Study Food Technology in Germany

A degree programme in food technology covers the entire food value chain, and considers it in terms of technological, technical, economic, and scientific aspects. The aim is often to make food more durable and safer, and to maintain its quality at the same time. In addition, innovative food should be produced that appeals to the clientele or covers food allergies or meets the desire for more sustainability.

A course of study in this field provides you with a practice-oriented education with a scientific foundation. Physical, chemical, microbiological, process technological, legal, and economic aspects of food production are addressed. You can specialise in areas like process technology, drying technology, bioprocess engineering, environmental technology, and many more. Generally, you should have a great interest in technology and natural sciences.

The scope of the food technology field also includes beverage technology and brewing.

Courses of study where you graduate with a German “Diplom” have become rather rare in this field, but there are still a few. As far as degrees are concerned, you can usually obtain a Bachelor/Master of Engineering or a Bachelor/Master of Science. For a Bachelor’s degree, you usually need about six to seven semesters, a Master’s degree can be obtained in three to four semesters.

The application requirements for a Bachelor’s programme in food technology vary greatly depending on the higher education institutions. For some, you need a university entrance qualification equivalent to the German Abitur; for others, a technical diploma, a German “Meister” certificate or even a vocational qualification (without Abitur) in a related field is sufficient. Further admission restrictions for Bachelor’s programmes, such as a numerus clausus (NC), i.e. a minimum grade, are rather rare.

In order to apply for a Master’s programme in food technology, you usually have to prove that you have a thematically relevant Bachelor’s degree. Some higher education institutions also require a minimum grade in the range of 2.

All in all, it makes sense to find out early on which prerequisites you have to fulfil for the individual degree programmes. You can do this directly here via My GUIDE!

The requirements regarding an internship also vary. On average, a six- to an eight-week internship is required; sometimes before the application to study, sometimes up to the fourth semester, or even only for successful graduation. Generally, practical experience is emphasised in this degree programme. Therefore, dual study programmes are also an option for you if you want to have one foot in the professional world from the start. Distance learning programmes are also offered in Germany in the field of food technology if you want to remain flexible in terms of time and location.

Food technology is not offered at all higher education institutions in Germany, but you still have the choice between universities, technical universities or universities of applied sciences. The good thing about studying in Germany is that you never have to pay tuition fees at a state higher education institution! There are a few exceptions to this rule, but if you remain flexible about where you want to study, you can always find a place to study without paying tuition fees. By the way, studying is not completely free, but you usually only have to pay about 100 to 400 euros per semester; this is the so-called semester contribution. 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. At private higher education institutions, on the other hand, you have to reckon with high tuition fees.

Your other costs also depend greatly on where you study. In large cities or in cities that are particularly popular with students, you may have to pay significantly more rent than in smaller and less popular towns. In any case, student halls of residence are usually your cheapest option. As soon as you have decided on where you want to study, you should start looking, as halls of residence can fill up quickly. Here, you can find information on local halls of residence and the respective application process for most cities.

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.

With a degree in food technology, you can take on a wide range of tasks: from the selection and purchase of raw materials to the planning of production facilities and the quality assurance of end products.

You can also branch out and work in neighbouring industries, such as pharmaceutical companies or the cosmetics industry, due to your broad qualification profile, which also includes knowledge of traditional mechanical engineering and competencies from the food industry. Or you can find a job in a public agency, for example in the area of food monitoring or industry control.

If you specialise in beverage technology and brewing, you will be dealing with either the production of beverages in general or the brewing of beer in particular. In addition to the development of new beverages, you too will be engaged in the procurement and assessment of raw materials, the optimal organisation of production steps, quality assurance systems, and production plants.

Your potential starting salary depends on various factors, including your future employer’s industry, the function, the size of the company or the region.