4.8 stars

Studying in Germany: higher education system & funding

Higher education in the DACH region: the key facts at a glance

For millions of students, studying at a university in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) is the springboard into an academic or highly qualified professional career. In the winter semester 2024/25, around 3.5 million people were enrolled in Germany, Austria and Switzerland combined. This overview sums up the essentials for students: key figures, types of degree, study funding, obligations and points of contact for studying at universities and universities of applied sciences in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. If you are an international student, the German terms are explained in brackets so you can recognise them on university websites and forms.

Students in the DACH region: facts and figures

The higher education system: bachelor, master and doctorate

Since the Bologna reform (1999), the German degree system has had two stages: the undergraduate bachelor and the master built on it are the standard. Alongside them there is still the state examination (Staatsexamen) and, in a few degree programmes, the phased-out Diplom.

DegreeStandard period of studyECTSExamples
Bachelor (B.A./B.Sc./B.Eng.)6 semesters180first professionally qualifying degree
Master (M.A./M.Sc./M.Eng.)2 to 4 semesters60 to 120advanced, required for a doctorate
State examination (Staatsexamen)8 to 14 semesters300+medicine, law, teacher training, pharmacy
Diplom (being phased out)8 to 10 semesters300still in some engineering programmes
Doctorate (Dr.)3 to 5 yearsno fixed requirementdoctoral title, research degree

You can find more on the individual final theses on our pages for the bachelor's thesis, master's thesis and dissertation.

Ways to study: full-time, dual, distance learning or part-time

Studying no longer means only lecture halls from Monday to Friday. Depending on your situation, different models are open to you:

See also our page on evening and distance study.

Study funding in the DACH region

Paying for your studies is one of the central challenges: around 70 % of students have a job alongside their studies. Each of the three DACH countries has its own support system.

🇩🇪 Germany:

🇦🇹 Austria:

🇨🇭 Switzerland:

For more detail on grants and loans, see our page on scholarships.

10 % discount for students

With the code STUDI10 you save on the plagiarism check and the AI detector.

Redeem now

Student ID and student discounts

The student ID is far more than a photo card: it opens the door to hundreds of discounts:

You will also find a compact overview on our page on student discounts.

Platforms, tools and libraries for your studies

Academic writing tasks: which texts do you write while studying?

Over the whole course of your studies, every student writes numerous academic texts, from a short essay to the final thesis:

Useful external points of contact for students in the DACH region

🇩🇪 Germany:

🇦🇹 Austria:

🇨🇭 Switzerland:

Frequently asked questions about studying

How many students are there in the DACH region?+

In the winter semester 2024/25, around 2.87 million students were enrolled in Germany, around 380,000 in Austria and around 270,000 in Switzerland. That makes about 3.5 million students across the DACH region.

How long may I work as a student?+

During the lecture period you may work up to 20 hours a week in a part-time job without losing student status (health insurance, entitlement to BAföG). This limit does not apply in the semester breaks.

What does it cost to study in Germany, Austria and Switzerland?+

In Germany, state universities are mostly free of tuition fees; you only pay a semester contribution (~€150 to 350). Private universities cost €5,000 to 15,000 a year. In Austria, public universities charge at most €363.36 per semester, often waived if you make good progress, and universities of applied sciences are similar. In Switzerland, cantonal universities charge CHF 1,000 to 2,000 per semester, ETH and EPFL CHF 730 per semester, and USI Lugano more (~CHF 4,000). Private universities in the DACH region cost €5,000 to 20,000 a year.

Which types of university are there?+

The main types are universities and universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen, HAW). There are also art and music colleges, university colleges of education, theological colleges, public administration colleges and cooperative state universities (Duale Hochschulen).

Do I need a numerus clausus (NC)?+

An NC (a grade-based admission limit) only applies to programmes with restricted admission. Nationwide restrictions apply to medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and pharmacy (places are allocated via hochschulstart.de). Local NCs are set by the universities themselves.

What is ECTS?+

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is the European credit point system for academic work. One ECTS point corresponds to about 25 to 30 hours of workload. A bachelor's degree usually comprises 180 ECTS, a master's 60 to 120 ECTS.

How does corrected.eu help me during my studies?+

corrected.eu offers proofreading and editing for all kinds of academic texts, complemented by a plagiarism check and an AI detector, each with a student discount (code STUDI10).

From enrolment to your doctorate, corrected.eu supports students with professional proofreading, editing and academic tools.

More topics at a glance

These pages lead straight to related questions and in-depth explanations.