Education in Germany
Public universities in Germany are funded by the federal states and do not charge tuition fees. However, all enrolled students do have to pay a semester fee ("Semesterbeitrag"). This fee consists of an administrative fee for the university (only in some of the states), a fee for "Studentenwerk", which is a statutory student affairs organization, a fee for the university's AStA ("Allgemeiner Studentenausschuss", students' government) and "Studentenschaft" (students' union), at many universities a fee for public transportation, and possibly more fees as decided by the university's students' parliament (e.g., for a cooperation with a local theater granting free entry for students). Summed up, the semester fee usually ranges between €150 and €350.
Education in Germany
Only "Universitäten" have the right to confer doctorates and habilitations. Some universities use the term "research university" in international usage to emphasize their strength in research activity in addition to teaching, particularly to differentiate themselves from "Fachhochschulen". A university covering the full range of scientific disciplines in contrast to more specialized universities might refer to itself as "Volluniversität". Specialized universities which have the formal status of "Universität" include "Technische Universitäten", "Pädagogische Hochschulen" (Universities of Education), "Kunsthochschulen" (Universities of Arts) and "Musikhochschulen" (Universities of Music). The excellence initiative has awarded eleven universities with the title University of Excellence. Professors at regular universities were traditionally required to have a doctorate as well as a habilitation. Since 2002, the junior professorship was introduced to offer a more direct path to employment as a professor for outstanding doctoral degree.