Studying in the country of poets and philosophers. Culturally, everybody can find something he likes. The most populous country in the EU is a multicultural society. Not just in the big metropolises Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne or Munich but also in the smaller cities people from all places of the world are forming the image. Across the republic there are festivals whose publicity goes far beyond the region: carnival in Cologne, wine festivals in the Palatinate and drinking beer at the Oktoberfest in Munich. Also the German landscape is multisided: Swimming in the North Sea, a boat trip on the Rhine or hiking in the Alps.

How many universities do exist?

Altogether there are over 500 universities (universities and universities of applied sciences - public and private, but accredited by the government). In some federal states you can also find universities of cooperative education ("Berufsakademien"), a specific type of education in the tertiary area of education.

What types of universities do they have in Germany?

The area of higher education in Germany is multisided. Different types of universities offer different specific subjects: universities represent the sciences and their alumni are appreciated for their professional knowledge and their scientific methods. In comparison to that universities of applied sciences offer application-oriented courses. Students thereby can early integrate the practice in their education. The most practical experience is integrated in the studies at a university of cooperative education. Beside the theoretic professional studies the education is partly absolved in an enterprise (Dual Study).
Which university is the right one for me? >

How are the studies organised?

In Germany you don't count in years of studies or in terms but in half years of studies - "semester". The summer semester takes from the 1st of April to the 30th of September, the winter semester takes from the 1st of October to the 31. March. In the semester break students have to write thesis, at universities of applied sciences students have tests during that time.

How can I apply?

To apply at a German university, you need a university entrance requirement like that one you would need to study in your own country, for example High School Diploma, Matura, A-Levels, Bachillerato. Check in the database of the minister of education conference, if your university entrance requirement is equal to the German one:
https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html

To give a roughly idea of the application deadlines you can say: most of the courses of study in Germany start in the winter semester. Regulary, the deadline for courses whose admission restriction is determined by the university itself, is the 15th of July. For courses without admission restriction the closing date for the inscription is generally in the middle of September.
Checklist for foreign students >

Specifics?

The German Higher Education area is multisided and connects tradition with modern. Next to the dignified universities there are lots of practical orientated educational institutions. You should research exactly and watch out for the little differences between the single federal states. Because Germany is federally organised and the federal states are responsible for the education.

Important links

Database of the minister of education conference / Information system to accredit foreign graduates
https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html
Central office for the allocation of courses of study
www.hochschulstart.de
Checklist for foreign students coming to Germany
https://studieren.de/checklist-germany.0.html