Study in Germany: A Guide for International Students

Germany is a country in the heart of Western Europe. It shares borders with many other European countries such as; Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and the Baltic Sea. Moreover, while pursuing your education in Germany, you can benefit from the excellent transport links from Germany to other European countries that give students the option of traveling and sightseeing other popular cities in Europe broadening your study abroad experience.

Germany due to its high academic level and free public universities, Germany is one of the destinations for students to study abroad in the world. There are hundreds of universities in Germany that have free or very low-fee tuition programs available for international students. All these factors have led many people to choose Germany to increase their academic level. Follow this article and learn everything you need to study in Germany.

Home to 83 million inhabitants, Germany is a land of diverse beauty, historical splendor, and state-of-the-art innovation. If you are looking to fulfill your Alpine fantasies then the country’s bewitching scenery is sure to satisfy, and those drawn to Germany’s cities will experience the new pinnacle of cool in Europe. Tradition coexists with techno in these pulsating centers of culture and counterculture where you can gorge on Bratwurst and Stollen cake by day and sweat in industrial clubs by night.

Germany is one of the most industrialized countries in the world. A global forerunner in industry and technology, Germany is a highly developed country with an excellent standard of living and a social market economy widely considered to be one of the most efficient in the world. Germany has also known the world over for its cultural contributions – you will find everything from the high-brow to the underground across the nation’s sixteen dynamic states. From the beer halls of Bavaria to the industrial heartland of Westphalia, undertaking your education in Germany provides the ultimate opportunity to experience a corner of Europe which is both old-world and à la mode.

The Education System in Germany

Germany’s institutions of higher education are internationally accredited – according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), 6 of the top 100 and 18 of the top 200 universities in the world are German. Studying here will place you among some of the oldest and most established universities in the world, as well as some of the newest and most innovative.

Public and Private Universities

There are 400 public universities in Germany, which are attended by 95% of the university student population. These institutions are state funded, meaning that students do not pay tuition fees (apart from a small administrative cost at the start of each semester). There are also around 120 private institutions which do not receive government funding and are not state regulated, meaning that they set their own tuition fees.

The Bologna System

Higher education in Germany recently converted to the three-tier degree system of the European Higher Education Area established under the Bologna System. Rather than the old one-tier ‘long’ programs, Germany now offers undergraduate courses which result in a Bachelor’s degree, and postgraduate courses which result in a Master’s or PhD (Doctorate). This system is designed to be the same throughout Europe, facilitating international educational mobility and enhancing flexibility in educational objectives.

Undergraduate Education

The German higher education system differentiates between different types of universities for different disciplines:

• Technische Universität (Technical Schools) teach science, technology and engineering
• Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science) specialize in business, engineering and social science
• Kunst- und Musikhochschulen are universities of fine and performing arts, music, media and communication

Degree types in Germany

Bachelor’s Degree

The first higher education qualification in Germany is a Bachelor’s degree. The standard period of study in a Bachelor’s program in Germany is 6 semesters or 3 full academic years. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree, students can start their professional work or apply for a master’s degree.

Master’s Degree

The second higher education qualification in Germany is the Master’s degree. Studying for a master’s degree in Germany is after completing a bachelor’s degree. It takes 2 – 4 semesters to complete studies in a German master’s degree program, which will take about 2 years. Many postgraduate courses in Germany are offered in English. Germany is one of the countries with the highest number of universities in the world, and studying in these universities is almost without the need to pay tuition, and the cost of paying to the university is less than 200 euros per semester.

They are either ‘consecutive’ or ‘non-consecutive. Consecutive Master’s programs build upon an obtained Bachelor’s – they follow on from a related undergraduate degree and do not ordinarily charge fees. Non-consecutive programs focus on a more specialized area of study. These courses may charge fees and are more likely to require professional or practical experience on top of an undergraduate degree.

PhD Degree

The third higher education qualification in Germany is the PhD degree. There is no standardized period for completing doctoral studies in Germany, as this is a more in-depth and individual specialization. The most important requirement for admission to the doctoral program is the presentation of a master’s degree. Doctoral studies in Germany are free and you do not have to pay tuition. Combining high-quality education with a unique cultural experience living in Germany is the main reason why young people from all around the world come to study in Germany. If that sounds at all interesting to you, join the over four hundred thousand students for an adventure of a lifetime in Germany!