Study Materials Science and Engineering in Germany

During materials science and engineering studies, you will learn how to develop novel materials and technologies, which are used in a broad spectrum of applications and industries, including medical engineering, aerospace engineering, and the automotive industry. In this field, you can choose from a vast variety of specialisations. In addition to the more natural science-based material sciences, which deal with the structural composition of materials, and the more engineering focused materials engineering, where manufacturing processes play the leading role, there are numerous other areas of study:

• Clothing engineering
• Foundry engineering
• Glass engineering
• Ceramics
• Plastics engineering
• Metal engineering
• Paper engineering
• Textile engineering
• Materials technology

Most degree programmes in this field include a practical phase (internship). You will also spend time in state-of-the-art laboratories conducting research and practising your skills.

That is not enough for you, you want even more practical experience? Some higher education institutions also offer their degree programmes in the field of materials science and engineering as dual courses of study. This allows you to expand your practical units during your studies and get a taste of what it’s like to work in a company.

Bachelor’s degree programmes often have a standard period of study of six semesters. Courses that include longer practical phases can take seven or eight semesters. A Master’s programme is often structured over the course of three to four semesters. By the way, you can also study materials science and engineering and receive a German Diplom at some higher education institutions. As a rule, you should plan for about ten semesters to complete a Diplom degree.

By the way: Having English language skills is often important for successfully studying materials science and engineering programmes. In some cases, entire degree programmes, but also individual courses, are offered in English. Some of the specialist literature is also only available in English.

To be admitted to a degree programme, you primarily need the general or subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, the university of applied sciences entrance qualification or an equivalent. You don’t have one of these qualifications, but would still like to study? Some higher education institutions grant admission if you can show that you have completed an apprenticeship at the “Meister” level.

Apart from this, only a few degree programmes have further admission restrictions. However, degree programmes may have a numerus clausus (NC), i.e. a minimum grade requirement, or higher education institutions require a completed internship as a prerequisite for admission. Some higher education institutions may also have their own admission procedures, selection procedures or aptitude tests. It’s best to find out as early as possible!

How expensive your studies will ultimately be will depend on many different factors and therefore cannot be quantified easily. However, if you pay attention to certain things, you can compile your list of costs. The largest foreseeable expenses at a glance:

• Costs for studying: In most cases, there are no tuition fees at public higher education institutions. However, please note that there may be exceptions. Instead, there are usually semester contributions, for which you can budget between 100 and 400 euros per semester, depending on the institution. 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. Further costs may arise from learning materials, books or laboratory work. Here, the expenses depend on the respective module and/or the possibility of borrowing books, among other things.
• Rent: Most students in Germany move out to study. However, renting is generally not very cheap, which is why student halls of residence or shared flats are popular types of accommodation. This means that you not only have significantly lower costs compared to a single flat, but you can also share your everyday life with other students. However, it is impossible to predict how expensive your rent will be in the end: there are very big differences between German cities. 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.
• Cost of living: How much do you spend on food per month? How often do you go out partying or buy clothes? Will you have to pay money to a health insurance company? How high are your mobile phone and internet bills? Do you use streaming services? These are all examples of questions you can ask yourself to calculate how much money you need to live on each month.

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.

Did you know that a large part of all technical innovations is based on material developments? This shows how future-oriented the field of materials science and engineering is; especially concerning the increasingly important topic of effectiveness and sustainability in the use of resources. Conversely, this means that you can look forward to very good career prospects and salaries in most professions! Depending on your specialisation, you can choose from different and varied occupational areas:

For example, you can find work in transport technology, aerospace, mechanical engineering, environmental and energy technology, micro-electrical and communications engineering, but also in the chemical industry, medical technology or even in the preservation of historical monuments.

Engineers in the material sciences and engineering field often work in fundamental research at institutions of higher education or research institutes. You may also find work in research and development or quality management in various industries. In addition to roles in process and product development as well as production planning and control, you can also work with laboratory analyses or in technical sales. You can also find employment in the public sector, for example at the Federal Institute for Materials Testing. As a product engineer, you can also become self-employed.