Germany
About Germany
- Capital : Berlin
- Area : 3,57,168 Km2 1,37,847 Sq. Mile
- Population : 8, 25, 62,004
- Currency : Euro
Most students in Germany came from the rest of Europe (51%) followed by Asia (31.9%), while a small percentage came from Africa and America. Only 0.2% came from Australia.
Most of the German universities are public institutions, and students have traditionally studied without fee payment. Academic education is open to international students and is increasingly common.
In the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2008, six of the top 100 universities in the world, and 18 of the top 200, are in Germany. The established universities in Germany Include some of the oldest in the world, with Heidelberg University (established in 1386) being the oldest in Germany. Heidelberg is followed by Leipzig University (1409), Rostock University (1419), Greifswald University (1456), Freiburg University (1457) and the University of Munich (1472).[205]
Why Study in Germany?
Germany is Synonymous with Quality. German Education guarantees practical knowledge in addition to solid theoretical foundation. Above all it provides a platform to launch a career by making internships compulsory & Bachelor/Master Thesis in an industrial environment. According to German law, universities are not permitted to discriminate against or grant preferential treatment to persons on basis of race, ethnic group, gender, or social class.
Most of the Universities or colleges are state funded. So there is no concept of buying a degree as practised in other favoured education destinations. Merit is the only criteria for admission & there is no doubt about it. The vast majority of universities and colleges in Germany are state-financed, and as of October 2014 literally free of charge meaning that there are no tuition fees whatsoever charged in all public universities throughout the country. Just as in the past, higher education in Germany has become virtually free again– the tuition fees are entirely waived for all students regarding undergraduate studies.
In the last couple of years, some changes have taken place in this regard; a relatively low tuition fee has been charged (the amount, rarely exceeding €500 per semester, was set by respective Federal States) on the excuse of it being necessary to maintain the facilities and the general quality of services. However even with these tuition fees higher education was still significantly less expensive than in most other developed western countries, and with many student benefits and discounts available across the board, the total living costs for students in Germany can be kept well below €1000 per month.
You can apply for an 18-month residence permit from your local foreign nationals’ registration office to look for a job that corresponds to your qualifications. As soon as you have a job offer which corresponds to your qualifications, you can choose whether you want to apply for a German residence permit or an EU Blue Card for the next part of your stay.
Germany is a safe country – also on an international scale. The police are reliable and help you in every situation. Whether you live in a big city or in the country, you can move freely day or night without having to take any special precautions.
More and more courses and degree programmes are being offered in English, especially at the master’s degree level. This is good news if you don’t know any German or if your German isn’t good enough yet. You’ll find an overview of international degree programmes in Germany in the large. The universities offer support to make your start in Germany as easy as possible. There are many mentoring programmes available, such as “Buddy” and “Tandem” programmes.
Many courses have a mandatory Internship. Internship period could be between 3 months to 6 months. Students may apply for internship to companies in their field of study. The onus of finding an internship is purely on the student. Professors could be approached for recommendation letters or references. Typically companies pay students ranging from €600 to €1000 per month. If internship is part of the course curriculum & explicitly mentioned to be mandatory then the student could do an internship in addition to part time job during the same financial year.
Germany is home to many of the fortune 500 companies. With a robust economy & world leading position there is a constant demand for qualified & skilled labour force. Ageing population & market diversification has only added fuel to the demand supply gap. According to “The German engineer’s association (VDI)”, vacancies for engineers had risen over the past year by nearly 30 percent. Non-EU students are allowed to stay up to 1 year after the completion of the study to search for a job.
No matter which part of the world you go to, German qualification will surely find preferential treatments an international student with outstanding academic achievement, you have good chances of receiving a scholarship to finance your studies in Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is one of the largest scholarship organisations in the world and offers countless scholarship programmes. No matter what your country, subject or status, you’ll find a scholarship that matches your profile and needs in the DAAD scholarship database! And not only does the database contain programmes offered by the DAAD, but also many other organisations in Germany.
Universities and Colleges in Germany
Education System
Following Levels are provided in Universities & Colleges:
As per the 2013 sumer semester, Germany had a total of 415 state-maintained and state-recognised institutions of higher education, which are of the following types:
Education Cost
Tuition Fee
Bachelor Degree
Master Degree
Best course to study in Germany
Major Courses
The most common branches of study in the named subject categories are:
In addition, Germany’s tertiary sector also includes either state-run or state-recognised Berufsakademien in some Länder. The Fachschulen and the Fachakademien in Bayern are also part of the tertiary sector.
