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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Masters Degree in Germany

17 replies

diian · 31/12/2023 17:21

DS is thinking about a Masters degree in a niche science subject.

He has found a course as Karlsruhe Institute of Technology that he likes the look of. It is taught in English with no tuition fees. DS did AS German and would love to pick the language up again,

Has anyone got got any insight into German masters and what Brexit means for studying in Europe. How does accommodation work? etc.

TIA

OP posts:
silentbutdeadly1 · 31/12/2023 20:13

From what I've read about it's very cheap.
And rent is cheap

WickDittington · 01/01/2024 01:03

There is very little student accommodation arranged for students as in the UK and far fewer student services - German students don’t pay for that sort of extra-curricular wrap around that is now expected in UK HE. He’d need to find a flat to rent (and German flats don’t always come with kitchens - you install your own).

Most standard and highly-regarded EU Masters work in semesters and will take a minimum of 2 years. At least that’s been the experience of my younger German family members. German university is pretty much sink or swim. It is quite normal to take a lot longer than the minimum term. In technische subjects, the dissertation topic will be dictated by whichever professor is running the Institut, and mostly taught by Doctoral students.

I don’t know Karlsuhe Universität, but you can check the QS World rankings where in general, it seems to be well regarded. One of my family teaches at TUM, currently seen as the best university in Germany so I can ask …

Your DS should also think a LOT about destinations after a Masters - will the qualification from a university in a relatively non-central town in the middle of Baden Württemberg will be recognised back in the UK and whether he’ll have the networks in the UK after graduating. Karlsruhe is a growing tech hotspot in Germany, but he’ll need to think about how that translates to working back in the UK, or the possibility that he may want to stay in Germany - which is an exciting place for tech startups at the moment.

Just because German universities seem cheap compared with UK HE, doesn’t mean they’re good value. It’s quite a different system in many respects.

Moominmammacat · 01/01/2024 10:53

My DS did his Masters in Munich, totally positive experience. Agree with WickDittington, you are totally on your own with everything but most character forming.

SilverBranchGoldenPears · 01/01/2024 10:59

KIT is a great university (we have a few students working for us enrolled there) and Karlsruhe is comparatively cheap and is ok- I spend a lot of time there from my more expensive bit of Germany. As pps have said it’s a bit different from the uk but as an enrolled student he’ll be able to work in Germany and access help associated with that.
In terms of any engineering or techy subject KIT is excellent and that name should carry over to other countries - as does the fact that your DS will be studying tech/science/engineering in Germany generally.

JocelynBurnell · 01/01/2024 11:41

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is ranked 35th in the world for engineering.The reputation and employability of its engineering graduates would be higher still. It's not quite at the level of Imperial or TUM, but not far off.

Frederick12 · 03/01/2024 03:20

Hi, I studied in Karlsruhe but many decades ago. I believe BW now does charge international students, but it probably depends on the university and course. KIT is highly regarded and one of the TU9 universities in Germany. Have you checked if you fulfil the admission criteria? It's not uncommon to require a certain subject combination as well as a test in language proficiency. If he has to do a test in German, AS may well not be sufficient, I believe most universities want a test from the Goethe institute.
As others have said, sorting out accommodation etc needs to be done by the students, but there are Studentenwohnheime which normally give preference to foreign students- and he will find many likeminded people with international background. Otherwise finding a flatshare is the best option. The uni has a dedicated team (as well as internet site) to help with any further questions such as health insurance etc. Generally all very affordable- most students can afford to finance their living expenses by taking up part time jobs and manage without making any debt. Best of luck - it's a brilliant place to get a degree and I loved living there as a student

diian · 03/01/2024 08:07

Thank you for these valuable and insightful replies.

@Frederick12 the masters is taught in English and requires B2 level. DS is a native speaker so automatically meets the language requirement. He also meets all the admissions criteria for his chosen masters: Atmospheric physics related.

I think as KIT is a state funded university, tuition is free. Personally, I am not sure DS is cut out for life abroad. It could be very lonely at first and a flat share would certainly be preferable over a one-bed private flat.

OP posts:
Frederick12 · 03/01/2024 13:49

excellent - if he is native speaking he will be fine. However, I do think the KIT does charge international students- please see HERE
Nevertheless - its an awesome choice - he should really go for it, especially as he has no language barrier! It is truly a fantastic university - and live outside university is great as well, with many opportunities for sport, culture and social life

Here are some useful links:
Housing
International students Karlsruhe facebook
Study in Germany guide

alles Gute - er schafft das schon 😀

KIT - INTL - Incoming Students - Degree-Seeking - Tuition Fees, Financial Aid & Prizes - Tuition Fees

KIT Dienstleistungseinheit Internationales hilft den internationalen Studierenden, Wissenschaftlern, Alumni, Partnern und Besuchern sich am KIT zu orientieren sowie bietet Hinweise für Auslandsaufenthalte an.

https://www.intl.kit.edu/istudies/12606.php#:~:text=The%20following%20international%20students%20are,at%20a%20German%20school%20abroad

LarissaFeodorovna · 05/01/2024 13:23

My dc is in the third semester of an undergrad degree in Germany, so assume many of the same issues apply.

Living costs are hugely cheaper than in the UK. My dc is in a big city that is not one of the hotspots like Berlin or Munich, and is paying €260 a month for a large sunny room in a hall of residence. That includes all bills and wifi. Private rentals are more expensive, and they will have to fanny around with bills and things like TV licence, which can be a faff, although all doable with persistence. Private rental for a room in a shared flat in my dc's city would be around €350-450 - WG-gesucht is the DE equivalent of Spare Room. https://www.wg-gesucht.de/

My main tip would be to apply as early as possible for a room in a Studentenwerk accommodation, as that will be financially and administratively the easiest and best option. They tend to be organised in flats rather than just rooms off a corridor, with a small shared kitchen and bathroom - larger flats generally cheaper per student than smaller ones, so that might be a way round the potential for isolation.

