1. Why choose Germany to study in as a foreign student?
Well, for starters, you’ll get first-class education (German universities are among the highest ranking in the world – right below a few of the American Ivy League and prestigious British universities) and a formal degree to show for it, that is recognized all over the world.
On top of that, the guiding principle of the German higher education being ‘The Unity of Teaching and Research’ (also the cornerstone of what is referred to as the ‘dual education system’), there is strong emphasis on ‘apprenticeship’ and hands-on involvement on the part of the student, in both the practical application of a large part of what gets learned theoretically and in researching novel ways of problem-solving (at many universities and ‘Fachhochschulen’ access to cutting-edge research facilities is available).
Finally, Germany is an important country and culture, so every international student stands to benefit greatly from familiarity with it (to say nothing of the ton of fun they are certain to have in the process).
2. What exactly is ‘Studienkolleg’?
It is a one-year preparatory course which has to be joined by individual candidates who wish to study at a German higher education institution but whose school leaving diploma is deemed insufficient to apply for a degree program.
The course covers full-time education in the subjects of a degree program as well as the German language, for five days a week. A passing score on the final Assessment Examination qualifies you to apply for a degree program that is suitable for you at any German university.
3. Can I study in Germany in English language?
Yes. There’s plenty of International Degree Courses taught in English (in the first semesters, at any rate) for students whose command of the German language isn’t sufficiently good to warrant their studying be done entirely in German. Both before and during the program there are German language courses offered. A large number of postgraduate courses (Master’s and Ph.D.) are designed and taught entirely in English.
Go to https://www.daad.de/deutschland/studienangebote/international-programs/de/ and select “English” from the field “Course Language” to find all programs in English!
4. What exactly are the International Degree Courses?
International Degree Courses have been introduced by institutions of higher education in Germany with the express aim of facilitating the process whereby international student applicants realize their educational objectives in Germany. The medium of instruction is primarily English, with gradually increasing usage of German.
These courses, which have been designed to high academic standards and are available to not only international but German students as well, cover both undergraduate (6 to 8 semesters resulting with a Bachelors degree) and postgraduate (3 to 5 semesters resulting with a Masters degree – in some courses, 6 additional semesters lead to a Ph.D.) studies.
5. Is it mandatory for international students to have passed TOEFL or IELTS in order to enroll on a study program that is taught entirely in English?
Yes, as a general rule, you need TOEFL or IELTS in order to apply for a program that is entirely taught in English at a German university. If, however, you’re applying for a postgraduate program and already hold a Bachelors degree with English as the language of instruction, you do not need TOEFL or IELTS; it goes without saying: no need for TOEFL or IELTS if you’re a native speaker of English.
6. What are the “Fachhochschulen,” and in what way are they different from a University?
Let’s first mention what they have in common: they both lead to Bachelors and Masters degrees (or their equivalents in Germany). However, ‘Fachhochschulen’ do not award Ph.D. titles; in order to earn a Ph.D. a postgraduate course at a university has to be attended.
Universities of Applied Sciences (a.k.a. ‘Fachhochschulen’) are so conceived as to maximize the practical utilization of theoretical knowledge; they are suitable for candidates who have no intention of pursuing academic careers, but are rather interested in the acquisition of as much practical experience as possible. Hence, the vast majority of degree programs taught in them are in the fields of engineering and hard sciences; programs in business administration get taught at ‘Fachhochschulen’ too, but to a lesser extent, whereas courses in humanities and social sciences are rarely offered.
7. Is there free access to computer facilities and libraries at German universities?
As a general rule, all higher education institutions in Germany provide Internet access and set up email accounts for their students. In addition to that, they have libraries and archives that are very well stocked and that supply many of the titles that are mandatory reading for students so they don’t have to buy a lot of the reading material for their study courses.
8. Are there any age limits to apply for postgraduate study programs (Masters and Ph.D.) in Germany?
No, there are no limitations set on age.
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