Germany’s higher education institutions have a stellar reputation.
Teaching and research are significant stimuli for creativity and advancement.
German universities integrate research and education and have been the site of ground-breaking innovations such as the printing press, computers, mp3 that have become inseparable components of our contemporary life.
Master’s degree programs in Germany are embraced by a diversity of programs, numerous master’s courses offered in English, an inexpensive cost of study, award-winning curriculums, a greater emphasis on students’ hands-on experience, and, without a doubt, strong prospects.
So, pursuing a Master’s degree in Germany is a candid option. However, for many overseas students who have no prior understanding of the German education system, applying for a master’s degree might be scary.
About Germany
Germany is divided into three regions: the North German Plain, the Central German Uplands (Mittelgebirge), and the Southern German Highlands.
The Bavarian plateau in the southwest averages 1,600 feet (488 meters) above sea level, although it rises to 9,721 feet (2,962 meters) in the Zugspitze Mountains, the country’s highest point.
The Danube, Elbe, Oder, Weser, and Rhine are Germany’s principal rivers.
Germany is the most populous country in the European Union, with a population of 80 million people.
Germany is regarded as Europe’s primary main political and economic force, and it also has the world’s fourth-biggest economy.
Germany is surrounded by Poland, Denmark, Austria, France, and Switzerland, which also has an immense immigrant population. People from all over the globe are drawn to Germany because of its high quality of living, extensive universal health care, and social security system, and its economy’s sustained stability despite the recent global recession.
Climate
Germany has a temperate seasonal climate tempered by Gulf Stream waters known as the North Atlantic Drift, which is located between the continental climate of Eastern Europe and the oceanic climate of Western Europe.
Most of Germany receives roughly 30 inches (790 mm) of rain per year on average, and this rain falls regularly throughout the year.
Summers are hot, and winters are pleasant, with temperatures reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) in the summer and 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 degree Celsius) in the winter.
Snowfall can be significant at times, and there may be no snow in Germany during particular winters.
Religion
Approximately 60% of Germans are members of the Evangelical Church, which adheres to the Christian religion.
Thirty percent of Christian Germans are Catholics, while the other thirty percent are Protestants.
Nearly 30% of Germans claim to be atheists or agnostics, with the majority of non-religious persons residing in eastern Germany and bigger cities such as Munich, Berlin, and Frankfurt.
Language
German is the official language of Germany, although many Germans also speak English very well.
According to a recent study, 65 percent of German inhabitants are bi-lingual or have a decent, if not flawless, capacity to understand and converse in many languages.
It is owing to the fact that Germany shares borders with so many other nations, making it possible for Germans to visit many culturally diverse places.
German is not an easy language to master, and there are a few “quirks” that foreign pupils frequently struggle to internalize and recall while writing or speaking German.
Masters in Germany
Germany is a prominent study location for MS (masters) students.
MS in Germany has attracted almost 150,000 students for the 2019-20 academic year.
In Germany, an MS is typically a one- to a two-year degree (2-4 semesters).
In Germany, there is no tuition charge for earning a master’s degree because the majority of German universities are state-funded.
Students must only pay a one-time registration fee that ranges from 8,313 EUR to 16,626 EUR depending on the program chosen.
If a student takes longer to finish the program, an additional amount of fees must be submitted every semester.
This fluctuates between 400 and 500 EUR.
- Among the most popular Master’s degree programs in Germany are electrical engineering, computer science, automotive engineering, and chemical engineering.
- You can apply to a range of higher education institutions that offer master’s degrees, including research universities, technical universities, universities of applied sciences, and colleges of arts, cinema, and music.
- A master’s degree will require 60 credits per year, with 30 credits committed to the dissertation.
Why study master’s in Germany?
Three of the 426 accredited institutions are ranked in the top 100 QS World University Rankings (2020), while 12 are ranked in the top 200.
According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, the Technical University of Munich is ranked 25th in engineering and technology and 18th in computer science.
MS in Germany can be regarded as beneficial since Germany has four institutions ranked in the top 100 by QS Employability Rankings.
Graduate employability rankings include information about a university’s employer reputation, student-employee engagement, and other factors.
In any given year, over 2,50,000 international students study in Germany, with around 37 percent majoring in engineering.
Germany is home to some of the top automotive sectors, thus master’s degrees in automotive engineering are in great demand.
International students are also attracted to business and management schools in Germany.
A student who wishes to work in Germany after finishing his or her education may extend his or her visa for up to 18 months.
Master’s Programs
German Universities
In Germany, over 500 universities are offering over 20,000-degree programs. That’s a lot of options!
Types of German Universities
German universities are classified into four types:
Research Universities
Public universities that provide masters and doctoral degrees (PhDs) in a variety of subjects.
Technical Universities
A subcategory of research universities specializing in engineering, science, and technology.
Universities of Applied Sciences
Private institutions that provide practice-oriented academic degrees (in engineering, business, and social sciences) with a concentration on professional application rather than theory.
In addition, the emphasis is on job placements.
Colleges of Art, Film, and Music
Concentrating on creative subjects; maybe affiliated with research universities or universities of applied sciences.
Only those with excellent creative capabilities and considerable expertise in a relevant creative industry will be considered.
Master Degree
In Germany, there are two categories of master’s degrees:
- Consecutive programs
- Non-consecutive programs
1.Consecutive Programs
A continuation of the information acquired throughout a student’s undergraduate studies.
2.Non-consecutive programs
Requires a few years of post-graduate job experience and may not be relevant to a student’s undergraduate field of specialty.
