"Germany - New Study Destination "

Others 1581 views 4 replies

Germany, a modern great power and the land of opportunities! With a great history of industry, politics and economics, Germany is a nation to reckon with in the world. An independent nation running its trade and governing with poise, Germany has risen to be a great power of Europe.

 

Let us take a look of the sights and sounds of this great nation.

 

 

With the flags motto of unity and justice and freedom, Germany is an eighty million strong nation. An ever growing GDP and a rising value of the euro, Germany harbors some of the finest industries and workers of the world. The capital city of Berlin is the largest city of Germany.

Economy

 

Germany is the biggest economy in Europe and the third largest in the world, only after the United States and Japan. The export operations are the major revenue generator of Germany. Germany is the world's top exporter with $1.133 trillion exported, from the beginning of 2006. The aftermath of the reunification hasn't really faded away, with West Germany leading the way in most of the sectors. New government policies have emphasized on renewable sources of energy, bio mass, hydro and geothermal energy. Germany is slowly growing into a very balanced economy.

 

Population

 

The population of Germany according to the latest census is estimates to be around 82.4 million, spread out in an area of 357 thousand square kilo meters. Though the population is vast, the standard of living is quite high, especially in the west considering the impact of the reunification of 1990.

 

History

 

Germany, as a state that we know now was unified in 1871, when the German empire was forged, with the kingdom of Prussia as its largest continent. The empire was a unification of all the scattered parts of Germany except Austria, beginning in 1884, Germany started establishing colonies outside Europe. Germany's imperialism reached outside of its own country and joined many other powers in Europe to claim their share of Africa.

 

The world wars had a major impact on Germany and for many set its future as a nation that harbored the Nazi party and its cruel perpetration on human life after the Second World War. The war resulted in death of millions of people across the country and eventually led to the division of Germany into the eastern and western fragments each with their own government policies and rules with varying economic and political practices. The contemporary world has witnessed the reunification of the west and the East Germany and the rebirth of a nation torn down with strife and separation. Germany is now a vast power growing consciously amidst the countries of the world

Replies (4)

Why study in GERMANY?

Germany opens up a world of opportunities!

Germany unfolds a lot of opportunities. Not only with the number [300 institutions] but also the world class quality of higher education makes it one of the leading countries in the field of research, science and technology.

 

Experience 'Global' feeling

 

Each year more than 230,000 international students (12 % of all the students at German universities) come to Germany for study and research. Germany offers wonderful international study programmes and excellent research opportunities. In addition, studying in Germany means being part of a global, highly elite academic community.

 

High Academic Standards

 

Being one of the pioneers in the field of education with its historical and modern schools, Germany offers First rate education. The renowned tradition of German universities dates back to the 14th century and ensures an outstanding level of education and research. Germany is hailed to be the best to produce machine tools, motor vehicles and electrical engineering products, which are leading in the international market.

 

Institute & Industry Interface
 


Germany has the most practical educational system with excellent industry-institute interaction. Close ties with companies like SAP, Siemens, DPWN, Daimler-Chrysler, BMW or Bosch will increase your career prospects. Many institutions of higher education offer students the opportunity to do internships or carry out research in industry.

 

International Degree Programmes (IDP) -

 

Studying in Germany no longer means studying in German medium alone - over 300 International Degree Programmes offer courses which are entirely or partly taught in English. These courses are offered in various disciplines, especially in engineering, natural sciences, computer sciences and economics and lead to internationally recognized Bachelor or Master degrees or even to a PhD.

 

Economic Vibrance-

 

Germany is one of the world's largest economic players - and India's most important EU business partner, especially for machinery, automobiles, chemical and electrical products as well as IT. The economic co-operation between the two countries is increasing and emphasises the economic power of Germany in Asia.

 

Cost Effective Education

 

Universities are state-funded, therefore, generally no tuition fees are charged. You only have to bear your living expenses, such as accommodation, food, transport and health insurance. Special student discounts for various services help to make studying in Germany less expensive than you would have expected.

 

In the heart of Europe - Germany lies in the heart of Europe - an excellent starting point to discover other famous European destinations. You are in London, Paris or Rome in no time.

VISA - GERMANY

A visa is absolutely necessary under the immigration laws for Germany. Students can't enter the country with a tourist Visa for the purpose of studying. Those wishing to enter the country to study may apply for a visa for purposes of study, or for a study applicant visa.

