Study Civil Engineering in Germany

In your civil engineering studies, you will learn how to construct buildings and calculate their structures. Depending on your chosen modules, you can later specialise in, e.g., hydraulic engineering, estate water management, traffic engineering, traffic route construction, geotechnical engineering, or constructive subject areas such as solid construction, metal construction, timber construction, or foundation engineering.

Courses in civil engineering build on knowledge of technical and natural scientific subjects. Thus, you should be interested in mathematics and physics and in topics such as building physics, structural mechanics, building construction and structural design, and material science. You will also be offered the opportunity to familiarise yourself with the basics of hydraulic engineering, traffic engineering, and material specifics.

You are typically required to do internships with construction firms, building authorities, or engineering firms during your programme. Some programmes explicitly dedicate an entire semester to a practical placement (internship). If you decide to do a dual study course, you can even combine your degree with professional training.

When you decide to study civil engineering, your curriculum will usually follow a standard course of study. This means that you can usually complete a Bachelor‘s degree in six or seven semesters, while Master’s degrees usually take three to four, including the semester for writing a thesis. In Germany, there are more universities of applied sciences than universities that offer courses of study in civil engineering. This leaves you with a broad choice!

Completing an internship is almost always a requirement. It is possible to complete the internship before or during your studies. They can last from several weeks to months. Conducting your internship in a construction company, construction administration, or engineering office can be great for your career path. Taking part in projects is also a large part of advancing in this programme.

You will need a higher education entrance qualification or an equivalent to be eligible to apply for a course of study in civil engineering. Sometimes, a numerus clausus (NC), i.e., a minimum grade, can be mandatory for entry into a civil engineering programme. To qualify for a Master’s programme you will need an undergraduate degree in civil engineering. If you studied a different engineering subject in your undergraduate programme, it might be sufficient to prove a specific number of credits in relevant modules. Check with the study advisors at your higher education of choice!

If you are planning on studying in a programme that conducts courses in English, proof of language skills will also be necessary – although this requirement can be waived, of course, if you are a native speaker. There is only a very small number of higher education institutions that ask for a motivation letter for applying for a civil engineering programme; proof of a completed internship is much more common. Requirements for higher education institutions can vary, so check the requirements to make sure you assemble all required certificates in time.

Studying in Germany can be relatively inexpensive – especially in an international comparison. Studying at a public higher education institution is most often tuition-free. Yet, you will still have to pay semester contributions each semester which range anywhere from 100 to 400 euros. Sometimes your semester contribution covers a ticket for local public transport or you can purchase a discounted ticket. Depending on where you study, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for all of Germany. Ask your higher education institution whether such an offer is currently available. If you choose to study at a private higher education institution, it is very likely that you will have to pay much higher tuition fees, such as in the tens of thousands of euros.

Rent will be a large item in your budget, but there are ways for you to save money when it comes to housing expenses. The price of housing will depend on the city you decide to study in. In larger cities, reasonably priced housing is less easy to come by and more expensive, whereas smaller cities will come relatively cheaper. Your cheapest option will probably be staying in a residence or student apartment. Once you have decided which higher education institution to apply to, you should start looking into the housing situation; student housing can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities. Other costs will very much depend on your lifestyle choices.

To finance your studies in Germany, you should also find out about scholarships. There are many different scholarship programmes and excellent grades are not the only deciding factor. You can learn more about scholarships here and find suitable programmes directly on My GUIDE.

After graduating from a programme in civil engineering, you have various career prospects. You can find work in construction firms, engineering firms, or in the construction material production industry. The real estate industry and transportation companies also offer potential work opportunities. You may also find positions at building authorities, e.g., at the federal state level or national level. Depending on the direction you choose to go with your focus, you are open to a wide range of career fields. It is also possible to start your own company or work as a freelancer. A management position can also be achieved; however, you will need an advanced degree in order to qualify. This profession is very much in demand and the odds of you finding a job in some capacity are very good. Salaries can vary from state to state, but they are well-paid jobs in general. However, compared to engineering graduates from other subjects, such as mechatronics, civil engineers have generally lower salaries.