Overview of Germany as a Study Destination: What You Need to Know

Germany is a highly popular place for many international students. Aside from the country’s strong support in research and global cooperation, it also has a lot of top-notched institutions. 

Those are just some of the qualities that have made Germany a top place to go to for degree-seeking international students. 

In fact, in 2019, the country has already surpassed France in that aspect.

Aside from those facts, there are other things that you need to know as an international student in Germany.

Read below to get an overview of Germany as a study destination, and other things you need to know about it as an international student. 

Institutions and Education System 

Germany is known for having one of the best education systems in the world, which includes some of the best universities in the world. 

Fifty-six of the country’s universities ranked in the recent QS World University Rankings, with three ranking in the top 100 of the world. 

In 2020, the country’s education system also ranked 16 in the world per the U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems. The rank is higher than other countries in Europe such as France and Ireland and Asia’s Japan, Korea, and China. 

Higher education institutions in Germany enjoy the autonomy to manage the school’s scholarships, research, and teaching. 

Higher education is also accessible in Germany. Most German public universities offer free tuition fees for German and international students from the EEA and non-EEA countries. 

Germany’s Government

Germany’s government system is that of a federal republic and a parliamentary democracy. The country has the president as its head of state, the figurehead of the country’s democracy. It also has a Chancellor, which is in charge of the country’s governance. 

For students coming from other countries, with a different type of governance, or usually only having a president or a prime minister, this might sound confusing. 

To make it easier. The president is chosen by a specially convened assembly and nominates the chancellor and their cabinet appointments. Thus, think of presidents as having a more ceremonial role. Meanwhile, the chancellor is elected by the parliament and is in charge of the federal policies. 

Germany’s Best Cities for Students

Two of Germany’s cities have ranked high In the recent QS ranking for best cities. These two cities are Munich, which ranked second-best student city in the world, and Berlin, the country’s capital city itself, which ranked 5th. 

According to the QS ranking, Munich was the world’s 2nd best student city due to its lower price (including free tuition fees) compared to other European cities, excellent quality of life, and friendly citizens. 

In terms of Munich’s top institutions, Munich has two, the Technical University of Munich, and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. Both universities ranked in the top 100 of the QS World University Rankings of 2022. 

Diversity 

Germany has a diverse student population. In fact, as of 2019, the country is home to hundreds of international students, with the majority coming from China and India, and other students from Russia, Italy, Turkey, France, the US, Morocco, Vietnam, Indonesia, and so on. 

The country has made it easier to access by offering a lot of study programs in English, aside from German-taught courses. 

That’s a quick overview of Germany as a study destination for international students.  If you want to learn more practical tips and information about this European country, check out our other articles at MSM Unify.