Technical University of Munich (TUM)

TUM at a glance

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is a public university in Munich, and its Master's programs in computer science, data and engineering are among the most applied-to in Germany by Indian students.

The one thing to know before anything else: TUM is not free for Indian students any more. Since the winter semester 2024/25, TUM charges tuition to new students from outside the EU, which includes India. For most of the tech Master's programs Indian students look at, that is €6,000 per semester, or €24,000 for a standard two-year Master's. Many older websites, and some coaching centres, still say TUM is free. That was true until 2024; it is not true now.

What it really costs

There are three separate costs. Parents often mix them up, so here they are one by one.

1. Tuition: €4,000 or €6,000 per semester. The amount is fixed per program, and TUM lists it on each program's page. Examples, checked on TUM's site:

Tuition is only charged to students who newly enrolled from the winter semester 2024/25 onwards.

2. Semester fee: €97 per semester. Every student pays this, German or international. It is the student union contribution, paid before you enrol and again before every new semester (deadlines 15 September for winter and 15 March for summer).

3. Living costs: shown through a blocked account. For the student visa, Germany asks you to prove you can cover your living costs, usually by depositing €11,904 for the first year in a blocked account. This is not a fee. It is your own money, released to you at €992 a month once you are in Germany. See our blocked account guide.

So for the first year of an Informatics Master's, the money you need to have ready is roughly: €12,000 tuition + €194 semester fees + €11,904 in the blocked account = about €24,100, of which the €11,904 is your living money, not a payment to anyone.

Munich is one of Germany's most expensive cities, so in practice many students spend more than €992 a month, mainly because of rent.

Can you reduce the tuition?

Yes, in some cases. TUM runs its own scholarships and waivers for international students who pay tuition:

• Merit-based waiver for new Master's students. Covers tuition for the first two semesters. It is decided on academic performance, and you need an official ranking certificate from your Indian college. Apply 1 January to 31 May for a winter start, or 1 November to 15 January for a summer start.
• Need-based waiver. For students in financial hardship, assessed using bank statements, family income and asset documents. If granted, it covers the standard length of your degree. Same application windows as above, first semester only.
• Waivers for current students (3rd semester onwards). Based on your results at TUM, for two semesters at a time, renewable.
• TUM scholarship for international students. A one-time grant of €500 to €1,800 per semester.

These are competitive, so plan your budget as if you will pay the full tuition, and treat any waiver as a bonus. Details are on TUM's scholarships and waivers page.

Getting in: what TUM looks at

TUM does not use a simple cutoff. Most Master's programs use a two-stage aptitude assessment:

1. Stage 1: TUM scores your bachelor's grades, how well your subjects match the TUM program, and your written documents (such as a statement of purpose).
2. Stage 2 (if you are borderline after stage 1): an interview or, for Informatics, a written test covering maths, theory of computation and practical computer science.

The GRE/GATE rule for Indian applicants. For M.Sc. Informatics and M.Sc. Data Engineering and Analytics, applicants with a degree from India must submit either:

• GRE General, with at least 164 in Quantitative Reasoning and 4.0 in Analytical Writing, or
• GATE Computer Science, with at least that year's minimum qualifying score.

That GRE score is high: 164 Quant is well above an average score, so start preparing early.

Subject match matters as much as grades. TUM compares your bachelor's courses to its own bachelor's program in the same subject. A high CGPA with missing core subjects can still lead to rejection. Our ECTS credit mapping guide explains how to check this.

Other documents most Indian applicants need:

• An APS certificate. Apply 4 to 5 months before your deadline.
• English proof: IELTS Academic 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 88 at minimum, or proof that at least 50% of your degree was taught in English. Check your program's page, as some ask for more.

Deadlines

TUM accepts applications twice a year for most Master's programs.

For Indian students, apply early in the window, not on the last day. After admission you still need your visa, blocked account and housing, and German visa appointments in India can take weeks. For a winter start, aim to apply by the end of March.

Popular Master's programs for Indian students

Most Indian applicants to TUM choose computer science, data or robotics. Four programs come up most often:

• M.Sc. Informatics, TUM's main computer science Master's: taught in English at Garching, 4 semesters (120 ECTS), €6,000 per semester. GRE or GATE needed for Indian degrees.
• M.Sc. Data Engineering and Analytics: data systems and analytics, mostly in English (some courses may be in German), Garching, 4 semesters, €6,000 per semester. GRE or GATE needed for Indian degrees.
• M.Sc. Robotics, Cognition, Intelligence: taught in German and English, so you need both languages to apply. Garching, 4 semesters, €6,000 per semester.
• M.Sc. Management and Technology: business plus a technology specialisation, in Munich. Mostly English, but only the Computer Engineering and Industrial Engineering specialisations can be done fully in English. €4,000 per semester.

To see how TUM compares with other universities for computer science, open the MS Computer Science in Germany comparison.

Where you'll live

Campus. Computer science and data students study at Garching, TUM's largest campus, north of Munich. The U6 metro line runs from Marienplatz in the city centre to Garching-Forschungszentrum in about 30 minutes, so many students live in the city or along the U6 line.

Student housing. The Munich student services office (Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern) runs halls of residence with rents from about €262 to €440 a month, averaging about €400. These are far cheaper than private rooms in Munich, but the waiting list is one to seven semesters depending on the hall. You can join the waiting list once you apply, even before you have your admission letter, so do it as early as possible. Apply on the Studierendenwerk website.

Most new students cannot get a hall place for their first semester and rent a room in a shared flat (a WG) instead, which costs noticeably more in Munich.

Who TUM is a good fit for

• A strong choice if you have a high CGPA from a computer science or closely related degree, a strong GRE Quant score or GATE score, and a budget that covers about €12,000 a year in tuition on top of living costs.
• Think carefully if your budget assumes free tuition. Several public universities in other German states still charge no tuition to Indian students. See our MS Computer Science in Germany comparison to compare.

Sources

Every figure on this page comes from these official pages, checked on 4 October 2026:

• TUM: Tuition fees for students from non-EU countries
• TUM: Scholarships and waivers
• TUM: Semester fee for Munich and Garching
• TUM: Language certificates
• TUM program pages: Informatics, Data Engineering and Analytics, Robotics, Cognition, Intelligence, Management and Technology
• TUM School of CIT: Master Informatics and Master Data Engineering and Analytics
• Studierendenwerk München Oberbayern: Halls of residence

Fees and rules change. Always confirm on TUM's own program page before you pay or apply.