Imagine: while your peers in the U.S. work themselves to the bone, juggling classes with multiple jobs and nonetheless facing a mountain of debt upon graduation, you can enjoy the European café lifestyle in Passau's picturesque old town.
Your education? Free of charge, first-rate and taught in English.
Your weekend? Prague, the Alps, or Venice.
Your degree certificate? Made in Germany, respected everywhere.
✔ Top-tier education (Bachelor's and Master's programmes) - including entire programmes taught in English
✔ Zero tuition fees - even for international students
✔ Your gateway to Europe - explore cities like Vienna, Budapest or Florence
✔ Premium support - small class sizes and personable academics
✔ Affordable housing - comfy flatshares or cozy apartments in the old town
✔ Free language classes - learn German or other languages, taught by native speakers, for your resumé
✔ High quality of life - study and relax in one of the prettiest and safest cities in Germany
Students at the University of Passau enjoy a cosmopolitan university community. We're one of the top German universities for international mobility. We also consistently achieve great results in global university league tables.
With a degree from the University of Passau, you’ll launch a successful career, wherever your journey might take you. Thanks to designing our degree programmes with the job market in mind, frequently integrating work experience opportunities, and our strong networks of businesses, research institutions, and alumni, you’ll be well prepared for working in your chosen profession - whether in Germany, Europe, or worldwide.
Some of our undergraduate degree programmes and many of our graduate programmes can be completed entirely in English. If you aren't fluent in German, check our list of English-taught programmes to see if something catches your fancy.
A site of higher education and a popular holiday destination, Passau is famous for its baroque old town, the river cruise ships and its Mediterranean flair. Welcome to the picturesque "City of Three Rivers"!
Our green campus, situated on the banks of the Inn river, blends nature and quality of life with short distances and an exceptional learning environment.
Small classes, easy access to professors, a close-knit campus community: here, you are never just a face in the crowd!
Here, you'll find no financial burden, just an unforgettable time. Compared to studying in the United States, Passau offers clear advantages:
| Expenses | U.S. University (average) | University of Passau |
|---|---|---|
Tuition fees (yearly) | $10,000 – $50,000+ (varies by university & state) | €0 ($0) |
| Living costs (monthly) | ||
| Single occupancy room in student dorms: $800 – $1,500 (€740 – €1,390) | Single occupancy room in student dorms: between €230 – €500 ($250-$550) | |
| Room in a houseshare: $500 – $1,200 (€460 – €1,110) | Room in a houseshare: €250 - €500 ($275-$550) | |
| Health insurance: $100 - $400 (€90 – €370) | Health insurance: approx €120 ($130) | |
| Food: $200 - $400 (€185 – €370) | Food: €150 - €250 ($165-$275) | |
| Books: $ 100 - $400 (€90 – €370) | Books: €50 - €100 ($55-$110) | |
Estimated annual living costs: | Estimated annual living costs: | |
Total cost per year | $22,000 – $75,000+ | €8,000 – €12,000 ($9,000-$13,000) |
In Passau, you can enrol on degree programmes about:
The University of Passau also offers the opportunity to earn a German-American Double Master's Degree as part of the M.Sc. Business Administration programme.
As parents, you want the best for your child. At the University of Passau, they can earn a respected degree (in English!), while you save a fortune compared to U.S. tuition fees.
Passau is a very safe city. We've won multiple awards as our students are among the most contented in Germany. You can enjoy peace of mind while your child studies here.
Learn more on our page for students' parents and in the DAAD brochure Questions and Answers for Parents.
Help your pupils access an affordable, high-quality European education at the University of Passau, with accredited English-taught programmes.
Download the following brochures to find out about the key advantages:
To apply to the University of Passau, you must follow these steps:
The first step can be completed using a personalised application guide on our application and enrolment webpages.
If you can provide school certificates or educational qualifications from member states of the European Economic Area (EEA), you can apply directly to the University of Passau.
With American or other international qualifications, you can apply to the University of Passau via uni-assist.
Uni-assist is a non-profit organisation and service provider that conducts a preliminary review of applications on behalf of universities. Uni-assist evaluates and forwards your application—the final decision on admission is made solely by the university.
