Study in Germany - Frequently Asked Questions

# Where should I learn German in Kathmandu?

We recommend you to join Goethe Zentrum (GZK). They have the most qualified and reliable German teachers in Nepal. Moreover GZK is recongnized by Goethe Insitute. Their certificate is recognized all over the world and they provide you a far superior German language skills than what the other language institutes do. If you have a bachelors degree on German language from Biswo Bhasa Campus, that is excellent.

# How long should I attend German classes in order to apply for Studienkolleg ? and for University ?

Well, generally you must have acquired Zertfikat-Deutsch of Goethe Institut or equivalent. Goethe Zentrum in Kathmandu offers exam for Zertifikt Deutsch.

If the instruction medium is German at the University, you will need passed certificate of DSH or TestDaf or equivalent.

# What is a Studienkolleg ?

The Studienkolleg (Preparatory College) provides foreign applicants, whose educational qualifications do not permit direct entry to a German University or Fachhochschule, with the subject specific and linguistic basics.

# Do I need to attend a Studienkolleg ?

Nepalese Higher secondary education(eg I.Com., 10+2 or equivalent) is not recognized as equivalent to german higher secondary education (Abitur). Abitur ends up with 13 years of Schooling, unlike ISc or 10+2 which takes 12 years of Schooling. That means the difference lies in 1 year of schooling.
So you have to attend a Studienkolleg.

# I have already passed the first year of Bachelor's degree. Can I bypass Studienkolleg ?

You have passed one further year after PCL/+2 (e.g. B.Com. 1st Year or equivalent), your education is equally recognized as the German Abitur. In this case you only need to have good German command (DSH, TestDaf) in order to apply to a University. But your field of Bachelor's degree must be similar to the subject that you want to study here. eg. With a Bachelor degree in natural science, you cannot apply for Business administration and vice versa.

# How do I search a university that offers courses I am looking for ?

Please use www.study-in-germany.de.

Use following query links:
For Undergraduate studies

For Graduate studies

For Doctoral Study

# Can I finance my "education and living" by myself ?

If you can manage a very modest life, you will still need at least € 500 per month. With HiWi Jobs (Research Assistant) in University or other kind of jobs you can make around 400 €/50 Hrs.
It can be sometimes risky to depend completely on your part time job. So, we would suggest to make sure that somebody pays your tuition fee (partly ?) which is around € 100/month ~= Rs. 9000/month. If not, then helps at least in need.

Many students finance their education by themselves. So, why should not you be able to do ?

# I am a medical graduate from China. The curriculum was similar to those common in Nepal. Can I do my residency in Germany ?

Well, yes it is possible. First of all you need very good command of German language and of course of medical German.

Medical Education of Nepal/China is only partially recognized here. For which, to be recognized, you may need to work at a hospital here for ca. 12-18 months, which is called "adaptation period", even without being paid if you have bad cards. Once you have finished adaptation period, you have to apply to Federal state government which then decides whether you can now get a license to practice.

After you have a license, you have to find a hospital, that employs you.

It is a very complex process.

# Should I let a consultancy do my application procedure ?

It is upto you to decide but what we suggest you is just ignore consultancies. Education in Germany is almost free, except some very special courses.You can do all things that consultancy does for you by yourself. You can save all that amount of hundreds of thousands rupees.You just need to write some emails and application forms. You surely do not want to pay Rs 200,000 for that little thing. You can make use of each paisa later on for something better than paying to such Institutes for nothing actually. Moreover, we have already met students here who came through help of such Institutes, they realized that they were made fool. Do avoid such ways, and please also tell this fact to other people. We will give our efforts to help you sofar we can.We will do our very best to help you.

# How do I find an apartment ?

As a foreign student, you have higher priority than Germans, if you are looking for an apartment or a room in Hostels run by Students Council, locally known as Studentenwerk. They run hostels owned by university. Besides, private landlords also offer apartments to students via Studentenwerk. So, in case, that they don not have room in their own hostel they will provide you with other options.
And always check notice boards (Schwarzes Brett), advertising column (Litfaßsäule) and local papers and websites.

If your host institution has a university guesthouse, you can also have your name put on the waiting list there. However, these rooms are usually reserved for visiting professors and academics. You can apply for an apartment at a university guest-house through the Foreign Students' Advisory Office. Again, you should make your application as soon as possible.

# What is Studentenwerk ?

They are what you know as Students Council. They are responsible for various things like students hostels, canteen, students job, consultancy and so on. They also organize party and make sure e.g. that students have a convenient place to watch Bundesliga together. This is also the address where you go, when you are in trouble. Be it legal matters, dissatisfaction with professor or you simply need an advice about, let us say, you want to open a new bank account.

# How do I find a job ?

Go to the Studentenwerk first. They have many offers. Do not ignore notice boards. To earn good money apply to big companies like Mercedes Benz(Show room), Siemens etc by email or from website. If you want to stay close to the University, try HiWi jobs (Hilfskraft für Wissenschaft = Assistant for research). This kind of job is very pleasant, since your colleagues are highly educated and they do not want you to work like a machine, which is often the case when you work in Gastronomy.

