German education isnothing like the education system in any other country. One of the biggest reasons behind the claim is that most of the programs are conducted in Germany itself. The students do not need to pay the tuition fees as are they are funded by the German government. However, the students are required to pay a nominal amount in the name of an Administration Fee ahead of every academic year. On the other hand,Private universities can be expensive; needless to say, the fees are paid out by the students.
It is not very easy to get intoa private university, as they are lesser in number compared to a private university. The liberal German law states that education must be offered to each andeveryone, and it also should be able to afford. Having said that, they waived off the college tuition fees in some areas and in bringing the number down in others.
Talking about the details of the system, it is said that German education can tend to be more theoretical than all the other education systems. A good amount of time during the term is spent in the classes taking theoretical lectures from the professors. But to balance the equation at the end terms, the students have to prepare assignments as well as practical projects. Speeches are an important part of German education as well as every term. The grades of the students depend on all of these factors combined.
Popular student destinations: In no order here are the top universities in Germany –
Berlin is renowned as the centre of academic institutes in the country. The important colleges in Germany are situated in Berlin and other cities including, Baden-Wurttemberg, Munich, Heidelberg, and Frankfurt.
Over a period of time,Indian students have exponentially grown in number in Germany. The number is registering 13% growth in 2019 (pre-pandemic numbers).
Safety in Germany: The crime rate in Germany is pretty low in numbers. It is considered a safe country with very few violent crimes. The safety measures are very strict, making the country particularly very orderly. Public places, including trains, buses, trams, and busy streets, are under constant surveillance.
Weather: Germany has diversified16 states. It is not possible to generalize the temperature. However, the average temperature in winters is three °C while in summers 22°C.
Germany is an interesting country with homogenous bearing yet diversity in its culture. Since it is such free and accepting traditions and customs of people fromdifferent backgrounds thrive. However, the people over there maintaininga much-globalized outlook.
If you want to go toa university hostel, the cost would be very different than going for a private space. The university hostel also comes with options, whether you want catering included or not. The price will fall intoa different category. In the end, it depends on where you decide to live.
The prices are different in different areas. But if you have decided to rent, looking out for options near to the university will be a good start. So at the end of the day, college is your priority.
Note – Read the rights and responsibilities before renting a place. So that you are prepared for adverse situations.
Most colleges give out handbooks to the students, read the one you will get because it has all the information a student might need.
You will be introduced to the services, classes, as well as universities. For international students, this is mandatory. It takes up the first week of the program.
Germany, as we discussed above, has a diverse culture. So alongside the regular extracurricular activities like sports, you should take part in drama, music and other country related things. There will be occasional tours to concerts and theatres, art galleries, historical centres and much more. Make sure you do not miss a single event.
In India, schooling is 12 years long, but in Germany, it lasts 13 years. In order to compensate one year, Indian students are required to take a year to do what is known as the bridge program. As a part of this, you will get basic language training in German.
All the students from abroad who want to study in Germany and required to takea test for German language DSH (German Language University Entrance Examination) TestDaF (Test of German as a Foreign Language). The students cannot enrol without doing this.
The students are required to meet the German language requirement, which is 70% in class 12th and 60% in diplomas.
Note – These numbers are for reference, which changes from university to university. Please check with the university you are applying to for more details.
Attested copies of mark sheets of Standard X, XII, and the Bachelor’s degree (if applicable)
Online applications are accepted in every German university. The college website also has the necessary details the student may need to apply. The students will need to create an account on the college portal, in which you need to fill in all some general information, submit documents, and a nominal application charge. You will be informed once your profile gets processed.
Here are few details that students may need to –
Every college has a nominal application fee. The amount is not set, and it varies from university to university. They require you to share some basic information, submit the application fee, and pay the application fee. Once the student clears the round, she will be informed.
September is generally the major intake season in Germany. That makes the February till May the deadlines depending on courses as well as universities. There are some universities open admissions in the month of March as well. November till January is the deadline for the March intake.
If you want to take admission in Germany, you will need to take few tests –Test of German as a Foreign Language aka TestDaF, and German Language University Entrance Examination aka DSH. These two are the mandatory standardized language tests.
While DSH is administered only at German universities, on the other hand,TestDaF has test programs in India as well. These tests are fundamentally different, so it depends on the university and program which test you will be asked to take.
Top 10 Universities in The Germany
Top 10 Scholorships in The Germany
Note: Students who want to take an international programme will not be required to take a German test. Instead, the student might need an English language test like IELTS or TOEFL.
GMAT – This is the exam taken by the MBA aspirant or the students who want to study management or business courses in the United States of America. This test evaluates English, reason skills, and also math.
GRE – This test is taken by the students who want to pursue MS or MA. In recent times, business schools have started to accept the score of this test.
