Study Masters in Architecture in Germany: Top Colleges, Courses, Eligibility & Job Prospects

Germany is known for its excellent education, especially in architecture. If you want to pursue a Master’s degree in Architecture, studying in Germany can be a great choice. You will learn from top experts, explore innovative design methods, and experience a rich cultural environment. 

A Master’s in Architecture in Germany generally lasts between 18 to 24 months. It is a full-time postgraduate degree for students who wish to become successful architects over time. From planning, designing, and constructing buildings to urban planning, urban development, and interior designing, architecture as a profession has come a long way, and this is only the beginning. Germany is a favoured destination for studying Master's in Architecture across Europe. In this article, we are going to be talking about the many important aspects of pursuing a Master's in Architecture in Germany, including architecture colleges.

Indian students wanting to pursue MS in Architecture in Germany are required to have a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture or an undergraduate degree in a subject related to design and the built environment or an equivalent degree in a similar field. While public universities in Germany do not charge a tuition fee, however, candidates are required to pay a semester fee, ranging from EUR 150 - EUR 300 (INR 13.7 K - 27.5 K), which has to be paid at the start of each semester, the cost of studying Architecture in Germany across private universities start at EUR 11,000 (INR 10 L) and can go up to EUR 17,000 (INR 15.5 L) for a year.

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Why Study Masters in Architecture in Germany?

Germany, with its state-of-the-art universities complete with modern amenities, has proved itself to be a leader in the field of architecture studies. Students looking for top reasons to study in Germany include:

• Low tuition fee
• Low cost of living
• State-of-the-art universities that combine knowledge with practical training
• 18-month stay-back period
• Candidates are allowed to work a total of 120 full or 240 half days per year
• Merit-based scholarships

Top Architecture Colleges in Germany for International Students

Here are some of the best universities to study M.Arch in Germany:

Masters in Architecture in Germany: Specialization

Master in Architecture is all about chasing specializations. Every university would allow students studying for a Masters in Architecture degree to choose from a variety of optional modules and enjoy a tailor-made architectural study. However, whichever mould the candidate plans to shape into, his course work would include the study of architectural history, building science, design, and structural engineering among other topics related to theory and practice. Popular specializations in architecture include:

Eligibility for Masters in Architecture in Germany

In this section, we are going to be talking about the eligibility criteria for Indian students looking to pursue Master's in Architecture in Germany. Candidates looking to apply for Masters in Architecture in Germany must have a recognized undergraduate, Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture or an undergraduate degree in a subject related to design and the built environment. Preferably with a GPA of 3.0 and above.

Universities would prefer candidates who have a certain amount of work experience under their belt for pursuing Masters in Architecture in Germany (MS in Architecture in Germany) as compared to candidates with no exposure to work experience. However, the requirement of work experience would be on a case-by-case basis and not relevant for all universities in Germany. Candidates should keep in mind that admission to Masters in Architecture courses in Germany is competitive due to the high quality of education. Hence, candidates should work on building their academic profile to assure themselves of a seat at a top German university.

Masters in Architecture in Germany: How to apply?

Universities in Germany either have rolling admissions or fixed admission deadlines. Candidates are required to check the university website or get in touch with our Shiksha Counselling Services to know about the admission process to German Universities. However, candidates applying to Masters in Architecture courses or any university in Germany or abroad are advised to apply early as there are many elements attached to the application process. Getting your academic profile ready, credentials in order, finances, scholarships and English proficiency tests are a few of the entails that are part of the admission process.

When to Apply?

Universities in Germany have rolling admissions or fixed admission deadlines. Usually, German universities accept international applications in two major intakes: Summer (Mar/Apr start) intake and Fall (Aug/Sep start) intake. Note that Fall intake are open for most of the courses. However, Summer intakes are open for selective courses only.

Read: Admission Deadlines for German Universities

Documents Required

We have listed below documents required to apply for MArch in Germany:

• CV
• Copy of certificate as well as grades of all lectures in the pre-study
• Motivation letters [Statement of Purpose (SOP) / What is a Letter of Recommendation (LOR)]
• Admission Essays
• GRE scores / GMAT scores (optional)
• Proof of German language skills (optional)

English language Tests (optional)

• IELTS
• TOEFL
• PTE

Cost of Studying Masters in Architecture in Germany?

Cost of studying Masters in Architecture in Germany: As informed earlier, public universities in Germany do not require students to pay tuition fees, however, they are required to pay a semester fee, ranging from EUR 150 - EUR 300 (INR 13.7 K - 27.5 K) at the start of every year. However, the cost of studying Architecture in Germany across private universities start at EUR 11,000 (INR 10 L) and go up to EUR 17,000 (INR 15.5 L) for a year.

Cost of Living in Germany: Candidates looking to live in Germany are required to open a Blocked Account. The Blocked Account has the required living expense for a student. This amount is decided by the government in Germany. As of January 1, 2024, keeping the rate of inflation in mind, the mandatory amount required in the Block Account for studying in Germany is EUR 11,208 (INR 10.2 L) for an entire year.

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Scholarships to study Masters in Architecture in Germany

All German universities recognize talent and they value this talent by providing merit-based scholarships that can be found listed on the official website of universities. Candidates should also get in touch with admission officers to inquire about scholarships and ways to apply for the same.

Candidates should note that it is important to apply to universities well ahead of deadlines to keep room for any special requests that the university might have as part of the scholarship application process. And there is a number of study abroad scholarships that are available to students wanting to study abroad, provided by public and private organizations to promote education abroad. Candidates can check out the list of study abroad scholarships on our website.

German Student Visa

Candidates going to study in Germany would require a German Student Visa for their entire duration of stay. The student visa would also allow students access to part-time work for 20 hours a week for their entire duration of the study or 120 full or 240 half days per year. Candidates should note that on completion of their study, they would be allowed an eighteen-month (18 months) post-study period to find employment in their field of study.

On getting employment within the said time frame, they would be required to convert their post-study visa into a work visa and within two years of being on a work visa, they can apply for a permanent resident permit. In the unfortunate case that the candidate is unable to secure employment in the said 18-month period, he would be required to return to his home country.

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Job Prospects for Masters in Architecture in Germany

The study of Master's in Architecture has grown to be one of the most popular courses for Indian students wanting to study in Germany and rightly so. In Germany, studying Masters in Architecture involves the right amount of learning along with numerous training sessions in local and international companies to bring the best talents forward.

On the successful completion of your MArch course abroad, the next thing to look forward to is landing your dream job. It goes without saying that a student pursuing a Master of Architecture would primarily be an architect first. However, candidates should never limit themselves to one particular role. Graduates should always aim for roles that require their expertise in visual awareness, technical capabilities, building knowledge and redefining boundaries. Successful graduates after completing their Masters in Architecture (MS in Architecture in Germany) can expect a starting remuneration of approx. EUR 70,000 (INR 64 L) annually. And this would increase with time and added skills and expertise in the trade.

Read: Popular Job Sectors in Germany

Job prospects for Masters of Architecture

We have listed below the career opportunities for Germany M.Arch graduates:

• Architect
• Landscape Architect
• Architectural Technologists/ Architectural Technicians
• Interior and Spatial Designers

We would love to hear from you. Do get in touch with us, in the comments below.