MS in Germany – Germany is known for its intellectual depth by having produced some of the most famous scientists, inventors and academics in the world. There are great opportunities for anyone wishing to pursue postgraduate studies in Germany called as “the land of ideas”. If you want to be at the forefront of Engineering, Technology and Scientific discoveries, then Germany has several university options that can fulfill your interests. It offers the students a chance to contribute to the country’s historic academic records. There are over 500 universities in Germany, offering more than 19,000 degree programmes. Doing an MS in Germany can open doors for global opportunities to take up R & D or other highly paid corporate/ public sector jobs in various markets like Engineering, Science or Computers in Germany and abroad.

Masters degree can be pursued in public or private universities in Germany. Universities that offers Masters degree are distinguished into research, technical, university of applied science etc. MS degrees can be obtained within 1-2 years in Germany. Once you get an MS degree offer from an German University, you are supposed to obtain health insurance and apply for German student visa.

In this article, we will explore top courses for MS in Germany, application process for MS degree, MS course fees, funding options and much more.

MS in Germany – Types of German Universities

Before we move on to know about MS degree in Germany and how to apply for them, we should know about the types of German Universities/Institutions.

Over 500 universities offer 19,000 degree programs and there are 4 types of German Universities:

Research Universities

Technical Universities

Universities of Applied Sciences

Colleges of Arts, Film and Music

German Masters degree are second cycle qualification following Bachelors degree. Most of the Masters courses are taught courses in which students will have to complete certain academic modules or components followed by a research dissertation. Generally, Masters courses last for 2 years and one needs to obtain 90 credits.

MS in Germany – Top MS degree courses in Germany

Germany is most popular for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. More than 50% of the international students in the country opt for STEM subjects at the Masters level. In 2019, MS in Engineering programs in Germany is open to graduates from related undergraduate programs with a demonstrated ability to think critically and solve problems. The courses are available on a part-time, full-time or online study basis. MS in Engineering programs are offered by universities in Flensburg, Freiburg, Heidelburg, Karlsruhe, Wismar and other cities. The best areas of study include Architectural Lighting and Design Management, Automotive Systems, Energy and Environmental Management, Green and Energy Efficient Buildings, and Microsystems. MS specializations in STEM subjects are the best study options especially the ones listed below. Apart from these course, Germany is also popular for MBA courses too.

We will cover some of the most popular MS course in Germany in details:

Electrical Engineering

Mechanical

Automotive Engineering

Chemical Engineering

Computer Sciences

MS in Electrical Engineering

The electronics industry in Germany is setting a trend by allowing advanced research and technology to push it to become one of the largest sectors in Germany. While the electrical engineering sector mainly consists of medium-sized companies, it offers a wide reach for engineers to explore job opportunities in this field.

Top public universities to study Electrical Engineering in Germany:

Technical University Munich (TU, Muenchen)

Technical University Berlin

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

RWTH Aachen

Technical Universitat, Darmstadt

Technische Universität Darmstadt, (TU Darmstadt), plays a significant role among German universities. It is one of Germany’s leading universities and globally known for its outstanding achievements in the areas of engineering, political science and computer science.

MS in Computer Science

MS in Computer Science is becoming increasingly popular among international students who are exploring higher education opportunities in Germany. A masters programme in computer science or engineering includes study in areas like Communication Technology, Nanotechnology and advanced Mathematical skills applicable in high-performance computing. We have listed below the top 10 universities for MS in Computer Science along with the course programmes.

Top 10 universities for MS in Computer Science in Germany:

TU Munich

It is the only state university in Germany which is totally dedicated to technology. Courses which are popular to pursue at TU Munich are:

M.Sc. Informatics

M.Sc. Automotive Software Engineering (German)

M.Sc. Bioinformatics

M.Sc. Computational Science and Engineering

M.Sc. Data Engineering and Analytics

M.Sc. Information Systems

M.Sc. Informatics – Games Engineering

M.Sc. Biomedical Computing

Humboldt University, Berlin

Out of eleven German universities, the Humboldt-Universität was regarded as “University of Excellence” in June 2012. It was successful in all three funding lines in the third round of the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state governments and awarded for its future concept “Educating Enquiring Minds: Individuality – Openness – Guidance”.

M.Sc. Computational Neuroscience

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

KIT is one of the biggest research and education institutions worldwide and has the potential of reaching a top position in selected research areas on an international level.

Masters in Informatics

Masters in Information Management and Engineering

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

LMU is recognized as one of Europe’s premier academic and research institutions.

M.Sc. in Data Science

RWTH Aachen University



12,000 people with an international background, from more than 125 countries, currently study, research, teach, and work at RWTH Aachen.

M.Sc. Computer Aided Conception and Production in Mechanical Engineering

M.Sc. Software Systems Engineering

M.Sc. Robotic Systems Engineering

M.Sc. Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering

M.Sc. Media Informatics

TU Berlin

Masters in Computer Science

M.Sc. in Scientific Computing

Ruprecht-Karls-Universitaet Heidelberg

M.Sc. Medical Informatics

M.Sc. Mathematics and Scientific Computing

TU Darmstatd

Masters in Distributed Software Systems

Universität des Saarlandes

M.Sc. Computer Science

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

M.Sc. Computer Science

MS in Automotive Engineering

The automotive industry is perhaps the biggest employers in Germany and also the largest industry in the country. Currently, the country invests nearly 1/3 of its research and development funds in the automotive industry which makes it a very attractive destination to pursue post-graduation in this field. A degree in automobile engineering from a German university will equip you with new and emerging approaches in automobile design etc.

