Education
Free Education in Germany for International Students in Bachelor, Masters, PhD
Germany has been one of the top destinations for higher studies for years now. Even before the country abolished all forms of tuition fees from their public universities, the country consistently ranked in the top quarter for global study destinations. With exemplary facilities, global education, and secured career options after graduation, Germany sounds too good to be students dreaming of studying abroad. Let’s find out how to study for free in Germany.
Steps to Study in Germany for Free in Graduate, Post-graduate Programs
The steps for applying for bachelor's, master’s, and Ph.D. are more or the same for all German universities. However, the number of courses offered in English grossly differs degree-wise. Generally, there are more English taught masters and Ph.D. courses compared to bachelors.
If you want to pursue a degree in German-taught courses, you will have to complete at least 500 hours of German language classes or at least an A2 level of German certification. Now let’s look at the step by step procedure for studying in Germany.
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Selecting Course for Bachelor, Masters or PhD
This is the first step to follow for any prospective foreign student wishing to study in Germany. The course or the subject will determine different aspects down the line. For example, almost all the public universities in Germany are free of tuition costs, but some still charge a nominal tuition fee for certain courses.
Again, not all courses are available in English. In which case students will have to first gain German proficiency to pursue the degree.
The best way to select the course is to use The German Academic Exchange Service DAAD. This is the most comprehensive repository consisting of over 17,000 courses in every German University.
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Choosing the Tution-free Greman University
Once you have selected the course for the subject, you need to move to the next step, which is university selection. The DAAD.de website is the best way to search for the university using the relevant keywords like degree name and stream of education of your course.
Depending on the degree level, you will find courses either taught in English or German.
Qualifications
For undergraduates, Germany doesn’t require any standardized entrance exam qualification anymore. The results of the secondary and higher secondary level will be used to determine the acceptance.
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For students wishing to pursue a German-taught course, they will have to qualify for the DSH Language Test which is the most commonly used language proficiency test in Germany.
Postgraduate students can submit GRE or GMAT scores as proof of qualification. Ph.D. pursuers will require copies of their relevant research and thesis to be considered for acceptance.
These are just the general requirements for the application itself. There are other supporting documents that are standard for any foreign university application as well as the steps of the application itself.
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Blocked Account
Even though tuition in Germany is free, the cost of living isn’t. Germany is one of the more expensive countries in the world. The high cost of lifestyle doesn’t spare the students as well.
The German government wants foreign students to pursue their higher studies with full diligence. As a result, students are required to show that they can support themselves for one whole year before applying for the German Visa.
Students need to show that they have at least 10,236 Euros or near about 10,00000 BDT in a German blocked bank account from which they can draw the minimum 856 Euro or 83,260 BDT per month as living costs (1 Euro = 97.23 BDT).
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The blocked account can be bypassed if someone legally residing in Germany and holds a job sponsors the duration of stay.
Now you might be thinking that how is it actually free if a substantial amount needs to be deposited in a blocked account? Technically there is no cost involved with the studies so it is free. And while the blocked account is there as a means of living, students don’t necessarily have to use it.
DAAD offers several scholarship opportunities for both English and German-taught courses. The stipend received from the scholarships is more than enough to sustain in Germany. In addition to the scholarships, there are small part-time opportunities which the students can avail themselves of easily.
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Application
Once you’ve sorted out the financials and the requirements, it's time to apply for the university itself. There are mainly two semesters in Germany - summer and winter. The summer semester starts around March - April and the winter semester starts around September – October. Generally, the winter semester tends to have more choices regarding subjects and courses.
The admission procedure is generally reserved by the admission office of the respective university.
As a result, students need to consult and follow the individual application process once the admission portal opens. There is a combined application website called Uni Assist run by DAAD. However, not all universities are listed here.
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Students should prepare in a way that they can apply a week before the deadline. This will ensure that there aren’t any last moment rush or corrections to be made.
Applying for the Visa
Applying for the visa should be done after receiving the acceptance letter from the university. This is one of the trickier aspects of the entire study abroad process. Currently, there is a huge backlog of visa applicants in Bangladesh. Most of these are students wishing to pursue higher studies in Germany.
The first step is to book an appointment from the Services section of the German Consulate website.
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After the successful appointment, prospective students need to check the checklist for the student visa. It’s a relatively long list and entails several personal and financial information documents a student needs to collect before appearing for the appointment.
Final Words
Germany has been a global leader in the engineering and automotive industries. With a large economy as theirs, there is always a steady need for skilled labor. Bangladeshi students can utilize the opportunity to study free in Germany. In addition to access to a world-class education at virtually no cost, they will also get access to an assured career and comfortable life abroad.
