A large number of international students are now keen on studying in Germany. What explains this paradigm shift in the overseas education landscape is the announcement of stricter immigration norms by other countries. Overall, the wholesome picture of overseas education seems a little too complicated at present.
For instance, Canada has revised immigration policies rather rigorously in the last year or so. Hence, there is a substantial change in the overseas education sentiment among Asian students.
Therefore, in the current mix of things, Germany is gaining far more traction among international students. Needless to say, the education system in Germany has always been class apart and focused on practical learning. Besides, Germany has always been famous for its extensive industrialization that has set examples for the world.
However, now more and more students aspire to study in Germany for its quality of education and bright career prospects. Not to mention, the ease of immigration policies in contrast to other countries. The reasons why Germany is rising as a student destination are many. Are you also planning your higher education in Germany? If yes, this blog is for you!
In this blog, I will apprise students aspiring to study in Germany about the best cities to be in. This compilation of the top cities in Germany is both from the academic point of view and ease of living. I would also be talking about the tentative cost of living across these cities. So, let us get it underway!
Top German Cities for International Students
Munich
Munich is among the most popular and sought after cities in Germany from international students’ perspective. In fact, you will be amused to know that there are more than 50,000 international students in Munich. Therefore, blending in would not be an issue in Munich as you would enjoy the company of innumerable international students.
However, you should not base your decision only on the assurance of a large number of international students. The primary goal should always be to choose a city for what it offers in terms of educational opportunities. Even on that front, Munich does pretty well!
Munich is home to the Technical University of Munich and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. It is noteworthy, the global QS rankings of these universities are 28 and 59 respectively. This is what I call a more significant reason to choose a city for higher education!
Aim for these top ranked universities in Munich to give a perfect headstart to your career if you plan to study in Germany. Moreover, Munich offers a highly impressive infrastructure and great standards of living.
For international students, the tentative living costs per month would be somewhere around 1200 to 1800 Euros per month. Needless to say, the exact living costs would be subject to the lifestyle choice.
Berlin
How can the list be completed without a mention of the capital city? By all means, Berlin is one of the best cities to be in for international students. The city has more than 30 universities that offer you a broad spectrum of choices to choose from.
Among Berlin’s best universities are the Free University of Berlin, the Humboldt University of Berlin and Technical University of Berlin. Besides, Berlin University of the Arts is the fourth public research university in Berlin.
In addition, there are around 25 private institutions of higher education in Berlin. Among the private institutions, the IU International University of Applied Sciences is a notable name.
Speaking of the international student population, Berlin has more than 40000 international students. Having said that, navigating cultural challenges will be much easier for you as an international student. With such a large international student population across institutions in Berlin, you would never really feel away from home!
Speaking of the cost of living, Berlin is quite an expensive city. That is the only thing that goes against this wonderful city. The average cost of living in Berlin for international students varies between 2000 Euros to 2500 Euros per month.
Hamburg
The next on the list is the popular city of Hamburg. Located in Northern Germany, Hamburg is one of the key port cities in Germany. In fact, the port of Hamburg is popularly called ‘Germany’s Gateway To The World.’ Located at a distance of 4 hours from Berlin, Hamburg boasts a modern infrastructure that offers an impressive quality of life.
Speaking of institutions of higher education, Hamburg has eight public universities to offer. To elaborate, The University of Hamburg is one of the largest research universities in Germany. It finds itself on the 191st spot on the Global QS Rankings 2025.
Other prominent universities in Hamburg include the Hamburg University of Technology and HafenCity University Hamburg. All in all, Hamburg has around 20 institutions of higher education offering world class education.
Moreover, international students represent a considerable proportion of the student population of the city. Speaking of living costs, the average monthly cost of living in Hamburg is around 1000 Euros per month.
Frankfurt .jpg)
Frankfurt is a highly popular German city and also happens to be one of the most developed cities in Germany. Since Frankfurt has the largest airport in Germany in terms of number of passengers, it is world’s doorway to Germany. Moreover, Frankfurt is an industrial city and for international students, internship and employment opportunities will be ample.
Owing to the presence of some globally renowned universities and colleges, Frankfurt enjoys a significant international student diaspora. Goethe University is the best ranked university in Frankfurt with its global QS ranking being 309th. Goethe University alone has around 8000 international students representing hundreds of nations.
Besides, the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and Frankfurt School of Finance & Management are highly renowned too. Frankfurt is a sought after study abroad destination also from the virtue of exceptional research facilities. Furthermore, the infrastructure and basic amenities are at par with global standards.
I am sure you would also want to know the cost of living in Frankurt. The average cost of living in Frankfurt for international students is 1200 to 1500 Euros. How much you have to exactly shell out to live in Frankfurt is subject to your lifestyle preferences.
Aachen
The second German city that is highly popular among international students is Aachen. The city is home to RWTH Aachen University, ranked 99th in Global QS Rankings. Interestingly, RWTH Aachen University alone boasts an international student population of around 15,000.
Moreover, there are other prominent institutions of higher education as well in Aachen. The city in all is quite fascinating for its historic vibe the tales of which are narrated by historic museums. It is a beautiful city that has so much more to offer than some great institutions of higher education.
As for the cost of living, the average monthly cost of living in Aachen is 1000-1200 Euros per month. You can very well see that the average cost of living in Aachen is much lower than in bigger cities like Munich and Berlin.
In a Nutshell
I am sure the information above will help you choose the right study abroad destination for yourself. Germany is becoming the melting pot of global education amid a changing overseas education scene. The educational environment in Germany offers great excellence and the research opportunities are abundant too. The cities above will be the perfect places to be in if you plan to study in Germany. Apart from these, other great German cities for internationals students include Cologne, Stuttgart, Leipzig and Heidelberg.
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