Duration
A German master’s program lasts 18 to 24 months.
The remaining 30 ECTS credits will be gained through coursework and modules, with the remaining 90 given to writing a dissertation.
Course content
The majority of German Master’s degrees are divided into modules or other study units.
Of course, the contents of various programs will differ.
Based on your course, you may learn through lectures, small-group seminars, workshops, fieldwork, or supervised independent study:
A Research University academic curriculum will most likely include a lot of core lectures and seminars, supplemented with practical work in a laboratory or independent study and reading.
A more professional-oriented curriculum at a University of Applied Science may involve additional hands-on training and/or workshops led by external experts and industry representatives.
A creative curriculum at a College of Art, Film, and Music will place a strong emphasis on developing and evaluating your practical talents and abilities.
Top Master University in Germany
When considering a Masters’s degree in Germany, overseas students should be aware of the worldwide rankings as well as the costs of attending these well-known German universities.
The following are the contact information for the most popular universities in Germany that provide master’s degrees:
LMU Munich
Technical University of Munich
Heidelberg University
Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin
University of Freiburg
University of Tubingen
Free University of Berlin
University of Bonn
RWTH Aachen
Humboldt University Berlin
Top MS Degree Courses in Germany
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Management) topics account for half of all MS applications.
The following are some of the most popular MS courses offered by German universities:
MS in Electrical Engineering
MS in Computer Science
MS in Chemical Engineering TU Berlin,
MS in Robotics
Although some are some of the most popular programs, there is a range of different master’s degrees available in Germany.
In Germany, education is provided in both English and German, as well as a combination of the two.
Eligibility for Masters in Germany Admissions
While the application criteria for each university vary, the following are the key documents necessary for Masters in Germany admission:
A bachelor’s degree in a related discipline is required.
GRE or GMAT score: May be required.
Language Fluency: International students must provide confirmation of English as well as German language proficiency, as many German institutions offer instruction in German.
The following test scores are required:
German Language Proficiency: DSH Level II or I, Goethe Level C1 or C2, TestDaf Level 2-4
The needed score will be determined by
Language Proficiency in English:
TOEFL: 90, IELTS: 6.5
These are average scores that may differ from institution to institution.
a certification or a mark
a copy of the most recent educational qualification
Curriculum Vitae / Resume
Letter of Recommendation Statement of Purpose
Passport photocopy
International students must apply for a German student visa after these papers and other conditions have been met and accepted.
Costs of Studying Masters in Germany
It may appear that studying abroad is costly when considering things such as traveling to a foreign country.
Germany, on the other hand, is relatively priced in compared to other top educational nations in Europe.
The expenditures would, of course, be slightly more than your existing spending.
Pre-arrival Fee
When applying to universities, students are expected to pay the following fees:
Student Visa Application Fee 60-75EURO
Health Insurance 80 EURO
IELTS Registration Fee 166-170 EURO
TOEFL Registration Fee 136-224 EURO
GMAT Registration Fee 143 EURO
GRE Registration Fee 192 EURO
MS Tuition Fees in Germany
Tuition rates for obtaining a Master’s degree in Germany vary based on the program or course chosen.
According to the above-mentioned study costs, Indian students may be required to pay the lowest yearly tuition charge of 11,825 INR and the maximum amount of 2,73,465 INR every year.
Tuition fees are unlikely to be charged for a fully-funded university and program.
Cost of Living
On-campus Accommodation 300EURO
Off-campus Accommodation 400-450EURO
Food & Drink 165EURO
Transportation 80EURO
Books & Material 30EURO
Internet 35EURO
Miscellaneous 70EURO
German Visas for International Students
A Schengen-Visa is necessary to stay in the nation for short visits of up to three months (for example, students completing summer courses).
Students should be informed that if they want to receive a Schengen-Visa, they must leave Germany after three months and should prepare properly before applying for this form of visa.
If you want to stay for more than three months, you must get a national visa.
Students should specify on the form whether they are completing a Ph.D. or enrolling in a full program and explain why they seek a National visa.
Before students can apply for a visa, they will need to provide the following documents: a letter of admission, a health insurance card, proof of pre-admission examination results, and proof that they know how to speak and read German or that they plan to take German language courses as part of their curriculum.
Job Prospects after MS in Germany
Germany is an economic powerhouse with several prospects for MS students.
It has an extremely good employability rate for its pupils, with a 2.4 percent unemployment rate.
After finishing their MS, students get hired based on their disciplines.
Aside from seeking a profession, many students decide to pursue their Ph.D. in Germany due to the numerous options and high-quality education provided.
With a Masters in Germany degree, you may find work not just in Germany, but all across the world.
The table below provides a list of positions in Germany following MS and their related wages in several sectors:
Electrical Engineer 136,000EURO
Accountant 90,700EURO
Civil Engineer 121,000EURO
Mechanical Engineer 133,000EURO
Automotive Engineer 111,000 EURO
Biomedical Engineer 115,000EURO
Pharma Researcher 150,000EURO
Data Scientist 135,000 EURO
Architect 124,000 EURO
Art Director 126,000 EURO
In Conclusion
Germany as a study destination does not pose a financial barrier to your ability to pursue an education abroad.
Furthermore, an MS in Germany might provide you with a superb package at some of the industry giants. Engineering hopefuls should not miss the fact that Germany has proven its mettle in a variety of emerging disciplines such as automotive engineering, robotics, nanotechnology, and so on.
It is a place of invention, hard labor, and research, making it a worthwhile study location.