Free College Education

[canadian bacon]

Interesting article about the free college education that is offered in Germany

I don't know how excited I would be to have my girls go across the pond for university but if US education costs keep rising...


http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32821678

[forummm]

College can be free or nearly free in the US too. You just have to do it intelligently. And if you can live with your parents you can save even the money the student in the study is spending on lodging.

But interesting to know that international students are free in Germany. Something to keep in mind. Thanks for posting.

[StockBeard]

My college education in France cost me a total of $1500 for 5 years (not including housing, food, etc... of course, but including books, which were basically provided as part of the costs).

With that, I got an engineer's degree and here I am 12 years later, working for one of the biggest corporations in the world, with a 6 figures salary.

US have some of the best universities in the world, but there's nothing that can justify the amounts being charged in the US for education today.

[LLCoolDave]

College can be free or nearly free in the US too. You just have to do it intelligently. And if you can live with your parents you can save even the money the student in the study is spending on lodging.

But interesting to know that international students are free in Germany. Something to keep in mind. Thanks for posting.

I got a four year degree a decade ago and it was definitely not free. You don't control how much $$$ your parents make and mine didn't contribute anything to my education but the gov't says they should. In ten years the tuition rate at my state school have doubled but minimum wage has only gone up 30% which is what most students make.

This makes Germany a very attractive option. Not so much for medical/law fields since you need local certification.

[forummm]

College can be free or nearly free in the US too. You just have to do it intelligently. And if you can live with your parents you can save even the money the student in the study is spending on lodging.

But interesting to know that international students are free in Germany. Something to keep in mind. Thanks for posting.

I got a four year degree a decade ago and it was definitely not free. You don't control how much $$$ your parents make and mine didn't contribute anything to my education but the gov't says they should. In ten years the tuition rate at my state school have doubled but minimum wage has only gone up 30% which is what most students make.

This makes Germany a very attractive option. Not so much for medical/law fields since you need local certification.

Community college for the first 2 years, and then 2 years at a state school is a great option. Even if you paid full price you could do it in many states for under $30k. But there are a ton of grants and scholarships available, including from the school. If your parents make a lot of money, many of them are harder to get, but not impossible.

You could still get a German undergrad and then go to medical or law school domestically.

[LLCoolDave]

My parents never made a lot of money. My local community college is $1500 for 15 credits in todays $$$. That's what I paid ten years ago for a 4 year in-state college that also offered many PhD's. The same college now is $3200 for undergrad per semester. There are several German universities that charge $500 per semester as per the link.

[big_slacker]

So... You need to get accepted. You can't just have a C average and no means and expect to get in to a good school. You need $$ to get over there, you'll do a *LOT* better if you speak German (other countries do this too FWIW), and you need money for housing which can be spendy (the article mentions this).

Also worth thinking about is what you'll be learning. Math is math, but business or law are obviously very different in the EU than US.

Not that I'm raining on the parade, it's a GREAT opportunity for any student not just for finances but to experience a different culture, learn a language, make friends and contacts abroad and who knows maybe even moving over there permanently!

But also consider your home state or city might have programs such as the one here that let you do 15 credit hours a quarter in community college that are recognized at the state schools, then scholarships, etc. whatever savings plan parents have been doing and you've got it a lot better than a kid just going full time after high school.

Or I'm a big fan of kids going into the trades as well and transitioning to your own shop/contracting/whatever as you get older.

[LLCoolDave]

Not that I'm raining on the parade, it's a GREAT opportunity for any student not just for finances but to experience a different culture, learn a language, make friends and contacts abroad and who knows maybe even moving over there permanently!

+1

[GreenPen]

I studied in Germany for 1 semester, and the DAAD actually paid me to go there. The scholarship/grant covered my flight and most of the cost of housing, and tuition was free. So it was definitely my cheapest semester, and a great way to travel. So they even offer grants to people who don't want to do their entire degree in Germany.

[2lazy2retire]

Yeah but with all that free stuff in those socialist countries - y'all come back as commies

[MVal]

I studied in Germany for 1 semester, and the DAAD actually paid me to go there. The scholarship/grant covered my flight and most of the cost of housing, and tuition was free. So it was definitely my cheapest semester, and a great way to travel. So they even offer grants to people who don't want to do their entire degree in Germany.

