Study and training programmes for public administration in Germany

The content of the degree programmes varies greatly, depending on which study or training routes you choose. These fields of study are offered:

• General internal administrative civil service
• Archive management
• Diplomatic service
• German Federal Employment Agency (BA)
• Bundesnachrichtendienst (German Intelligence Service)
• Deutsche Bundesbank (German Federal Bank)
• Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Metereological Service)/Bundeswehr Geoinformation Service
• Financial administration
• Police careers
• Higher probation and administrative service
• Senior probation and administrative service
• Administration of justice
• Social security
• Verfassungsschutz (Domestic Intelligence Service)
• Administrative computer science
• Academic libraries and documentation centres

Regardless of which degree programme you choose, you will most likely come into contact with administrative topics relating to accounting, personnel management and controlling during your studies. You might also encounter subjects such as state and constitutional law, economics and business administration, information dissemination and social sciences. In higher semesters, you can usually decide on a specific specialisation. This could be cultural and media law or environmental administration, for example.

There are also numerous other areas in public administration that you can train in, for a career in the higher or senior civil service.

Many of the degree programmes in the field of study and training routes in public administration are dual study programmes. You therefore first apply, directly, to a public agency where your practical phases will take place. You will then attend the theoretical phases, for example at a federal higher education institution or a university of applied sciences for public administration of one of the federal states. The websites of the higher education institutions will give you an overview of the various study options and you can then search for available training places based on your interests, for example in the administrative service at federal, state or municipal level. This could be at the regulatory agency, tax office, a cultural administration or the Federal Employment Agency.

Apart from the higher education institutions that are solely dedicated to subjects of public administration, many others offer Bachelor’s programmes in public administration, public management or administrative management, for example. The curriculum does not usually exclusively focus on theory and also includes practical units. However, if it is not a dual study programme, these practical units might not be taken into account if you apply for a job in public administration. In this case, you might have to complete an introductory on-the-job training period at a public agency after graduation.

If you want to qualify for a career in law enforcement, you usually also have to fulfil certain health requirements.

If you successfully apply for a career entry as a civil servant, you can already achieve civil servant status on probation during your studies and thus receive a monthly salary, the so-called Anwärterbezüge. In the case of a dual study programme without status as a civil servant, you will usually receive a salary that is likely lower than these Anwärterbezüge. There are usually no tuition fees at public higher education institutions in Germany and private institutions rarely offer degree programmes in this subject area.

At public higher education institutions, you often have to pay a semester contribution. These are transferred to the institution each semester and range between 100 and 400 EUR. The semester contribution often includes a ticket for local public transport. Depending on the location, this may be valid for the city, the region or even for the whole of Germany. It is best to enquire locally whether such an offer is currently available.

Rent will probably be your highest monthly expense and it can vary greatly depending on where you live. If you are studying at a higher education institution for public administration, you may be in luck: many offer their students affordable accommodation on campus for the practical phases.

You can expect smaller and less well-known cities to have lower rents than large cities. But no matter which city you choose, student halls of residence or shared flats are generally the cheaper option for rooms. As soon as you decide on your favourite city, you should start looking, as places in halls of residence can fill up quickly. You can find information on local halls of residence and the application process for most student cities in the DAAD’s hall of residence finder.

You might want to research scholarships while you are thinking about how to finance your studies. Scholarship programmes are often suggested to you here on My GUIDE. However, you might not fulfil the application requirements, especially if you are already receiving a civil service salary or a regular salary during your dual study programme. You can find out more about scholarships here.

You work for one of the most secure employers in Germany: the state. As a civil servant in the higher or senior civil service, you earn a good salary and are provided for, especially in old age. If you opt for a normal employment relationship, you will usually be paid according to collective bargaining agreements. These salaries are often lower, compared to similar positions in the private sector. In addition, the hierarchies in the public sector are still much more rigid. You can view the salary tables and collective agreements online. They vary slightly from state to state.

It is important that you inform yourself well about the conditions in public administration before starting your studies. If you then feel confident about embarking on such a career, you can’t go wrong with working for the state.

Find out more information on the current labour market in this field by searching job listings on the website of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency). If you want to research careers and prospects, discover more here (only available in German). Take a look around! Learn more about your opportunities as an international skilled worker in Germany and the requirements on the Make it in Germany website.