Germany is the top choice for students who want to study in foreign universities, particularly in Europe. According to statistics, Germany hosted 458,210 international students in 2022/2023, showing a significant increase of 52% in the last decade.
Most international students are from India, China, Syria, Austria, and Turkey. According to the Federal Statistical Office of Germany reports, India ranks the highest in the list of enrolled international students in Germany.
Many students prefer to join courses like Engineering, Law, Management, Social Studies, Mathematics and Natural Sciences every year.
The number of Indian students in Germany was 13,537 in 2016. However, this number increased by 214.5% in 2023, with 42,578 Indian students joining various universities in Germany.
So, let’s have an overview of the education system of Germany to understand why Indian students prefer to study in Germany.
Germany is home to the oldest universities in Europe, such as the University of Heidelberg, the Humboldt University of Berlin, and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.
The German education system mainly focuses on students’ research abilities. German universities provide bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in different fields of study.
The degrees obtained from German Universities are recognized all over Europe. Therefore, it becomes convenient for the aspirants to pursue higher degrees or get jobs in other countries.
Look at the statistics for the basic requirements for study in Germany.
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Germany is famous for its top engineering courses. However, German universities offer top courses to local and international students in various fields of study, such as:
A student will require the following things to get admission to German universities.
Students aspiring to study in Germany need a national visa. They can apply at the German embassy in their respective country. However, they can obtain a Schengen visa if they want to study for a period of three months. Please note that it will take about 25 days, depending on the embassy’s location.
You can choose the course you want to enroll in. After choosing the course, a student will have to appear on the entrance test or meet the university’s admission requirements.
Some universities conduct an aptitude test called the TestAS. This test is required for international students from non-EU countries aspiring to join an undergraduate program in Germany.
Germany has made health insurance mandatory for everyone. Therefore, you must obtain German health insurance to provide proof of your student visa application and university enrollment.
Below is a list of documents you must submit during admission to German universities.
If you have selected a degree program in German, you must submit proof of German Language proficiency through tests such as DSH or TestDaF.
On the other hand, you must submit IELTS or TOEFL scores if you have chosen courses in the English language. However, an IELTS score is not required if a student submits an MOI certification issued by their previous academic institution to the German university with a degree confirmation email.
If you belong to a country that requires a student visa to study in Germany, you must submit proof of financial means when applying for a visa.
According to reports, an international student will need €11,904 (INR 10,59,360) per year to cover expenses during their stay in Germany in 2024.
You can provide financial proof through a German-blocked account. Additionally, you can submit financial proof of your parent’s income, a bank guarantee, or a scholarship during the visa application to study in Germany.
German Universities provide intake seasons for international students, such as Winter and Summer. The Winter intake season starts in September and ends in March. The summer academic session starts in April and ends in September.
Therefore, the deadline for submitting applications to study in Germany for Indian students during the summer semester should be from early December to 15 January.
Students receive acceptance/rejection letters in August/September or February/March for the winter and summer intake seasons.
Germany offers attractive student scholarships to international students to mitigate the financial requirements in foreign lands. These scholarships help lessen the burden of tuition fees, living expenses, and other educational costs while studying in Germany.
A student can benefit from a DAAD scholarship (German Academic Exchange Service) in Germany. This scholarship program is available for students at all levels of education, including master’s, PhD, and post-doc courses. It is provided to students depending on their merits or academic achievements.
Germany provides the Deutschland Stipendium to international students studying at public institutions in Germany. A student can get financial support of €300 (INR 26,698) monthly through this scholarship program.
The Expatrio Scholarship offers various prizes to international students, including a €12,000 (INR 10,68,084) cash prize, a new laptop, German language tutorials, and more. However, to avail of the benefits, students must apply for this scholarship by September 30, 2024.
In addition to these scholarships, students can benefit from individual scholarship programs offered by universities and government agencies.
Now, you must understand why Indian students prefer to study in Germany. Germany provides quality education at a low cost by leveraging its state-owned universities, popularly known as public universities. These universities offer education with no tuition fees to local and international students. So, select the course that you wish to pursue and ensure you meet the study requirements.
Studying in Germany involves a complex admission process. However, Indian students can associate with Manya Group counselors to proceed smoothly during admission. You must keep all the necessary documents to obtain a German Student Visa. You must also keep sufficient money in your Blocked Account while applying for a student visa in Germany.
It can be expensive for Indian students to study in Germany. However, students can take an educational loan from banks and NBFC for studies abroad.
You can take a state-funded BAfoG student loan, where half of the loan is provided as a grant. Interestingly, the other half of the loan is interest-free. The repayment of the other half of the loan amount is very liberal.
The cost of study varies from €24 to €11,000 (INR 2136-9,79,176) in Germany, depending on the courses a student chooses. However, some universities do not require tuition fees for international students.
On average, students spend €1150 (INR 1,02,356) a month. This includes a semester fee, living costs (rent, food, clothing, books, telephone, etc.), health insurance, and tuition fees.
International students can work for 140 full days or 280 half days in a year. A student in Germany cannot work beyond 20 hours a day. However, they can take full-time jobs during vacations. Germany offers a minimum wage of €8.50 (INR 756), which is supposed to rise to €12.82 (INR 1,141) per hour by 2025.
If a student has completed their studies in Germany, they are eligible to obtain post-study work visas. Students can apply for an extended 18-month work visa after completing their studies.
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