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Top European Countries Offering Free Education for International Students
While most students want to go abroad for higher studies, the biggest problem they face is the tuition fees. Studying in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia is very expensive. If a full scholarship cannot be arranged in these countries, then it becomes very difficult for any international student to study. So, wouldn’t it be great if you could find some countries with universities charging zero tuition fees for foreign students! Well, there are a few European countries offering free education for international students based on their academic performance.
8 European Countries with No Tuition Fees for International Students in 2022
If you fail to secure a fully funded scholarship from a university or are unable to pay tuition fees, you can get admission to universities where tuition fees are completely free. Among them are Germany, Italy, Norway, Iceland, Belgium, and Austria. Those countries offer free education or very low tuition fees for foreign students.
Germany
Germany offers the best opportunity for international students to study good subjects at low or almost no cost. But you will get the best chance if you know the German language. Because most of the advanced courses are in the German language. There are no tuition fees for undergraduate courses at public universities in Germany. But, you will have to pay a small administrative fee, between one hundred and fifty to three hundred euros a year.
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Additionally, Every year, The German Academic Exchange Service DAAD provides financial aid to more than 120,000 highly skilled German and foreign students to study in Germany for free.
Germany’s education system is also very advanced, and its universities are among the best in the world. There are many opportunities to study in this country. But if your subject is Science, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or Economics, then the chances of getting a scholarship are highest.
Top free German universities are, Heidelberg University, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, RWTH Aachen University and LMU - Ludwig-Maximilians.
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Italy
Many students choose to study in Italy because of the quality of higher education. Apart from free tuition fees, there are scholarship opportunities for foreign students. If you cannot afford higher education in expensive countries like Australia, the USA, Canada, and the UK, you can choose to study in Italy.
Tuition fees for EU and non-EU students depend on the student’s family income and the program applied for. Tuition fees at a public university range from a minimum of €500 to a maximum of €4000, but you can apply for a waiver too. Italian universities offer scholarships to international students based on merit and economic status.
Top free Italian universities are the University of Bologna, Bocconi University, University of Padova, Polytechnic University of Mila, Bocconi University, and the University of Padova. However, these universities are not exactly free, but they offer scholarships for international students, which[h are easy to get.
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Norway
Norway is in the western part of Scandinavia in Northern Europe. Public universities offer free tuition for all students, regardless of study level or nationality. However, as the vast majority of graduate programs are conducted in Norwegian only, international students must demonstrate proof of Norwegian language proficiency in order to study at this level.
However, there are some universities in Norway that teaches in English. Therefore, it is not necessary for students from all countries to know the Norwegian language. If you only know the English language, you can get a cheap higher education in Norway.
Top free universities in Norway are the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Nord University, Østfold University/College, the University of Agder, and Oslo Metropolitan University.
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Austria
Austria is one of the best countries in Europe for foreign students, where foreign students only have to pay an admission fee of fewer than 1000 euros per semester. However, federal/public universities charge approximately €363 per semester in admission fees for Austrian and EU/EEA students. Austria would be a good place to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree with a fully funded scholarship.
All the public universities in Austria are free for all EU and EEA citizens. Top free universities in Austria are FH Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, University of Vienna, University of Vienna, University of Salzburg, TU Wien, and University of Applied Arts Vienna.
Belgium
The Belgian government spends a portion of its budget on education to further improve its education sector. They teach at a low cost. Tuition fees for higher education in Belgium for international students are normally around 4,000 euros per year.
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But the students from developing countries can pay less than 1000 euros per year. If you want to study Ph.D. from any Belgian university, you will be paid to carry out research. Apart from these, Belgian universities offer scholarships to foreign students.
Top free universities in Belgium are, University of Namur, Ghent University, Hasselt University, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, University of Liege, UC Leuven-Limburg and Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
Greece
Public universities and colleges offer free study in Greece for students from all countries associated with the European Union. Although other countries such as Bangladesh are not included in this facility, still international students will be able to study at a much lower cost. Costs can range from $1,500 to $2,000 a year. The cost of living in Greece is also lower than in other European countries. Greece can be on your wish list to study abroad for free.
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There is an opportunity to study tuition-free at famous Greek universities like the University of Patras, International Hellenic University, Aristotle University, and Athens University of Economics and Business.
Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic country and one of the best places to study for international students. They offer a variety of programs such as Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. in English medium. Icelandic public universities have no tuition fees for international students, but private universities charge around 4,000 to 16,000 euro tuition fees.
Top free universities in Iceland are the University of Iceland, University of Akureyri, Agricultural University of Iceland, Hólar University College, Iceland University of the Arts, Bifröst University, and Reykjavik University.
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Poland
Poland is one of the countries in the world where higher education is offered at a low cost. Most universities in Poland offer courses in Polish. Polish is the official language of Poland. About 98% of people in Poland speak Polish. So if you know the Polish language well, you can study for free like all other students.