If you're sure there are no fees for a free-standing masters (do check, as there's no fee for a masters following on from a bachelors, but likely to be different for a free-standing masters), then the main cost will be the Semesterbeitrag, which will be in the region of €250 per semester. This is a contribution to the subsidised facilities the uni provides, and is actually a terrific bargain as the student card acts as a pass for 6 months worth of public transport in the city and wider region. It also covers things like the Mensa (subsidised canteen) and sports facilities etc.

Does your dc have German citizenship? That's the thing which makes the biggest single difference in terms of easing the administrative burden, as is having at least one parent or close relative who understands how German bureaucracy works. This is much more burdensome than it woudl be in England, and some things have to be done in a particular sequence in order to unlock the next level of the Living In Germany game.

The main admin hurdles are:

Health insurance: the uni will need to see proof of health insurance before they will register him. The EHIC or GHIC is not really designed for longer stays abroad, but you CAN use it for this at least in the short term, as long as you don't have pre-existing conditions needing ongoing treatment. You will need to take the university Zulassung (the provisional document stating he has a uni place) along with the GHIC card, and your passport and proof of address etc to a branch of a state health insurance company like AOK. They will then issue you with a piece of paper which confirms that you are exempt from the requirement for health insurance, which you in turn supply to the uni in order to get registered. Some of these things may need to be done in person with a physical signature, or via fax. Yes it's ridiculous, but faxing is still very much a thing in DE.

Once you've secured accommodation and have a rental contract to that effect, then he can do the Anmeldung (register with the local authority). If it's a Studentenwerk accommodation, you may need the Einschreibung (official uni registration) or at very least the Zulassung in order to secure the accommodation. The Anmeldung is crucial as you cannot do anything without that, eg. open a bank account or get a SIM card. If he has ever been angemeldet in Germany before, you will need the Abmeldung ins Ausland, otherwise the computer may say No.

Anmeldung takes place in the local Bürgeramt or Bürgerbüro, and they generally have an online booking system. Do this as far ahead as possible, and in any case before the mad rush for the start of the Semester when getting an appointment slot in a university city can be like trying to score Glastonbury tickets. With the Anmeldung you can unlock all the special features of Living in Germany like getting a phone and a bank account - Sparkasse do a bank account for students that doesn't charge fees (most banks do charge).

Do ask if you have other question! DC is having a brilliant time, and would highly recommend the experience. :)

WG Zimmer Wohnungen Wohnungssuche WG Suche WG Wohnung vermieten WG Nachmieter Zwischenmiete : WG-Gesucht.de

https://www.wg-gesucht.de

LarissaFeodorovna · 05/01/2024 13:29

the masters is taught in English and requires B2 level. DS is a native speaker so automatically meets the language requirement.

I would double-check that this is true if his previous education was outside DE - they may have different rules for people with Auslandsbildung, and different rules again may apply depending on whether or not you have German citizenship.

DC spoke fairly rudimentary German at the start of this adventure, and there was a hiccup at one point where we thought they would need to acquire C1 competence very quickly indeed. Then it turned out that because DC had Gm citizenship they were exempt from the language requirement, which is a bit random, but we weren't complaining.

As soon as your circs don't fit what the Gm system is expecting (ie. German native educated in DE, or foreign national educated in their country of origin) you sometimes find that the admin wheels come to a grinding halt. It is also not uncommon to get different people giving you conflicting information, which is where you really do need someone on hand who speakers native standard German and understands how to make the system work.

Chersfrozenface · 05/01/2024 13:40

Doesn't the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg charge non EU/EEC students fees?

WickDittington · 05/01/2024 14:25

I know they 're starting to do so in Bayern for international students doing Masters degrees (which is now applicable to UK citizens).

GrumpyPanda · 05/01/2024 14:38

Chersfrozenface · 05/01/2024 13:40

Doesn't the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg charge non EU/EEC students fees?

Yes. Generally €1,500/semester so €3,000/yr. There may be exceptions individually so best to check directly with the uni's Akademische Auslandsamt.

diian · 05/01/2024 17:30

the masters is taught in English and requires B2 level. DS is a native speaker so automatically meets the language requirement.

DS is a native speaker of English! The Masters is taught in English.

Thank you @LarissaFeodorovna for such an informative and helpful post. I am sure others will find it of great value too.

OP posts:
LarissaFeodorovna · 05/01/2024 18:28

DS is a native speaker of English! The Masters is taught in English.

Ah okay! Crossed wires. You may find that the course offers the chance to learn beginner's German at no or minimal extra cost.

It sounds like you don't have a German background and dc doesn't have an EU passport, which means you will need a student visa and a blocked bank account with enough money to support him for the year. That makes some things more complicated, but will also make other things easier, as he fits the profile of what they 'expect' from an international student. Being Anglo-German has many advantages, but it does occasionally cause the wheels of bureaucracy to come to a grinding halt when you don't fit either one category or the other.

diian · 05/01/2024 19:17

It sounds like you don't have a German background and dc doesn't have an EU passport.

That is correct. We are guardians for a German boy at a local boarding school whose parents live near Karlsruhe. That is our only life-line in that part of the world. We have visited Karlsruhe on holiday so know it is a small, quiet city, but have no idea how the university system works.

OP posts:
Jeannie88 · 05/01/2024 19:47

I spent a year at a German University, one of the best experiences of my life! It was during my degree so not post grad. The standard will be excellent, he will most likely be offered classes to help with German and attain the PNDS (proficiency in the German language) so extra bonus! I would say go for it! X

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