Tuition Fees for Students from Non-EU Countries

At TUM, you study at a leading international university with high academic standards. Well-equipped learning spaces, a strong infrastructure, as well as guidance and support throughout your studies are important foundations for helping you develop your academic and personal potential – and these services are continuously being improved.

In Germany and across the EU, higher education is funded primarily through public resources. International students from non-EU countries are generally not part of these funding systems. For this reason, TUM charges tuition fees.

The revenue from tuition fees is used to maintain and further improve study conditions, student support, and teaching opportunities –for example through investments in infrastructure, services, and support programs for students. In this way, tuition fees help strengthen the quality of education for all students in the long term.

In general, tuition fees apply to international students from non-EU countries who enroll in a bachelor’s or master’s degree program at TUM. This also applies if you obtained a European Baccalaureate, an International Baccalaureate, or a mixed-language International Baccalaureate outside Germany.

In general, the following students are not required to pay tuition fees:

Certain types of studies

• Doctoral candidates
• Enrollment in the Studienkolleg preparatory program
• Participation in exchange programs with a corresponding agreement
• Enrollment in state examination degree programs
• Module studies or other non-degree studies

Different regulations apply to continuing education programs and visiting students.

Higher education entrance qualification obtained within the German education system

• Students who obtained their higher education entrance qualification within the German education system (e.g. Abitur)
• Students who successfully completed a degree at a German university with a standard period of study of at least six semesters.

Note: The final examination at the Studienkolleg is not considered a German higher education entrance qualification. Students who qualify for university admission through the Studienkolleg are required to pay tuition fees.

Established domestic connection under Section 8 BAföG

In general, students with an established domestic connection under Section 8 BAföG are also not required to pay tuition fees. This includes, for example:

• Citizens of EU/EEA countries (EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway)
• Citizens of countries with corresponding agreements
• Family members of EU citizens with permanent residence rights
• Persons with a permanent settlement permit

An established domestic connection may also apply if you:

• have legally lived and worked in Germany for a total of at least five years before starting your studies,
  or
• have a parent who has lived and worked in Germany for a total of at least three years within the last six years.

These regulations are complex and not fully summarized here. Please refer to Section 8 BAföG for detailed information.

Note: For special situations (e.g. refugees, students with disabilities, or special regulations for certain countries), please see the section “Special regulations and exceptions.”

If you completed a bachelor’s degree at TUM, you are generally not required to pay tuition fees for a subsequent master’s degree program. The prerequisite is that you successfully complete your bachelor’s degree before starting the master’s program.

To avoid paying tuition fees, you must provide proof of your bachelor’s degree no later than the enrollment deadline (five weeks after the start of lectures).

How to proceed

• Accept your place in the degree program.

• Upload the digitally signed application for enrollment in TUMonline.

• Transfer only the semester fee.

• Ask your department's student advisory service or examination committee to report your successful completion internally or issue a certificate of degree completion.

• Alternatively, if already available, you can upload your preliminary degree certificate or your bachelor’s diploma and transcript to TUMonline.

Important if you previously paid tuition fees in your bachelor’s program

If you are required to pay tuition fees in your bachelor’s degree program, you must disenroll from this program no later than five weeks after the start of lectures. You can find the application in your TUMonline account under “Documents.” Information about disenrollment is available here.

Exemption from tuition fees

Once proof of your bachelor’s degree has been submitted by the deadline, you will be permanently exempt from tuition fees for international students from non-EU countries in the master’s degree program. Retroactive exemptions or refunds after the enrollment deadline are not possible.

If your bachelor’s degree is not completed in time

If you have not completed your bachelor’s degree by the enrollment deadline, you will have to pay the tuition fees for the first semester of the master’s degree program or postpone the start of your master’s studies. In this case, please reapply during the next application period.

If you completed a bachelor’s degree at a German university, you are generally not required to pay tuition fees for a master’s degree program. The prerequisite is that your bachelor’s degree has been completed before the start of the master’s program.

To avoid paying tuition fees, you must provide proof of your bachelor’s degree no later than the enrollment deadline (five weeks after the start of lectures).

How to proceed

• Accept your place in the degree program before the enrollment deadline.

• Transfer only the semester fee.

• Upload your signed application for enrollment as well as your bachelor’s certificate and diploma to TUMonline as authentic documents (e.g. with a seal, signature, or online verification).

If your certificate and diploma are not yet available

You may instead submit your final transcript and a preliminary degree certificate as authentic documents.

This certificate must:

• confirm that the bachelor’s degree has been successfully completed and awarded,

• include your final grade,

• be issued by your university’s examination office with a seal and signature or be verifiable online.

A so-called 4.0 certificate is not sufficient.

