Student Visa Details

Students who intend to study in Germany will have to apply and get a student visa. There are different official visa procedures to apply and get the student-visa for studying in Germany. The nearby German Embassy or Consulate General in your country is the authority to process your student-visa procedures and students mostly will be interviewed by the visa officers to satisfy the conditions of the Germany's visa rules. To acquire any type of student visa to enter Germany, international students must have the following:

• A valid passport,
• To provide documental proof of financial means to cover the expenses for your entire period of study in Germany, and
• To have either university admission or at least a confirmation of your status as an applicant.

In order to receive your visa for Germany in right time, international students must submit their application with all associated documents at least couple of months before they plan the trip to Germany. Also, students must fill in the application form and bring it with the complete set of documents to the Embassy. Further, if students have any queries regarding their visa to Germany, they can contact the nearby German Embassy. After the step-by-step processing of the student-visa formalities, the international students may be issued one of the following three types of student-visa for Germany (according to the requirement of the students and the conditions and satisfaction level of the visa officers):

• Student applicant visa
• Student visa
• Visa for participation in a language course

For more details on obtaining student visa for Germany, students can contact the nearby German embassy

Study Expenses & Financial Aid

Although study expenses for a study program in Germany is moderately affordable, living expenses for leading a student life in Germany is fairly expensive. The main living expense involves in affording the rental part. Different types of accommadationthat can be availed in Germany are:

• For a single stay 'Flat-sharing' accommodation can be reasonably priced and is widely recommended accommodation as well.
• Apart from the flat-sharing accommodation, there are other stay facilities such as University-residences and Estate agents exist in Germany for which the stay expenses may vary according to the comfort level.

The German government has established the 'Federal Education and Training Assistance Act' to guarantee trainees a minimum of financial support. To be eligible to receive the state assistance, students must be under 30 years of age and prove that their parents are not capable of supporting the student's university education related expenses. Financial aid and scholarships for a study program in Germany are available to all competent students from international countries and students are advised to search and seek for such aids from different resources such as those related to the concerned higher educational institutions of Germany.

PhD Programs

Doctorate or PhD degree programs are the third-level degree programs in Germany's education system. In Germany, a PhD or another doctoral degree may be done in different ways such as:

• There are PhD students who carry out their research work in 'graduate colleges' at universities under a rigid time schedule.
• Others are university employees and work part-time as teaching or research fellows at the department or any other higher institute in which they pursue PhD program.
• Others work on their research projects within privately funded or other sponsored non-university research institutes.
• While some may have the privilege of a scholarship or their private funds allowing them to concentrate exclusively on their PhD, others manage to pursue their PhD work as a 'night job' in addition to working on a regular job in a company.

The minimum educational  eligibility conditions for doing a PhD program in Germany is a Master's degree in the subject area. However, in some exceptional cases with outstanding academic results, students may be permitted to take up a PhD program with a Bachelor's honor degree. This depends on the subject, the university, the department and sometimes on the individual academician's views. Student aspirants, who would like to pursue a PhD program in Germany's higher Institutions, are advised to check for the entire admission details and the financial supports, from the respective Universities or Institutes.

Master's Degree Programs

A postgraduate course in Germany lasts for two years generally and is sometimes completed in one year, depending upon the nature of the course. A postgraduate program or a second-degree program done from the German universities can be exceptionally helpful in the international job market, especially in the technical, scientific and arts subject areas. There are different kinds of postgraduate courses available in the country of Germany:

• Some are based on previous courses, either from the same or from a related subject area. They build up on previously acquired academic knowledge.
• Some are offered as supplementary postgraduate courses, which offer students knowledge in other subject areas.

The postgraduate programs, which are offered as an additional course of study in Germany, require that the students should hold an academic degree. Additional courses offer specialized knowledge on the previous completed course of study. Students without a first degree can also step beyond their usual course studies. In order to gain a supplementary qualification certificate, students only need to take part in a course at their university. In some subject areas, basic course work is tested after two to three years by means of a comprehensive midway exam. The first degree or certificate awarded in the German system of post-secondary education is the equivalent of the U.S. Master's degree. This degree requires the successful completion of one of three types of comprehensive final exams at the end of five to six years of study. 

Second-degree or Master's degree programs in Germany are:

• Master of Arts, M.A
• Master of Science, M.Sc
• Master of Engineering, M.Eng.
• Master of Laws, L.L.M
• Master of Fine Arts M.F.A. or Master of Music, M.Mus.