The visa must be issued before you can enter the country; you should therefore apply for it much ahead. The responsible body is the German Embassy or Consulate General in your country, which can also provide you with further information.

The visa for purposes of study will be issued if you have already been accepted to study in Germany. The study applicant visa (Studienbewerber-Visum) permits you to enter the country before the admission decision by the university or college, in order to obtain information on the spot. The university applicant visa is particularly important for applicants to the Hochschule for Musik and Theater (College of Music and Drama), so that you can enter the country for the entrance examination. And this type of visa may also be useful to applicants who wish to improve their language skills in Germany before starting their studies. The study applicant visa is limited to three months, but it can be converted to a visa for study purposes if you receive your admission from the university or college during this period.

For both types of visas it is necessary to hold a valid passport, to provide proof of financial means for your period of study in Germany, and to have either university admission (visa for purposes of study) or at least a confirmation of your status as an applicant (study applicant visa).

Those who intend to study and enter the country on a study applicant visa should also note that they must provide evidence of a university or college place in Germany within the prescribed period of three months, in order to obtain a residence permit for study purposes.

What documents will be required?

Visa applications for language courses must be accompanied by the following documents:

  • Application forms(2 copies)
  • Two recent passport photographs
  • Your passport with a validity exceeding three months after your scheduled return Photocopy of passport and previous Schengen visas, if applicable Confirmation of course reservation and payment of fees by the language school in Germany
  • Proof of sufficient funding / Formal obligation
  • Certification of medical insurance

For the student applicant visa you will need the following basic documents:

  • A valid passport and 2 passport photographs
  • Proof of possession of a school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, entitling you to study in both Singapore and Germany (or to visit a preparatory course in Germany)
  • Proof of previous studies
  • Proof that you already possess German-language skills or that you plan to attend an intensive language course (at least 20 hours per week) in Germany
  • Proof of sufficient funds to finance your period of study

You may either

a) finance yourself or

b) nominate one or more persons who will assume the full costs.

You must supply evidence that sufficient funds per months or a sum covering at least one year's study are available (e.g. own funds) equal to the highest German student loan level (BafG).

Adequate financial means implies that the applicant is in the position to secure his/her living expenses for the period of studies in Germany. This means that the applicant has to prove (at the time of application for a student visa) that he/she has a monthly allowance of 580 Euro, for the first twelve months of the studies, at his/her disposal. The following proofs of sufficient financial means are accepted:

(1) If you are financed by a sponsor in your home country, that person must declare his/her willingness to cover all your costs during the standard period of study (proof of a minimum monthly income of ?4,000 (by means of local documents such as tax receipts, bank statements, certificates of employment, pay slips, Commercial Register excerpts).

(2) If you are financed by a sponsor in Germany, that person must submit a binding declaration that he/she is willing to cover all your costs during the standard period of study.

(3) If you receive a scholarship you must produce a letter of confirmation to this effect.

In all cases it must be certain that you will have a monthly sum available to you directly in Germany.

2) For the student visa you will in principle need all documents listed under

1) above, except that -

instead of the school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, you must enclose the certificate of admission to higher education or a confirmation of application.

N.B.: You may normally only send for your family later to live with you in Germany in exceptional cases, e.g. if you are scholarship holder or on a postgraduate course. In these cases you must be able at least to support yourself and your family, have sufficient accommodation for your family, and already be registered at a German higher education institution.

Please take your time and do not hesitate to contact the Cultural and Consular Sections of your local Embassy for further detailed advice on any questions you may have regarding your planned studies in Germany.

3) For the visa for participation in a language course you will basically need the following documents:

  • A valid passport and 2 passport photographs
  • Proof that you have registered for a language course (e.g. certificate of registration, receipt of course fees)
  • Proof that you will be covered by health insurance for the duration of your stay in Germany
  • Proof that you are able to finance your stay and the course (using your own funds or via third parties).

Time required to issue visa:
1 day to 3+ weeks; contact nearest Consulate for more information It is strongly recommended to enquire at least 12 weeks in advance at a German consulate about possible visa requirements

What is the cost of a visa?
The cost of a visa or a residency permit is approx. ?100. however, please do check the official site for exact information.

How long is the visa valid for?
The visa is valid for the length of the study period

Other information:
You may be issued with one of three types of visa:

1) student applicant visa (if you do not yet have a certificate of admission to higher education or of confirmation of application).

