5 Reasons International Students Opt To Study In Germany

Germany is a Western European value-based, democratic, economically successful, and cosmopolitan country.

A large number of international students must have put varying factors into considerations before a final decision to settle for a study program in Germany. The standard  of living, tuition fee, economic strength of a country, easy acclimatization of foreign students, and certificate recognition and well-respected universities, are key factors international students wouldn’t want to ignore.

For students who have chosen Germany as their preferred study abroad destination, it is pertinent to list some of the obvious reasons behind the decision. In this article, here are 5 reasons foreign students consider studying in Germany.

1.A relatively low tuition fee- A path to debt-free education

Basically, Tuition fees in Germany are the same for both local and international students, which is the number one factor attracting students from all over the globe. One may wonder: how does Germany go about this?

Instead of making students pay huge amounts of money, public universities in Germany spread out the cost over the entire population through taxes. In turn, this money benefits anyone wanting to study and results in minimum tuition fees.

In fact, what you pay in Germany are not actually tuition fees, rather simple administrative fees of between €100 and €500 per semester that also cover your public transportation costs.

Non-consecutive postgraduate degrees – courses for students coming from a different field of study – have fees considerably lower than in Anglophone countries – around €1000 per semester, while consecutive postgraduate degrees are free of tuition charges,again, you will only have to pay administrative fees.

As a result, not many German nationals see the necessity in attending private universities, where tuition fees increase dramatically. More often than not, Germans attend a private university either because a specific study topic they want to pursue is not available in public universities, or they do not get accepted in public universities.

Contrast this with the thousands of dollars or pounds university costs on a yearly basis in much of the Anglophone world, and it is clear that graduating without substantial debt is one major attraction of the German system.

2. Studying in English

Germany has come up with a good deal for international students by offering over 1,150 study courses in English in both undergraduate and graduate levels to avoid any language restrictions.

If you are required to study courses that are only taught in German, there are available language courses to attend during the first semester, or more if necessary.

learning a new language  in Germany isn’t any big deal. It is a great opportunity, particularly if it is the language of Dichter und Denker (poets and thinkers.)

3.Quality Education system

Academic Institutions of higher learning in Germany  are of great standard, positioned among the highest in worldwide rankings.

The German study system focuses on creating independence in students, pushing for hard work towards attaining knowledge and skills rather than a tick in a box when applying for a job interview.

Germany maintains that a degree from a public university is built on hard work and dedication, while good grades and degrees from private universities are considered to have been bought.

Anglophone universities stand very high in quality too and a degree from any of these subject countries is internationally recognized and valued.

Nonetheless, a recent finding indicates that the separation between universities and research institutes and vocational training in Germany may have resulted in UK and US universities occupying a higher position in worldwide ranking lists.

4. Health insurance coverage

You may want to know that In Canada, public health insurance covers internationals only in half of its provinces, while in the other half students must purchase private health insurance.

But In Germany, you can get full public health insurance coverage for around €26 to €80 per month, which is a very inviting student discount in contrast to the Anglophone countries. Health insurance is a more complex issue, with prices varying depending on the services you get and the country you come from.

In the US health insurance seems to be the most controversial matter, especially for international students, who must usually get into private health insurance plans because of high cost of healthcare services.

Meanwhile in Australia, costly health insurance is a requirement even for temporary students.

Only in the UK are foreign students comprehensively covered by the residency-based National Health Service (NHS).

Every University Office for Foreigners will provide more in-depth information about health insurance policies offered through universities.

5. Cost-effective public transportation

Public transportation is very efficient and beautifully spread out throughout the whole of Germany. Plus, being located in the heart of Europe means visiting European cities with only a small amount of money is one ready benefit.

In the US, public transportation is not as reliable, somehow pushing students towards getting private cars. However, a monthly pass costs, more or less, $75. Some universities in the US offer student transportation tickets with a fee that is included in the overall tuition fees, as is the case for students in Washington.