University of Mainz

Indian students go to Germany mainly for low or zero public-university tuition and strong engineering/technical programmes. Most bachelor's teaching is in German (English-taught bachelor's are rare); master's programmes increasingly offer English-taught tracks. A German-embassy document check (APS) and proof of funds (blocked account) are mandatory steps most other countries do not require.

Visa

National (D) visa for study purposes — EUR 75 · about ₹8,197

Work while studying

Up to 140 full working days or 280 half-days (a half-day = up to 4 hours) per calendar year without Federal Employment Agency approval (Section 16b(3) Residence Act) — raised from the earlier 120/240-day limit; student-assistant (Hilfskraft) jobs at the student's own university do not count toward this limit.

After graduating

On completing the degree, graduates can get a residence permit (Section 20 Residence Act) for up to 18 months to search for a job matching their qualification; any kind of work is allowed during this period provided the graduate can show their living costs are covered; the permit must follow directly from a study residence permit and cannot itself be extended.

Full Germany guide — timeline, costs, visa steps →