Moreover, BBA courses are taught in English in Poland. For this, you have to spend 2 to 3 thousand dollars annually. Rich literature and culture in Poland motivate most international students to study there. You will also be attracted by the culture of this country. You can get higher education at a low cost in this European country.
The top cheap universities in Iceland are the University of Wroclaw, AGH University of Science and Technology, Academy of Finance and Management in Bialystok, Adam Mickiewicz University, and Warsaw University of Technology.
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Final Words
Many people dream of higher education abroad even if they enter the job field after completing their studies. But there are many people who have put their dreams in a box because of education costs. But what if you can get higher education abroad for free.
So far, we have discussed top 8 European countries with no tution fees for international students. However, not all universities may offer free education in these countries. Some selected universities charge no tution fees for higher studies for foreign students. Apart from these countries, there are many other countries where you can get an education for free.
Students who are looking for free education need to do in-depth research to find desired programs in the tution free universities. Following the proper application process recomended by respective universities education can be achieved for free or at a low cost.
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Educational support: Lafz hands over 25% of Ramadan campaign proceeds
To support underprivileged children's education, Singapore-based global venture Lafz, owned by Believe Pte, has handed over 25 percent of the proceeds from its sales earned during a Ramadan campaign.
Halal-certified brand Lafz ran the campaign "Gift a Smile" where it was said that 25 percent of the proceeds from the sales would be used to support the education of underprivileged children.
Recently, Asroy Foundation, Social Association and Care Organization and Navadyom Foundation were given Tk150,000 each by Md Jahidul Islam, head of operations of Believe.
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The event also saw the signing of an agreement with these foundations through which Lafz took on the responsibility of educating 500 children up to the eighth grade in the first phase.
Lafz has the vision of taking responsibility for the education of 1 million underprivileged children globally by 2025, according to a media statement.
New schedule of SSC exams to be announced when there will be no floodwater in schools: Dipu
The schedule of suspended Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations will be announced once floodwater completely recedes from schools, said Education Minister Dipu Moni.
The minister said this while talking to reporters on Saturday at a programme held at Chandpur Press Club.
Read: SSC exam postponed for worsening flood
“When students will be able to attend the exams easily the new schedule for exams will be announced,” she said.
On June 17, SSC and equivalent examinations, under all the education boards slated to begin on June 19 were postponed due to the flood situation in the country.
Present world is not of competition but collaboration: Palak
State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak has said the present world is not of competition, but of collaboration.
"The more collaboration, the more life can be made easier. To that end, there are opportunities for private sector partnerships in the current coordination between the ICT Division and various ministries," he said while appearing as a guest on the first episode of ‘bKash Digital Life’ aired on Channel i recently.
Shamsuddin Haider Dalim hosted the programme.
The state minister said that not only urban people but also the rural ones have become accustomed to the digital life and digital technology has revolutionized the way people live their lives.
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He believes that the initiative taken by this government 12 years ago to build a Digital Bangladesh is the basis of creating this digital habit today, said a media release.
Palak added that the digital services have become accessible to the masses due to the contribution of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Regarding the bKash app, the state minister said that the latest customized and personalized solutions of bKash are very attractive.
Palak hopes that the bKash app will become a super app in the fully developed Bangladesh by 2041, saying, “Just like Facebook is not just a communications app, but an entertainment hub; Amazon, for example, is not just an e-commerce platform, but a part of the whole lifestyle, starting with entertainment; Google, for instance, is not just a search engine, but an education platform – similarly, bKash will become a super platform and super app. We will all work together to make Bangladesh the golden Bangladesh as dreamt by the great leader Bangabandhu.”
ULAB-MSJ Department Launches Curriculum Integration Exhibition
The highly anticipated opening session and film screening of the Curriculum Integration (CI) Program Exhibit Spring Term 2022 took place on Friday at the Bangladesh Film Archive Auditorium, Agargaon in the capital.
Department of Media Studies and Journalism (MSJ, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) organized the exhibition.
Every semester, the MSJ department conducts the CI Exhibit to provide a platform for the students to display their artistic works, allow student engagement, and encourage for future projects.
According to ULAB, the program teaches values to students by putting them in real life situations.
The exhibit showcased various student projects such as performance art, communication campaign materials, visual art, digital art, video art, photographs, animation, advertisements, documentaries, digital stories and films.
Multiculturalism was the theme chosen for the Spring Term 2022 Curriculum Integration Program.
Multiculturalism denotes the way society interacts with cultural diversity, and it conveys the belief that society is enriched by preserving, appreciating, and even fostering cultural diversity. It is based on the fundamental notion that members of diverse cultures can cohabit harmoniously.
