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STUDYING IN GERMANY:
As a student of the Language you probably already decided what you plan to do after the language programme:
o Are you wondering about what you need to do to study in Germany?
o How do you need to make your dream of studying in Germany a reality?
8 Steps to Study in Germany:
- Find a Study Programme
Finding a university and choosing a study program that suits your interests is the first step to planning your studies in Germany.
Plan at least 3 months in advance. This period of time is enough to allow you to scan all German universities that offer courses related to your professional field.
Focus on a smaller list of universities that seem ideal for you. You can either decide to focus on just one university or apply to several that you like best to increase your chances of securing admission.
Here is the list of universities in Germany and here is the list of study programs available as of 2018. - Meet all the requirements
Now that you have decided what university and what study program you want to attend you must check out all the requirements. For this purpose, you check the university website and their admission requirements section. If there are things you don’t understand never hesitate to contact the university directly.
Entry requirements are different depending on the university and the type of course you choose, so it’s recommended to read the requirements section multiple times.
Bad timing and missing documents are the most common issues that happen at this stage and both can lead to delayed admission or even rejected applications. To avoid such possibility you must prepare these documents early enough.
For example, sitting for a German language proficiency standardized test you need to take a language course for at least three months. If you start learning German from scratch it takes way longer than this.
Further legalizations of your documents may have a similar processing time until they’re issued to you. Taken any occasional delay originating from the nature of the process, you must start preparing your documents at least 4 months before applying for your place at the university. - Learn the German Language
Start learning it 6 months before the application or the course commencing)
Your success at university highly depends on your skills in the German language, even if your program is in the English language. Having a solid-rock knowledge in the German language guarantees you will comprehend study materials, understand what is taught in lectures while being able to express your thoughts properly.
In Germany, most undergraduate courses are taught in the native language, whereas many study programs at higher academic levels are taught entirely or partially in the German language. Other than at university, you will often have to speak German with locals.
Learning German from scratch can be difficult, but if you start early, by the time you travel to Germany you may be speaking German perfectly. We recommend starting at least 6 months ahead of the commencing of your course (or before the application if German language proficiency is a requirement) to gain a basic comprehension of the German language. - Find Financial resources
The next step is making sure you have the required financial means to live and study in Germany. Under the current law, every foreign non-EU or non-EEA student must have proper financial means to finance their stay in Germany during their studies.
An international student in Germany must possess a minimum of €10,332 which is estimated to be enough for a student to cover the cost of living for the first year of his studies. This amount of money needs to be deposited into a German blocked bank account.
Important Tip: To Highly Increase Your Chances of Getting Your Student Visa You Should Use a Blocked Account as Proof of Financial Resources.
A blocked account is a special type of bank account for international students in Germany, to prove you have enough funds to live in Germany for one year during your studies.
As of 2021, it is estimated that a foreign student in Germany will spend an average of €861 euros per month at a minimum. So, you need to have €10,332 in your bank account before applying for a German student visa.
Click here to learn more about the German Blocked Account
Here are some ways you can finance your studies in Germany. - Apply for admission
Apply (As soon as you complete requirements)
After double-checking your application documents, it’s time for you to submit the application. The application can be carried online, but there may be universities that receive only applications in person or by post.
Contact your university to see you which way you can submit your application. Most German universities are part of the national university online application platform known as UniAssist. In addition to this, there are universities that run their own online admission platform on their website.
Keep in mind that universities in German are a hub for international students and admission committees are heavily loaded with foreign applications. Going through all the applications takes time and you need to submit your application as soon as possible to take advantage.
You must submit your application once the call for application is opened and then wait for the admission letter.
Depending on what level of studies you’re pursuing in Germany, the application procedures vary slightly.
Here are our detailed guides on how to apply for Bachelor’s Degree at universities in Germany:
Bachelor’s Degree
- Obtain your German Student Visa (As soon as you receive the admission letter)
If you’re a student coming from a non-EU and non-EEA country you must get a German student visa.
For detailed guidance on how to get your student visa, please read our article “German Student Visa Requirements“.
By the time you are collecting the documents we suggest to contact the German embassy/consulate in person and make a visa appointment.
