collageA successful career starts with an excellent education. If this is your formula to achieve your professional dreams, then Germany is the ideal place for you to get your master’s degree in Automotive Engineering.
Each passing year, thousands of international students go to Germany to study for their automotive engineering degrees. There are several strong reasons why the number of these students has been steadily growing and probably the same reasons will encourage to get your master’s degree in automotive engineering in Germany.
Today it is a well-known fact that German engineering schools rank among the best in the world. As a global industrial powerhouse, Germany is where many famous automobile producers are based. Engineering schools maintain a strong cooperation with these companies to ensure their graduates meet their professional demands.
Given that, a master’s degree in automotive engineering in Germany is an amazing chance for you to start a successful and rewarding career in every industrial sector.
What is Masters in Automotive Engineering?
Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany deals with all aspects involved in vehicle manufacturing such as design, manufacturing & distribution processes, and sales. A Master’s in Automotive Engineering provides students with a basic understanding of Engineering sciences and provides specialisations in Automotive fields such as Environmental Effects of Vehicle Powertrain, Advanced Automobile Electronic Systems, Vehicle Acoustics, Vehicle Integration, Crash Simulation, Powertrain, and Transmission Calibration or Global Automotive Homologation.
Why Study Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany?
- Higher education at public universities in Germany is offered for free. However, international students are required to pay the semester fee and the other administrative costs and living expenses.
- Although most of the Masters in Automotive Engineering programs in Germany are offered in the German language, there are a few English-taught study programs as well.
- Germany is referred to as the world’s Automotive hub of innovation. It is recognized for its outstanding Automotive industry and excellence in Engineering.
- According to the German Association of Automotive Industry, more than 800,000 people are employed directly and almost 2 million people are indirectly employed by the Automotive industry. This makes it one of the biggest industries in Germany.
- The Automotive industry accounts for one-third of the R&D expenditure in Germany. The expenses on R&D peaked at roughly 28.25 billion EUR in 2021. By 2025, Germany aims at spending an annual 3.5% of its GDP on research and development.
- According to reports, the estimated revenue of the industry in Germany was 579.9 billion EUR with 71.1% of the revenue generated by the manufacture of motor vehicles in Germany.
- Automotive professionals in Germany observe a salary increase of approximately 8% every 15 months.
- Three of Germany’s largest carmakers- Volkswagen, Daimler, and Audi, pay an average of over 60,000 EUR (50.75 lakhs INR) annually to their employees.
Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany Admissions
Applying at universities in Germany for admissions is open for the summer or the winter semesters. Students can visit the official website of DAAD for a list of universities and the courses. Admission applications at most universities are available through the uni-assist portal. Some universities might also require an international student to get preliminary review documentation or Vorpüfungsdokumentation (VPD) issued by uni-assist.
Basic Admission Requirements:
To be eligible for a Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany, international students must have:
- A bachelor’s degree in Automotive Engineering, mechanical Engineering, or a related field of study.
- Degrees must be from a recognized university.
- Scores of standardised tests such as GRE are mandatory for international students to submit (for a few programs)
- Meet the language requirements-
- English: IELTS: | TOEFL:
- German: Goethe Institut C1 | TestDaF 4 | Telc C1 Hochschule | DSH2
Check out: Exams to Study in Germany
Documents Required
While applying for Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany, applicants are required to complete their admission application online and submit the following documents-
- Completed admission application form
- Copy of academic transcripts from all educational institutions with their English or German translations
- Scores of standardised tests
- GRE
- Language Proficiency Scores- German or TOEFL or IELTS or equivalent
- CV/ Resume
- Letter of Motivation or statement of purpose for Germany
- Preliminary Documentation (VPD) (for required universities)
- Additional documents such as internship certificates, job references, recommendation letters for Germany (if required)
- Copy of passport
Here is everything you need to know about getting a master’s degree in automotive engineering in Germany
Find An Automotive engineering degree
First, you must take a look of your options. If you don’t have any favorite at the beginning, there’s no need to worry. There are plenty of automotive universities and multiple study programs which can appear attractive to you.
