Best Cities for International Students in Germany

Germany is considered to be one of the most popular destinations for international students. The country is known for the quality education it provides in the fields of STEM studies and for the cheap education, it provides for most fields of study. Candidates who enroll here will have to learn German since most of the programs here are offered in a blended mode. But recently, most of the universities here have started providing programs that are fully in English. International students will be able to enroll in these programs and even pursue research within these fields.

Since there are over 400 higher educational institutions in the country out of which over 110 are public universities, one will easily be able to get admission to the country. The best programs offered here are in applied sciences and the universities for the same are located in different cities in the country. Out of these cities, the best places for international students to live for various reasons include-

Munich

Munich is the capital of Bavaria in Germany and also the third-largest city in the country. It is one of the most popular international student destinations owing to the multicultural environment this place has to offer. This is mainly because the city is a tourist destination known for craft beer and the Oktoberfest festival both of which are internationally acclaimed.
The city has 15 universities that collectively offer over 202 educational programs in English. Most of the internationally popular programs out there are at a postgraduate level and candidates who take them up will require little to no knowledge of German which is an added benefit. The city is also known for being a center for technological brilliance, business, and art that is unique to the place.
The universities in Munich focus on the fields of engineering, medicine, economics, business, and science. Every campus can boast about its latest technological advancements and implementations in education.
Munich is considered to be one of the safest cities in the country making it an obvious choice for international candidates. Most universities here have a 15% enrolment rate of international students and these students typically opt for engineering and other STEM programs.
Students will be able to get around Munich by using the underground railway network called the U-Bahn or they will be able to use the S-Bahn. Other options include trams, buses, and taxis all of which make travel both cheap and accessible. The cost of a one-way ticket here is €2.70 and for a one-day transport, the pass is around €6.70.
Due to the number of universities here, finding part-time jobs in the city as a student is never a trouble. Most of the places in the service industry will be offering jobs to students. Candidates will be able to earn around €9.50 per hour if they are willing to work for 11 hours a week.
Munich is an ideal location for international students when it comes to living quality, transportation, entertainment options, and safety concerns. But at the same time, the universities here do not offer exemplary programs in the field of biology and other related subjects. Students who choose this place should ideally opt for engineering or business-related programs.

Berlin

Berlin is the capital of Germany with the highest number of international students seeping into the city year after year. It is the largest city in the country with over 15% of all student population coming from non-EU countries.
The city has over 40 educational institutions out of which 5 are internationally acclaimed public universities. There are other institutions for technical and professional programs all of which are sought out by international students irrespective of the medium of instruction used for these programs.
The Technical University of Berlin, HTW Berlin University of Applied Sciences, and the HU Berlin are prominent institutions here offering programs within all fields of sciences. These universities are all research-oriented but they also provide professional programs for students who wish to enter the work field sooner.
Berlin being the capital city of Germany, is not considered to be a safe place like most other capital cities around the world. But at the same time, considering that Germany is one of the safest countries to live in, Berlin can relatively be considered safe depending on where the student is from. If one is to take necessary precautions, they will be able to live freely and safely in Berlin with no trouble.
The city is well connected with public transit and it also has 2 major airports from which one will be able to fly to almost everywhere in the world. The city is otherwise connected with the subway, metro trains, buses, and even cable cars. Candidates who have enrolled in public universities will also be able to get a public transport ticket from their college administration as part of the negligible fee they pay as tuition.
Students will be able to take up part-time jobs within the service industry. Though the unemployment rate in this city is high compared to other parts of Germany, part-time jobs are always in demand. Students will be able to work for a maximum of 20 hours a week. But since the city is extremely affordable, students tend to work shorter hours and invest more time in education.
Despite being the capital city of Germany, students will find that staying throughout their course duration will require them to learn German. This will mainly be to help fit into the locality better and also to feel at home at the place.

Stuttgart

Located in the South of Germany, Stuttgart is the home to companies like Porsche and Daimler making it a well-known name for automobile infrastructure around the world. It is one of the most popular student destinations with a balance of both educational brilliance and career advancements the place has to offer.
There are 15 universities in this city that offer over 163 programs in English. Out of these, 78 of them are undergraduate programs. The University of Stuttgart is internationally acclaimed for programs in natural sciences, economics, management, and even engineering. The universities here also have a flair for research that students can utilize.
The city is considered to be one of the safest in the country with less than 8,500 crimes reported per 100,000 citizens. This includes crime against expats making it an obvious choice for international students who wish to settle in the country.
Students will easily be able to use public transport to get around Stuttgart. The most popular of these include the U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. Though buses can also be used, they tend to get stuck in traffic for ages which is why they remain relatively unpopular.
Though job opportunities at a part-time level aren’t high in Stuttgart, one will be able to earn around €500 a month by doing odd jobs around the city. There will always be jobs available here for those who actively seek them.
The drawbacks of staying here include the expensive nature of living here and the traffic that one will have to face during their daily commute. Since there are a large number of people moving to this city from time to time, finding accommodation can also be hard.

