German universities are not only state-owned, but also non-governmental. The latter are approximately equally represented by clerical higher educational institutions and secular private ones. According to statistics, over 120 thousand people studied in them in 2023, and at least a third of foreigners.
At the same time, the institution of non-state universities itself is relatively young: until 1980, German laws did not allow private higher education, the first non-state university Witten-Herdecke was founded only in 1982.
Both then and now, there was an active public discussion around the very fact of the existence of educational institutions where you can get higher education for money, and a lot of it. Many conservative politicians and public figures insist that private universities should be banned, but this position is not particularly popular in society at large. Now there are 127 independent universities in Germany, and 70% of them have appeared in the last 20 years.
Advantages of private universities and studying in them
- Individual approach
As a rule, there are fewer students in non-state universities compared to public ones, so teachers can devote more time to each student, they actively respond to students' requests and can contact them not only through official channels, but also privately.
- International focus
90% of the programs of German private universities are conducted in English, allowing in the future the graduate to study not only at German, but also at any other English-speaking universities - both in Europe and beyond.
- Partnership with companies and organizations
Many private German universities are connected by partnerships with large international and national companies, teachers concurrently occupy positions in top management and among middle managers. Students of private universities, as a rule, have no problems with internships , and there are much fewer obstacles with employment.
- Guaranteed employment
Another aspect of the close relationship between business and the university is the possibility of guaranteed employment. This option is not available everywhere, but some universities offer it on different terms: somewhere we can talk about cashback from 30 to 50% of tuition fees if a graduate fails to find a job within six months, somewhere about an advantage when considering a resume.
On the other hand, one should not think that without quotas and guarantees, a graduate of a private university in Germany has nowhere to go. This is not true at all, and paid education does not mean that it is of low quality! For example, the medical school at Universität Witten Herdecke is considered the best in Germany, and the Bucerius Law School in Hamburg is in no way inferior to the famous Humboldt-Universität.
Disadvantages of private universities
It is only fair that, after considering the virtues, we also mention the faults.
- High cost of studying
On average, depending on the specialty, studying at a public German university is 2-3 times cheaper than at a private one, and if we are talking about medicine, pharmacy or engineering, the gap can be even greater.
- Lack of scholarships
German public universities pay scholarships, although not as generous as in the United States or Great Britain, but the same cannot be said about private ones. The only thing you can count on is a "learn, pay then" model, a deferred payment model: you pay your tuition fees after you complete your education and find a permanent job.
- Uneven quality and lack of universal standards
Not every private university in Germany is worth applying to. Non-state educational institutions are not bound by the standards set by federal or state authorities, so among private universities there are both passing options and truly elite educational institutions, whose graduates have stunning prospects.
When choosing a private university, you should be guided by positions in rankings, both international and national. The most authoritative are the annual ranking of the tabloid Handelsblatt, the official ranking of the country's Center for Higher Education. It is also important to check whether the university is accredited by the state or at least the state authorities, look at reviews on special resources or on social networks, communicate with teachers and alumni, and finally, visit the university in person.
It is important to understand that not all private universities are rated equally. For example, in the humanities or medicine, there are private educational institutions, whose diploma will be even more prestigious than the state one, and will certainly arouse greater interest from employers. Graduates of non-state universities are even more valued in areas related to the media, media management, personnel management, design, but in engineering and technical specialties, preference is given to graduates of state universities.
Better longer, but better?
One of the areas in which private universities outstrip public universities is the total duration of study. In private universities the bachelor's program here lasts the same three years on average (there are longer options for some specialties).
Another point in which private universities bypass public ones is the number of students, especially the number of students per teacher. The more of them, the more intense the educational process is, the less time teachers will have for you personally – the so-called contact hours. Accordingly, in private universities, the situation is reversed, and there is no need for overtime (as well as for paid additional semesters).
What about getting a job?
State universities live "on state allowances", so they are "forced" to teach everyone, without looking back at the practical demand for the specialty. In private higher education, the situation is different, because they have to earn their own living on their own, hence the attention to changes in the labor market. For example, today they actively "supply" businessmen, high-level IT specialists and engineers.
Another fundamental difference between private and public universities is the attitude to fundamental and applied science: in public universities, it is in the center of attention, while in private universities they prefer practical employment.
