Study in Germany
Germany is a Western European country with a landscape of forests, rivers, mountain ranges and North Sea beaches. It has over 2 millennia of history. Berlin, its capital, is home to art and nightlife scenes, the Brandenburg Gate and many sites relating to WWII. Munich is known for its Oktoberfest and beer halls, including the 16th-century Hofbräuhaus. Frankfurt, with its skyscrapers, houses the European Central Bank.
REASONS TO STUDY IN GERMANY
- With more than 409 higher education institutions across the country, Germany provides each student with the possibility to choose more than 14,500 Bachelor and Master degree programmes.
- 11 out of the 16 states in Germany have no tuition fees at all, while some states require a maximum of only 500€ per year.
- German universities and their professional academic staff offer high quality and up to date education in Engineering, Medicine, Science and Economics.
- The cost of living, on average, is around 700-800€ including rent, food, transport, health insurance, telephone/internet, study materials and leisure activities.
- There are many scholarship possibilities offered for international students to fund their studies by DAAD(German Academic Exchange Service) and also many political and business foundations.
- Many universities offer international courses in English language as well. So knowing German to study in Germany is not mandatory but is recommended.
- International students are allowed to work for 90 full working days or 180 half working days in a year in order to support themselves. Typical student wages range from 10 to 15 Euros an hour.
- Foreign students are allowed to stay for a year after graduation, in the event of looking for a job. Germany offer long-term work opportunities for successful students.
- Besides studying, you have the chance to live and explore one of the world’s most developed countries and its unique culture, history and landscape.
- Whether you’ll study as an international student, enjoy a beer at Oktoberfest, eat a tasty Würst sausage in Frankfurt or watch a Bayern soccer game, you’ll have an unforgettable experience in Germany.Students who studied in Germany were generally happier with the academic side than the European average, although some may argue there is room for improvement. Students are pleased with the fact that courses helped their self-development and were generally pleased with teacher involvement.
German universities are above global higher education standards. Students value these universities for the quality of education, hands-on experiences during their studies, opportunities to improve academically during and after studies and most importantly the safe and friendly environment.
BENEFITS TO STUDY GERMANY
The German-speaking population has been an inseparable part of the world’s greatest creations in both arts and sciences; thus almost every academic discipline has a long and outstanding tradition of success stories, in Germany and beyond. Add this to that the fact that as of October this year Germany abolished all tuition fees for national and international students alike, offering free internationally recognized degrees for every prospective student.
Little wonder why many students from all parts of the world are surprised to the fact that every other country have not followed in Germany’s footstep to make such a convenient move as Germany. However, the removal of tuition fees is not the only benefit of studying in Germany. In fact there are numerous benefits to studying in Germany but this article highlights seven (7) important benefits of studying in Germany. Let’s go through the perks studying in Germany has to offer to international students…
- No tuition fees at public universities in Germany
- Excellent higher education staff members and infrastructure
- Internationally recognized degrees
- Study programs taught in English
- Great job opportunities
- A chance to explore all aspects of life in Germany
- Staying in Germany after your studies
Germany Checklist (For Application)
Each university sets its own admission criteria, but, generally, most of the following will be included:
- Certified copy of a high-school diploma or a previously completed degree
- Translation of the course modules and grades
- Passport photo(s)
- Copy of your passport
- Proof of language proficiency – German and/or English
- Motivation letter
- Application fee
- An official authority should certify all the documents you submit.
Cost Of Living And Study
Tuition fees in Germany
If you want to study in Germany, you’ll be happy to know that public universities do not charge tuition fees for Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes (except if you plan to pursue a Master's degree that focuses on a different subject than the one you studied as a Bachelor’s student). The German free tuition system is available for all foreign students, regardless of their country of origin.
The only exception is the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg, which, at the end of 2017, reintroduced tuition fees of 3,000 EUR/year for non-EU/EEA students.
Eligibility Criteria: Degree Score >80%
Tuition fees at private universities
At German private universities, tuition costs can reach 26,000 EUR/year for a Bachelor’s degree and 40,000 EUR/year for a Master’s. Programmes in Engineering and Business & Management are the most expensive.
Cost of Living in Germany
It is best to first configure the list of basics or items you would need to survive while studying Masters in Germany. Let’s break down the list of expenses in categories and calculate the average amount required on a monthly basis:
Stay Back Options In Germany
Most of the international students like to stay back after completing their studies in Germany. A candidate has to apply for a new visa at the Foreigner's Registration Office and extend his or her visa before it gets expired. This can help them avail new work opportunities after studying in Germany.
International students are allowed to stay in Germany regardless of their employment status international graduates can continue to live and work in Germany for up to eighteen months after they finish.
