased by 5% – up to a maximum €855 for students under 25 years old, €992 for 25-30 year olds, and up to €1,088 for over 30 year olds.
- Housing allowance increased – to €380 (for students living away from home).
- Mini-job limit increased – to €556 (from January, 2025).
- Parents’ income allowance increased – to €2,540 for both parents together, or €1,690 for each if they are separated.
- Sibling income allowance increased – to €770 per silbing (underage sibling allowance will be waived).
- Increase in deduction rates for social security contributions in BAföG calculations – 22.3% for employed parents, 38.8% for self-employed parents, and 16.5% for non-employed parents.
- Flexible semester added – so students can now receive funding for one semester longer without any specific reason.
- One semester longer for students changing field of study – to receive funding until the beginning of the fifth semester.
- Study start-up aid added – students from low-income households to benefit from a one-off grant of €1,000 to support during the start of studies.
8. New Nationwide DeutschlandTicket for Students Launched in 2024
Starting from the summer semester of 2024, students at German universities have benefited from a new nationwide semester ticket based on the Deutschlandticket. The standardized student ticket costs €29.40 per month, which is 40% cheaper than the regular price. The ticket will be calculated toward the semester fees of universities, as per usual.
With this ticket, students can now access travel nationwide on local transport, with the exception of long-distance trains like IC, ICE, and EC. This means that you can use your transport ticket to not only commute within your city in Germany, but also explore new places all over the country at no additional cost.
9. Five German Universities in Top 100 in 2025 QS Rankings
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Rankings has published its list of the best universities in the world for 2025. Five German universities have made the top 100 list. The Technical University of Munich (TUM) ranked 28th globally and first in Germany.
Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich (LMU München) follows in 59th place, while the University of Heidelberg is ranked 84th, tied with the Tokyo Institute of Technology. The Free University of Berlin comes in at 97th, and the University of Aachen rounds out the list at 99th.
Four more universities additionally made the top 200 list: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Humboldt University of Berlin, Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin), and the University of Hamburg, in this order.
The QS Ranking evaluates universities using six indicators across four main categories: research reputation, the learning and teaching environment, research impact, and internationalization.
10. Inflation Projected to Ease and GDP to Expand in 2025
Germany’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to moderately recover to 1.0% in 2025. Inflation is also projected to ease further to 2.0% in 2025, down from 2.4% in 2024 and 6% in 2023. The labor market will remain stable, with low unemployment at around 3.1%.
This outlook of the latest European Commission forecast is encouraging for international students as well. With inflation slowing down, the cost of living will be likely be more predictable and manageable.
The stable job market and ongoing demand for labor also means good opportunities for part-time work or internships.