Exemption from tuition fees

Once proof of your successfully completed German bachelor’s degree has been submitted by the deadline, you will be permanently exempt from tuition fees for international students from non-EU countries in the master’s degree program. Retroactive exemptions or refunds after the enrollment deadline are not possible.

If your bachelor’s degree is not completed in time

You will have to pay the tuition fees for the first semester of the master’s degree program or postpone the start of your master’s studies. You can postpone the start of your studies by reapplying during the next application period.

The amount of tuition fees depends on the degree program.

• Bachelor's degree programs: usually 2,000 or 3,000 euros per semester

• Master's degree programs: usually 4,000 or 6,000 euros per semester

Double degree studies: If you are enrolled in two degree programs at the same time, tuition fees must be paid for both programs.

The regular semester fee must be paid in addition to the tuition fees.

Payment must be received by the specified deadlines, depending on whether you are enrolling or re-registering for the next semester:

Enrollment

• Summer semester: 15.03.

• Winter semester: 15.09.

Re-registration

• Summer semester: 15.02.

• Winter semester: 15.08.

Please note: Your enrollment or re-registration will only be completed once payment has been received. The total amount to be transferred (semester fee and tuition fees) can be found in your TUMonline account. Payment in installments is not possible.

Information on how to transfer the payment, including the bank details, can be found on the student financing page.

Yes, double tuition fees may apply if you do not complete or disenroll from your previous degree program in time. If you do not disenroll, TUMonline will display the combined tuition fees for both your previous and new degree program. You can only enroll in the new degree program after you transfer the full amount.

How to avoid double tuition fees

• Disenroll from your previous degree program before the end of the semester.

• You can find the application in your TUMonline account under “Documents.”

• Information about disenrollment is available here.

Refund of tuition fees already paid

• You can only receive a refund if you disenroll no later than five weeks after the start of lectures.

• The refund application is available in TUMonline under “Tuition fee status.”

No. International students who are required to pay tuition fees do not have to pay tuition fees during an approved leave of absence.

Once your leave of absence has been approved, you will automatically be exempt from tuition fees.

Deadlines for applying for a leave of absence

In general, you can apply for a leave of absence until the start of lectures. To ensure timely processing, we recommend applying for the upcoming semester as early as possible:

• by 15 August for the winter semester

• by 15 February for the summer semester

As soon as your leave of absence has been approved, TUMonline will only show the semester fee as outstanding, which you then need to pay.

You can find all information about applying for a leave of absence here.

You may receive a refund if you have already paid tuition fees but are not required to pay them for that semester (e.g. because of a waiver or an approved leave of absence).

Please note the following requirements:

• You must submit the application within five weeks after the start of lectures.

• If you disenroll, you can only receive a refund if you disenroll within this deadline.

Special regulations based on international agreements apply to students who are citizens of Switzerland, Turkey, or the United Kingdom. These regulations apply in addition to other exemption or waiver criteria (e.g. an established domestic connection or a German higher education entrance qualification).

Students from Switzerland

Students with Swiss citizenship are exempt from tuition fees for international students if they have another residence status in Germany, for example as:

• an employee

• a self-employed person

• as a family member of one of the above

In these cases, an exemption based on an established domestic connection applies. Otherwise, tuition fees apply.

Students from Turkey

Students with Turkish citizenship are exempt from tuition fees if all of the following requirements are met:

• At least one parent lives in Germany at the time of application.

• This parent has currently been legally employed in Germany for at least one year or was legally employed in Germany for at least one continuous year in the past. Self-employment does not count as employment in this case.

• At the time of application, the applicant lives with this parent in Germany and is registered there as either their primary or secondary residence.

If these requirements are not met, tuition fees apply.

Students from the United Kingdom

Students who are citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are exempt from tuition fees for international students if they already had their residence in Germany before 31 December, 2020 (“Brexit”). Otherwise, the degree program is subject to tuition fees.

Yes, students with Ukrainian citizenship are generally required to pay tuition fees.

However, they can apply for a tuition fee waiver within the waiver application deadline if they hold a residence permit under Section 24 of the German Residence Act (AufenthG), which grants temporary protection to refugees in Germany.

Applications will be reviewed favorably.. Further information can be found under Scholarships and waivers.

Yes. Under certain conditions, exceptions may apply for asylum seekers.

Asylum applicants from countries with a protection rate of at least 50% may apply for an exemption from tuition fees.

Please note: Persons entitled to asylum and recognized refugees are not automatically exempt from tuition fees. Whether an exemption is possible depends on the individual circumstances, for example an established domestic connection under Section 8 BAföG.

Further information is available under Scholarships and waivers.

Yes. If you have a disability that significantly affects your studies and hold a German disability ID card, you may be exempt from tuition fees in certain cases. Each application is reviewed individually.

Further information about exemptions can be found here.