To find your favorite automotive engineering master’s degree you must check universities websites and read carefully what they have to offer. Usually, detailed information about what their automotive courses contain is provided online. Plus, they have a bunch of online contacts you can reach by mail and ask specific questions.
If you identify yourself as an ambitious student and you only aim for the best universities, below is the list of the best automotive engineering universities in Germany:
- RWTH Aachen.
- YU Dortmund University.
- Technical University of Munich.
- Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
- TH Koln University of Applied Sciences.
- Technical University of Berlin.
- Technical University Ingolstadt.
- Hochschule Esslingen.
- Bayreuth University.
Surely it can take time to pick one, but choosing your preferred university and study program is very important for your studying abroad experience. So, make a careful research and see if any of the available degrees matches your desires. Once you make up your mind over your favorite automotive master degrees you’re ready to move to other stages.
Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany: Cost of Studying
Studying abroad in Germany is way more pocket friendly as compared to other destinations such as the UK and USA. The costs that are to be paid for studying in Germany include the pre-arrival costs, program fees, and the cost of living. The section below discusses these estimated costs.
Pre-arrival Costs to Germany
The pre-arrival costs to Germany usually include one-time expenses. These include expenses such as registration fees for standardised exams required for admissions, application fees for a student visa to Germany, airfare, etc. The table below shows the estimated pre-arrival expenses to Germany.
| Expenses | Fee (EUR) | Fee (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL Fees | 136 – 224 | 11,513 – 18,963 |
| IELTS Fees | 166 – 170 | 14,053 – 14,392 |
| GRE Fees | 183 – 206 | 15,492 – 17,439 |
| GMAT Fees | 143 | 12,106 |
| German Test Fees | 100 | 8,466 |
| German Student Visa Application | 60 – 75 | 5,079 – 6,349 |
| Airfare | 600 – 1500 | 50,796 – 1.26 lakhs |
| Health Insurance | 80 | 6,772 |
Tuition Fee
The below table shows the annual program fees which include the tuition fees for some universities along with other mandatory expenses such as semester fees, administrative fees, etc.
| University | Annual Fee (EUR) | Annual Fee (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences | 19,500 | 16.49 lakhs |
| Universität Stuttgart | 3,000 | 2.53 lakhs |
| Esslingen University of Applied Sciences | 3,000 | 2.53 lakhs |
| Technische Universitat Braunschweig | 734 | 62,089 |
| Hamburg University of Applied Sciences | 670 | 56,675 |
| University of Duisburg-Essen | 640 | 54,137 |
| RWTH Aachen University | 620 | 52,445 |
| Technical University of Berlin | 615 | 52,022 |
| Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences | 600 | 50,754 |
| University of Cologne (TH Koln) | 540 | 45,678 |
| Technical University of Munich | 276 | 23,356 |
As visible, TU Munich has the lowest program fee, 516 Euro (~43,517 INR) while the University of Stuttgart has the highest program fees, 6000 Euro (~5.06 lakhs INR) among the top universities offering Masters in automobile Engineering in Germany.
Cost of Living in Germany
The cost of living comprises expenses such as travel and accommodation in Germany, meals, books & supplies, and other personal expenses. The estimated cost of living in Germany are:
| Expenses | Cost per month (EUR) | Cost per month (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| On-campus accommodation | 300 | 25,398 |
| Off-campus accommodation | 400 – 420 | 33,864 – 35,557 |
| Books and Supplies | 30 | 2,539 |
| Meals and Beverages | 165 – 200 | 13,968 – 16,932 |
| Internet and Telephone | 35 | 2,963 |
| Transportation | 82 | 6,942 |
| Miscellaneous | 70 | 5,926 |
Student visa
International students who want to get a master’s degree in automotive engineering in Germany must get a student visa in order to be allowed to study in Germany. Here is a general list of documents required to apply for your German student visa:
- Duly filled out and signed national visa application form.
