Higher Education in Germany

If you or one of your family members would like to continue your education in Germany there are a number of institutes and degrees available that offer both undergraduate and graduate programmes. The Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees have recently been introduced to German Universities and Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science), adjoining and sometimes replacing the German Diplom degree. This allows undergraduates to achieve a degree after 3 years of studies, whereas the German Diplom studies, which are more like a Master’s programme, require a longer period of time. There are 333 institutes of Higher Education in Germany.

In order to be able to study at a German university, you will need to have suitable qualifications such as those that correspond to the German Abitur, which is the certificate that a student receives after having graduated from a Gymnasium or Gesamtschule after grade 13. Due to the fact that prerequisites may vary from one school to the next, you might need to take an assessment test to show that you are qualified to study at a German University.

Once your undergraduate degree has been completed, you can apply to do post-graduate studies. These include Master’s and Doctor degrees.

German Universities tend to be very theoretical and students are often required to do a lot of research. If you are looking to have more practical work involved in your studies, you may choose to enrol at a Fachhochschule (University of Applied Science). This type of education has hands-on experience as well as theoretical courses and is often preferred for professions such as engineering and architecture.

The language of instruction at German Universities is usually German but there are a number of English language programmes available.

Distance learning: The Open University

Obtaining an undergraduate or post-graduate degree through a distance-learning course is a excellent way of continuing your studies no matter where you live. Open Universities, whether British or German, offer hundreds of qualifications and courses in the English language. Obtaining a degree while studying at home at your own pace is a wonderful possibility for many expatriates who, due to language barriers or family situations, are physically unable to attend classes.