Wow, that's amazing! How could someone here in the States get involved in that? Do you have to already be in college? I got a BA about 9 years ago, but I would love to go to graduate school if I could only afford it.

[AZDude]

I would have loved to study in Germany for free for by undergrad degree. If my child wants to do that(she is 3 now, so not exactly an immediate decision) I would encourage and support her.

[captainawesome]

Had I known this when I was looking at various schools 12 years ago, I would have totally considered it. I came out with a free education regardless, but through my own efforts. The fact that people are writing articles directing other people to default on student loans because "they can't pay them" is ridiculous. It only adds to the cost of higher education for the future, and is in fact condoning stealing.  If I were a High School guidance counselor I would not sugar coat anything. Probably wouldn't have a job long, but at least the youth would get a very real outlook.

 I'll get off my soap box now.

[brainfart]

https://www.daad.de/en/
https://www.study-in.de/en/

I tried to help an American to get access to free university education in Germany about a dozen years ago.
He finally decided against it. Rather joined the Armed Forces and bought a Corvette before going to war.
Awesome choice he made.

[grantmeaname]

Interesting article about the free college education that is offered in Germany

I don't know how excited I would be to have my girls go across the pond for university but if US education costs keep rising...

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32821678

I like the thread, but the expectations in that article are ridiculous!

"You have to pay for my college, mom - do you want to pay this much or this much?"

I do like that the author of the article takes some time to explain why Germany offers free tuition to international students and why the mat works out favorably for the government when it does so.

[Dicey]

IIRC, in that vast frozen land to the north of US, college tuition is/was not free, but much more affordable than the same experience stateside and that foreigners from parts south with good grades are welome to grace their halls. I ask all you lovely Canadian Mustachians, is that still true?

[Lynne]

IIRC, in that vast frozen land to the north of US, college tuition is/was not free, but much more affordable than the same experience stateside and that foreigners from parts south with good grades are welome to grace their halls. I ask all you lovely Canadian Mustachians, is that still true?

Mmm, international tuition runs 3-4x what we pay, because the school doesn't get provincial funding for those students.  The exchange rate is more in your favour these days, so, maybe $15K-ish USD/year?  For university tuition.  Colleges are cheaper, and lots of people do two years at a college and transfer to a university to finish. (I think what we call college is what you call community college.  They do not grant four year degrees.)

I have the (possibly mistaken) impression that in-state tuition at a public institution is usually less than that Stateside.  So, probably no savings.  Unless one managed to get permanent residency first but that would be hard for someone without existing qualifications - maybe if they married a Canuck.  :)

[SanDiegoAli]

I served in the military and used the GI Bill to pay for both my bachelor's and master's degrees.  Definitely not a solution for everyone, but an option for lots of people.

[EricL]

I served in the military and used the GI Bill to pay for both my bachelor's and master's degrees.  Definitely not a solution for everyone, but an option for lots of people.

It's also not really free either. 

[Drifterrider]

Interesting article about the free college education that is offered in Germany

I don't know how excited I would be to have my girls go across the pond for university but if US education costs keep rising...


http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-32821678

There is no free lunch: someone pays for it.  Salaries, books, electricity, buildings, etc. 

[kpd905]

 maybe $15K-ish USD/year?

I have the (possibly mistaken) impression that in-state tuition at a public institution is usually less than that Stateside.

That is pretty similar in my experience, at least in Wisconsin.  I just checked the costs for where I got my undergrad, and for an in-state student the cost of tuition, fees, room and board is about $16,000.  However, it does jump up to about $24,000 for out of state students.

[2lazy2retire]

 maybe $15K-ish USD/year?

I have the (possibly mistaken) impression that in-state tuition at a public institution is usually less than that Stateside.

That is pretty similar in my experience, at least in Wisconsin.  I just checked the costs for where I got my undergrad, and for an in-state student the cost of tuition, fees, room and board is about $16,000.  However, it does jump up to about $24,000 for out of state students.