Fachschulen are institutions of continuing vocational education and upgrading training in the tertiary sector that, as a rule, require the completion of relevant vocational training in a recognised occupation requiring formal training and subsequent employment. Fachschulen exist in the following fields:
Skill Shortage
Demanded Professions
Work Permit
Germany is home to many of the fortune 500 companies. With a robust economy & world leading position there is a constant demand for qualified & skilled labour force. Aging population & market diversification has only added fuel to the demand supply gap. According to “The German engineer’s association (VDI)”, vacancies for engineers had risen over the past year by nearly 30 percent. Non-EU students are allowed to stay up to 1 year after the completion of the study to search for a job.
No matter which part of the world you go to, German qualification will surely find preferential treatment. Top notch Universities with focus on research & practical oriented study is unparalleled. In addition no employer can neglect the unique advantage
Apply for Residence Permit
Every city has a Ausländerbehörde (Aliens Office). Check out with the University or city administration for the address. Before applying for the Residence Permit make sure you have the following (Original & photocopy)
You may have to fix up an appointment depending on the city. Ask them for a check-list of documents needed & prepare accordingly. Depending on various factors the Residence permit is issued solely at the discretion of the Officer handling your file.
| Eligibility criteria for skilled workers | Points |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Maximum of allowable points: 30 |
| Completed vocational education/training in the shortage occupation | 20 |
| General eligibility for admission to a university | 25 |
| Completion of a programme with a minimum duration of three years at an institution of tertiary education |
30 |
| Work experience according to qualification | Maximum of allowable points: 10 |
| Work experience (per year) | 2 |
| Work experience in Austria (per year) | 4 |
| Language skills | Maximum of allowable points: 15 |
| German: elementary use of the language on a basic level (A1 level), or English: independent use of the language (B1 level) |
10 |
| German: intensified elementary use of the language (A2 level), or English: intensified independent use of the language (B2 level) |
15 |
| Age | Maximum of allowable points: 20 |
| Up to 30 years of age | 20 |
| Up to 40 years of age | 15 |
| Sum total of maximum allowable points: | 75 |
| Required minimum: | 50 |
Average Income
Average and Median Monthly Salary Comparison in Germany
Maximum : 17,500 EUR
Average : 4,076 EUR
Median : 3,500 EUR
Minimum : 600 EUR
Average Salary in Germany – Job and Sector Comparison.
| Job | Net Monthly Income constant 2005 US$ (1) | Notes | Gross MonthlyAverage Income (2) | Compulsory Deduction (3) | Weekly Hours (4) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airline Pilot average salary | PPP $8,448 | $9,122 | Minimum per month, 2005. | 12,208 | euros | 40% | |
| Professor average salary | PPP $3,562 | $3,846 | Minimum per month, 2005. | 4,902 | euros | 37% | |
| Engineer average salary | PPP $3,146 | $3,397 | Chemical engineer, Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 4,196 | euros | 35% | 37.5 |
| Teacher average salary | PPP $3,065 | $3,309 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 4,088 | euros | 35% | 40 |
| Accountant average salary | PPP $2,757 | $2,977 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 3,622 | euros | 34% | 39.0 |
| Flight Attendantaverage salary | PPP $2,605 | $2,813 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 3,371 | euros | 33% | |
| Computer Programmeraverage salary | PPP $2,320 | $2,505 | Insurance industry, Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,915 | euros | 31% | 39.0 |
| Miner average salary | PPP $2,223 | $2,386 | Other mining and quarrying industry. Minimum per month, 2004, normal hours of work. Assuming 22 working days per month. | 2,587 | euros | 28% | 38.5 |
| Office Clerk average salary | PPP $2,177 | $2,351 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,622 | euros | 28% | 35.0 |
| Carpenter average salary | PPP $2,103 | $2,271 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,498 | euros | 27% | 39.0 |
| Professional Nurseaverage salary | PPP $2,078 | $2,244 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,468 | euros | 27% | 39.0 |
| Physiotherapistaverage salary | PPP $2,044 | $2,207 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,395 | euros | 26% | 39.0 |
| Bus Driver average salary | PPP $1,997 | $2,156 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,340 | euros | 26% | 38.5 |
| Hotel Receptionistaverage salary | PPP $1,961 | $2,117 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,267 | euros | 25% | 39.0 |
| Auxiliary Nurseaverage salary | PPP $1,928 | $2,081 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,199 | euros | 24% | 39.0 |
| Baker average salary | PPP $1,852 | $2,000 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 2,113 | euros | 24% | 38.0 |
| Car Mechanic average salary | PPP $1,766 | $1,906 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,988 | euros | 23% | 36.5 |
| Salesperson average salary | PPP $1,764 | $1,904 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,986 | euros | 23% | 37.5 |
| Firefighter average salary | PPP $1,755 | $1,895 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,976 | euros | 23% | 40.0 |
| Furniture Finisheraverage salary | PPP $1,721 | $1,858 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,938 | euros | 23% | 35.0 |
| Wood Grinder average salary | PPP $1,694 | $1,829 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,907 | euros | 23% | 38.0 |
| Postman average salary | PPP $1,681 | $1,815 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,893 | euros | 23% | 40.0 |
| Garment Cutteraverage salary | PPP $1,413 | $1,526 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,571 | euros | 22% | 37.0 |
| Chambermaid average salary | PPP $1,066 | $1,151 | Minimum per month, 2005, normal hours of work. | 1,185 | euros | 22% | 39.0 |
| Gas-Electricity-Wateraverage salary | PPP $2,384 | $2,559 | Wage earners, 2004. | 2,938 | euros | 32% | 38.5 |
| Mining-Quarryingaverage salary | PPP $2,211 | $2,373 | Wage earners, 2004. | 2,610 | euros | 29% | 40.8 |
| Manufacturing average salary | PPP $2,176 | $2,336 | Wage earners, 2004. | 2,569 | euros | 29% | 37.6 |
| Construction average salary | PPP $2,018 | $2,166 | Wage earners, 2004. | 2,349 | euros | 28% | 39.0 |
The gross monthly average income is based on data supplied by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany to the International Labour Organization [9]. The average income includes the salaries and wages of paid employees. Employees include both men and women unless otherwise noted. The salary income of the wage earners by sector is representative of the one of all employees.