PR Options in Germany
Legally speaking you can apply for permanent residency after having worked for three years in Germany, spent more than six months on German soil and duly paid your taxes. After five years you qualify to seek German nationality, granted that the aforementioned conditions have been met for all five years.
In some instances, it is possible to gain a Permanent Residence Permit in just two years. This applies to those who have graduated from a German university and then lived and worked in Germany for two years. Individuals married to German citizens may be able to apply for a Permanent Residence Permit after three years.
Trending Courses in Germany For Overseas Students
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Law
- Industrial Engineering
- Engineering
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Natural Sciences
- Business and Economics
- Architecture
- Psychology
- Earth Science
Doctors and dentists are valuable professionals throughout the entire world. Health is seen as one of the most important factors of having high wellbeing in any country. Because of that, medical occupations are the top paid degrees in Germany.
A doctor or a dentist is expected to make the highest amount of money out of anyone with other degrees. The average annual pay is €79,538.
Lawyers are also highly important. Having a good justice system makes a country seem more developed and fair to its people. Whenever we have any legal problems, we are faced with the difficult task of finding a good lawyer.
In Germany, this is not a challenge. Medicine and Law are some of the toughest degrees to get admitted into. The high admittance criteria and the fact that the courses are very challenging, makes them so valuable. Lawyers due to their effort to graduate and their importance in society get paid well too.
The yearly average salary for a lawyer is €74,013.
The third highest paying degree is Industrial Engineering. This is a branch of Engineering which works towards making companies and organizations more efficient. It can work with both products and services.
In a factory which produces something it deals with reducing machine time and other resources which are not valuable. In services, it looks to decrease time, money, and employee hours which do not add to the productivity.
Because all companies are looking to become more efficient, this degree pays a staggering €70,288 per year.
The standard degree of Engineering encompasses general knowledge from all branches and aspects of the profession.
Engineering degrees are some of the most difficult due to their scientific nature. Engineers need to be highly accurate as small errors could lead to big consequences. That is why they get compensated well too. The yearly average salary for Engineering degrees is €69,850.
The science of mathematics has always been valued. Mathematicians deal with the complexities of all that needs calculations. They come up with models and formulas which solve difficult and challenging problems.
In addition, the advent of technology has made computer scientists highly important too. They discover algorithms and models which make it possible for us to communicate and work with each other only throughout a small screen.
Our dependency on mathematics and computer science has made these degrees well paid. Those who have a diploma in one or the other get an average yearly salary of €68,241.
Physics, chemistry, and biology are also highly accurate sciences. They assist people in making precise materials, knowing the laws of the natural world, and discovering other organisms. Throughout time these three sciences have made interesting and important findings about the world we live in.
Due to this, those with degrees in either of these natural sciences are compensated in hefty amounts. They get salaries which range around €66,954 per year.
Having the knowledge to manage a company and compile its strategy makes the difference between success and failure. All companies and organizations, whether public or private, need people who know the basics and the intricacies of business and economics.
Since we rely so much on our economy and businesses working well and providing us with employment and income, the people with these degrees are compensated with around €65,404 per year.
Architects design the buildings and structures we live and work in. They plan our space and the way we use it. Their skill does not lie in only coming up with buildings that look good, but in also having them be strong and not prone to collapsing.
Together with engineers and other professions, architects work to construct spaces that serve our living and working needs. And they get well compensated for it, since the annual average salary for an architect is around €55,822.
Our mental well being is just as important as our physical health. Whereas doctors and dentists look after our bodies and teeth, psychologists take care of our mind. Increasingly, people deal with problems such as anxiety, depression, or just plain overloading stress.
Psychology and its branches train people with whom we can discuss and find solutions to our mental health issues. They prescribe medication and slowly work through to make us healthier individuals. Their job is demanding and the degree that leads up to it is challenging too. This makes their salaries high too, at approximately €55,204 per year.
Earth is the planet that we live in and until now we have not yet found an alternative to it. Because of this, we have always been curious about its composition and the way it works. We are also concerned with how it is evolving and how we should take better care of it.
That is what Earth Scientists study. They go through the details of how the earth is composed, its geology, its oceans, and its weather. Particularly now, climate change and how the weather is affecting us is becoming more and more important.
Earth scientists can give us answers and advice on how to protect our planet and they are well paid for it. Those who hold this degree make around €53,713 each year.
