All You Need To Know About Studying In Germany: DAAD

A large number of students aim to study outside of India post class 12. Which country and university they narrow down depends on a variety of factors such as affordability, climate, credibility of their target university on world rankings, post-study work provisions, and the likes of these. Basis a webinar hosted by Careers360 with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), we shall further discuss the various nuances of studying in Germany.

Germany: Quick Facts

• Number of international students in Germany - 2.8 million
• 13.8% international students
• Most popular EU destination
• Most international students are from India and China
• The number of Indian students studying in Germany has steadily increased in recent years - from approximately 15529 in 2016 to 28905 in 2020

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Why Germany?

Five reasons why studying in Germany is a good idea are:-

Theory And Practice | German universities have established a strong link between theory and practice. The higher education system has made it mandatory to have one semester dedicated to internship.

Research And Training | Teaching and research are very strongly bound at German universities. Research is an ongoing process in any German academic institution.

Teaching And Research Are Very Strongly Bound At German Universities

Range Of Courses | For studying in Germany you will find a range of courses spanning the bachelor’s, master’s, as well as doctoral programs. Bachelor’s courses have a limited number of English-taught programs as compared to the master’s courses. The doctoral degrees have fully English-taught programs.

Professional Growth | If you are a student at a German university, your professional growth is certain given the fact that research, internships, and theory courses are so aptly tied with each other. Also, there are a lot of job opportunities available not only in Germany but also in countries around Germany. Studying in Germany you can also take up part-time jobs while studying. You can work part-time for 120 full days or 240 half days per year.

Safe And Economical | Germany is a safe and economical country for international students, which is why it has made its name the way it has, as a study destination.

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University Scenario In Germany

Germany boasts of housing over 400 universities broadly divided into three categories:-

• University/Technical University (TU),
• University of Applied Science (HAW/FH), and
• College of Art, Film, and Music.

In universities falling in the TU category, there is more focus on basic research while in those in HAW/FH category, the emphasis is on industry and application- oriented topics.

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Bachelor’s Programs In Germany

For studying in Germany:

• Most bachelor’s programs in Germany have 6-8 semesters.
• You can study in Germany in English a few programs, while most are taught in the German language.
• School leaving certificate equivalent to German Abitur is required.

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For Students Of Indian Boards

Since the CBSE and Indian state boards’ class 12 is considered one class lesser than the German equivalent, students have to meet either of the following criteria:-

• Take up a bridging course called ‘Studienkolleg’ at a German university
• Clear the IIT-JEE Advanced
• Complete one year of a bachelor’s course in India before starting their bachelor’s degree in any German university.

If you are from an IB or the Cambridge board, you can directly apply to a bachelor program in Germany.

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Bridging Course: StudienKolleg

For students who have done their schooling in CBSE or any Indian state board, one of the options to meet the German criteria for admission to a bachelor’s course is to take up the bridging course, StudienKolleg. Here is more about studying in Germany for this course.

• This course is done in Germany.
• German language proficiency (B2) is a basic requirement for this course since the bridging course is usually offered in the German language.
• Apply to the university, which will guide you as to which StudienKollegs you can attend based on the bachelor’s course you are going to attend after that.
• Take the StudienKolleg entrance exam. Upon clearing, you can start attending the StudienKolleg.
• After the completion of StudienKolleg, there will be an exam based on the score and merit of which you will apply to the bachelor’s degree in the German university of your choice.

However, clearing the StudienKolleg makes you eligible for applying into a bachelor’s course in Germany. It does not guarantee admission to a German university.

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Medicine Program In Germany

What are the important points that students who aspire to up medicine as their domain while studying in Germany should know? Here are a few of them:-

• Unlike in India, universities in Germany do not categorise its medicine program into bachelor’s and master’s courses.
• It is a single course spanning over 6.5-7 years in duration.
• In universities in Germany, courses are taught only in the German language, so the medicine program is not something you can study in Germany in English.
• The program is known as Restricted Admission (NC), given its high demand world-wide.
• The admission process into the medicine course is centrally coordinated by a board in Germany.

Also Read | Studying MBBS Outside India: Know The Details

Required English Proficiency

If you are looking for to study in Germany in English, you would need either:-

• IELTS score of 6.5-7 band is required for admission, or
• TOEFL score of 98-100 iBT.

Required German Language Proficiency

If you are looking to apply in a course for studying in Germany that is partly or fully German-taught, you should possess:-

• a score of DSH 2 or 3, or
• a score of TDN 4 in TESTDaF, or
• Level B2/C1 from Goethe-Institut.

Application Schedule

For studying in Germany there are mainly two intakes in German universities - winter and summer intakes. The winter semester starts in October. It is ideal to start preparing for the winter intake 10-11 months in advance.

Application Process

Here is how you should go about applying for admission for studying in Germany:-

• Gather information on universities in Germany offering your choice of course
• Start submitting your applications
• Some universities accept direct applications while some may ask you to apply via uni-assist
• Find out about housing in Germany
• Apply for a German student visa
• Reach the university and start your course

Studying And Living Costs

What kind of costs will you have to incur as an international student studying in Germany?

Study Cost | Since most universities in Germany are public-funded, there is no or low tuition fee that you have to pay. Some nominal charges (€200-350) are incurred for miscellaneous expenses like student card, computer card, etc.

Living Cost | This cost includes your expenses like housing, food, stationery, health insurance, transportation, clothing, broadband and mobile phone, entertainment, etc. This expense comes to around €861/month.

Bank Balance For Visa

As of 2021, you must have €10,332 in your blocked bank account before you apply for a study visa for studying in Germany. You might be wondering what a blocked bank account is. A blocked account is a unique kind of account designed specifically for international students to demonstrate that they have enough money to live in Germany for a year while they are studying. Your likelihood of being granted a Germany study visa increases dramatically if you present a blocked bank account as evidence of your financial stability.