American considering university in Germany

I'm 28 and never went to university, and I've read that it's free for even international students in Germany, which honestly sounds too good to be true. What all would I need to know?

I've heard there are scholarships for some students to help pay for rent and food, how available are they? (I only have a GED, but my spouse also wants to go and has a bachelor's degree.) I don't know any German as of yet but I've heard many schools offer classes in English and also have German learning courses.

So... I guess I'm just curious if it's really as great as it sounds. Does anyone here have experience attending German university as an international student? I still have a long time to look into it (my apartment lease isn't up until August), but I want to know everything I can.