| International tuition | No tuition fee |
| Application fee | Not listed |
| Living cost in Germany, per month | €900 to €1,200 |
Cologne charges no tuition fee to any student, EU or non-EU. All enrolled students pay a social contribution fee (Semesterbeitrag) each semester, covering the Kölner Studierendenwerk, the AStA student committee, university sport and the Germany-wide semester ticket; the university recalculates the exact amount every semester and a single current figure was not confirmed across the pages checked on 2026-09-07.
Applying through uni-assist is not free. uni-assist charges a handling fee of EUR 75 for the first application in a semester and EUR 30 for each further application in the same semester. The fee is not refunded whatever the outcome, and some universities cover it for their applicants. See https://www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/pay-all-fees/handling-fees/ (checked 7 September 2026).
- https://uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/international-applications
- https://uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/international-applications/master-students-prospective
- https://uni-koeln.de/en/studying-teaching/international/study-in-cologne/costs-financing
- https://uni-koeln.de/en/studium-lehre/international/studium-in-koeln/internationale-bewerbungen/bachelor-studium-staatsexamen/bewerbungsverfahren-fuer-nicht-eu-buergerinnen/application-procedure-for-non-eu-citizens-with-formal-university-entrance-qualification-studienstart-international-integrale
- https://studieninteressierte.uni-koeln.de/range_of_courses/index_eng.html?app=true&id=421
- https://uni-koeln.de/en/international/study-in-cologne/studienstart-international/certificate-intercultural-awareness/language-skills
- https://www.uni-assist.de/en/how-to-apply/pay-all-fees/handling-fees/