Tuition Fees
New Information
The state government of Baden-Württemberg has abolished the tuition fees with the amount of 500,00 € starting summer semester 2012.
Letter by the University of Stuttgart on the planned abolition of tuition fees in Baden-Württemberg from summer semester 2012 (
pdf)
Letter by the University of Stuttgart on Geomatics Engineering (GEOENGINE), Computational Mechanics of Materials and Structures (COMMAS) and Solid Waste and Waste Water Process Engineering (WASTE) (pdf)
Letter by the University of Stuttgart on Practically Oriented Philosophy of Culture, Information Technology (INFOTECH), Infrastructure Planning and Cultures of Knowledge (pdf)
Letter by the University of Stuttgart: No tuition fees in the Master's Programs COMMAS, GEOENGINE and WASTE (pdf, 17 October 2012)
General Information
Since the summer semester 2007, the state of Baden-Württemberg has charged general tuition fees of 500 euros per semester. All students at a state higher education institution taking a full course of study or a consecutive Masters course must pay 500 euros per semester. For non-consecutive Masters courses, even higher tuition fees may be charged. Doctoral students do not have to pay tuition fees.
Under certain conditions students have the right to gain a (private) loan from the Baden-Württemberg State Credit Bank (L-Bank) to finance their tuition fees.
The income from tuition fees goes directly to the higher education institutions and is used to fulfill study and teaching requirements.
Refund of Fees [de]
Right to a loan
Under certain conditions, students have the right to obtain a loan from the L-Bank to finance their tuition fees, regardless of their choice of study program, or their own or their parents' income. The right to a loan is not dependent on an assessment of income or assets. A security is also not required. The following have the right to obtain a loan from the L-Bank:
- German nationals
- Citizens of the EU or the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
- Family members of a citizen of the EU and the EEA (including Germany)
- Displaced foreign citizens
- Stateless people who obtained a university entrance qualification in Germany (so-called “Bildungsinländer”)
The right to a loan applies for the standard period of study plus four further semesters. In the case of a consecutive Masters course or a mandatory second or supplementary course, the right to a loan is extended for the standard study period of that course in question. Students aged 40 or over on commencing their first course of study do not have the right to a loan.
Students who wish to obtain a loan must first apply for a so-called confirmation of entitlement (a test of the eligibility to apply for a loan; "Feststellungsbescheid") from the Admissions Office:
Application form for a confirmation of entitlement (pdf) [de].
Students who fulfill the conditions for a loan receive a confirmation of entitlement. The first page of the confirmation of entitlement must then be sent together with the L-Bank loan application form to the Admission Office within the re-registration or enrolment deadline (exceptions of this deadline might be possible - please consult the Admission Office in these cases). The office then forwards the loan application and the confirmation of entitlement with a confirmation stamp to the L-Bank. The L-Bank subsequently contacts the applicant regarding the conclusion of the loan agreement. After the agreement has been concluded, the L-Bank makes the payment directly to the University.
L-Bank [de]: Loan application form (pdf) [de]
Students who no longer wish to make use of the loan must immediately inform the Admission Office and the L-Bank in writing.
The loan must be paid back with interest (not compound interest) after completion of university. The payment installments (50-100 euros) begin two years after completion of university and when the graduates income exceeds a specific income level (€1,060 net per month; plus €480 for non-earning spouses and €435 for each child). Further information on the loan conditions and repayment details can be found on the web pages of the L-Bank [de].
Students who are planning to finance their tuition fees with a student loan from a different bank should inform themselves about the loan conditions individual detail beforehand, such as by contacting the Baden-Württemberg Consumer Advice Center (Verbraucherzentrale BW) [de].
Exemption from tuition fees
Under certain conditions students are not obliged to pay tuition fees or can be exempted from paying them.
The following are not obliged to pay tuition fees or are exempt ex officio, and do not have to make an application for exemption:
- Students taking a semester’s leave and who made the application for leave at the Admissions Office with the necessary documents before the beginning of classes (normally during the re-registration phase). See also Granting of Leave (Beurlaubung) [de].
- Foreign students with whose home country there is special interest in educational cooperation. At present no decision has been made regarding such countries.
The following may be exempted from paying tuition fees on submission of an application:
- Students who are enrolled at a second higher education institution and who must pay fees there (e.g. Art teacher training qualification). The obligation to pay fees depends on the main focus of the courses offered.
- Students who are completing a practical semester as required by the examination regulations (presently only students of teacher training qualification courses).
- Students who are raising and looking after a child aged 14 and under; to be exempted, students must be parents or guardians of the child and share their household with the child.
- Students who have two or more siblings who are not exempted under rules of the siblings claim.
E-mail address in questions concerning the exemption from tuition fees due to sibling claim:
E-Mail - Students with a severe disability that effects their studies.
- Foreign students who are exempt from the obligation to pay fees on the basis of (higher education) agreements (especially exchange / special program students).
If any of these conditions apply on you, please complete the following application for exemption from tuition fees. Please send it with the necessary proofs to the Office of General Student Affairs (Abteilung Allgemeine Studienangelegenheiten):
- Application for exemption from tuition fees (pdf)
- Application for Exemption from Tuition Fees due to the Siblings Rule (pdf)
Applications for exemption from tuition fees must be made before the beginning of classes in accordance with §6 Para. 4 LHGebG.
Exemption from tuition fees due to exceptional talents or excellent course results:
In accordance with § 6 Para. 3 LHGebG the University may exempt students from universal tuition fees who show evidence of an exceptional talent or have excellent results in their courses. Detailed information on exemption from tuition fees can be found at:
Exemption for exceptionally talented students [de].
Fees in non-consecutive courses
Students doing a non-consecutive Masters program or another post-graduate course are required to pay special tuition fees. The tuition fees in the courses Infrastructure Planning, GeoEngine, COMMAS (Computational Mechanics of Materials and Structures), Information Technology (INFOTECH), WASTE (Air Quality Control, Solid Waste and Waste Water Process), Practically Oriented Philosophy of Culture (German-French) and Cultures of Knowledge are EUR 500. Students in these courses are not entitled to loans. The regulations on exemption from tuition fees apply accordingly. The fees for training courses can be found on the respective homepages of the departments [de].
Information and Counselling
- Universität Stuttgart, Office of General Student Affairs (Abteilung Allgemeine Studienangelegenheiten):
In questions concerning tuition fees and exemption from:
Tanja Möhle
Geschwister-Scholl-Str. 24 C, Zimmer 1.124
70174 Stuttgart
Tel. +49 (0711) 685-84634
Fax +49 (0711) 685-84810
E-Mail
Opening hours: Tue 9:00 – 12:00
In questions concerning the exemption from tuition fees due to exceptional talents or excellent course results:
Birgit Specht
Geschwister-Scholl-Str. 24C, Zimmer 1.139
70174 Stuttgart
Tel.: 0711/685-84633
Fax: 0711/685-84810
E-Mail
Opening Hours: Mon, Tue and Fri 9:00-12:00
- L-Bank:
In questions concerning L-Bank loans:
L-Bank, Abt. Familienförderung
76113 Karlsruhe
Tel.: 0721 150-3128
E-Mail: studiengebuehrendarlehen@l-bank.de
Internet: L-Bank
- Further Information:
Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst [de] - the official information about tuition fees of Baden-Württemberg.
Further fees and contributions [de]
Information for international degree seeking students