2) student visa (if you have a certificate of admission to higher education or of confirmation of application).

3) visa for participation in a language course (if you only wish to attend a language course in Germany).

1. During the language course you are normally not allowed to take up employment.

2. If you intend to study in Germany after your course ends, please state this fact in your application, so that you can be issued with a student applicant visa or student visa, provided you fulfil the conditions for issue. These visas entitle the holder to attend language courses and to study in Germany (see above!). If you only apply for the language course visa, you will have to leave Germany at the end of the course. It is not possible to exchange this visa for another form of residence permit in Germany.

3. Examination of your application will normally require approximately 6 - 8 weeks. If the language course is longer than three months, processing of your application will require about 8 - 10 weeks. Therefore please send your application to the Consular Section in good time, i.e. at least eight weeks before you plan to travel!

Should you intend to travel to Germany with your family, please contact the Cultural or Consular Section of your local Embassy.

There is no legal right to a visa, even if all documents are submitted. The ultimate decision rests with the Legal and Consular Sections of the Embassy. You may be asked to supply further documentation

Money Matters

'Expenditure' is an area which most students would like to have detailed information first, before they plan their education abroad. In fact, awareness about the costs involved is 'very crucial' before one ventures into this expenditure-involved process.

Here are the details of Specific costs involved in Study Abroad Process

1. Application costs
Your study abroad plans start with the application process. If you want to apply for 4-6 universities/colleges, you have to consider Application Fees, Courier Charges, Cost of Documentation and Miscellaneous Expenditure like Stationary etc.

  • USA : The average application fee is between $25-95 per US University. Very few colleges facilitate applications without fee, but most have an application processing fee, which is mandatory for international students.
  • Like US, most Canadian universities do charge an application fee, which is around the same costs as US universities.
  • For UK, France and Switzerland, there is no application fee for post-graduate applicants.
  • Some Australian and New Zealand universities charge an application fee, however there are some universities/colleges offering free application.

Altogether, the average cost of applying to 4-5 universities may come to Rs 25,000 for USA and Canada and around Rs 10,000 for UK, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and France.

2. English Tests
Students have to write TOEFL/GRE/GMAT/SAT/IELTS as a prerequisite for admissions. Each student has to pay Coaching Fees and Examination Fees as prescribed by the respective Testing Agencies. The total expenditure for tests will be in the range of 8,000-15,000.

3. Scores reporting costs
Scores of TOEFL and GRE / GMAT / SAT are to be directly reported for the application process. Following are the present charges for score reporting (in addition to what ETS / College Board allows FREE, at the time of registration)

TOEFL - $17 GRE - $15
GMAT - $28 SAT - $ 9
IELTS - Local center will determine the cost of additional score reporting


Students can save $40-$90, if they can report the scores to the respective universities at the time of Exam itself.

4. Tuition and fees
Interestingly, Bachelor's degree is costlier than Master's degree because of the more number of credits involved at Grad level. Please note that all the costs indicated are approximate and vary upon the universities and programs. These costs will hike from one year to another. However, the average increase is around 5-10% per annum.

5. Cost of living expenditure
Cost of food alone will come approximately to $ 300 per month in US/Canada and other countries. If you include other incidental expenditure like rent, entertainment and other expenses, the average could be around $ 800-1000 per month, for a single student.

6. Insurance
Insurance is mandatory for all international students, who plan to study abroad. Depending upon the company and policy taken, the cost of insurance for a student could be around Rs 15,000 - 20,000 per year, in any of the countries being discussed.

7. Books and supplies
This could be anywhere between US $ 400-1200 per year, depending upon field of study and the courses chosen.

8. Other costs
Visa application fee, air fare and settlement expenses like deposit on room/flat, basic necessities etc. are also to be factored in, while calculating the expenditure involved for studying abroad.

Presently, the Visa application fee is around Rs 4,400 for USA, Rs 5,100 for UK

Air fare could be between Rs 15,000 to 45,000 depending upon the country, season and airline.

Rs 15,000 to 45,000 depending upon the country, season and airline.

Rs 15,000 to 45,000 depending upon the country, season and airline.

Rs 15,000 to 45,000 depending upon the country, season and airline.

Rs 15,000 to 45,000 depending upon the country, season and airline.

 


CCI Pro

Leave a Reply

Your are not logged in . Please login to post replies

Click here to Login / Register  

Related Threads
Loading