Tuition fees

Tuition Fees for International Students

As of the winter semester 2017/18, the state of Baden-Württemberg has passed a law introducing tuition fees of €1,500 per semester for newly enrolled international students who are not from EU/EEA countries. For international students who are studying in Hohenheim as part of a “Zweitstudium” (completing a second degree at a level at which they already have a degree, e.g. starting a Bachelor’s program when they already have a Bachelor’s degree), only the €1,500 tuition fees apply. They do not also have to pay the €650 tuition fees for a Zweitstudium.

The tuition fees do not include any costs for accommodation or living. Students paying tuition fees will still need to pay the administrative and Student Services fees as well as the contribution to the Student Parliament totaling €186.70 per semester.

German citizens, citizens from EU / EEA countries, exchange students, refugees, and students who obtained their university entrance qualification in Germany are to be exempted from tuition fees. These students will only need to pay accommodation and costs of living as well as the administrative and Student Services fees together with the contribution to Student Parliament totaling €186.70 per semester.


Tuition fees for Zweitstudium

Starting with the WS 2017/18, universities in Baden-Württemberg will charge a tuition fee of € 650 per semester for a Zweitstudium including:

  1. a second or additional program in a basic-level degree program (especially for Bachelor’s / state examination degree programs)
    Accordingly, these tuition fees will only be charged if the first basic-level degree was obtained in Germany.
  2. a second or additional program in a consecutive Master’s program
    Accordingly, these tuition fees will only be charged if the first Master’s degree was obtained in Germany.
  3. Completing a parallel degree (applies to students who are enrolled in two or more degree programs at the same or different universities in Baden-Württemberg)
    The tuition fee requirement starts in the semester following the date of the first degree (date of degree completion = date of degree certificate).

Request for exemption from tuition fees for a second degree program

  • For leaves of absences if the request for leave of absence was submitted before the start of the lecture period in that semester.
  • for students for whom their handicap has a significant impact on their studies.
Deadline for submitting request: The request must be submitted before the start of the lecture period in that semester.
Request form:  Request for exemption from paying fees due to a disability (in german)

Tuition fees for international students take priority over Zweitstudium fees!

If you have to pay the tuition fees as an international student (€ 1,500), you will not need to pay the Zweitstudium fee (€ 650).

This changes if an international student has already completed a Bachelor’s and a Master’s program in Germany: for another Bachelor’s or Master’s program, the Zweitstudium fees are then charged.

In the following cases, no tuition fees for a second degree program are assessed

  • If you started a second or additional program in a basic-level or Master’s degree program before the WS 2017/18, you may continue and complete this degree program without paying any tuition fees!
  • If you start a Master’s degree after completing a Bachelor’s degree and it is your first Master’s degree in Germany. 
  • If a program is made up of partial degree programs (especially for teacher programs), then a one-time change from one of the partial degree programs is possible without paying any tuition fees. 
  • If you change your subjects within a degree program or if you change your degree program without finishing it.
  • If you study an additional subject in the context of a teacher program (this applies to the state examination programs that are being phased out as well as to the newly established Master’s degree programs).