Heidelberg

Heidelberg is considered to be one of the most romantic cities in Germany with its old architecture, rivers, castles, etc. The city also has a river and the Odenwald forest to boast about, both of which give the city a surreal vibe that is easy to fall in love with.
There are around 8 universities in this city all of which provide around 154 programs in English. Heidelberg University is the most popular among them all by international standards. There are around 4,500 international students at this university all of who come from nearly 130 different countries.
This city is considered to be one of the safest cities to live and study in for people from any background. The typical worries of being mugged, having homes being broken into and even cars being stolen all remain way below 25% in this city. But at the same time, women shouldn't walk alone at night when it comes to desolate places like the riverbank.
The most commonly used modes of transportation in the city are buses and trams due to the lesser traffic this place has compared to other cities in the country. But candidates will also be able to use the S-Bahn network for a cheaper cost.
There are no major drawbacks to staying in Heidelberg except maybe for the high price of food and accommodation one will have to face until they are familiar with the locality.

Frankfurt

Frankfurt is the most densely populated city in Germany and also an educational hub for fields of study like business and finance. The large population here is generally because of the large number of businesses that have been set up in the place, especially for tourism which brings in a lot of employment opportunities for expats and locals alike.
There are 7 universities in this city all of which have over 66 programs in English collectively. The Frankfurt Business School is ranked to be the best among all business schools in the country and adds to the reasons why students aspire to stay and study in this city. The Executive MBA program offered here has been ranked to be the 4th best business program in Germany.
Frankfurt is not one of the safest locations in Germany. The place has its share of crimes relating to theft, drugs, and even murder. But these are highly localized and are not a rampant part of the city. Avoiding these neighborhoods and taking necessary precautions will be sufficient enough for a person to remain safe in the city.
The city offers part-time jobs in the service sector most of which cater to the business and finance program internship requirements. Students will be able to both work and gain experience within the field and also find plenty of internship opportunities within the field of business and management due to the large number of companies situated here.
One of the main drawbacks of living in Frankfurt is the safety concerns that one must have while living here. Compared to cities like Munich and Heidelberg, this city has a crime rate above 14,500 per 100,000 citizens. But this is mainly considered high because Germany is a safe city to live in.

Hamburg

Hamburg is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Germany and at the same time, it is one of the most expensive places in Germany for a student to live. But, the increase in living expenses here is compensated by the 12% increase in the average salaries people receive while working in this city. This makes it an ideal location for people to settle in the city after completing their education.
There are over 20 educational institutions in Hamburg, of which 15 are public universities collectively offering more than 154 study programs. The prominent institutions here include the University of Hamburg, HAW Hamburg, and the Hamburg University of Technology all of which offer candidates with programs that range over different fields of study.
Though Hamburg is not one of the safest cities to live in, it is considered to be a relatively safe place when compared to places like Frankfurt. Since it is a cosmopolitan city, the safety here is comparable to European cities where one will be able to live freely as long as they are mindful of their surroundings.
Students who wish to do part-time jobs here will have to use the Stellenwerk Hamburg portal for easier accessibility to newly posted jobs. The Federal Employment Agency (Agentur fur Arbeit) is also a helpful portal for finding jobs. With most jobs that students can find, they can earn around €450 per month.
The most popular way of getting around the city is to use the U-Bahn and S-Bahn. But students will also be able to take the harbor ferry or bicycle their way around the city since it is safe to do so. Students will also have the option of car-sharing if they are going long distances.
The biggest drawback of living in Hamburg is the weather that remains cloudy and rainy for most of the year. Candidates will also have to be fluent in German to survive in this city and if the earnings from their part-time jobs exceed €450 per month, they will be taxed for the same.

Aachen

Situated near the Dutch and Belgian borders of the city, this city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. The city is home to beautiful cathedrals and other historically significant architectural sites that draw attention to it from people around the world.
There are 4 universities in Aachen most of which offer programs in a blended mode or only in German. But the research orientation of the institutions like RWTH Aachen is well sought after enough for students from all over the world to enroll in programs here. This university is both the largest technical institute in Germany and also one of the best in Europe for aspiring researchers.
Aachen is a city with a very low crime rate when compared to most cities in the country. Students will be able to safe irrespective of their gender and they will remain safe even if they take late-night walks in the city.
Finding a part-time job in Aachen is relatively tricky due to the low number of companies found here. But students will be able to directly ask for jobs at cafes and restaurants or they will be able to use the official company portals while applying for internships and the like.
The main transportation system that one can rely on is the public transport here including the buses and regional trains. The buses are more opted for due to the high frequency at which they run one after the other throughout the day.
One of the biggest drawbacks of staying in Aachen is how poorly connected the city is. Though the buses are frequent, they run crowded for the most part making travel a hassle in itself while staying in the city.