Being able to finance your study abroad is crucial. To put it frankly: If your financial basis is not secured,  there is no sense in embarking on a study abroad! Plan your study abroad thoroughly and seek out far-off shores only when you can actually afford it.

Before you make up your mind to study in Osnabrück, please read the following information about the costs associated with studying here and about the options available for financing your studies.

Tuition Fees

The general tuition fee (“Studienbeitrag”) is 500 €  per semester.

The general tuition fee has been determined by law and applies to all universities in Lower Saxony. Exempted from paying the tuition fee are students who are raising a child under the age of 14.

There are special loans, so-called Studienbeitragsdarlehen,  which can help finance this statewide tuition fee. The maximum interest is 7,5%, and there are no fees during holiday semesters. Students with children under the age of 14, for example, can apply for exemption from fees.

For information about tuition fees and semester charges, please visit the websites of the respective universities:  
Universität Osnabrück
Hochschule Osnabrück
Institut für Musik der Hochschule Osnabrück  
Hochschule Osnabrück Standort Lingen
Universität Vechta 
Private Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft und Technik Diepholz, Standort Vechta

For general information about education costs in Germany please see the internet portal "International Students" on the website of the Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW): 
http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/cost_of_education/

Cost of Living

On the internet portal "International Students" by the Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW) there are general tips about the Cost of Living in Germany:
http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/costs_of_living/

Scholarships

One way of financing one's studies is to get a scholarship. Basically, it is important to inform oneself and apply as early as possible! The competition for scholarships is intense.

There are various kinds of scholarships, and just as many admission criteria: scholarships for freshmen, for postgraduates, for good grades, for social engagement, special study plans, etc. Scholarships are granted by the state,  churches,  different associations, the industry, political parties and private institutions. Many of these sponsorships are especially designed for students from abroad.

On the scholarship database of the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD = German Academic Exchange Service), you can find out which scholarships might be appropriate for you.

Government Funding

Government loans such as BAföG and Bildungskredit (Education Credit) are only available to international students in exceptional cases.

General information about the conditions that international students have to fulfil in order to qualify for BAföG and Bildungskredit can be found on the website of the Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), on the page "International Students", under Government funding:
http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/prepare_your_studies/financing/government_funding/

If the regulations listed there should apply to you, you can get further information in the section Financing Your Studies.

If you are uncertain about whether you qualify for governmental support, the staff of the Abteilung Studienfinanzierung (Financial Assistance Office) of the Studentenwerk  will be happy to advise you.

KfW-Studienkredit

Many banks offer special student loans with widely varying conditions. The Studentenwerk Osnabrück is a distribution partner for the KfW-Studienkredit (KfW-Study Loan). Unlike the BaföG grant, the KfW-Studienkredit does not require a financial background check. Entitled to this loan are students from Germany or the European Union, as well as their family members, who are studying at a state-run or state-approved  university and do not yet have a university degree that qualifies them for the job market, which is technically a Bachelors degree; but a Masters degree can be financed with the study loan as well. However,  the student must not be over 30 years of age at the beginning of the financing period.

The financial support that will be granted can range from 100 € to a maximum of 650 € per month through the 10th semester. In exceptional cases, the funding can be extended through the 14th semester, but in this case the payments decrease each month. Loan recipients must hand in a performance record (showing that you have passed classes, taken tests etc.) by the end of the 6th semester at the latest; otherwise there will be no more payments.

The loan must be paid back in its entirety within 25 years after the termination of the payments. Different from BAföG, this study loan cannot be waived  or diminished by finishing your degree ahead of time,  by achieving good grades or by finishing your payments ahead of schedule. For example,  if you received 400 €  per month from the KfW, you would owe 24 000 €  plus interest, so the total debt would come to 38 000 € (assuming a loan redemption period of 10 years). At the time being the rate of interest is 7,00 %; the guaranteed maximum interest rate is 8.90 % (current data as of October 1, 2008; the KfW-Förderbank adjusts the interest rates every April 1st and October 1st).

Before you sign up for a KfW-Study Loan you should definitely seek counselling at the Abteilung Studienfinanzierung (Financial Assistance Office) at the Studentenwerk (Office of Student Services). Our staff will help you to determine whether there are more favourable means of financing your studies (BAföG, education credit etc.).

Rest assured that the Studentenwerk  sees its role solely as giving beneficial advice to the students, and has no interest in arranging as many loans as possible.

Further information can be found online at the  KfW-Förderbank.

Niedersachsen-Studienbeitrags-Darlehen

The Niedersachsen-Studienbeitrags-Darlehen (Lower Saxony Study Contribution Loan) is designed to finance the study contribution fees (tuition fees) at Lower Saxony’s state universities according to § 11a of the Lower Saxony University Statute ( Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz,  or NHG). Entitled to this loan are German students, students from the European Union, students from the European Economic Area, their family members, homeless foreigners, and foreigners and stateless persons who have acquired their qualifications for university admission in Germany (Bildungsinländer). The applicant must not older than 34 years when taking up their first course of studies.

The Lower Saxony Study Contribution Loan amounts to 500 € per semester for the course of study, the maximum period is the standard period of study plus 4 semesters. The amount of the loan is interest-bearing from the beginning of the payments and postponed until the repayment phase.

The loan is interest-bearing on a variable basis, i.e. the rate of interest is biannually adapted to the actual capital market interest. The monthly repayment rate is 20€ minimum; the complete loan must be paid back within 20 years at the latest.

The application takes place exclusively at the Online Credit Portal of the KfW. You can get further information at the NBank and at the KfW.

Before you sign off on such a loan we highly recommend that you seek individual counselling at the International Welcome Center.

Working

Many students increase their budget by working on the side.
However, the job options for foreigners are limited by law. You can find important information about this on the website of the Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), in the section "International Students" under Jobbing:
http://www.internationale-studierende.de/en/during_your_studies/jobbing/allowed_to_work/

The Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) has published the following detailed information sheet: Information on the Statutory Frameworks applicable to the Pursuit of Gainful Employment by Foreign Students, Academics and Researchers [PDF].

Please be aware that there is no guarantee that you will be able to find a job. Due to the economic situation in Germany, it is becoming harder and harder for students to finance their studies by working.

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