Cost of living and scholarships

Studying abroad is of course also a financial question: how much does it cost? How can I cover the expenses?

Proof of sufficient funds

You need to proof of sufficient funds in order to get a visa. Therefore, it is not only a personal question how to cover your stay in Lübeck.

Web­source

You can find the current amount and further information on the DAAD website.

Proof of sufficient funds can be provided by:

• demonstration of the income and asset situation of the parents or
• a formal declaration to the Aliens’ Authority or diplomatic mission stating that the living expenses will be assumed for the foreign student or
• payment of a security deposit to a frozen account in Germany or
• deposit of a bank guarantee from a financial institution in the federal territory, which must be renewed each year, or
• scholarships financed from German public funds or scholarships from a sponsorship organisation accredited in Germany or scholarships from public funds of the country of origin if the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst DAAD or another German organisation funding the scholarship has made the referral to the German university.

Notice

Please beware that not all options for providing proof of sufficient funds will be accepted in all cases. Often, the authorities insist on opening a frozen account and on the payment of the corresponding security deposit.

Cost of living

Ques­tion

What should I expect to pay for living and studying in Lübeck?

You need to calculate costs for

• accomodation (dormitory, regular aparments or shared flats)
• general purchases (grocery, drugstore articles)
• fees for broadcasting (mandatory!)
• insurances (at least healt insurance)
• semester fees

Accomodation

The monthly accommodation rents vary a lot. The following prices are average values from summer 2020. How to find an accommodation is described on the next page.

Dormitory (offered by "Studentenwerk")

There are various living options in the dormitory:

• single apartments start at approx. 300 €,
• shared flats (shared bathroom and kitchen, not separated by gender) at approx. 212 €.

Notice

There is a high demand for rooms in the dormitories. You should not rely on getting a place there! You can find all options and further information provided by the Studentenwerk here.

Common accommodation market

Apartments on the free market start at about 450 € "warm", which means the price includes rent, heating and water. A room in a shared flat starts at approx. 350 € warm.

Deposits

In the student dormitory as well as on the free market you must make a deposit. For the dormitory you have to pay 300 € to the Studentenwerk. On the free market you have to expect to pay more (usually 2 months' rent). When you leave, you will get the deposit back, as long as the rented property is left in a good condition.

General purchases

• An average weekly purchase (groceries, drugstore articles) for one person amounts to about 50 €.
• A warm meal at the Mensa will cost you about 2.75 €.

Fees for broadcasting

• In Germany, there is an obligation to pay a monthly fee (Rundfunkbeitrag = licence fee, slang: GEZ) of 17.50 € per apartment to the Beitragsservice. Therefore, if you live in a shared flat, you can split the licence fee.

Insurances

• Health insurance: It is compulsory to be insured by a German health insurance company. This amounts to approximately 110 € per month.

Semester fees

TH Lübeck does not charge any tuition fees, but rather a semester fee of currently €270.50. This includes a ticket for public transport, which is valid throughout Schleswig-Holstein and for the HVV in Hamburg (tariff zone AB).

Scholarships

There are various scholarships in Germany, which are also available for international students. These range from 300 € per month (Deutschlandstipendium) to about 1000€ per month (Begabtenförderwerke). The requirements are usually very good grades and involvement in volunteer work. There is no guarantee to get a scholarship! The easiest way to help you with your search is to use a database (e.g. DAAD scholarship database, scholarship guide) as well as Ms Prüss (Studentenwerk) and Jasmin Sponholz (Career Development). The decisive factor when applying for a scholarship is the application. The Career Development will help you with this. Another option is to have a part-time job (see section 3.8). Contact for part-time jobs: Jasmin Sponholz, Career Development Contact in case of financial emergencies: Evans Gumbe, International Office; Stefanie Prüss, Studentenwerk Contact for scholarships: Stefanie Prüss, Studentenwerk; Jasmin Sponholz, Career Development

Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service)

DoSV: Dialogorientiertes Serviceverfahren

Gebühreneinzugszentrale der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten (Contribution service of public broadcasting)

Technische Hochschule

Hamburger Verkehrsverbund (Hamburg Transport Association)