Germany is home to some of the best universities in the world, offering a world-class education to its students. Aspirants travel the seven seas to attain the education offered in Germany because a German degree holds quite a lot of importance. Are you one of those thousands wanting to pursue a master’s in the land of Germany?
Well, we understand that it is a bit daunting when you are thinking to study in Germany. You need to take a lot of factors into account when you plan your studies. When you do that, it is necessary that you be organized, alert, and active and makes sure that you do no mistake and apply accordingly.
Here are the steps that will help you apply to a German university smoothly:
Step-1: Know your university
The first step is to shortlist the universities that you will be applying for, based on your interests and your educational background. If you haven’t taken any German language classes, you might have a tough time pronouncing the names of the German universities. So there are universities that offer English taught degrees as well as mentioned below:
- Institute of Cultural Diplomacy
- University of Hamburg
- IUBH University of Applied Sciences
- Georg-August University Gottingen
- SRH Hochschule Berlin
- Technical University Berlin
Step- 2: Set your budget
One of the reasons why students in large numbers visit Germany to pursue education is because of negligible tuition fees. Students studying in Germany often pay a semester fee of 40-60 Euros which includes a public transport ticket to commute in the state they are studying. If, however, you need an extra period of 3-4 semesters than your fellow students, you are required to pay a sum of 500 Euros for each semester.
So set your budget accordingly. Also, you need to manage your living expenses in Germany as you pursue your master’s. So make sure you have enough finances to experience the international student life in Germany.
Step-3: Be aware of the university entrance qualifications
To be able to study in Germany, you need to prove the university staff that you have cleared an entrance to qualify to pursue the course. Your school leaving certificate is equivalent to the university entrance qualification and is the entry ticket to the University of your dreams.
If you are an applicant from a non-EU country, your university might not accept your school leaving certificate as proof. So in that case, you need to pass an assessment test called Feststellungsprufung. Only then will you be eligible for admission.
Step-4: Check your language proficiency
If you are going to study in Germany, language proficiency is a must. You need to be good at communicating so that there are no language barriers. You either need to know English or German. To prove that you are proficient in either of the two languages, you need to give a test. For German, you can give the TestDAF or the DSH. O prove your proficiency in English, you need to give IELTS or TOEFL. Your score will decide your proficiency and hence it is important that you pay attention to this factor. If you want proficiency in German, you can take up German language classes for the same.
Step-5: Get your visa
When you apply to a university in Germany, you need to get a visa from a German embassy in your home country to be able to enter Germany. So you must make sure that you apply for a German visa timely. The German embassy will also be considering your language proficiency to accept your visa application.
Step-6: Know the German university calendar
In the case of German universities, an academic year is bifurcated into two semesters, namely the summer semester and the winter semester. The period of these semesters depends on the universities applied for:
Universities of applied sciences
- Summer semester: March-August
- Winter semester: September- February
Other universities
- Summer semester: April- September
- Winter semester: October to March
The non-lecture period is from the end of July to the beginning of September for the summer semester, and the nonteaching period for winter semester stretches from the end of February to mid-April.
Step-7: Know your overall study costs
When you have finally made up your mind to pursue a masters in Germany, make sure that you take into account all your study costs. This will gives you a rough estimate as to how much money you need per semester.
- You need 50-100 EUR per month as a semester fee.
- For study materials and excursions, you require 50- 70 EUR a month.
- To contribute to your health insurance, you need 80-160 EUR a month.
- If your course is advanced and charges a tuition fee, then you need 2000 EUR to pay yearly.
Conclusion
Now that you have everything in front of you, it is time that you consider everything and apply to the University of your Choice. So apply wisely and fulfill your dream of studying in Germany.