Tuition and fees

One of the great things about the German education system is that it is public, therefore the cost of studying is not overwhelming.
Public universities in Germany do not have tuition fees. The only required payment is a social tax (Sozialbeitrag) which funds the activities of the Studentenwerk and the ASTA (which is the national representative of students). This social tax generally includes the price of a public transportation ticket that is valid for one semester (it is better to pay taxes than have to pay a tuition fee). For example, if you were to go to the University of Cologne you would have to pay a social tax of 195 DM (about US$ 89.50) per semester. The tax rates can range from 30 to 100 DM (US$ 13.77 to 45.90). If you do not pay the taxes you are not allowed to attend university. You are also obliged to pay for health insurance which can cost around 90 DM (US$ 41) per month.

Information reviewed by the DAAD
(German Academic exchange Service)