To find out when you can apply, please select the degree programme and your country of qualification in our personalised application guide.
To be offered a place in a degree programme, certain requirements must be met.
Below, you will find an overview of university admission requirements for American high school students.
On our application & enrolment pages, you can generate a personalised application guide. Simply enter your details, and the tool will provide tailored instructions for your application.
If you attended school in the United States, there are five different ways to qualify for admission to an undergraduate programme at the University of Passau:
If you have obtained the Abitur at a Deutsche Auslandsschule, you hold the general higher education entrance qualification (Allgemeine Hochschulreife). This allows you to enrol on any undergraduate programme at a German university. The German Abitur obtained abroad is a direct university entrance qualification (HZB).
More information:
The IB Diploma is recognised as a university entrance qualification in Germany if:
A user-friendly summary of these requirements can be found here:
There are over 900 schools in the U.S. offering the IB Diploma:
With certain AP exams and corresponding scores, direct admission to a German university is possible.
Please note:
An associate degree is recognised as a university entrance qualification in Germany. The same applies to a completed bachelor’s degree.
A High School Diploma without additional qualifications does not grant direct access to German universities. It may, however, open a pathway for you to attend a Studienkolleg (preparatory course), which prepares you for university studies in Germany.
If your certificates are not recognised as higher education entrance qualifications in Germany, it is possible that the University of Passau will offer you a conditional admission. A conditional admission offer requires you to complete a one-year preparatory course at the Studienkolleg in Munich and pass the university qualification assessment exam (Feststellungsprüfung).
The Studienkolleg in Munich requires German language proficiency at a minimum level of B2 within the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Without German language skills, you will not be able to enroll at the Studienkolleg.
Currently, the University of Passau does not charge tuition fees. However, students are required to pay a semester fee (currently 121.50 €) at the start of each semester, which funds the Student Services Association and which includes a bus pass for the semester.
Life in Passau is quite affordable compared to many U.S. cities. Your monthly expenses will depend on your lifestyle but generally average around €850–1,100 per month.
Please note: If you require a residence permit to study in Germany, you must be able to prove your financial self-sufficiency, which requires you to have an amount of money set aside that would generally suffice for living in a large German city. This amount is not adjusted to the local living costs, even though they may be lower. Without proof of sufficient funds, your residence permit will not be renewed.
There is a lot of competition for scholarships that fully cover study costs and living expenses. The best source for such scholarships is the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service):
There are also scholarships that are not intended as a source of primary funding but which provide helpful supplementary grants:
In addition to the DAAD database, you can explore these platforms:
If you are coming to Germany to study and live here, there are several formalities to adhere to.
If you are a U.S. citizen, you can enter Germany without applying for a visa in advance. However, after arrival, you will need a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) if you plan to stay for more than 90 days within a six-month period. The residence permit requires proof of funding.
More information on visa and residence permits.
You'll find all the information about finding accommodation on our web pages about student housing options in Passau.
Many students in Germany take on part-time jobs, for example, as research assistants at the university, in libraries, on research projects, or outside academia (e.g. as service staff or au pairs). International students, too, are allowed to work alongside their studies.
Exception: For student assistant roles at universities (e.g., research positions), there are no limits on the hours worked.
More details on Study in Germany (official website).
Anyone who wants to study in Germany is required to have health insurance with comprehensive coverage. When you enrol at the university, you must provide a document issued by a German health insurance provider that confirms you are adequately insured.
However, you might not need to take out a new policy: your existing health insurance from your home country might suffice. Visit this DAAD website to learn more about health insurance options for international students in Germany.
"A piece of advice for my fellow incoming Americans intending to stay longer than a year is to make sure your driver’s license is from a state with a reciprocity agreement with Germany. If it is not, then take a trip to your grandparents or friend in another state and exchange it before coming. This will allow you to get German license for nothing more than a small fee. If your state does not have an agreement with Germany you will have to take classes and tests, and it will cost thousands of euros." - Dan Rowe
You'll find further important advice on the U.S. embassy's website in Germany. For example:
In addition to the support offered by the international office, the following services and programmes are of special interest to international students:
