Study in France is becoming more popular nowadays with a larger number of international students enrolling every year for different courses in different universities in France.
A large number of students from all parts of the world are considering Germany as their first option for studying abroad to take advantage of the various benefits that accrue from studying in the country.
Germany continues to be one of the most sought-after destinations for students from all across Asia and also for the rest of the world. Students who choose to study in Germany will be able to opt for courses that will be taught entirely in the English language, which, has made the country more popular than before among the international student set.
Germany is home to several well-known institutions that are well-known around the world for their academic prowess and research output. Students who have completed their studies at a university in Germany can benefit from this high quality of education and have a higher probability of advancing their careers in the future.
The Erasmus program is a collaborative scholarship program between Germany and all other countries of the European Union. As a part of this program, students studying at any of the member countries, including Germany can opt to study at any other member country for part of the course. This option provides students with a great opportunity to travel and experience various cultures.
Germany has removed all tuition fees for its public universities for both residential as well as international students from the year 2014. On account of this, the cost of studying in Germany has reduced drastically for students who are studying at German Universities.
The economy in Germany is on a strong growth trajectory leading to many job opportunities for graduating students. A student who has graduated from a German university can have an advantage over other applicants for jobs in Germany as greater preference will be given to them.
Germany allows international students to stay on for a further period of 1.5 years after they complete their graduation. The students can use this time to look for a job opportunity. If successful, then they can apply for a residence permit that will allow them to continue living and working in the country.
The Indo-German partnership enables Indian students to get a preference over students from other countries for admissions. Furthermore, as part of these initiative, Indian students might receive reduced tuition fees and other incentives while enrolling in German colleges.
Germany is slowly and steadily becoming the topmost choice for international students. Every year, a large number of students from across the world go to the country to pursue their academic ambitions. Germany has become popular among international students for its low tuition fees. This factor makes education very affordable for international students.
Private universities in Germany are financed from tuition fees, and hence international students are required to pay 3000 and 20000 euros a year. The reason for this range being so wide is that the fees depends on factors like the degree course a student is pursuing, or the university in which he or she is studying.
As most German universities are managed and run by the government, no tuition fees are charged. However, there are some charges for enrolling oneself every semester, and for confirmation and administration. All this usually adds up to a maximum of USD 350 every semester, with slight variation from one university to another.
Private colleges in germany have the same kind of tuition fees, as has been shared regarding private universities. And the tuition fees in private colleges differ according to the courses and programmes opted for. For example, the fees for a graduate management course will not be the same as that of a graduate course in Arts. Also, the fee structure is slightly different in private colleges.
Of course, the most affordable universities in Germany are those which do not charge any tuition fees. Some examples of such universities are University of Hamburg, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, etc.
Here are the names of some of the Top universities in Germany, along with their tuition fees. The Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich does not charge any tuition fees. Then there is the Heidelberg University, where the tuition fee is around six thousand euros a year. Heidelberg is followed by the Technical University of Munich, which charges around two thousand euros a year. And finally, we have the famous Humboldt University of Berlin, where the education is free. The tuition fee is either very affordable, or there is no tuition fees at all for even the top-ranked universities in the country. And this applies to graduate, Masters, and all other post graduate courses.
To actively encourage education in the country, there are quite a few scholarships available for students. Some of the best ones are:
International students who complete their education in Germany can apply for a post-study work visa. This visa is sanctioned for a period beyond the duration of your study. After the post-study work visa, an 18-month job seeker visa will be allotted. If your employer allows you to continue working, the work visa is extendable depending on the tenure.
Students may get a residence permit even if they get a job offer for part-time employment, provided that the expected salary is sufficient for their subsistence.
Suppose a student wants to stay in Germany and become a permanent resident. In that case, he can apply for a 'settlement permit' as early as two years after receiving the permanent residence permit or EU Blue Card.
A proper university degree is essential for securing a high-paying job in Germany.
For an international worker seeking employment in Germany, the primary sectors to consider are – IT, coal, machine tools, textiles, engineering, electronics, chemicals, machinery, shipbuilding, vehicles, food, and beverages.
Suppose you are a student visa holder and wish to stay in Germany after your course. In that case, you must obtain a German permanent residence permit, also known as the settlement permit or the Niederlassungserlaubnis in German.
With the permanent residence permit, you can work in Germany and travel in and out of the country.
The Niederlassungserlaubnis is usually given to people with either the EU Blue Card or who have held a temporary residence permit for some years. To be eligible for the permanent residence permit, such people must prove the following:
Moreover, knowledge of some advanced German language is also necessary at this stage, as the requirements for German language proficiency are more stringent for the permanent residence permit than for the Student visa.
Once you have the permanent residence permit, your spouse and children can join you in Germany. They will initially be given a temporary residence permit. After a few years, your family can also get a permanent residence permit.
To be eligible for any of the residence permits, you will be expected to fulfill specific requirements, which include –