Studying in Germany as an American, For Students

  • Population: 83.24 million
  • Currency: Euro (EUR)
  • University Students: 2.7 million
  • International Students: 400,000
  • English-taught Programs: 116

For students from the United States, Germany is an ideal location to attend college. In addition to providing a world-class education, it will give you the opportunity to travel across Europe. In Germany, there are currently 380,000 international students, including more than 6,800 from the United States. You undoubtedly share the same goals, but there is a lot of work to be done and there is a possibility that you don’t know how to get started. The entire process will be explained in this article.

Find your desired degree

There are more than a hundred colleges in Germany, and the number of degrees they provide is large. The institution and degree you choose will have the most impact on your whole experience in Germany, so it’s important to approach this problem with caution.

Surely it would take a long time to look through every university and every degree they offer. Prioritize what you want your university to resemble and what courses it should provide. You may be prioritising a college that has a high ranking in a relevant field. Taking these steps will help you narrow down the list of German universities that you believe will meet your educational and personal needs.

Do you meet the Entry Requirements?

Once you’ve found a programme that’s a good fit, you’ll want to see what the entry criteria are for that degree are. There are a lot of variables to consider while choosing a college and a programme. That’s because each college sets its own admissions requirements. On the other hand, the entry requirements for different courses vary. In general, students from the United States who want to attend college in Germany must submit several documents.

A few things to keep in mind

All degrees in government colleges and the majority of undergraduate degrees in the private colleges are currently taught in the German language. As a result, if you intend to enrol in an undergraduate programme in Germany, you should first obtain a German language certificate. Your level of German proficiency must at the very least be B-2. You’ll find a large range of English-taught programmes at the postgraduate level.

Anyone living in Germany, whether on a short-term or long-term basis is required by law to obtain health insurance. For the German student visa application, you may be requested to show such proof from a number of institutions, but this is normally not required. In addition, you may be required to show that you have the financial resources to study in Germany.

Some colleges in Germany are highly competitive, and American students must take into account the additional documentation required by the college itself if they wish to attend. Many students apply for admission, but only the finest will be accepted by admissions committees. That being the case, they may need additional documents in order to make a final decision.

Our recommendation is to depend on college-collected data rather than information provided by outside parties. You should constantly follow this advice due to the fact that entrance requirements can change at any time.

In your application procedure, this area of the admission requirements is critical because even the smallest error can result in a full failure. If you don’t follow the rules, you won’t be allowed to go to college. As a result, you must ensure that all of the necessary components are included.

Application and Application deadlines

College applications can be submitted online, by mail or in person in Germany. The UniAssist online application platform is used by the vast majority of German universities to facilitate online applications. Your documents must be in the PDF or JPG format in order to apply with UniAssist. An email will be sent to you within a few days to let you know that your application has been received.

Deadlines for submitting application.

The following are the deadlines for American students to apply to German universities.

Winter Semester begins on July 15th.

A deadline of January 15 is set for the summer semester

It’s important to keep in mind, however, that special deadline rules may be applied at times. Many colleges, for example, have earlier deadlines for certain courses.

Admission letter submission

Your application for a college and degree in Germany must be processed by the college first, therefore you’ll have to wait. Due to the enormous number of applicants in Germany, it may take a while for a decision to be made on your application.

Overall, it takes German colleges between four and six weeks to review applications from international students. Please be aware that the processing period for overseas college applications may vary based on where you applied from. An application for international students from the United States will be processed in about five weeks.

How to get a residence permit for Germany?

For visits of up to 90 days, US residents do not need a visa to travel to Germany. To stay in Germany for an extended period of time, such as to attend university, one must first obtain a residence permit from the German government upon entering Germany. Depending on how long you plan to stay in Germany, you can choose from three different types of residence permits:

  • Permit to Stay Temporarily
  • The European Union’s “Blue Card”
  • Reciprocal Exchange Visitor’s Visa

Students from the United States who want to study in Germany must first apply for a visa. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to register your German address and gather enough money to pay the cost of living and studying. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to submit an application.

Enrolment

To become a student in Germany, the final step is to register for your course. Make careful to check the enrolment dates and plan your travel from the United States around that time. Colleges have different requirements for students who want to enrol in their courses. Make sure you know exactly what you need to bring with you when you enrol.

Is it expensive to study in Germany?

You can relax knowing that in Germany, there are no tuition fees when it comes to the expense of your educational programme. In Germany, public universities are free to all students, even if they are not EU citizens. Specialized programmes and private universities will cost you money, yet even these are cheaper than the costs of attending a university outside of Germany. Students with extenuating circumstances may be able to get their tuition fees waived or lowered. Simply get in touch with the program’s admissions office.

The Cost of Studying in Germany, Tuition-frees

It’s likely that the lower cost of attendance in Germany than in the United States is a factor in your decision. Since 2014, the majority of German public colleges and universities have eliminated international fees, resulting in an influx of thousands of international students each year. Students from the United States will only be need to pay a nominal administrative fee and the cost of a train ticket to attend college in Germany. Semester contribution is the term for this payment, which has a maximum amount of €350 per semester.

Undergraduate costs to study in Germany

As an undergraduate at a public German university, you are entitled to free tuition, however there is a fee for enrolment, confirmation, and administration per semester. If you’re attending a university in Europe, you may expect to pay no more than €250 (around US$290) per semester. A long-term fee of up to €500 (US$540) each semester may be imposed on students who study for longer than the customary four semesters.

Tuition fees are the primary source of income for private colleges (though some receive support from foundations), and they establish their own prices, which can range from €10,000 to €20,000 a year.

Master’s and postgraduate costs to study in Germany

Studying in Germany for a master’s or doctoral degree is expensive.  A “consecutive” master’s degree at a German university is normally free if it is obtained after the completion of an equivalent bachelor’s degree in Germany. “Non-consecutive” master’s degree tuition prices vary widely between German universities, with public institutions charging roughly €20,000 per year and private colleges charging up to €30,000 each year.

Scholarships to study in Germany

The DAAD is a German government agency that assists German and international students in obtaining financial aid to study and live in Germany for free or at a reduced cost. All German and international students, as well as professors and researchers, are eligible for DAAD scholarships to study in Germany.

roundup

There is a lot of responsibility that comes with studying and living abroad, and it can sometimes feel as if you are dealing alone with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. But don’t worry, if you decide to migrate to Germany, you’ll be following in the footsteps of countless others who have done so.

Even if you’re not fluent in German, you can still get by in the country’s major cities, and certain degree programmes are even offered in English. However, functional language skills will make virtually every part of your living abroad easier, from interacting with government officials to establishing new acquaintances.