The German-speaking population has been an inseparable part of the world’s greatest creations in both arts and sciences; thus almost every academic discipline has a long and outstanding tradition of success stories, in Germany and beyond. Add this to that the fact that as of October this yearGermany abolished all tuition fees for national and international students alike, offering free internationally recognized degrees for every prospective student. There you have it: the ideal study abroad destination.
No wonder students from all around the world are confused as to why can every other country cannot make such a convenient move as Germany. However, the lack of tuition fees is just one of many benefits of studying in Germany. Let’s go through all the advantages Germany has to offer to international students…
1. No tuition fees at public universities in Germany
Higher education in Germany is mainly funded by the state and as such it is literally free of charge for domestic and international students alike. The German higher education system consists of around 400 institutions, divided into public “tuition free” institutions that host over 2.4 million students across Germany, and a smaller number of private institutions that enroll less than 5% of the total student body.
In the past decade, Germany has been politically struggling to ban tuition fees throughout the whole country; yet as a decentralized federal country it was difficult to bring all 16 of the federations to agree. In October 2014, consensus was reached and Germany is now offering access to free higher education to all students, regardless of their origin.
2. Excellent higher education staff members and infrastructure
Higher education in Germany consists of three different types of institutions:
Universities
Universities of Applied Sciences
Technical, Art, Film and Music Colleges
Most public universities in Germany date from the Middle Ages, barring a significant tradition of qualitative education and prominent names in various academic disciplines. Other institutions were either founded after the Second World War or fairly recently, including most of the private universities in Germany.
Universities in Germany are known to excel in both infrastructure and curricula. Optimal facilities providing contemporary technology, and a diversified professional staff that contributes to compounding an enlightening curricula, ensure promising future generations of experts regardless of the discipline. Innovation, international cooperation and practice-oriented studies are considered to be the revolutionary roads to a world-class education.
3. Internationally recognized degrees
Universities in Germany now all operate under the Bologna reform, which ensures all students get a unified and internationally recognized degree such as bachelor’s, masters or PhD.
BA/BSc equals 6 semesters of study
MA/MSc equals to 2-4 semesters, depending on the program
PhD equals 4-6 semesters, depending on the program
This applies to most academic disciplines, except for medicine, law and pharmacy. In these subjects students are still educated in the traditional way; a state exam is conducted at the end of studies, and the course lasts a few more semesters than an ordinary bachelor’s degree.
4. Study programs taught in English
Studying in Germany not only comes for free, but you can also do it in English if your German language skills are not so good. English is an international and widely spoken language, taught as a second language in the majority of schools around the world. A fresh start in a new country, a new university AND a new language can be tougher than you think; therefore you might want to go easy on yourself and take up an international program taught in English while your German language skills advance, and then perhaps switch to studying in Germany.
5. Great job opportunities
Regardless of the free tuition fee policy, studying in Germany doesn’t come entirely for free – you still need to meet the living costs. Therefore many international students tend to look for a job to support themselves while studying. It is very easy for EU students to find a job, as there are no limitations whatsoever. Meanwhile students from non-EU countries have to apply for a work permit, and their working hours are limited to 190 full days or 240 half days per year.
Students from countries outside of the EU, EEA or Switzerland are not permitted to work freelance or self-employed. However, this has seldom been an issue since Germany is a very well-developed country where the economy supports thousands of new jobs every day, giving the majority of international students the possibility of finding a decent job.
It’s worth mentioning that practice-oriented universities in Germany have agreements with great companies, providing students with internships. These may not always be paid, but could lead to a great future job after obtaining your degree.
6. A chance to explore all aspects of life in Germany
Student life in Germany thrives on adrenaline and curiosity. German people are friendly but give you privacy; mutual respect and order are part of the daily routine; and cultural diversity is worth exploring in every inch of the country, as it makes you feel part of one entity rather than a total stranger.
Outdoor activities are pretty popular in Germany, including sports, hiking, cycling, skiing and more – so students who consider themselves athletic are going to fit in just fine. As most international students choose to live in metropolises, they’ll find lots of activities to fill their spare time; hanging out in bars, clubbing, theater and cinema are all part of student life in Germany. Most of the great German cities are artsy and have a vivid underground music scene, full of hipster fashion, books and ideals which all make for an enlightening and interesting experience.
