Studying a Masters in Germany? 6 reasons why that's an excellent idea in 2018!

As part of the FindAMasters Study in Germany Takeover, Vanessa Huebner of the London German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD London) introduces postgraduate study in the land of ideas.

Germany is one of the most popular destinations for international students worldwide. Nearly 13% of students at German universities come from abroad. Germany is an attractive place to study and German university degrees are highly respected by employers and HE institutions around the world.

More than 1,300 international Master and PhD degree programmes in a large variety of disciplines are taught in English and most courses at public universities do not charge tuition fees! (However, be aware that there are private universities which do charge tuition fees.)

All in all, there are 400 state accredited universities in some 180 towns and cities around Germany. Together, these universities offer more than 19,000 degree programmes across all levels of education.

You can study at universities, universities of applied sciences and colleges of art, film and music. Most universities in Germany are publicly financed. A few universities receive their funding from the Protestant or Catholic Church.

However, there are 120 private universities – most of them universities of applied sciences – whose degrees are recognised by the state.

The quality of education is comparably high at all institutions of higher education.

• Universities

  Universities offer strong theoretical and research-oriented degree programmes and a broad range of disciplines. Some universities are specialised in certain subject areas, for example, technical universities, medical schools and colleges of education. If you would like to pursue a doctorate (earn a PhD) at some point, a university is the right place for you.

• Universities of applied sciences

  Education at universities of applied sciences is strongly practice-oriented. The course work provides the theoretical background and prepares students for the real-world requirements of professional life. Internships and practical semesters form an integral part of the degree programmes.

• Colleges of art, film and music

  Colleges of art, film and music offer postgraduate study in artistic subjects, such as Fine Art, Acting, Dance, Industrial and Fashion Design, Graphic Art, Instrumental Music and Singing.

Education in Germany is not centrally regulated. Each of the 16 states is permitted to issue its own university regulations and guidelines. German universities exercise a great deal of independence. For this reason, rules do not always apply to all universities in the same way.

Application deadlines and requirements vary from university to university, and sometimes even from course to course within one university. Therefore, please enquire about the specific requirements at the university of your choice before you apply.

There are more than 8,000 Master degree programmes offered by German higher education institutions which generally last for two years. These are either consecutive or non-consecutive degree programmes.

• Consecutive Master programme: choosing a Master programme in the same field as your undergraduate degree
• Non-consecutive Master programme: also requires a Bachelors degree, but gives you the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills in a new field

However, please note that the majority of Master courses are consecutive programmes.

More and more courses and degree programmes are being offered in English – there are currently more than 1,300 Master and PhD programmes. This is good news if you do not know any German or if your German skills are not yet good enough.

You will find an overview of international degree programmes in Germany in the extensive DAAD database on http://www.daad.de/idp. Should you wish to do a general search including German speaking programmes, please search the database on http://www.study-in.de.

All students, whether EU or non-EU, generally do not pay tuition fees at German public universities as most German universities receive considerable funding from the government.

However, the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg has recently introduced tuition fees for non-EU students and universities in that state will begin charging moderate tuition fees for non-EU international students starting this October (€1,500 per semester).

Also, in the case of non-consecutive Master programmes in particular and generally for degree programmes offered by private universities, students may be required to pay tuition fees.

All university students are required to pay a “semester contribution”. The average amount is about 250 euros per semester, but can vary depending on the university and the services included (e.g. social services, administration fee, and public transport ticket).

Compared to other European countries, the cost of living in Germany is quite reasonable. The prices for food, accommodation, clothing, cultural events, etc. are basically in line with the EU average. You will need around 800 euros a month to cover your living expenses.

German is one of the ten most spoken languages in the world. Some 185 million people worldwide can speak German.

You can still study in Germany even if you do not know German, but having some knowledge of the language can make everyday life easier and help you make friends faster.

Knowing a foreign language also looks great on a CV and may increase your employability! Nobody says that German is an easy language, but there are many ways to learn German – in a course, with a tandem partner or with German flatmates.

EU students are automatically entitled to seek work in Germany and can remain in the country without any restrictions.

Non-EU students can apply for an 18-month residence permit as a jobseeker. During these 18 months, you may take up any kind of employment to support yourself and fund your job search. If you have already found a job that corresponds to your qualifications before graduating, you can jump this step. You can apply for your residence permit as soon as you have passed your final exam.

As soon as you have a job offer which corresponds to your qualifications, you can choose whether you want to apply for a German residence permit or an EU Blue Card for the next part of your stay.

Various conditions are attached to both these residence permits. Depending on what you are planning to do in the future, either the German residence permit or the EU Blue Card can be advantageous for you. If you intend subsequently to live and work in another EU state, the EU Blue Card may be more advantageous for you than the German residence permit. As the choice of residence permit largely depends on your personal situation, get the advice of your local foreign nationals' registration office when you apply.

For further information please visit the Study in Germany website on http://www.study-in.de or contact the German Academic Exchange Service in London (or the DAAD office in your country should you not be based in the UK or in Ireland).

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