Study in Germany

Students that want to study in Germany are required to possess the graduate degree Abitur or “Abi”, which is received after graduation from the gymnasium. Meanwhile, international students must show a similar graduate degree.

So far, the institutions in charge of the educational system in Germany have not been able to build a central organization for application and award of university places. As a result of which the applications still need to be sent to every university or advanced technical college. The admission requirements are also defined by the universities therefore, different universities can have different requirements for the same subjects.

Types of higher education institutions:

The higher level of education in Germany is established in different kinds of advanced colleges or universities. Colleges of Art, Music, and Film (Kunst-, Musik- und Film hochschulen) offer practical education in the arts subjects and they have the equivalent status to universities.

Meanwhile, the advanced technical colleges, cover the scientific and social subjects and have a strong emphasis on practical work and application. The other category is that of the university where are offered all different kinds of subjects. University is the only higher education institution in Germany with the right to confer doctorates. They are especially famous for their firm theoretical education, but practical experience is an important point as well. Some of the universities specialize in certain subject areas, as, for example, medical schools, technical universities, and colleges of education.

Many of them offer programs in English, besides German.

Public and private universities:

There are two types of universities in Germany; public and private universities. Public universities are financed by the government and do not charge tuition fees as of October 2014 in the entire country, therefore they fall under its regulatory control. On the other side, students attending private universities often pay very high fees, since private universities are funded by these fees. As a result, only around 5.5 percent of students are enrolled at a private university.

Theoretical and practical education:

In some aspects students in Germany have to learn more in theory than those in other countries. The professors present lectures in front of students of the same year, which means students of different years do not get mixed into the same lecture. There are a few exercise lessons in which the theoretical part can be practiced and proofed in reality. At the end of every term, the students get their grades according to their work and results of their final examination, speeches, assignments and practical projects.

Degrees obtained:

The graduate degrees from universities are accepted and estimated worldwide. The education at German universities is considered as a good one. The first graduate degree can be obtained after six to eight terms and is called Bachelor. The title of Bachelor differs according to the field of study as follows:

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)
• Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)
• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.)
• Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

Tuition fees at top-ranked universities in Germany –

Here is a list of average tuition fees at the top-ranked German universities:

• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich – no tuition fees
• Heidelberg University – average tuition fees 6,000 EUR/year
• Technical University of Munich – average tuition fees 2,000 EUR/year
• Humboldt University of Berlin – no tuition fees

Student living costs in Germany

Germany is a pretty accessible country where you will need around 630 - 1,000 EUR/month, including accommodation, which also is the largest expense you will have.

Accommodation costs in Germany:

Housing is the highest monthly expense you will have and it represents 34% of the total budget. Cheaper options for international students are in residence halls or in shared private rental apartments. You can also rent a single apartment. Below you will find the average accommodation costs for a student in Germany:

• Living alone: 360 EUR/month
• Living with partner/child: 400/month
• Living on-campus: 150-240 EUR/month

Job Prospects:

• Sought after: good doctors
• Wanted: innovative engineers
• Urgently needed: experts in technology, IT, and science
• In demand: Experts with vocational qualifications

Permanent Residence Permit –

To be allowed to stay in Germany for as long as you want to, you need to get the German Permanent Residence Permit. This is also called the Settlement Permit or in German, Niederlassungserlaubnis. With the permanent residence permit, you can work in Germany as well as travel in and out of the country whenever you need.

This permit is mostly given to people after they have held the temporary residence permit for a few years or for those with the EU Blue Card. They need to prove that they have worked for at least 5 years, that their job was approved by the Federal Employment Agency, and that they have paid the necessary taxes and contributions to the government. In addition, the German language proficiency requirements are more stringent, so you will need to know more advanced German.

If you have a permanent residence permit, your children and spouse are allowed to join you. They will first get a temporary residence permit, and after a few years, will be able to get the permanent permit.

German Residence Permit Requirements –

To be given any of the residence permits, you will need to fulfill a few requirements. Most of them will be the same, such as:

• Have a valid passport from another country
• Not have a criminal record
• Be proficient in German in at least a B1 level
• Have German health insurance
• Pass a health check which proves you are healthy enough to work and/or study
• Be financially stable and support yourself and your family
• If you will work in Germany, you will need a letter from your employer with the job offer and description
• If you will study in Germany, you will need proof that you have been admitted into a university
• If you will join your spouse in Germany, you will need proof of marriage such as a marriage certificate

If you have all of these documents and fulfill the requirements, then you can begin your application process.

The steps to applying for a German Residence Permit are as follows.

Register your German address –

Whether you are applying from Germany within the first 90 days or from your home country, the first thing you must do is register your new German address with the authorities. Germany has this requirement and you must fulfill it in order to be eligible for a residence permit. If you don’t register your address, you could get fined and your permit might be denied. After you complete this requirement, you will get a certificate which you can attach to your documents.

Health Insurance and Bank Account –

If you haven’t already gotten health insurance in Germany, then you must do so before you apply for the residence permit. Germany requires you to be insured and will rarely accept foreign insurance policies. So get yourself coverage from a German company.

In addition, to prove financial stability, you might want to open a German bank account and transfer your funds there. You will then get any financial bank statements and attach them to your other documents, so as to prove you can support yourself and your family.

Fill an application form and set an appointment –

You can apply from your local immigration office, where you can go and pick up an application form. Besides getting the application form, you can also set up an appointment. The sooner you set your appointment, the better. The immigration offices in Germany are always crowded and the wait time is long, so you might as well get an appointment soon to avoid surpassing your 90 days.

Attend your appointment –

On the day of your appointment, try to get there as early as possible. You will most likely have to wait even if your appointment has a set time. Make sure you have your document file with you and you are not missing anything.

When your turn is up, you will have an interview of around 10 minutes. The officer will look at your document file and if everything is fine, you will be sent home to wait for processing. If you are missing any documents, you will have to set another appointment and bring the additional ones.

Your residence permit request will need to be processed for around two to three weeks and then you will get an answer. If you get your permit, you are allowed to stay in Germany for the length of time that it is granted to you. If you are denied, you might want to check out the reasons why that happened and try to improve your application the next time.

• Choose a university. So, you've decided on Germany as your study abroad destination – now it's time to choose the right course and university for you. ...
• Check the admission requirements
• Get your finances in order
• Apply!
• Take out health insurance
• Get a German student visa
• Find accommodation
• Enroll

• Valid passport.
• Proof of health insurance.
• Proof of sufficient funds.
• Records of previous study and language skills.
• If applicable: letter of acceptance from your higher education institution.
• If applying for a prospective student visa: a recognised higher education entrance qualification.