Make sure you have secured proper financial means for studying in Germany. One of the easiest and the best way to convince the authorities that you have enough money to cover your study and living cost is by opening a so called Blocked bank account.
Along with other documents, the German embassy/consulate in your home country will also require you to get a health insurance policy before granting you a student visa. - Find Accommodation (If possible two weeks before your landing in Germany)
Now that you’re officially an admitted student in Germany and you have your student visa you must think of a place to stay in. Accommodation in Germany for international students is not that expensive, but is normal that as a foreign student, you should strive to find the most financially suitable place for you.
We recommend you give the deserved priority to this issue because it may cost you a lot of time which otherwise you would use to study. With that in mind, you can try to find an accommodation online before landing in Germany.
In the end, if you don’t find something that fits for you, at least you have a list of resources to contact to secure your accommodation the day you land in Germany. As with other steps explained above, you must find accommodation as soon as you gain your student visa. Two weeks before your landing in Germany should be fine. - Enrol at your University (First week after arriving in Germany)
The final step to officially be given a place at the University of your Choice is to enrol in the course at which you have been admitted. In this sense, the enrolment process takes you from a successful applicant to a registered student in Germany.
The public higher education in Germany is offered for free, but you will still have to pay a registration fee which ranges somewhat between €150 and €250. Additionally, you will have to pay for your Semester ticket to use public transportation free of charge for 6 months.
To enrol at your university course in Germany you need to personally appear at the administration office of your university and submit the following documents:
Your valid passport
A passport photo
Your Visa or Residence Permit
Completed and signed Application Form
Degree qualifications (original documents or certified copies)
The Letter of Admission
Proof of health insurance in Germany (You can get your health insurance here.)
The payment fee receipt
Following your enrolment in the university administration will issue you a registration document (ID card) which can later be used for residence permit application and attendance of your classes.
An important note: You need to re-register each semester following the completion of the previous one and again you will have to cover the same registration costs.
Make sure to also read our article about the first things you need to do after you arrive in Germany.
For a more in-depth guide to studying in Germany as an international student and everything you need to know check out The Complete Guide to Studying in Germany for Free.
For more information:
Download free E-book
https://ebook.studying-in-germany.org/
SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS IN GERMANY FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:
- DAAD Scholarship Programmes
DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) or the German Academic Exchange Service is a joint organisation of Germany’s higher education institutions, responsible in promoting international academic relations. They focus on the exchange of students, academics, and researchers offering scholarships and funding to foreign students, graduate students, and scientists in Germany.
The DAAD scholarships are awarded to students who want to get a qualification in a full-time course of study. The applicants should have completed their Bachelor degree not more than in the last 6 years and they should have at least two years of proven work experience. The stipend amount of the DAAD scholarship is 850€ monthly for postgraduate students and 1,200€ monthly for doctoral students.
If you check the database of the DAAD, you will find a list of all the scholarships available as well as numerous programmes offered by different institutions. - Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships in Germany
The Heinrich Böll Foundation awards approximately 1,200 scholarships a year to ambitious undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral students of all subjects and nationalities. These students should be pursuing their degree at state or state-recognized universities in Germany. Scholarship receipts are expected to have outstanding academic records and be politically and socially engaged, while showing an interest in values like ecology, sustainability, democracy, human rights, self-determination as well as justice.
Non-EU students in their Masters studies will receive 850€ per month, in addition to individual allowances (tuition fees might be possible). EU students of the same level of study will receive 649€ plus 300€ book money per month. It is awarded for the regular period of study with the possibility of extension by one semester.
PhD students coming from countries outside of the EU, on the other hand, will receive 1,200€ per month, in addition to 100€ mobility allowance per month and other individual allowances (excluding tuition fees). PhD students coming from the EU, will receive 1,350€ per month, plus 100€ research costs allowance (excluding tuition fees). The scholarship is awarded for two years with the possibility of extension twice by half a year. - DeutschlandStipendium National Scholarship Programme
The Deutschlandstipendium offers financial support to ambitious and academically outstanding students from all corners of the world. It supports students at all participating universities in Germany without taking into consideration someone’s nationality, personal or parent income. The scholarship is made possible through a public-private collaboration where businesses, foundations, or individuals sponsor students with a sum of 150€ per month while the Federal Government adds another 150€ to that amount. This scholarship is awarded by the universities, meaning applicants are required to meet the requirements of individual institutions.
