International Careers
made in Germany

About the country

The official name of Germany is Federal Republic of Germany. The capital is Berlin. Germany is spread over an area of 357,020 Sq Km (137,846SqMi) with an estimated population of 81,025,000. Germany is located in North Central Europe, on the Great North European Plain. It is bound by Poland and the Czech Republic to the east, the Baltic Sea to the northeast, Denmark to the north, the North Sea to the northwest, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France to the west, Switzerland to the south and Austria to the south and southeast.

The country can be divided into three topographical regions. (1.) The Northern German. (2.) The Central German and the (3.) The Southern Germany. Major cities and their estimated population are: Berlin 3,471,000, Hamburg 1,706,000, Munich 1,216,300, Cologne 961,600, Frankfurt 663,600, Stuttgart 598,000, Bremen 552,700 (1992).

Germany has a continental climate in the western regions of the country with strong Atlantic influences in the northwest causing the winters to be mild but stormy. Further inland the winter temperatures are lower and the summers are warm with slightly higher temperatures in the southwest. A temperate climate is experienced in the eastern regions with an Atlantic influence, giving rise to mild winters and cool summers. Average annual temperature ranges are from 0.5 degrees Celsius (31 degrees Fahrenheit) in January to 19 degrees Celsius (66 degrees Fahrenheit) in July.

The population is almost entirely Germanic with Germans accounting for 94.4% of the population. Other ethnic minorities include the Danes, Turks, Italians, Greeks, Spanish, Slovaks and Serbs.

People in Germany are mostly Christians with around 50% of the population Protestant, predominantly Lutheran while 45% are Roman Catholic. Other religious minorities include Muslims.

The official language is German. But now-a-days, Germans are also adopting English as a medium of communication. The official currency is the Deutsche Mark (DM) divided into 100 Pfennig.

Why study in Germany

The German universities offer courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in diverse areas of study as: Medicine, Law, English and German to innovative new institutions of higher education with inter-disciplinary study programs. The sessions usually begin in April and October.

The unique feature of the German Education is that almost all the universities do not charge tuition fees. The tradition of Free Education ("Bildung zum Nulltariff") has become very popular in Germany. The other features of the German courses are:

• High academic standard.
• Courses taught in English.
• Well-organized study programmes.
• International degrees.
• German language courses offered before and during the programme.
• Special services: academic and personal support services provided by tutors and mentors, intensive study counseling, work in small groups, etc.
• Opportunities for study periods at partner universities and colleges abroad.

German Education System

Undergraduate Degrees: The normal undergraduate degree is, generally three years but some degrees require one more year of study. The universities also offer Double degrees where the students can take up two fields of study and graduate in these fields.

Entry Requirements: Year 12 or equivalent from a recognised board. However in some cases additional requirements in a respective field might be valid. For most courses good knowledge of English is a must and has to be proven by tests like the TOEFL. The necessary score required is 500 for a paper based test or 213 for a computer based test.

Postgraduate Degrees: The traditional certificates offered at German universities are the "Diplom" and the "Magister Artium" (Master of the Arts). The postgraduate studies usually take one to two years of study. Taught masters' courses allow graduates to specialize in their subject - by way of lectures, seminars, practical training, and tutorials. Research Degrees take a minimum of three years and students are expected to carry out original research and produce a thesis.

Entry Requirements: An undergraduate degree from a recognised university in the relevant subject is generally required. Students are normally expected to have a postgraduate degree for research program. The students are also required to take English proficiency test like TOEFL with a minimum score of 500 for a paper based test or 213 for a computer based test.

Universities and Institutions

There are many universities in Germany that offer courses ranging from fields like Information Technology, Automobile Engineering, Electronics, Management etc. To name a few, the universities in Germany are:

• University of Bremen
• University of Hannover
• University of Berlin
• University of Stuttgart
• University of Hamburg, etc.

Besides these universities there are many institutions that offer a wide range of courses.

Tuition Fees and Living Expenses

Most of the universities do not charge any tuition fee but only a couple of them do charge a very nominal fee. Most German universities charge a small administrative fee (per semester), which in many cases includes a ticket for public transportation. It usually ranges between DM50 and DM 200 per semester. On an average, the living expenses come out to be DM 1,300-(equivalent to EURO 663) per month. The cost of living is relatively high in Germany - 660 euro allows a modest lifestyle and no more. This includes accommodation, food, travel, clothing and communication. However, the living expenses differ according to the lifestyle of the students.

Part Time Work

International students may work on or off-campus (e.g. industry) without a special work permit for upto 180 half work days per year. After graduation, international students may extend their residence permit by one year in order to work in a German company, if the work permit is obtained.

Further Information

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