Search in various Links provided in http://sonog.com/jobs.php

# What are basics of doing PhD/doctorate in Germany ?

First of all, you must have already obtained a university degree that is academically equivalent to the German "Diplom", "Magister", "Staatsexamen" (in law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy). The awarded grade should be above average.

Unlike many universities abroad, German universities do not, as a rule, offer regular PhD programs, in which doctoral students complete a set course of classes. A doctorate is rather an individual research project, carried out under the guidance of and in close cooperation with an established scientist who, at the same time, accepts the responsibility for the scientific performance of the student. The foundation of all doctoral studies is formed by the dissertation regulations of the respective faculty. In any case a written scientific thesis must be handed in, which should be completed within three or four years maximum. It is defined by the dissertation regulations whether the whole doctorate exam is comprised of this written thesis and an oral exam (Rigorosum), or of the written thesis and a "Disputation" (an oral exam, in which the doctoral candidate is asked to defend his doctoral thesis).

# Is it free to study in Germany ?

Until end of 2005, you only paid ca. €40 for social contribution and ca. €50 for Students' Council per semester. Thereafter a new law was passed by German High Court, which allows state governments to demand tuition fee. The state governments set the amount of tuition fee by themselves. So it varies from state to state. e.g. in Bavaria it is between €300- €500 in Universities and between €100-€500 in Fachhochschule(Uni. for Applied Sciences) per semester.

In Contrary to CDU run government, SPD run government do not charge any tuition fee. For example in Rhineland palatinate (Mainz, Ludwigshafen, Koblenz, Kaiserslautern, etc)

But basically make up your mind to pay €500 per semester.

# How expensive is medical education in Germany ?

It is, in fact, very expensive. Since you deal with very modern equipments, materials for your practicals are pretty expensive. You are sent to peripheral teaching hospitals for courses.

But feel great! All most everything is paid for by the government. For each medical student, the government pays more than €150.000/- . So that you only pay tuition fee of €500 per semester as every other student do.

# Can I, as an applicant from non-EU nation,study medicine in Germany ?

Yes, provided you have required qualification.
i.e.
- Good German Command (Zertifikat Deutsch from Goethe Institut) and
-PCL from TU or +2 of HSEB with Biology.

You have to attend one year of Bridge course (Studienkolleg) in Germany prior to medical Education.

# Can I work in Nepal later after completing medicine in Germany ?

Yes. Like every Medical Graduate you have to take medical licensing exam of Nepal medical council. Then after you can practice medicine in Nepal.

# Can I do specialization (Residency) in Germany after completing medicine there?

Yes. In contrary to medical graduates from Nepal, India, China, Bangladesh, etc you can directly begin with residency, and will not have to worry about acknowledgment.

# Is Germany a land of Immigration?

There has always been immigration to Germany. The reasons for doing so have varied throughout the ages. Some came as workers or traders, others as refugees. One of the most well known and largest immigrant groups in German history were the "Huguenots", a persecuted religious community who fled France in the 17th century. Another grouping in the 19th century were the so-called "Ruhr Poles": immigrants of Polish background who worked mainly in the coal mines in the Ruhr Basin, many of whom stayed and settled in Germany.

Since the end of the 1950s, many different immigrants came to work in post-war Germany as a result of special agreements (so called "Anwerbe-Abkommen"). West Germany experienced the "Wirtschaftswunder" (the post-war economic boom) and workers were needed to keep the factories running. Agreements for workers were signed with Italy, Turkey, Yugoslavia and Morocco among others. In the GDR, workers from Vietnam and African states were invited to come. When travel restrictions were eased after the fall of the Iron Curtain at the end of the 1980s, many ethnic Germans ("Aussiedler") returned, mostly from former Eastern Bloc countries. Between 1990 and 2000, more than 2 million "Aussiedler" came to Germany. Another large immigrant group are the politically persecuted and refugees of war.

Today, more than 7 million foreigners live in Germany, almost 9 per cent of the population. One quarter were born in Germany. The majority of foreigners live in the former West Germany and most have been there for ten years or more.

Each year around 800,000 people move to Germany and almost 700,000 emigrate. Some stay for a short time, others for life. Germany is described as a country of immigration ("Einwanderungsgesellschaft"). Immigrants and their children influence part of the cultural and public life.

Numerous firms have been founded by immigrants and their business activities comprise much more than the ubiquitous restaurants which can be seen everywhere. Immigrants have an ever-growing representation in the service sector and the commercial economy. Many immigrants are also actively involved in trade unions. The number of people of non-German origin active in politics, communal parliaments, state parliaments and the Bundestag (the German parliament), is, however, relatively small.

# Pig is considered lucky in Germany-why?

According to the radio station Deutsche Welle, the expression "Schwein haben" originated in the middle ages, when the person who came last in shooting competitions, etc. would be given a pig as a consolation prize. Because (unlike the winners of the other prizes) he had done nothing to deserve the pig, he was regarded as lucky to get it.