Stronger Ties
With an annual increase of 20 per cent in student applications per year, Germany stands out as a favourable destination for international students
With a population of 82 million, Germany is home to 15 million imigrants and visitors. Famous for its outstanding contribution to music ( Beethoven, Bach) and literature ( Goethe, Schiller) Germany is also well known for its superior technology and engineering. Students from all over the world now consider Germany a popular destination to pursue their higher education. In the academic year 2010- 2011, Germany attracted 24 per cent more Indian students compared to the pre- vious year. Naveen Chopra, Chairman, The Chopra’s, a leading education consultancy says, “Student applications to universities in Germany have seen a definite increase in the past five years.” Chopra adds that this is mainly due to easy migration opportunities now being available.
Bilateral relations between India and Germany have traditionally been strong due to commercial, cultural and strategic co- operation.
German universities were among the first in the world to stress the importance of students carrying out original research. From about 1880- 1930 German universities were widely considered the leading universities in the world for student research. Today, with 331 universities and colleges, Germany is a popular destination for higher education.
Alisha Mashruwala, Founder, OnCourse Global, a global education consultancy says, “Currently there are 5,000 Indian students in Germany. It has become an attractive destination to study and work as the cost of
living is lower than other European countries. Moreover, there is no difference between the fee structure for German and international students.” The recent bill to launch the EU Blue Card, a new work and residence permit for international graduates, will give international graduates of German universities unrestricted access to the job market in their search for a post that fits their qualifications. After completing their chosen programme, students can stay on in Germany and work for a year in any capacity to earn a living.
Akhil Daswani, Co- founder, OnCourse Global says, “Given their advanced facilities and excellent faculty in these particular fields Germany tends to draw a large number of students especially from India as not everyone is capable of making it to IIT’s.”
About 15 to 20 per cent of Indian students in Germany receive financial aid through scholarships every year. In 2010, DAAD granted 1,300 scholarships to Indians studying in Germany. The DAAD scholarship database ( www. funding- guide. de) contains extensive information and a variety of possibilities. This database lists all the scholarships offered by the DAAD and a list of diverse programmes offered by a wide variety of institutions.