Note: Master study programmes, which are designed for continuing education or which do not build on the preceding Bachelor study programmes in terms of their content, may carry other designations e.g. MBA.

Internship Programs

Internships in Germany are an incredible opening for any individual looking to prepare themselves well for their future career. Internship programs in Germany offer benefits other than mere professional development. An internship in Germany provides students from other countries, the opportunity mingle within the culture and work environment of Germany. The experience of interning within Germany lends a real-world understanding of a country rich in culture, which cannot be achieved through travel or study alone. Internship programs in Germany are broadly classified into two sectors namely General and Education like other renowned countries. Those who have a good command over German language can find it easier to do an internship program in Germany.

The main options in General category of internship programs in Germany may include Marketing, Interpretation or Translation, Hospitality, Broadcasting or Media Trade Company, Insurance, Fashion, Finance, Business Administration, Logistics, Telecommunication, Film Production, Event Management, Technology, Freight Forwarding, Hairdressing, Winery Company, Hairdressing, Business Administration, Economics, Journalism or Mass Communications, Law, Political Science and Public Affairs or Public Policy. Students seeking admission in Internship programs in Germany in the chosen field should hold a graduate degree and/or one or more years of professional experience in the respective field of study, the student aspires for.

Internship programs in Germany are offered as skilled career training programs such as programs for technicians, engineers, business people, hotel industry professionals, farmers and related occupations, secretaries and clerical workers who have good German language skills. Internships in Germany also include study abroad programs for individuals who wish to acquire a master's degree in business administration or in international business studies.

Bachelor's Programs

Universities and other higher learning institutions in Germany welcome students from almost all the countries, globally. Admission to Undergraduate Studies in Germany needs a one-year 'bridge program' to be completed. After completion of the bridge program, students from most of the overseas countries are required to pass an assessment test in order to get admission into a German institution for the equivalent of the Bachelors degree. However, there is an exemption of taking this assessment test to students who have cleared some of the prestigious entrance examinations of their home country. This purely depends on the different guidelines followed by the respective Institutions of Germany, where the students seek admission. 

Students who have successfully completed two years of undergraduate studies are also exempted from the assessment test. However, they have to prove their aptitude in the German language. Students have to apply to the German Universities directly for seeking admission. The International offices of the respective universities can ask for application forms. The filled applications have to be sent back to the university along with the required documents. The attached documents must normally be authenticated copies of certificates. Students, who are willing to study in Germany, will also have to include authenticated copies of certificates confirming their knowledge of German, if necessary. Admission criteria for undergraduate programs in Germany comprises of:

• Students interested to take up full time study in Germany are required to apply and get a student visa in time, before the start of the program.
• Generally based on the previous academic records.
• For some of the Engineering programs, GRE score is required.
• The TOEFL is a standard test required for study-programs that have English as a medium of instruction.

For more details, students are advised to search from the websites of the Germany's respective websites.

Education System

One of the world's best education systems in the world, Germany's education structure is a comprehensive and absolute. The numerous choice of higher learning institutes and universities in Germany offer education to abundant number of Germans and foreign student-aspirants, every year. Generally, there are two different kinds of educational systems existing in Germany that are as follows:

• General education.
• Vocational education (or dual education

General education has three levels - lower secondary school, intermediate or secondary school and upper secondary school. There are only very few comprehensive schools, especially in an integrated form in the North of Germany. The higher education of Germany comprises of Universities, Technical Universities and Colleges of education and specialized colleges. In addition to general universities, there are lots of technical, theological, art, music, pedagogical and specialized universities located in Germany. Studies last from 6 years to 8 years and leaving certificates depend on the subject selection and level of study.

The certifications will lead to graduation, diploma and other awards. Students who want to acquire a further qualification have to write a final examination in order to get a PhD (Doctoral degree). Vocational education in Germany is a dual educational system that most of the students opt for at the end of compulsory schooling. It has a vocational training contract, which helps young people to acquire professional education, skills and training in enterprises. This contract guarantees a legal apprenticeship. Vocational schools, specialized vocational schools, vocational extension schools and specialized schools also belong to the vocational education system. 

Government and non-government institutions run another important part of the educational system of Germany known as 'Adult education'. The whole education system in Germany is controlled by the state. Germany is becoming an increasingly attractive study destination for students across the world. Not only the absolute number of foreign students at German universities is on the rise, but also the overall population of students has risen to almost double in the last two decades