That 16k would just cover the tuition here in PA for in-state - but we do have the honor of holding positions 1 & 2 on the most expensive public college list .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/02/most-expensive-public-colleges-2013_n_5552031.html

[Bob W]

A good strategy in the states is to

A.  take advantage of the A+ program (your state may have a different name)  which basically gives 2  years of free college for keeping decent grades and attendance in highschool
B.  Take college credit course in college for a much reduced rate
C.  Test out of as many courses as possible

Following this strategy can get you 2.5 - 3 years of college free or greatly reduced.

Our state tuition is about 11K including books -- so it is easy to walk away with just 15K in total cost for college.   That can easily be earned in summers and 20 hours per week during school.

The kids walk out with zero debt.   And hopefully you taught them some MMM ways and they save 40K while there as well.  Add to that the 40K you saved towards their college and they are on their way to FIRE by age 30. 

[grantmeaname]

A.  take advantage of the A+ program (your state may have a different name)  which basically gives 2  years of free college for keeping decent grades and attendance in highschool

How many states actually offer one of these? I know Georgia's is famous; Ohio doesn't have one and spends its lottery revenue on whatever it damn well pleases because the state is run by morons.

[infogoon]

A lot of urban areas with struggling public school districts offer college scholarships to graduates, at least in part as an attempt to entice families to stay in the city after having kids. I don't know how well it's working in other cities, but I certainly plan to take advantage of the one here when my children graduate.

http://sayyesbuffalo.org/

My cousin's wife took advantage of a similar program in Chicago; she ended up graduating from the University of Chicago with no debt and earned herself a full ride to law school.

[tn3sport]

In Tennessee, community college is free for all graduating high school students. ALL, not just those with killer grades.

If major university is your flavor (Vanderbilt, UT, MTSU, etc) the best trick is to take as much dual-enrollment in HS as you are allowed. The state offers non-qualifing grants to refund the tuition you paid for those dual enrollment classes while in HS.  Also, take advantage of CLEP testing. Plus, Hope scholarship. If there's a will, there's a way. No reason to go into 6 digits of debt to get a college education.

[Milizard]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2015/06/kalamazoo_promise_significantl.html

Anyone hear of the Kalamazoo Promise?  It's just one city, but I think it's a great program.

[MrStash2000]

Here in Calif  where I went to school, a resident pays about $6500/year for tuition and fees in 2015 in the state university system (higher at the UC system). Like another poster above I was in the military and used the GI Bill to fund my education at no cost to me - plus I worked full time and my job also paid for a portion of my costs. I actually earned more money then it cost me to go to college.
Here's the 2015 fees for Cal State Long Beach:   http://web.csulb.edu/depts/enrollment/registration/fees_basics.html

If you are taking 7 Units or More:
 
Undergrad Tuition Fee
2,736.00
Facility
3.00   
Associated Students Inc.
60.00 
Instructionally Related Activities
25.00 
University Student Union
179.00
Student ID Card
5.00   
Student Excellence Fee
173.00
Student Health Center
45.00 
Total Tuition and Mandatory Fees
Per Semester
3,226.00

ETA: You can also greatly reduce your costs by going to a community college for the first 2 years of your undergrad work (much cheaper) and living at home during college.

Why do we need?

A student union fee - $179
A student excellence fee - $173

I don't get these types of fees that are much worse at higher $$$ schools. Is it like this at schools in Europe as well. Do schools in Europe have state of the art workout centers? Stadiums? Facilities?

I'm going to guess that they do not

[nobodyspecial]

Do schools in Europe have state of the art workout centers? Stadiums? Facilities?

"German universities consist almost entirely of classroom buildings and libraries—no palatial gyms with rock walls and water parks; no team sports facilities; no billion-dollar student unions with flat-screen TVs and first-run movie theaters. And forget the resort-style dormitories. What few dorms exist are minimalistic, to put it kindly"


http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2014/10/10/germany_college_is_free_there_even_for_foreign_students_why.html

[MrStash2000]

This is why I can't get behind free college in the U.S.

It is more entertainment and lifestyle than learning.