ULAB Vice-Chancellor Professor Imran Rahman inaugurated the event. “The authorities of the university have a strong commitment in promoting media in the country. So, the Media Studies and Journalism Department tries to prepare its graduates by updating its courses and curriculum in consultation with stakeholders from the media industry on a regular basis," he said regarding the program.
Media Studies and Journalism Department Head Professor Jude William Genilo, in his address, said: “Tolerance is about treating everyone with respect and dignity. It goes hand in hand with courage, inner strength, and intelligence. We need to nurture tolerance among our students, this is why we chose Multiculturalism as our theme for Spring Term 2022.”
Special Guest Md Nizamul Kabir, Director General of Bangladesh Film Archive, emphasized the vital role the youth can play in the progress of the film industry and applauded ULAB for nurturing creativity among students.
Chief Guest Alan L Deniega, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines, said: "Harmonious coexistence between different cultures can benefit the society by allowing increased diversity. Access to different ideas and promote positive dialogue among the people. We can find joy in the discovery of our differences.”
The Visual Exhibit is now available online until June 13 and can be accessed at www.ulabmsjci.net.
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SSC exams to begin on June 19
The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations will begin on June 19 based on a shortened syllabus.
The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education unveiled the schedules for the public examination on Wednesday.
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The SSC exams, including the practical ones, will end on July 20.
SSC examinees will have a total of two hours to write -- 20 minutes for MCQ and 1 hour and 40 minutes for CQ.
On February 20, National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) re-revised the syllabuses of Bangla second, English first and second papers of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) after more editing.
Also read: SSC, HSC exams in June-August, syllabuses re-revised
According to notifications issued by the Secondary and Higher Education Division, Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examination will begin on August 22.
As per the government's academic calendar, SSC exams begin from February 1 and HSC from April 1 every year. However, these exams were not held as per schedule in the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Decision on PEC exams to be taken 3 months before schedule: State Minister
Final decision regarding this year’s Primary Education Completion (PEC) and its equivalent examinations will be known three months before the schedule, said State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md. Zakir Hossain on Thursday.
“No decision has been taken yet over holding of the PEC examinations and the final decision will be taken three months before November, said the state minister at a press briefing held at the Secretariat.
Schools remained closed for two years due to the Covid pandemic and steps have been taken to recover the learning losses, he said. “After recovering all losses we can take decision over the PEC examinations.”
Also read: 1st phase exam to recruit primary school assistant teachers begins Friday
1st phase exam to recruit primary school assistant teachers begins Friday
The first phase of examination for the recruitment of 45,000 assistant teachers in government primary schools will begin on Friday.
In the first phase, the test will be held in 22 districts, said State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain at a press conference at the ministry.
The second phase exam will be held on May 20 in 30 districts and the third phase one in 31 districts on June 3.
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The exam will be held in the respective districts of the applicants from 11am to 12 pm, said the state minister.
The number of candidates in this year's recruitment test for assistant teachers is 13,09,461. The total number of examination centers in three phases is 1,811 and written examination has been arranged in 61 districts.
“This time, we have decided to prepare the question paper centrally,” said Zakir Hossain.
All the work including seating arrangement, sending and printing of question papers, evaluation of answer sheets, and preparation of results will be done automatically through software. “So, there is no scope for any kind of illegal intervention,” he said.
Also read: Govt primary schools: Exam begins Apr 22 to recruit 45,000 assistant teachers
“If anyone offers to give a job in exchange of money, I request all to hand them over to the nearest police station or inform the police station or the intelligence agency.”
“We want to complete the recruitment process of qualified candidates through publishing written test results and taking oral test as soon as possible,” he added.
At present, there are 65,566 govt primary schools in the country with 4,28,701 vacant teachers’ post.
Dovetailing higher and technical education needed: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Tuesday pitched for the harmonisation of higher education and vocational training as National Parliament passed a bill for establishing a new science and technology university in Pirojpur.
Urging people to shed the misconception that vocational training is only for the "less intelligent" and those from the marginal families, she outlined her Ministry's efforts in working towards the development of technical institutes in the country.
"The Education Ministry is working towards establishing technical education colleges, vocational institutes and science and technology universities in important cities and districts to impart soft skills and technical knowledge on the youth," she said.
Also read: Parliament passes bill to set up science & tech university in Pirojpur
Dipu Moni introduced the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University Pirojpur
Bill, 2022, in Parliament and it was passed with a voice vote.
She also told the Parliament that vice-chancellors of public universities are appointed based on three criteria -- academic excellence, contribution in research, and leadership experience in teachers’ associations and administrative post-holding experience.
“Though we want highly qualified people in the vice-chancellor's post in universities, many refuse to hold the position considering the administrative burden,” she said. "Despite objections against the activities of some VCs of public universities, almost all are doing their duties properly."
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Earlier in the day, the Parliament session began with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair. After the bill was passed, the session was postponed till Wednesday 11am.