Besides these 10 of the highest paid degrees in Germany, which were more scientific and accurate, there are also other valuable degrees. These are more theoretical or visual and that is why they rank lower than the sciences. However, these degrees in Germany are still seen as earning people high salaries and life fulfilment. They are:
• Political and Social Sciences – €52,974
• Teaching – €50,000
• Philosophy and the Humanities – €47,022
• Historical and Cultural Sciences – 46,836
• Design – €46,075
• Education and Pedagogy – €45,116
Highlighted courses in Germany
- Logistics MSc - TU Dortmund University, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Nanotechnology MSc - Distance and Independent Studies Center, TU Kaiserslautern
- International Management MSc - EU Business School, Munich
- Mathematics BSc - Jacobs University Bremen
- Doctoral Program PhD - Abbe School of Photonics
- International Business Management BSc - GISMA Business School
- Interaction Design BA - CODE University of Applied Sciences
- Master of Science Degree in Urban Management MSc - The Technical University of Berlin
Some of the most popular MS courses offered in German Universities are listed below:
Visa and Fund Requirement
Student Visa
- For studies that last up to 3 months, you need a Schengen visa.
- For studies that last more than 3 months, you need a German national visa
If you enter Germany with a national visa you have to extend your stay by getting a German residence permit for studies at the Foreigner’s Office. You should do this while your entry visa is still valid.
Germany Student Visa Processing Time
On average, it takes up to 25 days for your German student visa application to be processed. The processing time varies depending on the country and the German embassy you apply at.
All other German visa applications for studies are normally processed within 3 months
German Student Visa Fees
German Student Visa Requirements
The most important requirements during your Germany student visa process are:
- A valid passport – Note that your passport must have been issued within the past 10 years and its validity has to extend at least 12 months after the scheduled return
- An application form filled properly- You can download from the website of the German embassy you will apply at.
- A copy of your Passport – Format A4
- A cover letter – explaining the purpose of your visit.
- A letter of admission from an accredited university in Germany
- The payment of university fees (if applicable)
- Proof of language proficiency – English or German depending on which language is your course taught.
- Proof of financial means – to cover the cost of living in Germany. You can prove the required financial capacities by means of a blocked account. Read more about the German blocked account for foreign students. If you’re planning to study in Germany on behalf of a scholarship programme you must submit a confirmation of your scholarship.
- Proof of health insurance – to cover your medical needs in Germany (Initially you can purchase a travel health insurance in India to cover you for at least three months which should suffice to arrive in Germany and enrol your course.
Fund Requirements
Before you begin your studies, you will have to prove that you have enough money to support yourself. The document you need is called a “Finanzierungsnachweis”, or proof of financial resources. You are asked for it when you apply for a visa. At the latest, you will need to present it when you apply for a residence permit in Germany.
In most cases, applicants have to prove that they have around 10,236 euros (since 01.01.2020) at their disposal for one year. As of January 1, 2021, the assumed annual standard requirement that must be paid into the blocked account when applying for a visa is 10,332 euros. For more and BINDING information, contact the German embassy or German consulate in your home country!
Work Permit In Germany
Non-EU graduates, so-called international students in Germany, who finished their studies in Germany are similarly eligible to get lawful employment within the country. They can require a residence permit for job seeking purposes at the Foreigners' National Authority.
However, if they work more than 20 hours per week they must pay certain insurance contributions (just like German students). ... International students from other countries are allowed to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. They are not allowed to be self-employed or work as freelancers
An exception is working as an academic assistant. There is no limit to how many days academic assistants may work. They still have to inform the foreigners' office however. If you are uncertain what category a job falls into, you should seek advice from student services or the International Office
Part time and full time work options
Non-EU graduates, so-called international students in Germany, who finished their studies in Germany are similarly eligible to get lawful employment within the country. They can require a residence permit for job seeking purposes at the Foreigners' National Authority. In Germany, a "full day" is defined as 8 hours, with full working weeks comprising 40 hours. This means that students can work 2.5 full days per week during term-time. Outside term-time, full-time work is perfectly fine, just remember the annual total.
However, if they work more than 20 hours per week they must pay certain insurance contributions (just like German students). ... International students from other countries are allowed to work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. They are not allowed to be self-employed or work as freelancers. An exception is working as an academic assistant. There is no limit to how many days academic assistants may work. They still have to inform the foreigners' office however. If you are uncertain what category a job falls into, you should seek advice from student services or the International Office. In higher-skilled student positions, the pay ranges from 11-20 € per hour. Catering and cafe work will pay somewhere around the minimum.
There are no minimum payment regulations for online work. It's a good supplement for studying, and one that many students can't do without. There is also a monthly income limit of €450. Above that point, you will need to pay standard German taxes, while income below €450 is tax-free.
Kinds of Jobs
- Teaching / Graduate/ Research Assistants at the University
- As support staff/ waiters at café’s, bars, etc.
- Industrial Production Assistants
- Healthcare worker and nurse.
- IT consultant, IT analyst.
- Economist, business administrator.
- Account manager, client consultant.
- Production assistant.
- sales assistant.