If Germany is your preferred study destination, you have made a solid decision. Germany is home to free education for both domestic and foreign students. So, as a Nigerian, you need that affordable option to help you cut the cost of studying abroad. In this post, we will talk about the cheapest university in Germany for Nigerian students. I will also mention other cheap or tuition-free options you should consider here in Germany.
Germany has both public and private universities. A cheap German university is typically a public university. Most private universities here charge a fee, and for a Nigerian, it may not be cheap, especially when we add up the cost of living and other fees. So, we will consider a university that charges no tuition or very cheap tuition. However, expect to pay an enrollment fee and a semester fee. The semester fee is usually less than 500 euros, depending on the school. Sometimes, there may be other fees, but don’t worry, I will include any fee you need to know about to help you prepare your funds accurately.
Cheapest University in Germany for Nigerian Students
I’m actually going to talk about 11 different countries. But on this list, we also have the cheapest of them all. So, just read on and see the differences between these various German universities.
1. University of Cologne
So, the University of Cologne is the cheapest university in Germany for Nigerian students, going by its ‘0 euro’ tuition and cheap semester fee. The University of Cologne doesn’t require tuition fees. However, every semester, students who are enrolled at this university have to pay a social contribution fee, also known as “Semesterbeitrag”. This fee is recalculated every semester and includes a charge for the “Kölner Studierendenwerk” (KSTW), a fee for the General Students’ Committee (“AStA”). This is a semester fee that also covers university sports and the semester ticket. The semester ticket allows you to use public transport in North Rhine-Westphalia with your UC Card. The exact amount of the social contribution fee can vary each semester. For example, the winter semester of 2023–24 is 320,05 €.
2. University of Bremen
At number 2, we have the University of Bremen where you can study as a Nigerian. This university is the cheapest because it doesn’t ask for tuition fees. However, you need to pay a semester fee, which is EUR 344.67 in the winter and EUR 344.92 in the summer—almost the same for winter and summer.
3. Technical University of Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt)
There’s no fee for tuition at the Technical University of Darmstadt. However, there is a registration fee of EUR 216.38. If you study here at TU Darmstadt for more than one semester, you will have to pay this registration fee every semester.
Every student, including those on exchange, has to pay a registration fee each semester. Right now, this fee is about EUR 220 for each semester. This fee covers the costs for student services, the student union, and the semester ticket, which allows you to enjoy free public transport in the area.
4. University of Hamburg
The University of Hamburg (Universität Hamburg) doesn’t ask for tuition fees for most of its courses. It also gives scholarships and grants to students from other countries, including Nigeria. But, you still need to pay a fee every semester. For the summer semester of 2024, for example, this fee is €332. You have to pay this fee even if you are taking a break from your studies. If you take breaks for several semesters in a row, the fee goes down to €282. This lower fee also applies if you are in a special program, except for those in the Europa-Kolleg Hamburg, where it’s also €282.
5. Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
If you came across Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) during your research for a German school, then you should go for it. The semester ticket was put on hold starting in the winter semester of 2023–24. This means that from the Winter Semester 2023–24, the extra fee needed for the semester ticket was suspended until further notice.
Also, starting with the winter semester of 2013–14, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich stopped charging tuition fees. This is why I consider this school the cheapest university in Germany for Nigerian students on this list. However, for some specific graduate and professional degrees and certificates, there is a separate fee. The cost depends on the program. You can get more details from the specific faculty to which your program belongs.
6. Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg
Nigerian students are required to pay fees of 1,500 euros each semester at the Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg. If you are studying two subjects, let’s say a Bachelor of Arts with a major and a minor, you can switch one subject once without paying the fee again. However, there are exceptions for certain Nigerian students who don’t need to pay these fees:
- You have a German high school diploma.
- Your family member (spouse, child) is an EU/EEA national.
- You live in Germany permanently.
- You have a parent who has lived in Germany for a total of 3 years in the last 6 years and is working legally
- You have lived in Germany for 5 years and are working legally
- You completed both a bachelor’s and a consecutive master’s degree or a state examination in Germany
- PhD students
- Erasmus students
So, if you are a Nigerian under any of the given categories above, you don’t have to pay this fee. Nonetheless, compared to other German universities, especially private ones, this fee is very cheap. As for the administrative fees, the University of Freiburg charges a fee of €161 each semester for program-related expenses.
7. Humboldt University of Berlin
The total standard fees and dues come to €290.99 for Nigerian students. This includes a matriculation fee of €50 that needs to be paid every semester. However, if you are an exchange student from a program like ERASMUS+, you don’t have to pay this fee. There’s also a semester due of €10.50 for the Studierendenschaft, which all Humboldt students must pay since they are automatically members. There’s also a semester fee of €54.09 for the Studierendenwerk (all students in Berlin pay this fee). The semester ticket costs €176.40 and is a seasonal pass for your public transport in Berlin.