If you get tired of the frenzy, you’ll find that Germans are for the most part more private people, who prefer smaller gatherings behind closed doors, enjoying their food and beverages in a more intimate atmosphere. Once you have a chance to join local friendship groups, you will start learning about “real” life in Germany.
Germans are by all means green. Parks and green spaces are part of every neighborhood and remain the ideal space to calm the mind. Travelling in and out of the country promises surreal landscapes, great architecture and loads of historical data to be revealed.
Another true advantage to life in Germany is the excellent public transport, which is efficient, safe and fast. As an additional perk of studying in Germany, you get a travel card for free by paying enrollment and administrative taxes that are ridiculously low.
7. Staying in Germany after your studies
Finally, after studying in Germany, you’ll have the chance to stay on and seek work after you graduate. The law allows international graduates to stay for an additional 18 months to seek work, and you may even end up staying longer, if that is what you wish.
North Rhine-Westphalia
The most populous German state, North Rhine-Westphalia is located in the west of Germany and is home to approximately 17.5 million, some 22% of the nation’s population. A prime location to study in Germany, North Rhine-Westphalia claims the highest number of top German universities (nine) and is home to the city of Düsseldorf (its capital) and Cologne (its largest city).
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische HochschuleAachen is the top ranked university in North Rhine-Westphalia, at 147th in the world. It is the only TU9 member in the state and one of two institutions in the region to receive funding from the government’s Excellence Initiative. The other is Universität Köln.
Baden-Württemberg
The third largest German state in terms of both population and size, Baden-Württemberg is home to 11 million people. As well as thriving automobile, engineering and metallurgical sectors, Baden-Württemberg is famous for its fairytale forests and historic towns. Baden-Württemberg is home to two TU9 members (Universität Stuttgart and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT) as well as the highest-ranked university at which to study in Germany –Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.
The capital and largest city of Baden-Württemberg is Stuttgart.
Bavaria
The biggest state by size and the second-largest by population, Bavaria is home to 12.5 million people. With diverse industry in technology, engineering, beer and tourism (anyone for lederhosen?), the state’s top two universities two are Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and Technische Universität München (TU München), which both gain funding from the government’s Excellence Initiative and one of which, TU München, is a member of TU9.
Two of the top universities in Bavaria are located in München (aka Munich), the capital and largest city in the state.
Hesse
With a densely packed population of six million, the German state of Hesse is split between two of its biggest cities – Wiesbaden, the capital, and Frankfurt am Main, the largest financial center in continental Europe. Frankfurt is also home to the highest-ranked university in Hesse, Universität Frankfurt am Main, which is ranked 217th in the world. The Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt) is the only TU9 member in the state.
BerlinBoth a city and a state, Berlin is a multicultural and cosmopolitan student city, the seat of the German parliament and government, and a hugely popular tourist destination for its culture and history. Berlin boasts three of Germany’s top-ranked universities, more than any other city. Of these, Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) is a TU9 member.
Lower Saxony
The last German state to get rid of its tuition fees, Lower Saxony is home to around eight million people, with key industry in automobiles and energy. As well as the historic, fairytale cities of Hamelin and Göttingen, Lower Saxony calls Hanover (or Hannover) its capital. Two of the three internationally ranked universities in Lower Saxony are TU9 members –Technische Universität Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig) and Leibniz Universität Hannover; the other, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, is the state’s highest ranked.
SaxonyHome to ‘Silicon Saxony’, Europe’s largest micro-electronics industry, as well as rich culture, architecture and natural surroundings, the Free State of Saxony is home to just four million people. Dresden, the state’s capital, is home to the state’s only TU9 member, Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden).
Seven more German states are home to at least one top German university, including the city-states of Hamburg and Bremen, two of the smallest states in the country. Hamburg is a cosmopolitan seaport, while Bremen is a historical city with strong industry in technology and engineering.
The remaining five states featured within the rankings are Schleswig-Holstein, a maritime state; Rhineland-Palatinate, famous for good wine; Thuringia, home to a strong student population; Saarland, a culturally diverse state bordering France; and Saxony-Anhalt, famous for its arts and cultural institutions such as the Bauhaus Dessau.