Study in Germany

German universities on internationalisation path

2012-01-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

The new president of the German AcademicExchange Service (DAAD), Prof. Margret Wintermantel, plans to give anadditional boost to the international attractivness of German universities. Thoseinstitutions that are prepared to develop new internationally oriented studyprogrammes and, therefore, are particularly successful in attracting foreignstudents will be provided with additional funds.

Wintermantel seeks to further increase thenumber of international students in Germanyfrom the current number of 245,000 to 300,000 by the end of the decade."Winning over foreign students is how we will make friends and partnersfor the future. What is more, if we fail to increase the number ofinternational students in

Germany

,we will be unable to maintain our academic system’s excellence in light ofdemographic changes." The DAAD President pointed out that to attract thebest students to

Germany

would also require making university admissions more straightforward and moreflexible and better oriented towards the students’ individual qualifications.

Prof. Margret Wintermantel is formerpresident of Saarland University,one of

Germany

’smost internationalised institutions of higher education.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

(Source: http://www.daad.de/portrait/presse/pressemitteilungen/2012/19484.en.html)

New visa regulations for Indian students

2012-01-03T06:05:00.000-08:00

In order to be eligible for a studentresidence permit in

Germany

,international students have to prove that they are financially sound enough tofinance their stay in the country. At present an amount of roughly 8,000 EUR isconsidered necessary to cover a student’s living expenses for one year.

Many Indian students from middle-classfamilies opt for educational loans to finance their overseas studies.Previously the German consular authorities in

India

considered a loan sanction letter from an Indian bank as sufficient to fulfillthe visa requirement. Alternatively, proof of a substantial savings account orterm deposit was also accepted. When leaving India for Germany, the student hadto carry a corresponding demand draft (DD) from his or her bank that could becashed upon arrival.

Evidence, however, has shown that manyIndian students do actually not use this money for their needs but send it backto India as soon as possible in order to save interest on their loans. Hard-pressed forfunds, they then end up in a tight corner, having to look for part-time jobs(which are difficult to come by without German language skills) and neglectingtheir studies.

To remedy this situation, some Germanconsulates in

India

are making it mandatory for all Indian students to open an account with aGerman bank at the time of applying for their visa. Required is a so-called“blocked account” which limits the amount of money that can be withdrawn in acertain period of time, thereby, making easy re-transfer of funds to

India

impossible. Before the student leaves

India

,the fixed sum of money for the first year has to be paid into the account.

This should not be considered adiscriminatory practice. It has long been a standard requirement for studentsfrom many other Asian and African countries. There are also advantages for thestudent: Up till now, many of them had to wait for weeks until the German bankswere finally able to cash their DDs. With a blocked account, there is usually immediate access to the money – in a limited amount, though.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Germany faces shortage of skilled labour

2011-12-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

In many countries unemployed youth queuing up in front of labour offices is a common sight. Not so in Germany. The country increasingly faces the opposite problem - a shortage of qualified young people willing to take up the occupational challenge in one of the world`s most advanced economies.

According to a recent report in Germany's most popular news magazine "Der Spiegel", experts are warning that the shortage of skilled labour could become an increasingly serious threat to Germany's economy in years to come. Companies in certain industrial sectors are already struggling to fill vacant positions. Demographic developments will only make that worse, as the German population ages and the labor force shrinks.

The government is now debating to ease immigration regulations for highly qualified professionals from non-EU countries even further in order to allow German companies to employ foreign specialists. Earlier this year, a consortium of German foundations and charities set up a cross-party commission to look at the problem. The commission is headed by Armin Laschet, former state integration minister for North Rhine-Westphalia, and former German Defense Minister Peter Struck. Laschet told "Der Spiegel" that "we need to campaign around the world to attract the best minds. That effort already begins, incidentally, with our embassies, consulates and chambers of commerce located abroad."

The commission wants the government to lower bureaucratic hurdles so that companies can hire skilled workers from abroad more easily. In addition, it asks for measures that will make it more straightforward for foreign students to work in Germany and stay in the country after graduation. As of now, non-EU graduates of German university are granted one extra year to find a suitable job in order to obtain a five-year work and residence permit.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Germany’s high-tech state abolishes tuition fees

2011-10-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

The German federal state of Baden-Württemberg is home to cutting-edge multinationals like Daimler Benz, Bosch and SAP. It also houses many of Germany’s most higly reputed and competitive universities, some of them several hundred years old and playing in the league of Cambridge and Harvard.