However, the cost varies for some master’s programs. For instance, the GeT MA program has a fee. The tuition for this two-year program is €10,000, payable in two parts at METU during the first year. In the third and fourth semesters, students have to pay a semester contribution of about €315 at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. You also have to budget for your living expenses. The GeT MA program offers many DAAD scholarships for Nigerian students and a limited number of tuition fee reductions for qualified students in Nigeria.
8. University of Gottingen
So, if you plan to study at the University of Gottingen, you just need to pay the fee for the semester. For the winter semester, when you enroll for the current semester, it’s €344.25. For the summer semester, whether you are enrolling or re-registering, it’s €344.25 as well.
The fees you pay include charges for administration, the student union, and the Studentenwerk. If you have studied for quite a bit longer than usual—typically if you have gone over the regular course length by 6 semesters or more—you’ll also need to pay an extra fee for prolonged studies, which is 500 euros.
For the IP-IT Law LL.M. Program, the tuition is 7,800 euros, which breaks down to €3,900 per semester. If you apply early, you’ll get a discount. Specifically, if you apply by April 1st, your fee is only going to be 7,500 euros. And if you apply by January 1st, you can save even more because your fee drops to 7,200 euros. Usually, you need to pay the tuition upfront once you get your conditional letter of admission.
9. Technical University of Berlin
At the Technical University of Berlin, you don’t have to pay any tuition fees. The only time you might have to pay tuition is if you enroll in a master’s program for continuing education.
Every semester, there’s a semester fee that all students must pay, and this fee might change a bit from one semester to the next. This fee includes several smaller fees, and one important part of it is the ‘Semesterticket’ fee, which lets you use public transport in Berlin as much as you want.
But, for the Urban Management Master Course, there is a fee. This course costs €11,000 for three semesters since it is a postgraduate degree.
10. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Nigerian students who are enrolled in bachelor’s and consecutive master’s programs, as well as those attending as free movers, will need to pay tuition fees of EUR 1,500 each semester.
However, some Nigerian students won’t have to pay these tuition fees of EUR 1,500. This includes:
- Students who have completed the German “Abitur” either in Germany or at a German school abroad.
- Students who are part of cooperation programs with partner universities, such as Erasmus Mundus, ERASMUS+, double-degree students, EUCOR, direct exchange partnerships, and state programs for student exchange.
- Doctoral students.
- Students who have received a scholarship from the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung.
- Nigerian students enrolled in the Master’s program in Regional Science at KIT, but only if you are a DAAD scholarship holder.
11. University of Stuttgart
I could have placed the University of Stuttgart as the top cheap university in Germany for Nigerian students. Unfortunately, the University of Stuttgart now charges tuition fees for students pursuing a second degree. 650 EUR per semester for EU/EEA students and for Nigerian students (because you are outside the EU/EEA), you pay 1500 EUR per semester.
There’s also an administrative fee of EUR 70.00, a Student Services fee of EUR 86.50, and for those in joint degree programs with the University of Hohenheim, the Student Services fee and VVS-StudiTicket solidarity fee come to EUR 119.45. Fees for student body members are EUR 7.50, and for doctoral students, it’s EUR 1.00. If you are late paying your semester or study fees, there’s a EUR 20.00 charge. The part-time Master’s programs have their own fees.
On top of these, there’s a regular semester fee of EUR 164.00 that everyone needs to pay. For Nigerian students, the Germany Scholarship is an option. It’s given for good grades and requires at least one other achievement. This scholarship provides 300 Euros per month.
Unfortunately, I have removed the Technical University of Munich from this list because, starting from the winter semester 2024/25, international students from a third country such as Nigeria will pay tuition for Bachelor’s and Master’s program. The tuition fee per semester will be 2,000 or 3,000 euros (bachelor’s programs) and 4,000 or 6,000 euros (master’s programs). Compared to others on this list, this isn’t exactly the cheapest university in Germany for Nigerian students.
Cost of Living in Germany as a Student
The typical standard student life in Germany costs about €1,000 each month. This amount covers your accommodation, daily living costs, and study expenses as a Nigerian. As a Nigerian student, you have to prove that you have enough money for your visa or residence permit. This means proving you can support yourself for a year in Germany, which currently requires €11,208. You’ll also need to show your financial resources every time you renew your stay in Germany. Typically, this €11,208 will be kept in a blocked account designed for international students in Germany.
Opening a Blocked Bank Account in Germany means your funds are “blocked,” but you can access 1/12th of them each month. If your stay is shorter, the amount of money you need to show is proportionally less. Alternatively, someone residing in Germany can act as a guarantor for you.
Conclusion
So, the cheapest university in Germany for Nigerian students is the University of Cologne. I have mentioned others like the University of Bremen and the Technical University of Darmstadt. It is up to you to pick where you prefer to study in Germany. But first, make sure you have a blocked account. Also, I have written an article on German student visa interview questions; make sure you read the article. The cheaper the university, the more money you can save up during your studies. Germany also allows Nigerians to work up to 20 hours per week, so take advantage of it to make some money.
Read Also: Easiest Countries to Get a Student Visa in 2024
