Is the rising cost of U.S. universities getting you down? Well, look no farther than Germany. German universities are free to all international students, including U.S. students. Can’t speak German? No worries. There are many international language programs in Germany, making it easier to learn the new language. Furthermore, more German universities are providing degrees in English, targeted at international students.

Even before Germany’s free tuition policy, typical tuition for a German university was about $630 per semester and students received discounts on food, clothing, transportation, and events. The tuition policy became official back in 2014 when the last German university abolished tuition fees for its students.

This policy is definitely helpful in encouraging students from all economic, academic, and social backgrounds to pursue a college education. This is something that is currently lacking in the U.S. higher education system. State support for higher education has been on a decline for the past 25 years according to CBS news. In our current economic climate, a college degree is a necessity for at least having a chance to provide for one’s self and/or family.

While making all U.S. universities tuition-free is easier said than done, we should at least be taking action to steadily lower the outrageous prices of pursuing a higher education.

For more on this topic, check out: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/get-a-free-college-degree-passport-required/

You can also check out the dwindling support for public colleges in this chart from the Chronicle of Higher Education.