Until this year domestic and international students had to pay 1,000 EUR of tuition years per anno, apart from the usual enrollment fees of around 300 EUR. The new Green / Social Democratic coalition government of the state, recently elected in a landslide victory, has now fullfilled one of its promises voiced during the election campaign and abolished tuition fees from the coming year onwards.

Starting from 2012 you can study in one of the world’s most technologically advanced regions for – literally – peanuts. At least, when it comes to fees. Living expenses, of course, remain a burden on your wallet. You need at least 8,000 EUR per year to survive in the home of Benz and Bosch.

For an overview of current tuition fees in all German federal states please visit the following link (in English):
http://www.studis-online.de/StudInfo/Gebuehren/tuition_fees.php

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Germany: More and more study programmes taught in English

2011-09-18T22:15:00.000-07:00

It is still a widely held misconception that advanced German language skills are required in order to study at a German university. This is true for most undergraduate programmes and courses in medicine, pharmacy, nursing and law. However, at the master’s and doctoral level the choice of English-taught study programmes is increasing by the day – especially in the engineering and natural sciences but also in business administration and economics.

New English-medium courses generally offer state-of-the-art training in the most future-oriented areas. Thus, the newly opened programmes cover fields like the following:

bioinformatics
bionics & biomimetics
microbiology & bioengineering
pharmaceutical biotechnology
nano technology & neuroscience
geomatics
computational engineering & simulation sciences
medical systems engineering
optics & photonics
media & communication technology
automotive software engineering
renewable energy systems
international business administration & foreign trade
international tourism

If you are interested in and feel qualified for any of these English-taught graduate programmes, drop us a line to get more details.

Having highlighted the widening course offerings in English at public German universities, it remains a fact that Germany is not an anglophone country and probably will not become one in the foreseeable future. Most written information (street signs, train and bus schedules, information on food items in the supermarket etc.) is only given in the local language, and if you ask someone to help you out, you will notice that the vast majorty of Germans speak very rustic English, at best.

Therfore, to get around in daily life and to feel at home in the country you need at least some basic communicative skills in German. The German government has opened language and cultural centres in most countries, including India, that offer excellent and affordable language classes at different levels of proficiency.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Increase in counselling charges

2011-08-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

Due to the high inflation rate in India and the ongoing devaluation of the Rupee in relationship to other currencies, the German Study Centre Cochin (DSZ) will have to increase its counselling charges from 15 September 2011 onwards by app. 10 %.

For details please contact us by email.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Allow time for your visa application

2011-07-01T03:47:00.000-07:00

The unexpected rush of Indian students to Germany has led to a situation of overload at some German consular authorities in the country. The situation is particularly severe at the German consulate in Chennai, which is responsible for all visa applications from South India. This is an unacceptable situation, and it is a pity that the new consulate in Bangalore is still not fully operational.

Indian applicants for student residence permits presently run the risk of missing important deadlines at their German universities. It is highly advisable to contact the respective VFS offices as soon as possible to make an appointment for the required visa interview at the German consulate / embassy.

Don't forget: Residence permits (whether for work or study) cannot be issued by consular authorities without prior consultation with the respective immigration offices in Germany. After the visa interview, it usually takes between 4 and 6 weeks before the entry visa can be stamped into the candidate's passport.

At the present situation, first contact with the VFS representatives should be made at least 10 weeks before the envisaged date of departure.

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Growing demand for qualified manpower

2011-05-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

Due to the present economic boom in Germany, the demand for qualified manpower is rapidly increasing. According to new statistics, the shortage of professionals with qualifications in engineering, the sciences and mathematics has increased to 117,000. The German government sees no chance to recruit enough qualified young people from the domestic population. It has, therefore, plans to make the present, already liberal stay-back options even more attractive to study graduates from abroad.

For international students, Germany has become the third most important study destination, just behind the US and UK and ahead of other major players in the international educational scene like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In 2009, around 235,000 students with foreign passports were enrolled at German universities. In the same year, however, only 5,000 graduates from outside the EU stayed back in Germany to work. Most of the international students either returned home or moved on to English-speaking countries after finishing their studies.