SAT – SAT is taken by the school students who want to go abroad to do their undergrad. This tests the literacy as well as general writing skill of the students. Problem-solving skills are also a significant part of the test.
The university you will be applying to will mention which exam results will apply to the course of your choice. But if they give a choice to go for either of these, then the choice depends on you.
Repetition and Fee: GMAT does have any cap on the retests, but it cannot be more than five times a year. Thirty days gap must be taken before the retests. GMAT retest price is 1800 INR, GRE is INR 14,965, and LSAT is INR 3,800.
Average Scores: The accepted GMAT scores is 547, 155 for Verbal, 167 for Quantitative, and 5.0 for writing in GRE. 162 is the accepted score for the LSAT.
The cost of living will vary depending on where you stay. If it is a university hostel, the price will be on a little lower side; it will also include catering. But if you live in a privately own place, the price will change based on locality. If it is closer to the university, how posh it is, and several other factors. Other than rent, this is what consistsofthe cost of living. Read the list –
Other elements which could change the cost of living would be:
Education is not expensive in Germany the cost is considerably lower in other countries. There are universities funded are the government, which do not charge a penny. There isa large number of state-funded universities which charges nominal tuition fees to the student. The privately-owned universities are expensive, as they decide the fees themselves. The average fees in private universities may go up to 9 lakh rupees per year.
To put out an exact amount that a student will need to survive a year is difficult because it completely depends on the lifestyle of the student. But according to a group of students who lived in Germany, 7 lakh rupees is an average amount for a year.
However, the price may change invariably depending on which city you choose to live in.
Germany recognizes health insurance byprivate Indian companies. The students must check with their insurance providers on what all will they cover, as there are few compulsory coverages. It is recommended that the students check with the university before buying the insurance.
Once you buy the insurance, you will not be eligible to switch it to German insurance once the program begins. For some reason, if you want to find your insurance insufficient, you will have to buy a new policy in Germany itself. Few of the German universities offer an all-inclusive package including meal plans, accommodation, as well as a health insurance policy.
Students with a good track record, including in academics as well as extracurricular activities, are preferred above the rest for financial assistance and scholarship award.
If you are eyeing for that scholarship, you must make sure that you have all your documents sorted, as that is the very first step. Adding to that, the presentation of the application makes a world of difference.
First things first, you will have to check whether or not you cut getting the loan. This is a non-exhaustive list of the criteria –
You cannot get a loan for all the courses. These are the sort of courses that make you eligible for the education loan.
Loan amount:: Let us assume your fee is ten lakhs, then the bank will only give you the 80% of the amount; you will need to bear the remaining cost. This 20% of the sum, in banking terms, is known as the margin amount. The widely accepted amount for a loan is 20 lakhs, but you can get well above that. It depends on the reputation of the college. The bank charges 1% as the processing fees that the students will have to bear.
Documentation required: You will need to show the bank the Letter of acceptance sent by the university. It should have the details of your courses as well as a fee breakdown.
The formality is different depending upon the bank.
Repayment: You can start to repay after the course ends. Repayment starts only after the course period. Regardless of you have a job or not, the loan must be paid in five to seven years. In some exceptions, you can get ten years as well.
If the student got employed within one year after completion of the course, the repayment should start immediately after the expiry of one month from the date of employment.
If you have to stay in Germany for over three months, you will need to get yourself a residence permit. You must be able to prove that youcan affordto study fora year in Germany to the visa officer. The cost goes upto €685 – €750 a month. Valid residence permit lasts up to two years. If you have to stay for a longer duration, you will need to renew that permit.
The costsof a residence permit are€56-100. If you have to stay for a longer time, you must renew the permit.
German government allows the student to work 90 full days a year. The student might also choose to work 180 half days. German is rare, and the only country where student manages to get a part-time job in their field, including the technical ones.
On top of that, some of the universities offer campus part-time jobs, known as hi/wi.
Make sure you have copies of the following documents –
Learn basic cooking: Indian spices are not commonly available in smaller cities, but there are often shops on campus where you can get ingredients used in most Indian food. It will also satisfy your urge to eat ‘your food’ during moments of homesickness.
Cooking for yourself will save you money. Indian food is expensive in Germany.
Unlike India, there is no campus placement in German. Indian student is generally accustomed to the idea of campus placement. Over there, the universities have a department known as the Career Service Center. This cell helps the student in preparing for the job interviews.
After getting done with graduation, international students are given a one-year residence permit. The students are expected they are to find a full-time job in their respective field, and if they manage to do so, the residence permit could be applied with a work permit.
Going abroad to study is a dream of every Indian student. But only a few fortunate students who have the gift of intelligence and grit to work hard make it to foreign universities. Despite having both of these two qualities, some students fail to fulfil their dream. One of the biggest reasons is the complicated process of shortlisting the university, filling in the important details, submitting the right documents, doing the paperwork, writing essays and SOPs, and many other formalities.
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