Are German Universities Free in 2026? Why TUM Now Costs 26 Lakh More than RWTH Aachen

Indian students applying to Germany for Winter 2026/27 can no longer assume all public universities are free — two states now charge tuition, and the cost gap between them is as wide as ₹13 lakh per year. With 59,419 Indian students enrolled in Germany as of 2025 — an all-time high, up from 28,905 in 2020 — the question of which universities still offer zero tuition has never been more consequential.

Check out all universities in Germany for Indian Students in 2026

What Changed: TUM and Baden-Württemberg Now Charge Fees

Germany's reputation as a tuition-free destination is largely intact — but two exceptions now matter directly to Indian applicants.

Technical University of Munich (TUM) introduced tuition fees for non-EU/EEA international students from the Winter Semester 2024/25. This makes TUM the only public university in Bavaria to charge fees, enabled by the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act (BayHIG). The fees vary by programme:

Popular Indian-preferred programmes at TUM — Informatics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Engineering & Analytics — all fall in the €3,000–€6,000/semester bracket.

Baden-Württemberg has charged non-EU students €1,500 per semester (₹1,63,500) since Winter 2017/18. This applies to every public university in the state, including Heidelberg University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), University of Freiburg, University of Stuttgart, University of Tübingen, and University of Mannheim.

Before these changes, Indian students at any German public university paid zero tuition — only a nominal semester administrative fee of €80–€350.

Check out all universities at Baden Wurttemberg

The State-by-State Fee Map: 14 of 16 States Are Still Free

Germany has 16 federal states. 14 of them charge no tuition to international students at public universities. Only Bavaria (via TUM) and Baden-Württemberg are exceptions.

Exchange rate: 1 EUR = ₹109 (ECB reference rate, March 24, 2026)

Which Top Universities Are Still Free for Indian Students?

The good news: most of Germany's highest-ranked universities remain tuition-free for Indian students in 2026.

What This Means for Indian Students: The Real Cost Gap

For Indian students — 60% of whom pursue engineering and STEM programmes — the choice of state now has a direct financial consequence.

A Master's in Informatics at TUM costs €6,000/semester = ₹6,54,000/semester = ₹13,08,000/year in tuition alone, before living costs.

The same field at RWTH Aachen (NRW) or TU Berlin costs ₹0 in tuition — only the ~€300 semester admin fee applies.

Over a standard two-year Master's programme, the difference is:

• TUM (Informatics): ₹26,16,000 in tuition
• RWTH Aachen (Informatics): ₹0 in tuition

That gap — over ₹26 lakh — is significant for most Indian families, especially when combined with Germany's living cost requirement of €11,904/year (₹12,97,536) for the blocked account.

TUM does offer waiver scholarships for high-achieving or financially needy students. Indian students admitted to TUM should check the TUM scholarships and waivers page before assuming full fees apply.

What Indian Students Applying for Winter 2026/27 Should Do Now

If you're applying to TUM:

• Check your specific programme's fee on the TUM tuition fee list — fees vary by programme
• Apply for a TUM waiver scholarship at the time of admission
• If you completed a Bachelor's at a German university, you are exempt from TUM fees for a Master's
• Doctoral students at TUM are also exempt

If you're applying to Baden-Württemberg universities:

• Budget €1,500/semester (₹1,63,500) in tuition on top of living costs
• Exchange students, doctoral students, and students with an EU long-term residence permit are exempt

If you want zero tuition:

• Target universities in Berlin, NRW, Hamburg, Saxony, Hesse, Lower Saxony, or LMU Munich in Bavaria
• All public universities in these states will remain tuition-free for Indian students in 2026

Application deadlines for Winter 2026/27: Most German universities have deadlines between May 31 and July 15, 2026. Apply early — popular programmes at RWTH Aachen and TU Berlin fill quickly.

The Bigger Picture: Germany Is Still Affordable — If You Choose Right

Germany recorded 59,419 Indian students in 2025 — more than double the 28,905 enrolled in 2020, according to DAAD India. Indians are now the largest international student group in Germany, with 60% studying engineering and STEM fields.

As the US, UK, and Canada tighten visa rules and raise costs, Germany's tuition-free model remains a key draw. TUM's fee introduction signals that this model is not entirely permanent — and Indian students planning for 2026 and beyond need to factor state-level fee policies into their university shortlists, not just rankings.

The core message: Germany is still overwhelmingly affordable — but only if you know which universities to apply to.