Keeping the high public subsidies for university education and the shortage of manpower in mind, this situation is very unsatisfactory in the eyes of the German government. One problem are lacking German language skills of many foreign graduates. Most employers in Germany still expect new employees to communicate fluently in the local language. So, if you consider staying back in the country after your studies, start investing some time into learning German as early as possible!

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Germany: First choice for international students

2011-03-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

Good news for German universities: Germany has been named as the most supportive country for overseas students, reports the BBC based on an international ranking by the British Council. The UK was ranked in third place, with China coming fourth, ahead of the United States in sixth place, in a table showing 11 of the biggest players in the overseas student market.

The strongest overall performance was from Germany, which has promoted a deliberate policy of internationalisation. Among the attractions for international students, writes the BBC, is the increasing availability in Germany of courses taught entirely in English, so much so that students can complete degrees without ever having to speak German. Another major attraction of Germany is that overseas students do not pay any more in tuition fees than home students. Universities in many parts of Germany do not charge any tuition fees, which means in those places overseas students do not pay any fees at all.

For the complete BBC article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12610268

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Rush of students to Germany

2011-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

International students applying to German universities for the fall 2011 intake will be facing tough competition. The world is slowly climbing out of the recession, and Germany is presently one of the economically most dynamic countries in the West. Add to this the attraction of low or no tuition fees, moderate living expenses and excellent scientific reputation, and you will easily understand why Europe's most populous state has become a crowd-puller for young people worldwide.

This being said, chances are still good for the brainy around the world. If your CGPA is over 70%, you are in the game. Give your profile a boost by obtaining above-average IELTS, TOEFL and / or GRE scores. When it comes to graduate students, most German universities appreciate relevant work experience and basic German language skills.

For understandable reasons, most international students target English-taught master programmes in Germany. Few are aware that the country offers excellent opportunities for school leavers (after standard 12). They are smoothly integrated into the German university system by a specially designed pre-degree or "bridge" year.

When thinking about higher studies in Germany, don't avoid the German language. The country has one of largest job markets for high-tech professionals in the world and offers generous stay-back options for graduates from non-EU countries. Knowing German is the door opener to these vast opportunities...

For more information contact:

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Germany - where the government pays for your education

2010-10-27T23:58:00.000-07:00

More and more European countries are raising the financial barriers for international students. From the coming academic year onwards, Sweden - with expected yearly tuition fees between 8,000 and 14,000 EUR for non-EU students - will join the league of high-price destinations on the continent. Other European nations that have recently become rather costly for international students are the UK, Denmark and the Netherlands.

The German-speaking countries continue to make only moderate demands on your wallet. Tuition fees in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are still largely nominal, amounting to app. 1,000 EUR a year – both for domestic and international students, no matter which part of the world they come from. Moreover, this low-fee policy applies not only to undergraduate programmes taught in German but also to the vast majority of English-medium graduate courses that are now available in large numbers in Germany and Switzerland.

And things are getting even better: Germany continues to roll out the red carpet to international students by gradually abolishing even nominal tuition fees. The federal state of Hesse (with Frankfurt as its bustling centre) reverted to a 0 EUR policy in the academic year 2008/09, and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state with one of the densest university landscapes in the world and home to cities like Cologne and Düsseldorf, will do so from 2011/12 onwards.

And, not to forget: Some of Germany’s most dynamic universities are now located in the eastern part of the country, where tuition fees have never been introduced.

For more information contact:

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Get ready for spring 2011 intake!

2010-07-13T03:26:00.000-07:00

Universities in most countries offer only one intake per year, generally in fall (September / October). It's different in Germany: Several graduate programmes in engineering, sciences and IT as well as pre-degree courses for +2 school leavers allow you to join in spring (March / April) as well. Now is the right time to inform yourself about suitable programmes and the respective application requirements (e.g. IELTS / TOEFL).

The economy in Germany is picking up, exports are booming and there is a growing demand for highly qualified professionals. The country offers liberal stay-back options to all non-EU graduates of German universities. And it may be interesting for you to know that the so-called "demographic transition" (with fewer youngster joining the job market every year) is making itself increasingly felt in the country. Experts are predicting that by 2015 Germany will start experiencing a dramatic shortage of manpower in all sectors of the economy.

The "heart of Europe" is beckoning, so get ready now!

