Germany

For centuries, students have spent some time at a foreign university to round off their education; nowadays, in the time of globalization, this international component of education has become an important prerequisite for a successful professional career.

International business has changed, and many companies have realized how important it is to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers in order to meet greater market opportunities. The knowledge of foreign languages other than English as well as intercultural competence have gained increasing importance when recruiting new employees.

When thinking about studying abroad, Germany is probably not the country which comes to your mind first - although some 160,000 foreign students are already taking advantage of its first-class tuition-free education in close touch with the state-of-the-art technologies. Furthermore, innovative degree courses developed according to the specific needs of foreign students reduce the former linguistic barrier and meet with the increasing demand of the degrees' international compatibility.
There are different kinds of institutions of higher education which offer a wide range of interesting and high standard degree courses to young people: the most important of these are the Universities and the Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen).

Universities have centuries of tradition in Germany. They graduate highly sophisticated engineers, scientists, researchers and future university professors. The students are fairly free to shape their individual courses of study, as long as they follow some general guidelines concerning the recommended curriculam and the obligatory examination regulations. Thus, right from the start, the students learn to take full responsibility for their academic career, to develop self-discipline and personal initiative.

The university courses take approximately 10 semesters and culminate in the "Diplom" which corresponds to a Master's degree which entitles to take up doctoral studies.

Since the 1970s, the Fachhochschulen and Universities of Applied Sciences have offered a unique type of higher education: combining academic knowledge with a more practical education according to the specific demands of application in industry. Professors and lecturers have practical experience in addition to their academic qualifications. It is characteristic of degree courses at Fachhochschulen that the students spend several periods of practical training in companies related to their fields of study.

The students have to keep to obligatory curricula, i.e. they have less freedom in forming his individual course. A degree course at a Fachhochschule is more compact than a course at a university: it usually takes between 6 and 8 semesters and culminates in the "Diplom (FH)" which corresponds to a Bachelor 1st class hons. degree.

Admission requirements
Any student who wants to enrol at a German institution of higher education must have a secondary school leaving certificate which is recognized equivalent to the German higher education entrance qualification (Abitur or Hochschulreifeprufung), such as the General Certificate of Education (A-Level), International Baccalaureat and others. Applicants whose secondary education is not considered equivalent must sit an assessment test. In order to prepare applicants for the assessment test, universities and Fachhochschulen run preparatory courses ("Studienkolleg"). In order to be admitted to the Studienkolleg, applicants must prove good German language proficiency, and German will be one of the obligatory subjects during the preparatory course.

Language proficiency
The language of instruction in the traditional degree courses is German. For these courses, a sound knowledge of German is essential and will be assessed by means of a language proficiency test (the DSH), a compulsory university entrance examination.

The German institutions of Higher Education as well as private language schools offer a broad range of language courses at any level in order to prepare foreign students to this entrance examination.

International Degree Courses
Since 1998, German institutions of higher education are offering a steadily increasing number of International Bachelor's and Master's Degree Courses which are of particular interest for foreign students. In general, these courses are held in English at least during the first year of studies. German language courses accompany the study programme in order to prepare foreign students for lectures held in German language during the more advanced terms of study. For admission to these International Degree Courses, applicants have to meet with the general entrance qualifications and to prove English language proficiency.

Costs
As German institutions of higher education are financed from public funds, there are no tuition fees. For costs of living, accommodation and personal expenses you should dispose of at least DEM 1.200,-- per month.

A brochure on German institutions or foundations granting scholarships to foreign students is available at the DAAD-offices.

Study Guidance in Germany
You are interested, but not sure how to start off? There is professional assistance. Since more than 30 years, the Carl Duisberg Centren offer - against payment - a wide range of counselling services, handling of all formalities regarding entry and stay in Germany, intensive German language courses, placement in institutions of higher education and industrial attachment for practical training periods, arrangements of accommodation, supervision and support from the beginning of the programme up to the conclusion of the degree course. Within the CDC's range of services you will be able to find the programme and the modules which best match your personal interests.

Useful Addresses
General information on the higher education system in Germany, scholarships and German language courses at public institutions of higher education:

German Academic Exchange Service - DAAD
Kennedyallee 50, D-53175 Bonn
Tel.: ++49 228 882-0
Fax: ++49 228 882-444
e-mail: postmaster@daad.de
Web: http://www.daad.de

The DAAD holds world-wide study counselling offices and provides several free brochures on studying in Germany. The German Embassies abroad generally dispose of these brochures and can tell you the address of the nearest DAAD-representation.

Private service packages and private intensive German language courses:

Carl Duisberg Centren gGmbH
Professional Training & Academic Programmes
Hansaring 49-51, D-50670 Koln
Tel.: ++49 221 1626 252
Fax: ++49 221 1626 337
e-mail: ghp@cdc.de
Web: http://www.cdc.de

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