Student Testimony: How to Fund Your Studies

When deciding on a master’s programme, there are a lot of considerations to be made – programme fit, location, and most certainly, how you will fund your studies and living expenses while you are studying. Developing a plan for funding your studies is an essential part of the puzzle to ensure you feel confident before starting, so there are minimal surprises along the way and you can keep your attention focused on your coursework when it matters most.

Read below about how three of our first-year students fund their studies and living expenses, what they budget in a month, and what they wish they had known before starting their master’s studies in Berlin.

Hi all! Can you please briefly introduce yourself? 

Student A: Hey! I’m a UK and German citizen, studying for a Master’s in International Affairs and focusing on international security. I chose the Hertie School because I’d wanted to live in Berlin for a long time. In my spare time, I love checking out different dance studios and going for runs along the Spree.

Student B: Hey, everyone! I’m from Koblenz, Germany. I am studying the Master of International Affairs, following the international security track with a focus on cybersecurity. 

Student C: Hi! I am from a small town in Canada. I am in the Master of International Affairs program at Hertie with an interest in sustainability integration and navigating the division surrounding it, specifically through tourism practices, urban policy, and national park integration. Aside from my studies, I was eager to study in Europe to travel to many neighbouring countries, including Germany, and learn more about this side of the world.

How do you fund your studies at the Hertie School? 

Student A: I fund my studies through a mix of sources. I received a 35% partial scholarship from the Hertie School and cover the remainder of my tuition fees through Brain Capital, while I finance my living expenses with personal savings, support from my family, and part-time work alongside my studies.

Student B: To fund the tuition fees, I received a partial scholarship of 25% from the Hertie School as part of the German foundations agreement, work at a management consultancy, and get some help from my family. 

My living expenses are covered by my scholarship at the Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes. Every scholarship holder gets 300€ per month, irrespective of their parents' income. Students who, due to low parental income, cannot rely on much financial support and would be eligible for state support programs (Bafög), get as much as they would get under a state program, with the benefit of not having to pay part of it back in the end. 

Student C: I fund my studies with a combination of scholarships, loans, and savings. I graduated from my undergrad in 2021 and shortly afterwards moved to Australia on a Working Holiday Visa. During this time, I lived, worked, and traveled. I was able to save a good chunk of money while working and put this into investments back home in Canada. I also applied for a partial scholarship through Hertie and was able to get a 25% scholarship. 

Lastly, I applied for a loan through my home province of Ontario in Canada, OSAP. However, it is important to note that I could not receive this loan until I was attending classes; I didn’t receive the loan until September/October. These three have given me a buffer to integrate into my Berlin life while I wait to get a part-time job/internship. The goal is to work part-time as soon as possible to allow extra income as well.

Can you briefly break down your monthly living expenses? 

Student A: I spend around €1,193 each month in Berlin. As a German, I do not have to pay for health insurance.

• 635€: Rent (two bedroom shared flat, warm)
• 330€: Groceries, toiletries, and other essentials
• 58€: Sport
• 170€: Other (going out, cafés, books, presents, clothes, any additional expenses)

Student B: I spend around €1100 in Berlin each month.

• 500€: Rent (shared sub-rented flat, warm)
• 350€: Groceries, food, and drinks during the day (I get a lot of coffee from time to time, which drives this up, definitely not necessary)
• 150€: Free time activities/consumption (also including my Netflix and Spotify subscription)
• 100€: Train tickets to family/partner

Student C: I roughly spend about 1,098€ per month in Berlin. 

• 672€: Rent (three-bedroom shared flat, warm)
• 240€: Groceries (I am a vegetarian, which I think saves me some money)
• 50€: Toiletries
• 100€: Entertainment (I don’t eat out too much, but will go out for drinks with friends once a week, drinks can range from 5-8€ per). Additionally, small activities like movies, workshops, etc.
• 36€: Health Insurance (I went with the private healthcare option by Klemmer, as being Canadian I already have healthcare at home and didn’t feel the public benefited me for the price, but many people also go with public)

How do your real monthly living expenses compare to your expectations before starting the programme? 

Student A: I previously lived in the Netherlands for my undergraduate degree, so I expected Berlin to be cheaper on average in terms of rent, groceries, and going out. Some things in Berlin are particularly affordable, such as swimming pool entry, drinks from the Späti, and a wide range of budget-friendly activities. I believe it is possible to live in Berlin on a lower budget, as both rent and grocery expenses can be cheaper.

Student B: I got really lucky with my rent for now, and I know that a lot of people pay prices that are quite high in Berlin. The groceries are actually quite okay. I did expect to pay more money for sports activities, until I found out about a pro tip I can give for everyone with a German public insurance: There are prevention courses that some insurances reimburse fully or at least partly (they are labeled as prevention courses, but they actually just operate normally). This saves me 250€ on reformer pilates every month. Otherwise, I can also recommend the offers from the Hochschulsport - the prices are really good!

Student C: I think rent was a bit more expensive than expected. You can find cheaper places, but because the market is so crowded, you just want to ensure you get something. My max budget before coming here was 500€ per month, but I accepted paying above that for the comfort of having a good place with people I like. Groceries were as expected. I think when going out, drinks cost a lot; however, if you buy prior to attending the bar and drink with friends, it is very cheap from supermarkets, which can save money. 

Were there any unexpected monthly costs that you wished you had known about?

Student C: When I budgeted to attend school in Europe, I calculated based on the exchange rate at the time. This was prior to Trump’s announcements of tariffs, which afterwards made the Canadian dollar drop significantly. Although a few cents don’t make a difference when working with small amounts, it made a massive difference when converting the total for tuition. So I recommend being actively aware of a changing exchange rate.

It's also helpful to be aware that if you are from a country outside of Europe, you cannot work until you receive your residence permit. I budgeted to start working part-time in October, but I didn't get my residence permit until the end of November, so I waited to start applying to jobs until I came back from break. It's a good idea to make sure you have additional savings since finding part-time work can be unpredictable. 

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Our Student Funding Team wants to support any prospective or incoming student in identifying an array of funding sources that can help make their study dreams come true. That’s why we created and continuously update the Funding Navigator with all types of study funding sources that might be available to you.

If you have further questions or concerns about how to fund your studies, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Student Funding Team at studentfunding[at]hertie-school[dot]org or attend one of their upcoming virtual events.