The demand for online studies has steadily been increasing in recent years and German universities are taking notice. The topics which are now available online are diverse and range from business administration to information technology. Moreover, German-taught and English-taught programs are offered online from German universities, providing more international students the chance to study from the comfort of their home country.
The selection of master’s programs available online is plentiful and exceeds the bachelor’s programs online. Therefore, students interested in pursuing a master’s program online have an advantage in terms of options to study. There are different types of online learning and some even blend in-person and online courses for students who want a mix of both styles of learning. You can read more about different online courses in German and their styles in our Study Online in Germany article.
The main goal of this article is to provide students with an overview of master’s programs which are available online for international students. Whether you are searching for a program that is taught in English or one that is taught in German, there are various online master’s programs available in many different fields. You will find pros and cons, tuition fee information, and application steps in this article as well as featured degree programs and universities. Don’t wait any longer, get started below!
Online master’s degree programs in English
There are a variety of degrees and topics available for online studies in Germany. Our StudyFinder features more than fifty different online master’s programs that are taught in English. From chemistry to human rights or business administration, there are various study subjects in addition to some specialized degree programs. Below are a select-few featured degree programs:
Alternatively, you can click here to view all online master’s programs available on our StudyFinder. It is important to remember that an online degree program does not mean you are sacrificing quality in your education. Many top-ranked German universities offer online degree programs. Be sure to look through them in our Online Universities in Germany article.
Note: Due to covid-19, many traditional “in-person” study programs have switched to fully online. This means that international students who are enrolled in these programs will begin their study program remotely from their home country as distance-learning students are currently unable to get a visa. Read more on our Covid-19 update page.
Online master’s degree programs in German
International students have unlimited options when it comes to studying in Germany. In addition to studying in English-taught degree programs, they are also able to apply to German-taught study programs! In fact, international students can apply to any degree program they wish as long as they meet the eligibility requirements for master’s programs.
To search for online master’s programs that are taught in German, it is recommended that students use an alternative platform called Hochschulkompass. Here, they will find search filters to search for various degree programs. This also includes a specification for online degree programs and master's programs.
German universities with online master’s programs
Students are often reluctant to enroll in online programs as they believe that it will affect the credibility of their degree. It is exactly the opposite! Online degree programs are just as credible as traditional in-person degrees and there is actually no differentiation on the diploma. Even Germany’s top-ranked universities offer online master’s programs, check some out for yourself below:
Be sure to check out our Online Universities in Germany article to see all universities offering online master’s programs!
Cost of attendance
As you may have heard, education in Germany is free for all students. In Germany, public universities do not charge tuition. Because most online study programs are specialized degree programs, these are typically not tuition-free. Online study programs are likely to charge a decent tuition fee as it takes more equipment to maintain an online course (e.g. purchasing access to only platforms to make online learning possible). Tuition fees vary among degree programs, however, below is a general overview of tuition fees in German higher education:
- Most online programs have a tuition fee; only 2% of online programs are free.
- Tuition fees for online study programs average 3,000 € - 5,000 € per semester.
- Fees vary among study programs; even universities may charge different tuition fees depending on the online study program.
- Especially private universities with online programs may charge higher fees (e.g. up to 10,000 € per semester).
Remember to search for programs that are best suited to you and your study interests, so don’t skip over the tuition charging programs. Many private universities offer scholarships for students to put towards tuition costs. Should you be interested in a program that charges tuition, keep your many funding options in mind. There are many scholarships available for international students.
How to apply
Applying to any study program can be time-consuming. The collection of official documents that need to be submitted is the culprit of this long process. Therefore, we advise that you develop a timeline for your application with personal deadlines dated weeks before the actual deadlines from universities and admissions offices. We have simplified the steps as much as we can to provide you with a general overview of what the application process looks like for someone who may not know where to start:
1
Search for your study program:
This process requires a significant amount of research as well as knowledge to know how to find a great comparison of different online programs. We have taken the liberty to do this entire step for you and collected all of this data (language requirements, admissions requirements, deadlines, program info, etc.). Our StudyFinder is the largest database of English-language study programs in Germany, so make sure to use it at your disposal.
2
Collect the required documents:
Once you have narrowed down the selection to your top programs, you should observe all of the requirements to apply and submit all documents by the submission deadlines. Be sure to begin this process early as some documents, such as official notarized documents and certified translations, may take longer to acquire. Be sure to inform yourself on how the application process is via uni-assist should this be relevant for you.
3
Submit the application:
The final step is to submit all official documents to your desired universities. If you are applying via uni-assist, then you only need to submit such required documents once. If you are applying directly to universities as well as other programs that use uni-assist, be sure to submit requested data to all parties. This may include the submission of hard copies via mail as well as digital copies. Consult the admissions office at your preferred programs for further process inquiries.
Summary Box
Online study programs are a very attractive option for international students to study at a German university from the comfort of their home country. Whether it is due to family, a job, or any other reason, online studies provide students the flexibility to learn at their own pace. Some things to keep in mind:
- Online master’s programs: There are more than fifty different English-taught online master’s programs on the StudyFinder and many more German-taught online programs for students to choose from.
- Language requirement: International students are open to apply to whatever study program they like in whatever language as long as they can provide a language certificate in the language (e.g. English IELTS, TOEFL, etc., or German certificate).
- Cost of attendance: Be aware that while public universities in Germany are tuition-free, online study programs typically charge a tuition fee averaging between 3,000 € - 5,000 € per semester. This is because online-degrees are specialized and also require equipment and technology to maintain the course (paid access to online platforms, extra data security, etc.).
