I was wondering if anyone here has any incite on attending university in Germany.
The two Universites I am highly interested in are: Bonn Univeristy and Heidelberg University.
Their admissions requirements seem to be vague, but I was wondering if anyone had any personal accounts as to what it is like or what it took to get accepted.
I am thinking of either taking a couple of classes at a local college here in the states, or getting my associates before transferring, but I’m not sure if this is wise (if it would be better to start my education there) Does anyone know how easy it is to transfer credits from an accredited university in the states to a university in Germany?
I plan on emailing both universities soon for more information, but I just want to educate myself a bit more on the process before I ask them any silly questions.
So if you know anything, please share!
(And I’m sorry in advance if we are only supposed to be talking about colleges within the states.)
Also look at Jacobs University
The University of Heidelberg has an english website where you should be able to find everything you need.
Classes will be large; high-level academics; lectures, interaction non-existent, no support services, no career services, no “campus” - you make your own fun in the city, you figure things out to find friends, if you need tutors you find them and pay them.
If your German isn’t up to par (AP German 5 wouldn’t cut it I think) you get StudienKolleg for a year. If you pass your language examination you’re good to go.
German universities admit by major so the requirements will vary wildly depending on what you want to study. All classes will be related to that major, German universities do not do Gen Ed or Core classes and none of those will transfer. Expect your grades to depend on end of semester, end of year or even end of program examinations.
Thus, for German universities it makes no sense whatsoever to choose the city. You will have to decide on major first.
I’m from Heidelberg, it’s a nice college town but very small (~150,000 people). Getting in isn’t as hard as in other countries, but to pass the first few semesters is very hard (so called ‘aussieben’ is very popular among German universities). Transferring credits from non-EU countries will be hard, unless you choose an American University like Jacobs, although I wouldn’t recommend leaving the US to attend an American College. Also, public universities have a way better reputation than private institutions like Jacobs.
Good luck!
Can you explain ‘aussieben’? (out in seven? Seven semesters instead of six for three years?)
aussieben = sieving (basically: = to filter)
They accept way more students than unis in other countries, but that doesn’t mean everybody gets a degree. Due to very hard exams and high failure rates, many students drop out of uni and do something else…
Technically, every German resident with an Abitur/Hochschulreife (like high school diploma but more difficult to achieve) is allowed to study any subject. De facto, only rich people benefit from that, since sueing a university isn’t cheap at all… But some people would give anything to attend e.g. medical school, which is highly selective.
Specific example: over 300 students started in the math major at my former German university. About 50 were left to take the final exams at the end of the year - everyone else had given up, quit, or changed their major.
Seems similar to France and some other continental European countries.