The scholarship is awarded for two semesters but it may also be valid for the time which covers the standard period of study. After two semesters, the university reviews the student still meets the scholarship criteria, in order for private funding to proceed. Mentoring programmes, networking events, as well as internships will also be available through this scholarship. - Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarships in Germany for International Students
Students with above average academic achievements with a keen interest in politics are eligible to apply for the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarship. This scholarship programme aims to promote foreign students and doctoral candidates who have successfully completed their undergraduate studies in their home country. This scholarship is available for students wanting to complete a postgraduate, doctorate, or research programme. Priority will be given to students of PhD candidates from developing countries or countries that are going through political transformation.
Master and postgraduate students will receive an amount of 850€ monthly for two years. Doctoral candidates and those who come to Germany for research purposes will receive a monthly amount of 1,100€ for three years. Tuition fees can be reimbursed up to 500€ per semester (only courses related to the study/doctoral project). Through these scholarships, intercultural dialogues and international networks get promoted in order to develop the relations between the home countries and the Federal Republic of Germany. - Erasmus Scholarship Programs in Germany
Erasmus is also a wise choice for international students aiming to participate in a full-time study programme in Germany. As an EU-wide grant funded by the member states of the European Union, Erasmus offers financial assistance for one year exchange periods for international students at universities in Germany. In order for you to get the scholarship to Germany, you should be enrolled at a higher education institution and both your home university as well as the German university must have signed the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education.
Most of the major universities in the EU participate in the Erasmus scheme, with German universities participating in numerous study programmes funded by Erasmus Mundus and Erasmus+ scholarships. The grants will cover the enrolment, travel, as well as basic living costs. You can find the complete list of Erasmus Mundus master courses on the Erasmus catalogue. You can search for courses conducted in Germany. - The Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Scholarship
Another option is the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung scholarship, which seeks to promote social democracy through academic financial assistance. The scholarship is available for foreign applicants who are studying or doing their doctorate in Germany at a state or state-recognized university of applied sciences. These students are expected to have above-average academic achievements. This is a good option for those in the fields of social sciences, politics, or humanities.
To be eligible for this scholarship you must demonstrate exceptional German language skills even if the course you are taking is in English. The places are limited since only 40 people per year, coming from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe, will be taking this funding programme. Scholarship holders in undergraduate courses will receive a monthly amount of 830€. Those in master degree programmes will receive 850€ per month as well as health insurance costs.
E-RESOURCES
https://www.daad.org/en/about-us/who-we-are/newsletters/
https://www.daad.org/en/about-us/who-we-are/news/
https://www.studying-in-germany.org/daad-scholarship/
Grammar words for the month:
German Adverbs of Time
gestern — yesterday
heute — today
immer —always
manchmal — sometimes
morgen — tomorrow
morgens — mornings
nachmittag — in the afternoon
nachts /abends — at night, evenings
nie/nimmer — never
oft — often
German Adverbs Of Manner
Adverbs of manner indicate how something happens and include words such as:
allein(e) — alone
eventuell — possibly
freiwillig — voluntarily
gern(e) — gladly
hoffentlich — hopefully
langsam — slowly
leichtsinnig — recklessly
lieber — rather
natürlich — naturally
sicherlich — certainly
vielleicht — maybe
widerwillig — stubbornly
wütend — angrily
zögerlich — reluctantly
zufällig — per chance
zusammen — together
German Adverbs Of Place
Finally, adverbs of place describe where an action takes place. Some examples include:
da/dort — here/there oben – above
drauβen — outside rechts – right
drinnen — inside überall — everywhere
hier — here unten – below
irgendwo — somewhere voran – before/in front
links — left
nirgends — nowhere
Library hours:
Whilst the Library remains closed you can contact the Librarian: librarian@goetheharare.org
Monday – Friday from 10.00 a.m – 3.00 p.m.
