MS in Computer Science in Germany vs USA

Here are some of the key advantages and disadvantages of pursuing Masters in Computer Science in Germany when compared to the equivalent in the US:

Advantages

  • Zero tuition fee: state-funded universities offer free education. Private universities charge tuition fee, which is also comparatively low.
  • Research facilities are good.
  • Cheap living compared to the US. You can cover up to 80% of your monthly living expenses by working part-time with some professors, helping them in their on-going research projects.
  • Good opportunities with startups in Berlin and Munich.
  • Less expensive health insurance.
  • Better work-life balance.

Disadvantages

  • Lower paying part-time jobs as well as fewer opportunities in Germany when compared to the US. However, you should note that you get paid enough to meet your monthly expenses.
  • You need to learn the German language for easier day-to-day living as well as better access to part-time opportunities.
  • Out of Times top 100 universities, 37 are in the US whereas only 19 are in Europe. The US has a large number of good universities, offering every possible specialization and a range of courses.

Bonus points

  • With a German student visa, you can travel anywhere within Europe.
  • You can stay up to 1.5 years after completing your Masters to search for a job.
  • Great career opportunities for you – by some estimates, there is a shortage of over 100K engineers and IT professionals with average salaries around $60K a year.
  • You can work for a maximum of 90 days per year (full time) or 180 days per year (part-time). And the best part is you don’t require an additional work permit. So, by working part-time you can cover the majority of your living expenses.
  • If you do well in your internships, you have a good chance of getting a full-time placement.

Top Schools in Germany offering MS in Computer Science and Engineering MS in English

For international students interested in applying to German universities with a possibility of scholarships, here is a list of programs at various universities along with their application deadlines.

UniversityProgramsApplication Deadline
#1 FAU Erlangen-NürnbergAdvanced Signal Processing and Communications Engineering15 April
#2 SRH University HeidelbergApplied Computer Science, Information Technology1 April, 1 October
#3 University of Applied Sciences MittweidaApplied Mathematics in Digital Media15 May
#4 TH Köln (University of Applied Sciences)Automation & IT, Communication Systems and Networks, Computer Science NA
#5 Esslingen University of Applied SciencesAutomotive Systems31 March
#6 Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-SiegAutonomous Systems1 July, 15 January
#7 Bielefeld UniversityBehavior: From Neural Mechanisms to Evolution1 October
#8 TU MünchenBiomedical Computing, Computational Mechanics, Data Engineering and Analytics, Informatics – Games Engineering31 May
#9 FAU Erlangen-NürnbergCommunications and Multimedia Engineering15 March
#10 RWTH Aachen UniversityCommunications Engineering, Computational Engineering Science, Media Informatics1 March, 15 July
#11 FAU Erlangen-NürnbergComputational Engineering15 April
#12 University of StuttgartComputational Linguistics, Computer Science, Information Technology15 July, 15 January
#13 Saarland UniversityComputer and Communications Technology, Language Science and Technology, Mathematics and Computer Science, Media Informatics15 May, 15 November
#14 University of KonstanzComputer and Information Science15 May, 1 December
#15 TU KaiserslauternComputer Science, Embedded Computing Systems30 April, 31 October
#16 Bauhaus-Universität Weimar Computer Science and Media, Human-Computer Interaction15 July, 15 January
#17 University of Magdeburg Data and Knowledge Engineering15 June, 15 December
#18 University of Hildesheim Data Analytics31 July, 15 September
#19 Rhine-Waal University of Applied SciencesDigital Media15 January
#20 University of Applied Sciences and Arts DortmundProject Management15 July
#21 Fulda University of Applied Sciences Global Software Development15 October, 15 April
#22 University of Tübingen Neural Information Processing, Computational Linguistics15 January
#23 Hamburg University of TechnologyInformation and Communication Systems31 March
#24 Kiel University of Applied SciencesInformation Engineering30 April, 31 October
#25 Rhine-Waal University of Applied SciencesInformation Engineering and Computer Science, Usability Engineering15 July, 15 January
#26 Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences Information Technology (IT)15 April
#27 Bielefeld University Intelligent Systems15 July
#28 Berlin University of Technology Computational Neuroscience15 March
#29 TU Darmstadt Information and Communication Engineering15 June
#30 TU Dresden Computational Logic31 May
#31 University of Applied Sciences WedelIT Engineering31 August, 28 February
#32 Darmstadt University of Applied SciencesComputer Science1 September
#33 South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences  International Management & Information Systems 15 November, 15 May
#34 Leuphana University Lüneburg Management & Data Science 1 June
#35 Ruhr University Bochum Cognitive ScienceNA
#36 Ulm University Cognitive Systems NA
#37 Paderborn UniversityComputer Engineering, Computer Science 31 May, 30 November
#38 Jacobs University BremenComputational Life Science, Data Engineering 1 June
#39 Computational Life Science Computer Science 1 June, 15 December
#40 University of Passau Computer Science15 January, 30 June
#41 University of Siegen Computer Science 30 April
#42 Kiel University Digital Communications 1 April
#43 University of Münster Information Systems31 May, 30 November
#44 Universität HamburgIntelligent Adaptive Systems31 March
#45 University of BambergInternational Software Systems Science1 June, 1 December
#46 University of Koblenz-LandauMathematical Modelling of Complex Systems15 July, 15 December
#47 University of AugsburgSoftware Engineering1 May
#48 University of Koblenz-LandauWeb Science15 May, 15 November
#49 Ilmenau University of Technology Media Technology Rolling
#50 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Neuro-Cognitive Psychology1 March
#51 Ilmenau University of Technology Computer & Systems Engineering30 March, 15 July
#52 Heilbronn UniversitySoftware Engineering and Management15 July

References: DAAD