What is it like studying in Germany?

Seven out of 250,000: they come from the most diverse continents, yet have something in common – they are all studying at a German university. Read about international students' experiences, about what they like and what caused them problems

Nahid Pervin

NAHID PERVIN

25 years old, from Bangladesh, student of mechanical engineering.

“I studied information technology for thee years in Bangladesh and originally only wanted to come to Germany for a short time as an exchange student. But then I changed my mind and started the bachelor’s course in computational mechanical and process engineering at the TU Darmstadt. So far, I have not regretted that decision. The university is great. No wonder it has such a good reputation internationally. But quite a lot is expected of you. Although I learned German for a year at the Goethe Institute at home, I did further courses here, because I didn’t know all the technical terms in German. I will probably stay on longer now, and do a master’s.”

TIINA SALMINEN
22 years old, from Finland, student of psychology.

“My first impression was: so much bureaucracy! But I did the orientation course offered by the university’s International Office and found the tips very helpful. Otherwise, coming to Germany was not exactly a culture shock. However, the people in Munich are much more friendly than in Helsinki! I’ll be staying at the LMU for a year. As for my courses, there is a lot more discussing done here and the classes are more interactive. It wasn’t difficult at all to make contacts. There are parties constantly at our student residence.”

ERIC CLEMENT ARAKEL
22 years old, from India, student of molecular biology.

“I was looking for a university where I could learn all the basics and Heidelberg is just right for that. The courses here will prepare me and my fellow students well for the international job market. Not only do I like the university, I find life in Germany very pleasant. So much culture and so many beautiful historical cities. I also made friends quickly – I work part-time in the bar of our student residence.”

ASMAA GHALI
32 years old, from Egypt, student of economics.

“The first time I came to Berlin was to learn German. I really enjoyed that. But attending the Humboldt University was not easy for me at the beginning. I’m very good at maths but I was missing some fundamentals. Then a professor offered to help me. Later I worked a lot in groups and got to know nice people. Ultimately, I gained self-confidence as a result of the initial difficulties. I’m now about to do my degree.”

INDRADEO HEMRAJ
30 years old, from Mauritius, student of medicine.

“You can’t study medicine in Mauritius so I had to go abroad. Many people go to England, but college fees there are extremely high. In Germany we now pay 500 euros per semester, but that’s ok. After my internship in Heidelberg, I deliberately chose Munich. Now comes my practical year: I’ll do surgery here at the Grosshadern clinic, internal medicine in Harvard and neurology in Newcastle. Munich has cooperation agreements with these universities, and they really look after their students.”

ALEKSANDRA PIETROSINK
23 years old, from Poland, master’s student of molecular and cellular biology.

“I had no trouble deciding on Germany. It’s rare that a university offers courses like the ones in Heidelberg. That will significantly improve my chances. Language was also not a problem. The courses are in English and most students are foreigners, like myself, so we speak English with one another. I first studied in Italy, but the universities in Germany are better organized and the people are more open-minded. I don’t necessarily want to return to Poland after my exams in summer. I’d also prefer to work here in Germany.”

AHMAD AMRO
28 years old, from Palestine, student of microbiology.

“Berlin is a crazy city! It’s so lively. At first I worked hard on my German, otherwise you can’t really get to know a city. I now work at the Charité Hospital and will have my doctorate in three years. The colleagues in my group are from 20 different countries. I’m learning about molecular techniques we don’t have in Palestine. Later I would like to pass on my knowledge, as a lecturer at home in my own country. My prospects are very good with a German degree.”

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