- Your valid national passport.
- Two photocopies of your passport.
- Your certificate of birth.
- Your marriage certificate. (If applicable).
- Your child’s certificate of birth. (If applicable).
- Your recent passport-style photographs. (Up to 3).
- Photocopies of previous German residence titles. (If applicable).
- Previous Schengen visa.
- Previous German resident permit.
German embassies receive a large number of student visa applications from international students. Therefore, the processing of your application takes time and you have to be patient. In the best-case scenario, you’re going to receive a response a few weeks after your submission.
Enrollment
Finally, after you gain admission at your favorite university and get your student visa it’s time to enroll your automotive engineering course in Germany. Enrollment requirements can change depending on the university of your choice, but overall the following documents are required:
- Admission Letter.
- Translated certified copies of your Bachelor grades.
- A valid passport.
- Certificate
- Proof of Health Insurance.
- Proof of Financial Means.
Master’s Degrees in Automotive Engineering in Germany in English
Do you find difficult to spell German words and you’re worried you might not catch the pace with your studies if your study program is taught in the German language? Do you think you need time to become proficient on it, but your degree has no time to wait? There is a solution to this problem.
Although most master’s degrees in automotive engineering in Germany are taught in German language universities in recent years have expanded the list of their English-taught study programs. So, where can you study for your master’s degree in automotive engineering in Germany in English?
Here are some universities in Germany, which provide master’s degrees in automotive engineering in Germany in English
- Esslingen University of Applied Science.
- RWTH Aachen University.
- Teschnische Hochschule Ingolstadt.
- Karlsruhe Institute Technology.
- Chemnitz University of Technology.
- FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences.
Masters in Automotive Engineering in Germany: Top Universities
There are a number of universities in Germany that offer Masters in Automotive Engineering. The table below shows the top-ranking German universities according to QS for Engineering & Technology in 2023 that offer Masters degree in Automotive Engineering with programs they offer, admission deadlines and annual fees.
| University | Program Name | Admission Deadlines | Annual Fee (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical University of Munich | MS in Automotive Engineering | Summer [Dec 31, 2022] | Winter [May 31, 2023] | 276 |
| MS in Transportation System | May 31, 2023 | ||
| Technical University of Berlin | MEd in Automotive Engineering | February 28, 2023 | 615 |
| RWTH Aachen University | MS in Automotive Engineering | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | 620 |
| MS in Automotive Engineering and Transport | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | ||
| MEd in Automotive Technology | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | ||
| Universität Stuttgart | MS in Automotive Engineering | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | 3,000 |
| Technische Universitat Braunschweig | Master in Automotive Engineering and Mobile Systems | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | 734 |
| Hamburg University of Applied Sciences | MS in Automotive Engineering | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | 670 |
| FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences | MS in International Automotive Engineering | November 30, 2022 | 19,500 |
| University of Cologne (TH Koln) | MS in Automotive Engineering | June 15, 2023 | 540 |
| University of Duisburg-Essen | MS in Automotive Engineering and Management | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Augl 20, 2023] | 640 |
| Esslingen University of Applied Sciences | MEng in Automotive Engineering | January 15, 2023 | 3,000 |
| MEng in Design and Development – Automotive and Mechanical Engineering | March 31, 2023 | 3,000 | |
| Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences | MS in Automotive Engineering Management | Summer [Jan 15, 2023] | Winter [Jul 15, 2023] | 600 |
As per the above details, an important take away for international students is to understand that many German universities offer education with German as their primary mode of education. Hence, before applying to any of these universities you must ensure that you have certain German language proficiency. In some cases, you can also opt for a preparatory language course which can be studied before the classes for Masters in automobile Engineering begin.
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