As Indian students planning to pursue their studies abroad, Germany is a good destination for higher studies. The country has many advantages, some of which we will go into detail in this blog. However, another consideration that many of the students need to check is whether the qualifications they have is enough for the country they are planning to apply. So let us look at the qualifications needed for the Indian students who are planning to go to Germany for their undergraduate studies.
I have 12 years of Education in India. Can I do Bachelors in Germany?
Germany’s school education system consists of 13 years of studies as opposed to the 12 years of school education in India. This school degree could be from the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), or any other state board. This just means that you would need to have an extra year of education after the completion of your grade 12 if you want to study in a German public university. This extra year of education could be a diploma from a recognized institution or any course which is at least a year long. This along with your school education would then be considered as 13 years of education in Germany, which would then make you eligible for admission to German universities. However, you are still eligible to get admission to German private universities with 12 years of education in India. So in short for German public universities, you would need an extra year of education after grade 12 but you can get into German private universities with just 12 years of education. There may be a need to get your academic documents translated into German and then get them verified by German authorities. Therefore you need to check what all you would need for your college admission process and if something similar is needed for your Germany study visa.
| Type of University | Minimum Years of Education Required for Bachelors |
| Public University | 13 years |
| Private University | 12 years |
Language Qualifications
When thinking of study in Germany, you need to keep in mind that it is a non-English speaking country. This basically means that the majority of the population speaks German. However, they have quite a good number of programs that are taught both in German and English, so as to help the international students who come to Germany for higher education on a Germany student visa. Hence they would need certain language proficiency certifications in order to determine if you meet their language standards. Let us look at the certifications that are applicable for English and German:
English
In order to be eligible to study in Germany on a Germany student visa, you would need to have an English language proficiency certificate which is the IELTS academic test. The scores on this test need to be at least 6.0 band overall with no band being less than 5.5. This would make you eligible to be admitted to the programs taught in English and you would also need this when applying for your Germany student visa. Since this country is a multicultural one, this certification would also help you find other English-speaking students and make it easier for you to communicate.
German
There are exceptions as well when it comes to English-taught courses in Germany. There may be courses that are only instructed in German. This would mean that you would need to learn German and have a certificate to show for it. Another advantage of learning German would be that you would also be able to speak freely with the locals, who might or might not be able to speak in English. This would help you to become much more integrated with society and would also help you adjust better to a new country. Hence to avoid any confusion, you should check before applying to any program in a German university. Make sure to double-check which language is the course taught in and what language certifications you would need to study in Germany and for your Germany student visa. The earlier you figure this out the earlier you can start working to obtain those certifications.
Other Requirements for Bachelors in Germany after 12 years of Education in India
Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Recommendation
A curriculum vitae (CV) or resume would be a summary of all your academic and extracurricular achievements to date. This would help German universities find out about the major achievements of a student in a short span of time so that they can judge if you would fit in their institution well or not. A CV that is structured well can tell a lot about the student even for their Germany study visa application. Some German universities may ask for recommendation letters from your teachers to get a perspective of you as a student from somebody who has taught you. While researching for your universities, make sure you note down if this is needed or not and request your teachers to give your LORs for study in Germany.
Statement of Purpose
Another important document that you would need to submit to the admissions committee at any German university would be a statement of purpose or a motivation letter in case of Germany student visa. This statement is essential because this tells the university about the student’s academic journey, goals, future career path, social circumstances and how it shaped them as an individual and so much more. It is also a way to address the admission committee directly and let them know about the reasons you chose the specific program and how you would be a good fit in this university. You could also mention how the university’s belief system aligns with your vision of your future. The trick to writing a good SOP is to start early so that you can plan it well. Try and see if you can get it reviewed by somebody else so that you get objective feedback to improve it. A lot of times, a SOP can make or break your chances of getting into a university of your choice for study in Germany.
Financial Requirements
Even though Germany provides free education to international students, you would need to have proof that you have enough funds to sustain yourself in Germany. There are other costs like accommodation, utility bills, transportation, and other things that you would need to bear on your own and the university would need evidence that you can take care of your living costs. When it comes to Germany study visa, you would need to have a blocked account which would need to have 11,208 EUR for a period of one year which would be a requirement to ensure the German authorities that you would be able to handle all the costs needed to study in Germany.
Why should you choose Germany for your study abroad?
One of the major reasons why Indian students are increasingly choosing to study in German is because of little to no tuition fees in German public universities. German as a country believes that your financial worries should not come in the way of you getting an education. The attractive feature is that they give the same privileges to international students as well which has been very encouraging for Indian students. Even though there are private universities in Germany that charge fees, it’s still not as high as compared to other countries. They have a wide range of courses in their universities, starting from arts to sciences to commerce. This variety enables students can take up any course they want to if they meet all the requirements. The curriculum and the style of teaching in German universities are very practical. Along with theory, they also give equal importance to practical hands-on training which ensures that students are employable even after a bachelors degree from Germany. Another reason is that Germany study visa also has a high success rate for Indian students.
West Highlander – Best Consultancy for Germany Study Visa
If you plan to study in Germany in 2024, get in contact with ICEF Trained Agent Counselors. We are able to offer guidance on acquiring a study visa for Germany. Under the guidance of Ms. Parwinder Kaur, an ICEF-trained agent counselor with over 19 years of experience, West Highlander provides informed advice on studying abroad. Because of our exceptional staff and extensive experience, we are the best immigration experts in Chandigarh. Get in touch with us right now for informed help applying for a student visa to Germany.