Study and research in Germany

Lots of special rates for students

Will I be able to make ends meet at the end of the month with my budget? – our scout Tomás regularly asks himself this question. And Tomás is by no means alone. His German university friend Markus shares the experience. The only difference is that Tomás, like most international students, has less money available to him than many of this German fellow students. The German Association of Student Services Organisations (Deutsches Studentenwerk) found out that German students have an average of 770 euros per month available to them, while foreign students only have around 630 euros. This means that Tomás basically has to budget with 140 euros less per month than his friend Markus.

Comparing prices is worthwhile: "I was a bit concerned at first. The cost of living in Germany is noticeably higher than back home in the Czech Republic," reports Tomás. However, a Europe-wide cost-of-living ranking shows (see chart: International Cost of Living Table) that the cost of living in Germany is often cheaper than in Scandinavian countries or in France or Britain, for example. Our scout Mai saw this, along with the high quality of academic training, as a further argument for choosing Germany. "If you budget carefully and are a bit clever, you can even afford a couple of little extras every now and then." For Mai this means going to a concert in the Berlin Philharmonic with Sir Simon Rattle conducting or weekend rail trips to other towns. To be able to afford this, Mai uses lots of special offers, above those offered by the large discount stores (Life in Germany: Eating and Shopping). "I've become a real bargain hunter. I know exactly where what can be bought at particularly good prices. And it's always worth comparing prices carefully. You can always save a couple of euros," is Mai's tip.

Advantages of the International Student Identity Card: Besides bargains, Mai also uses the many special rates offered for students. Whether tickets for the theatre, museum or cinema, or newspaper subscriptions, train or flight tickets. Students who present their student ID card can get a discount. Asking whether there are any special rates for students is definitely worthwhile. Moreover, Mai also got herself an "International Student Identity Card" (ISIC). This international ID card (www.isic.de) is recognised worldwide and earns students price reductions and discounts in more than 110 countries. It costs 10 euros, is valid for 16 months and is available from student travel agents, student councils or from the student services organisation at university.

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