International Relations & Public Policy in Germany

Yes. Leading public universities offer fully English-taught M.A. and M.Sc. programs, including FU Berlin / Humboldt University / University of Potsdam (Joint MA IR), Willy Brandt School of Public Policy (University of Erfurt), University of Duisburg-Essen, University of Bremen, and TUM Munich School of Politics and Public Policy.

Entry-level policy analysts, public affairs consultants, program managers in NGOs, and corporate government relations specialists earn average starting salaries ranging from €50,000 to €72,000 per year. Candidates entering global management consultancies or international organisations often command higher starting offers.

The Hertie School in Berlin is an elite private school of governance. Located at the heart of German policymaking in Berlin, it offers internationally accredited Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of International Affairs (MIA) degrees, featuring direct networking with European ministries, global think tanks, and policy research centres.

The DAAD Helmut-Schmidt-Programme is a prestigious, fully funded scholarship for future leaders from developing and emerging countries. It covers full tuition fees, a monthly stipend of €992, travel allowances, and health insurance for public policy Master's degrees at selected German partner universities (e.g., University of Erfurt, Passau, Magdeburg).

Yes. Public Policy programs in Germany are interdisciplinary and welcome applicants with undergraduate degrees in Economics, Business, Law, or Environmental Science. Candidates with strong quantitative backgrounds in economics or statistics are valued for policy analysis tracks.

Curricula emphasise empirical policy tools, including R and STATA (for econometric modelling and causal inference), Python (for web scraping political data and text analytics), SPSS, QGIS (for spatial policy mapping), and qualitative coding software like MAXQDA.

Top employers include:

• International Organisations & NGOs: United Nations (UN Campus Bonn), EU Agencies, OECD, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Transparency International.

• Think Tanks & Political Foundations: Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), SWP Berlin.

• Consulting & Public Affairs: McKinsey, BCG, PwC, Roland Berger, Brunswick Group, APCO Worldwide, and government affairs arms of major corporations (BMW, Siemens, DHL).

For international NGOs, global policy think tanks, foreign embassies, international organisations, and multinational corporate affairs, English is often the primary working language. However, for positions inside German federal ministries (Bundesministerien), state government agencies (Landesbehörden), and domestic political consultancies, fluent German (C1 level) is required.

Yes. Non-EU international students can legally work up to 140 full days or 280 half days per calendar year. Working 12 to 20 hours per week as a student worker (Werkstudent) as a junior policy researcher, grant writer, or communications assistant in Berlin or Bonn lets you earn €15 to €23/hour while building policy networks.

An M.A. in International Relations focuses on global diplomacy, foreign policy analysis, international law, security dynamics, and inter-state theoretical frameworks. A Master of Public Policy (MPP) is an applied, problem-solving degree focusing on evidence-based policy design, program evaluation, public budgeting, regulatory design, and organisational leadership.

Yes. Most 2-year Master's programs require or strongly encourage a mandatory 3- to 6-month policy internship (Praktikum). Students regularly intern inside the German Bundestag, foreign ministries, UN agencies in Bonn, or European Parliament offices, providing direct professional experience.

The Willy Brandt School of Public Policy at the University of Erfurt is Germany's oldest public policy school located at a public university. It offers a fully English-taught Master of Public Policy (MPP) program attracting students from over 50 countries, emphasising international development, conflict management, and public management.