Germany · Baden-Württemberg
Study in Stuttgart in English: engineering, automotive careers and costs
Stuttgart is the centre of German engineering. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Bosch are headquartered in or around the city, and the region files more patents per head than almost anywhere else in Europe. The University of Stuttgart is a leading technical university - aerospace, automotive, simulation technology and supercomputing - and the University of Hohenheim is Germany’s top address for agricultural and food sciences. One thing to plan for: Baden-Württemberg is the state that charges non-EU students tuition.
Why Stuttgart
If you want to work in engineering in Europe, this is where the employers are.
- University of Stuttgart: a top German technical university, outstanding in aerospace, automotive and mechanical engineering, simulation technology and computer science
- University of Hohenheim: Germany’s leading university for agricultural science, food science and nutrition, with strong economics as well
- Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch, Mahle, Trumpf and Festo - Europe’s densest concentration of engineering employers
- Fraunhofer institutes and two Max Planck institutes sit next to the university campus in Vaihingen
Universities & English-taught programmes
Strong, specific subject strength - including programmes aimed at students from tropical regions.
- University of Stuttgart: English-taught master’s in information technology (INFOTECH), water resources engineering and management (WAREM), computational mechanics (COMMAS) and environmental process engineering (WASTE)
- University of Hohenheim: English-taught master’s in agricultural sciences, food science, environmental protection and agricultural economics, including tracks written for the tropics and subtropics
- Applied sciences: Stuttgart Media University and HFT Stuttgart run English-taught master’s in media, computer science and sustainable planning
- Most bachelor’s are taught in German (around C1 / TestDaF); English-taught study is concentrated at master’s level
Career prospects & ROI
The highest density of engineering jobs in the country, and salaries to match.
- Industry connections: automotive and supplier engineering, machine tools, industrial software, aerospace and a growing battery and hydrogen sector
- Working-student roles at Bosch, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are a well-trodden route into a first job - start applying in your first semester
- Post-study work: an 18-month residence permit to find a job, then a work permit or EU Blue Card; engineering salaries here are among the highest in Germany
- Even with the state tuition fee, the total cost is a fraction of a comparable degree in the UK, US or Australia
Success stories
Students who crossed the bridge
“I wasted a year trying alone. After the strategy call I knew exactly which documents I was missing - three months later I had my admission.”Read full story →
“They prepared my visa file so well the interview took ten minutes. They even helped my parents understand the blocked account.”Read full story →
“With the VIP pack I arrived in Finland with my room, bank account and even my airport pickup organised. I just had to study.”Read full story →
What it costs
The one German city here with real tuition - budget for it before you apply.
- Tuition: Baden-Württemberg charges non-EU students €1,500 per semester (about €3,000/year) at public universities, plus a semester contribution of around €180
- Living costs: about €1,050–€1,400/month; the city sits in a narrow valley and housing is tight, so apply to the Studierendenwerk early
- Blocked account (Sperrkonto) for the visa: around €11,900 for the year (about €992/month)
- Part-time work: 140 full or 280 half days a year (roughly 20 hours a week); public health insurance about €130/month
Life, safety & culture
Prosperous, green and quieter than its size suggests - with a dialect to get used to.
- Daily language is German, and the Swabian dialect takes some getting used to; B1 German makes part-time work and house-hunting much easier
- S-Bahn, U-Bahn and regional trains on your semester ticket, with vineyards and the Black Forest close by
- Very safe and well-run, with strong public healthcare via statutory student insurance
- A long-established immigrant city - Turkish, Balkan, Italian and Greek communities - with a growing international student population
How to apply & the bureaucracy
Applications run through uni-assist or the university portal - and confirm the fee before you commit.
- Apply via uni-assist or the university directly; deadlines are typically 15 July (winter) and 15 January (summer)
- English-taught programmes accept IELTS/TOEFL; German-taught ones need TestDaF or DSH
- Confirm the €1,500 per semester non-EU fee on the programme page - exemptions exist (for example for refugees and some exchange students)
- After admission, open the blocked account and book the student-visa appointment immediately; allow 6–12 weeks
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