
Do you consider to study abroad in universities in Germany? Germany is the land for thinkers and poets that also famed with the nonexistent tuition fees in public universities along with high-quality education, life, and location in the nexus of Europe culture and politics. Here are some of the practical things that you should know before jumping to Germany.
- Free is relative. You might have heard that study in universities in Germany is free of tuition cost. However, free is relative. Let’s be clear that the tuition fee in Germany is free if you apply to a specific degree or program in a public university.
- Become organized with paperwork.
- Speaking German is really helpful. In the larger cities in German you can get by without knowing well the native languages and even there are some degree programs that taught in English. However, it still essential to learn functional language skills so it will help to deal with government employees and make local friends.
- German universities will not hold a hand. Get a note for yourself; you need to embrace the paperwork in general. Make you familiar with the convention of bureaucratic language and German business letter. Get copies for everything document. Get flawlessly organized and fast when drawing a document.
- Apply for grants as a pro. Don’t worry when you study in Germany. There are many fellowships and grants are available for abroad students. DAAD is the largest support for a scholarship to international students.
- Curb workaholic tendencies. The student visa will limit the number of hours you are allowed to work. International students without an EU Passport will available to take work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. In the semester period the students is only available to work for 20 hours per week. Students that hold EU passport is also eligible for BAfog (the half loan-half grant from the state). Never work under the table as it risks for exploitation and banned from the country when you caught.
- The struggle? It is real. Still, as an international and foreign student, you will need to struggle a lot with time to deal with foreigner office (auslanderbehorde). You will responsible for act together and navigate to the various hurdles for approve to financial independence, find an apartment, buy health insurance, register at local administrate office, schedule visa appointment, and many more.
Fairly, when you study abroad in universities in German, you may want to stay in this beautiful country. It is an excellent country, with savvy cost, and perhaps when you work for a little bit harder, you can return home with big bucks.