Germany Opens Doors To Indian Students

Germany has created a new program in order to entice more Indian students to enroll in the German education system. The initiative is called the Year of Germany and India 2011-2012.

According to Jens Buntien, counselor in the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, "Nearly six million Euros have been set aside under the programme which is sponsored by our foreign office, Goethe Institute, the Asia-Pacific Committee of German business and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Another six million Euros will come from our industry partners. We will highlight various areas of higher education in Germany with a focus on research to Indian students and scholars. The idea is to make German institutions more widely known among young Indians so that they find them attractive destinations for education."

The current German higher educational system does not require study fees while in the country. Foreign students, such as Indians, do need to arrange for living expenses which can total 1300 Deutschemarks per month. Other miscellaneous expenses also need to be factored in, which in some cases can reach up to 1000 Deutschemarks per semester.

The first step upon reaching the country, Indian students would need to take a one-year bridge program. This would serve to adjust the individual's learning for the German school system, since Germany has thirteen school years to India's twelve. In order to qualify for the bridge program, Indian students need to have an impeccable academic record up to Senior Secondary Level and must be able to speak and read the German language.

After the bridging program, Indian students need to pass an assessment test to be able to qualify for admission in a German educational institution. This would allow the Indian student to earn the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree. If the Indian student has cleared the IIT Joint Entrance Examination, then they would be exempted from taking the assessment test. Individual students who have also completed two years of undergraduate studies are also exempt from the assessment test but they must demonstrate proficiency with the German language.

Now, German universities are accepting students for international course programs that would lead to the earning of a Masteral degree. Many of these courses use English as the medium of instruction and students are required to have earned a bachelor's degree before being assessed for qualification. German schools also recognize three year bachelor degree courses provided by Indian institutions of higher learning.