Top Universities to study MS in Automotive Engineering in Germany:

RWTH Aachen

TU Munich

University of Stuttgart

TU Darmstadt

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

MS in Chemical Engineering

Germany is the world’s fourth largest chemical market and it offers students a vast platform to explore their interests in the field. The qualified MS students can pursue research and development- an area in which Germany spends a lot of budget and which can further allow the students to take up major positions in the technical as well as other areas in the companies involved in chemical engineering.

Top universities for MS in Chemical Engineering in Germany

TU Berlin

TU Munich

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

RWTH Aachen University

TU Dortmund University

TU Darmstatd

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

University of Stuttgart

Hamburg University of Technology

Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg

Read about the universities one can study in Germany in English

Some of the other courses which students can apply are:

Business Management

Digital Business and Data Science

Masters in Corporate Management

Masters in Finance

Masters in Entrepreneurial Economics

University of Applied Sciences Europe, located in Germany, is the result of the merger of BTK University of Art & Design and BiTS University of Business Leadership. The university offers internationally-recognised study programmes in the fields of Business, Psychology, Media & Communication, Sports Management, Art and Design. University of Applied Sciences Europe has three campuses in Germany: Berlin, Hamburg and Iserlohn that are well-equipped to cater to students’ needs.

MS in Germany – Eligibility conditions

Generally, the applicants need to adhere to the following key eligibility conditions but it may vary according to the universities:

Education : Most of the universities in Germany require the student to have a 4-year undergraduate degree for admission to its MS courses.

: Most of the universities in Germany require the student to have a 4-year undergraduate degree for admission to its MS courses. Exam : The following exam certifications IETLS/TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and GATE are required to show English language proficiency and graduate level knowledge.

: The following exam certifications IETLS/TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and GATE are required to show English language proficiency and graduate level knowledge. German language proficiency: Universities may ask aspirants to show proof of German proficiency. Students can either appear for TestDaF or DSH. TestDaf 4 is approved by most German universities.

MS in Germany – How to Apply for MS?

Germany has many international programmes which are taught specifically in English for the convenience of international students. Application document requirements for German universities cover more or less the same elements as required by most universities across the world like recommendation letters, resume and test scores of standardized tests, etc. Application procedure for MS in Germany may vary among the universities. However, the students can follow the below given steps to prepare the application in advance.

Steps to apply for an MS course in Germany:

Research Universities – German universities offer courses in summer and winter semesters. If an applicant wants to join a German university for MS, he/she should ideally plan a year in advance. They should filter a list of 4-5 universities from the institutions that offer the course they want to pursue and prepare to apply to these universities.

Check deadlines – Winter semester begins in September/October, while the summer semester begins in March/April. For the winter semester, the application window opens around March. The table given below highlights the deadlines of top universities for MS in Germany.

Refer to the instructions offered by individual university to apply online with the required documents on time.

Deadlines for application in some of the top universities for MS in Germany

University Deadline Winter Summer RWTH Aachen Applications Open – March 1 Applications Open -September 1 TU Munich Applications Close- Mid September Applications Close – Mid March University of Duisburg-Essen July 15 January 15 TU Chemnitz July 15 January 15 TU Hamburg-Harburg March 31 – TU Darmstadt July 15 January 15 University of Bonn July 15 January 15 University of Stuttgart July 15 January 15 TU Kaiserslautern July 15 January 15 TU Dresden May 31/ July 15 January 15

Documents required for Application

Key documents required during the application process for MS in Germany

Test scores- GRE/GMAT and IELTS/TOEFL/TestDaf/DSH

Academic transcripts

Letter of Motivation

Resume

2 -3 Letters of recommendations

Work experience certificates

Certificates of extracurricular activities

Students who wish to study in Germany can visit the DAAD website to know more about the courses offered by different German universities and their application process. They can find more than 900 results in the DAAD website for MS courses (in English) to pursue in Germany.

Visit our study abroad admission page to know about international courses, universities, scholarships and more.

MS in Germany – Fees and Funding

The cost of the Master’s degree in Germany mainly depends on whether it is regarded as a ‘consecutive’ or ‘non-consecutive’ programme. Consecutive Masters programmes are built upon related undergraduate degrees in the same subject. Tuition for these courses is usually free. Non-consecutive Masters programmes are not intended to directly follow undergraduate study. These are often professional degrees designed for returning students who are seeking to acquire new skills and training at the postgraduate level. Non-consecutive Masters programmes usually incur tuition fees of approx. EUR 500 per semester.

In case, the tuition fees of students is free, they are only required to pay the supplementary charges as semester fees that covers basic registration and administration costs. In some cases, these charges are entitled to student discounts. Prices are usually between EUR 50-250 per semester. Health insurance is required by all students in Germany. If you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), it should be sufficient. Other students may need to take out private health cover during their Masters.

MS in Germany – Top German Cities to pursue higher studies

There are many student friendly cities and towns in Germany where students can live and study and gain international experience. We have listed some of the top cities to pursue UG or PG courses in the universities.

Berlin

Munich

Hamburg

Frankfurt

Cologne

Heidelberg

Freiburg

Read – All you need to know about DAAD fellowship

MS in Germany – FAQs

Q. How much does it cost to study Masters in Germany? A. There is no tuition fee in most of the universities as they are state funded. However, a student has to pay a minimum amount as the enrollment fee every semester which is upto 100 to 200 euros.

Q.What is the eligibility criteria for pursuing Masters in Germany? A. You need to adhere to the following entry requirements for pursuing MS studies: 1) A recognised 4 years bachelor degree 2) Academic Transcripts 3) Recommendation Letters 4) In some case, GRE and English Proficiency exams scores may be required 5) Work Experience Certificates 6) In some courses, German language proficiency may be required

Q. What is the duration of Masters courses in Germany? A. It takes 2 years to finish the MS courses in Germany.