For more information contact:

Chris
germanstudycentre@gmail.com

Studying in Germany becomes even more affordable

2010-04-22T21:17:00.001-07:00

The present strength of the Rupee in relationship to the Euro has made studying in Germany even more affordable than before. You don't need more than Rs. 5 lakhs per year to cover your whole expenses - fees, accommodation, food, insurance etc.

Applications for the coming intake (September / October 2010) are still accepted for several master programmes in engineering, sciences and IT at reputed public universities.

Hand in your documents before 15 July and be in Germany by the end of the year!

Chris
German Study Centre Cochin (DSZ)
chrisgkiem@gmail.com
0484-2218887

Guidance to University Studies in Germany

2010-03-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

For professional advice on university studies in Germany and neighbouring countries, customized packages for admission counselling, visa preparation and pre-departure briefing, contact us at

Dr. Chris G. Kiem
1/620 Santa Cruz School Rd.
Fort Kochi (behind Santa Cruz Basilica)
Kochi - 682 001, Kerala, INDIA
Phone: 0484-2217050
Email: chrisgkiem@gmail.com

For more information on studying in Germany, scroll down this page.

A World Leader in Higher Education

2010-02-02T19:20:00.000-08:00

Germany is the most populous and economically strongest country of the European Union (EU). With more than 350 institutions of higher education, Germany has one of the densest university landscapes in the world. Due to a unique combination of theory, research and application, German academic degrees are internationally highly valued and widely accepted.

Apart from its rich cultural heritage and beautiful landscape, Germany has been a country of technological innovation for centuries. Gutenberg's movable type, Benz's and Daimler's automobile, Berliner's grammophone record, Zuse's computer or Brandenburg's MP3 files all bear testmony to this. It is the above inventers together with companies like BMW, Bosch, Daimler Benz, Siemens and Zeiss who turned their ideas into products that have made Germany today's leading exporter of advanced technology.

Internationally, Germany enjoys an excellent reputation for its achievements in scientific research and technological development. It is, therefore, not surprising that its attractiveness as a study location for ambitious young people has been constantly growing over the years. In 2008, about 233,000 international students were enrolled at German universities. During the past decade their number has more than doubled. Together with the US, UK, Australia and France, Germany is now one of the five most popular study destinations for young people worldwide.

We assist you in obtaining admission to high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes at various public universities in Germany. Subjects include engineering, computer science, information technology, medicine, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, business and many others. Due to comprehensive state subsidies, fees at public universities in Germany are generally not more than Rs. 90,000/- per year. At some universities the yearly fees do not exceed
Rs. 10,000/-! International students are legally entitled to work part-time during their studies and can look for suitable full-time employment after graduation.

As an undergraduate student in Germany, you will have to do your studies at least partly in German. For master and doctoral students there are programmes that are conducted fully in English. However, in order to work part-time you need to be able to communicate in the local language. The German government runs a number of excellent training centres in several Indian cities, the so-called Max Mueller Bhavan. In many other countries similar institutions exist under the name of Goethe Institutes. At these institutes you can acquire elementary language skills, which form a good basis for more advanced courses after your arrival in Germany.

University education in Germany is of high academic standard and has a strong research orientation, even at the undergraduate level. Therefore, only good students will be able to successfully complete the demanding curriculum. Most universities require candidates to have achieved a GPA of at least 70% (for some programmes 75% or 80%) in their previous studies. Please contact us to find out the requirements for individual programmes. The school leaving exam of most non-European countries (including India) is not considered a sufficient basis for undergraduate studies (i.e. bachelor programmes) in Germany. The universities, therefore, run one-year foundation courses that bring prospective students up to the necessary academic level.

Germany enjoys one of the highest living standards and most comprehensive social security systems in the world. Nevertheless, costs of living are moderate compared to other West European countries and the US. For people coming from India, however, Germany remains an expensive place. You will need app. 8,000 EUR or Indian Rs. 5,00,000/- per year to support yoursel (including university fees). Scholarship options for Indian students are largely restricted to the doctoral level. However, all international students in Germany are allowed to work part-time within certain limits.

Germany's institutions of higher education are closely interlinked with universities throughout Europe. There is a growing number of prestigious European master degree programmes that require students to study in at least two countries of the EU. With additional international exposure and a double degree in their pocket, graduates of these programmes have excellent job prospects in a world that is becoming more globalised by the day.

If you are interested in pursuing higher studies in Germany, please contact us at germanstudycentre@gmail.com. We will gladly counsel you on all possibilities that are open to you.