Financing your studies
Even though there are no tuition fees for the International Master’s program at FAU, there are multiple opportunities for students to support themselves during their stay in Germany, either through scholarships and/or part-time jobs.
Note for Non-EU students
It is important to note that visas for students coming from outside of the EU have financial requirements.
Living and studying in Erlangen
Cost of living
Generally speaking, Germany is not considered expensive when compared to the average cost of living in Europe, although there are always exceptions to this. Food prices across the country are considered quite low, whereas rent in Erlangen can be on the pricer side, depending on the type of accommodation you are looking for. Here you can find an overview of the average costs of living in the city and surrounding areas.
Public transport
FAU students are eligible for a basic ticket” in collaboration with the local public transport company, VGN. The fee for this ticket is included in the semester fee, which are paid at the beginning of each semester (€144 for 2023). There is an option to add an additional ticket to cover additional parts of the VGN network - for more information see the FAU’s information page on the semester ticket.
Accommodation
Most FAU students live in Erlangen and the surrounding villages, but many also live in the neighbouring cities of Fürth and Nürnberg. The region has an excellent public transport system (see above), so getting around is very easy. Finding accommodation, especially at the beginning of the semester, can be tricky, so we recommend that students begin their search as soon as possible. You can find more information on the main FAU website: Tips and advice for accommodation.
Scholarships and Grants
International students have the option to apply for several competitive scholarship programs. FAU has tabulated the most popular ones here. Below are
Please be aware that the deadlines for scholarships are typically much earlier than the Master’s application!
DAAD
Scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
Bayhost
Students from Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe are also eligible for scholarships from BAYHOST.
Other
- Once you are enrolled, you can apply for a wide number of scholarships, e.g. the “Deutschlandstipendium” or StipendiumPlus.
- Further opportunities can be found on the German portal e-fellows.net. Many scholarships are awarded to students by religious or political organizations. You can find a selection of these here.
Part-time jobs
It is not uncommon for students to work part-time to help finance their studies. Many students find work in local cafés, bars, restaurants, and others choose flexible remote-working options.
Hillfwissenschaftler (HiWi)
From time to time, there may be opportunities for students to work as ‘student helpers’ or Hillfwissenschaftler/Studentische Hilfskraft (HiWi for short). These are paid positions that enable students (who have not yet completed a MSc) to work alongside instructors and other research staff and work to complete short-term tasks, such as the preparation of thin sections, scanning and analysing fossils at our mico-CT facility, contributing datasets into the Paleobiology Database or work at the scanning electron microscope. These positions are capped at a maximum of 10 hours per week, but most range between 2-5 hours per week, paid by the hour.
Additional opportunities
If you have an additional qualification, for example as an English teacher or dog walker, there are plenty of opportunities to put these skills to work here in Erlangen. Keep an eye out for local message boards and social media groups to advertise your skills.