The compulsory deductions are obtained from a German wage tax calculator [t] reflecting the 2005 income tax rates in Germany of a single-earner married couple without child (tax category III). The deductions include wage tax, solidarity surcharge, social security (health insurance, pensions insurance, unemployment insurance, health/nursing care insurance), and municipal tax. The deductions exclude the Church tax.
The number of hours worked weekly is based on data supplied by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany to the International Labour Organization. The hours worked by sector correspond to the hours paid for, while the hours worked by job correspond to the normal hours of work. These may not correspond to the hours actually worked.
Admission Process
1. Shortlist the University & Course
2. Check fullfil English language requirement
3. Get recommendation letters from University staff / corporate executive who has supervised your work
4. Get attested photocopies of all transcripts
Semester Mark sheets
Transfer certificate
Awards of distinction
Technical paper presentation
Project work
Special courses relevant to the field of study undertaken
Letters of appreciation / achievement if any
Special skills
Proof of Leadership qualities
5. Statement of Purpose
6. Covering letter – Justify why you should be given admission
7. Check for scholarship if applicable.
Apply at least to 5 Universities/ University of Applied Sciences
Check if all requirements are met
In case of doubt ask the course coordinator for clarifications through email
Enclose proof of application fee payment if any
8. Arrangement of financial
Apply for educational loan if needed
The following costs will need to be covered
Tuition fee
Travelling expenditure
Study material costs
A demand draft of €7700 (depends on consulate) in the favour of the student to cover living cost of the first year
Proof of sufficient financial resources for the complete period of study through
Bank loan
Fixed deposit
Any liquid asset
9. Upon admission
Re-evaluate which offer for admission to accept
Send acceptance letter
Make any Semester fee/ contribution as necessary
Reserve accommodation in the student residences / hostels
Ask your course coordinator what other support the university offers to new international students
a. Tutors to guide you during the initial days
b. Private accommodation search
c. Orientation program
d. Language course for starters
e. Preparatory course for starters
10. Apply for a Student Visa
Refer to the Local German Consulates website
Indian students, to know in detail about the Visa application process refer http://www.vfs-germany.co.in/
11. Prepare for departure
Document Required
| Sr.no | Documents |
|---|---|
|
1 |
Valid passport (issued within the last 10 years and with at least 12 months validity after the scheduled return). |
|
2 |
Application form & declarations duly signed |
|
3 |
Copy of your passport’s data page (A4 size copy) |
|
4 |
Personal cover letter explaining the exact purpose and duration of stay |
|
5 |
Letter of admission from German university |
|
6 |
Proof of payment of study fees, if applicable |
|
7 |
Proof of language proficiency in English (TOEFL/IELTS) and/or German (if course is (partially) taught in German), not older than 2 years |
|
8 |
Proof of other academic qualifications, if applicable |
|
9 |
Proof of financial means to cover the costs for the time of your studies by one of the following documents: |
|
10 |
3 passport pictures according to biometric specifications, not older than 6 months |
|
11 |
Demand Draft |
Germany Scholarship
Many national and international universities and colleges provide Germany scholarships for local and overseas students. Germany is considered one of the lucrative countries for education. Studying in Germany is quite reasonable and affordable for students from all over the world. Most universities and technical colleges are government aided and only little cost is borne by the students. Here is the compact listing that will provide you the information for the availability of Germany Scholarships.
FAQs