How to Study at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) as an International Student: The Complete 2026 Guide

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is ranked 25th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027, the highest of any university in the European Union, and TUM says it is also among the world's top 25 in the Times Higher Education rankings. For Indian students who want to study in Germany, it is one of the strongest names in engineering and technology. It is also a university in transition: since winter semester 2024/25, TUM charges tuition to new non-EU students. Knowing precisely how those fees work — and how to reduce them — is the insider knowledge that puts you ahead of other applicants.

Founded in 1868, TUM is a research powerhouse: 19 Nobel Prizes for researchers and alumni since 1927, 7 Clusters of Excellence, 280 ERC grants, and an entrepreneurial culture that produced 115 start-ups in 2025 alone. For Indian students planning to study in Europe, it is one of the most direct routes into German engineering and technology careers.

TUM at a Glance

That 45% international share is the number to remember. Nearly half of TUM's students come from outside Germany, which means you join a campus built around international students — with the support services to match.

TUM Tuition Fees for Non-EU Students

For decades, public universities in Bavaria charged no tuition. TUM changed that for non-EU students newly enrolling from winter semester 2024/25. The fees remain modest by global standards for a top-25 university — and they vary by programme, so always check the individual degree page.

• Semester fee on top: all students pay a semester fee that depends on the campus — for summer semester 2026 it is €97 in Munich, Garching, Weihenstephan and Heilbronn, and €82 in Straubing.
• Exempt from tuition: EU/EEA citizens, doctoral students, exchange students, students with a higher education entrance qualification obtained in the German education system, and those with established domestic ties under Section 8 BAföG.
• Already enrolled before 2024/25? Students who started before winter semester 2024/25 and continue in the same programme do not pay the new fees.
• Payment deadlines for first enrolment: 15 September for winter semester and 15 March for summer semester.
• One detail to know early: attending a Studienkolleg does not exempt you from tuition in a later TUM bachelor's programme.

What Can You Study at TUM?

TUM offers 177 degree programmes across engineering, computation, natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, management and social sciences. Its campuses include the city centre in Munich, the science and engineering hub at Garching, the life-sciences campus at Weihenstephan, and campuses at Heilbronn and Straubing.

1. Informatics and Data

The M.Sc. Informatics is taught usually in English at Garching over four semesters (120 ECTS). Admission runs through an aptitude assessment: your bachelor's grades and written documents are scored, and top candidates may be invited to interview. At bachelor's level, the B.Sc. Informatics is taught in German, with some courses in English.

2. Engineering

The M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering at Garching is taught in German and English — TUM notes there are enough English modules to complete the degree entirely in English — and focuses on the sustainable design of mechanical engineering processes and products. It is a natural fit for Indian BE and BTech graduates in mechanical, automotive and production engineering.

3. Management and Technology

TUM's management programmes blend business with engineering and technology. At bachelor's level, programmes such as Management and Technology, Management and Data Science and Sustainable Management and Technology assess English as part of the aptitude assessment itself, rather than requiring a separate certificate.

Admissions for Indian Students: Your MS in Germany at TUM

Master's Degrees

• Application windows are programme-specific. The M.Sc. Informatics accepts winter-semester applications from 1 February to 31 May and summer-semester applications from 1 October to 30 November. The M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering runs 1 April to 31 May for winter and 1 October to 30 November for summer.
• English proof must be ready by the deadline for programmes that require it — so book your IELTS or TOEFL early.

Bachelor's Degrees

TUM treats you as an international applicant if you completed school outside the German system. Before applying, check how your qualification is recognised using the DAAD admission database and anabin. DAAD India explains that an Indian Class XII certificate does not give direct admission on its own — except with a valid IIT-JEE Advanced result — with one year of university study in India or a Studienkolleg as the alternatives. Applicants with a non-German qualification may also need preliminary documentation (VPD), typically issued through uni-assist. The B.Sc. Informatics application window, for instance, runs 15 May to 15 July for winter semester.

The Real Cost of TUM in 2026-27

Put together, a master's student in Munich should plan for roughly €12,200 in university charges plus €15,600 to €24,000 in living costs for a year, using TUM's own ranges. The blocked account covers part of your living costs — it is money released back to you at €992 a month — so the gap to plan for is the difference between that and Munich's real cost of living. The figure is tied to the BAföG rate and can change, so confirm it with the German Embassy before you transfer funds.

Visa, Work and Staying On in Germany

• Blocked account: the German missions in India require €992 per month, usually shown as €11,904 in a blocked account for the first year. A scholarship of €1,000 or more per month, or an official German sponsorship letter, can replace it.
• Start early: you do not need an admission letter to begin the visa process, and the German missions note that processing can take several months.
• Working while studying: since 1 March 2024, 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year. Student jobs at the university do not count towards the limit.
• After graduation: up to 18 months of residence to find a job appropriate to your degree, with the freedom to take up any employment in the meantime — then a switch to a work permit such as the EU Blue Card.

Applying from Bangalore and Karnataka

If you are applying from Bangalore or elsewhere in Karnataka — including as an engineering graduate from one of the state's colleges — here is how the TUM process works from home.

• Your visa is handled in Bangalore. The German Consulate General in Bengaluru covers Karnataka and Kerala and handles visa applications from residents of those states only. It sits at the corner of St. Marks Road and Residency Road. You can book a VFS Global appointment for a paper application, or apply online for your long-stay student visa through the digital portal.
• APS goes to New Delhi, wherever you live. The Academic Evaluation Centre (APS India) is at the German Embassy in New Delhi, and it lists no Bangalore office. You register online and send your documents to its New Delhi address, so leave time for courier and for APS to verify your records with your board and university.
• Karnataka II PUC holders: DAAD India's rules on direct admission are written for Indian Class XII certificates in general and do not name individual boards. If you passed II PUC with the Karnataka School Examination and Assessment Board, check your route (JEE Advanced, one year of university, or Studienkolleg) with TUM and in the anabin database before you apply.
• Graduates of Karnataka universities — VTU, Bangalore University, IISc, NITK Surathkal, Manipal or one of Bangalore's autonomous engineering colleges — should look up both their university and their exact degree in anabin, then compare the transcript with the programme's admission regulations. TUM does not publish a list of Indian institutions, so the programme's own criteria decide.
• Getting there: flight options from Kempegowda International Airport (BLR) change by season, so compare current direct and one-stop routes to Germany when you book.

Falcon Nova's office is in Hebbal, North Bangalore — 7th floor, Kirloskar Business Park. You can book a free counselling session there in person or online, and bring your marks cards and transcripts along.

Is TUM Right for You?

TUM is an outstanding choice if you want a top-25 university for engineering, computing or the natural sciences, in and around Munich, for a fraction of UK or US tuition. The new fees are real, but at €2,000 to €6,000 per semester — with scholarships and waivers you can apply for every semester — they keep TUM highly competitive on value. Plan around the Munich cost of living, start your APS and English test early, and target the programme whose aptitude criteria fit your profile best. Do that, and TUM becomes a very achievable goal.