More than half of u.s. american students do there exchange semester in Europe. Nevertheless, Germany is not the most popular country for that purpose. Why you SHOULD consider Das Land der Dichter und Denker (Land of thinker and poets) as your study abroad destination I would like to explain to you in this post.
1. Business Is Booming
Especially if you do a business related major, Germany should be your first choice. In Europe it is the largest economy and the 3rd largest exporter in the world, after China and the US. Global trade plays an important role and a lot of world-wide known brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Siemens, BMW, Aldi or Allianz are based here.
Besides the fact, that a lot of global trade business is happening in Germany and you can benefit from that in lectures, seminars in university, it is a big pro that you will build knowledge of German culture and language, which you can use to build relationships in German professional network to use this when you graduated and are ready to enter the workforce.
2. German Cultural Cornucopia
Speaking about culture, Germany has a plenty of history. It is famous for its 19th century achievements in philosophy, literature, science and music. If you are majoring in classics, history related fields or are just interested in western- european culture Germany is your place to be. There is such a big variety to explore in Germany and a beautiful mix of old and new towns. Also Germany has an incredible market and festival culture. There are over 10,000 German festivals, including the world famous Oktoberfest and christmas markets, with Glühwein, Bratwurst and Lebkuchen.
3. Great Benefits for international students
Unlike other countries, Germany is actively seeking for foreign students. The DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) is a German organization that reaches out to students and help them with scholarships and planning your stay in Germany. Another money-related benefit is that in Germany you do not have to pay tuition-fees in most universities (in others very low fees).
4. Academic Excellence
The country in the middle of Europe is known for its world-class education with really high qualified teachers and a wide variety of courses to choose from. Also you have a lot of high-ranked universities scattered around the country. The study system differ from the american system, so in most cases you do not have to hand in papers etc. during the semester, instead you write a big exam at the end. The courses are divided into lectures and exercise lessons. Another major pro is that you can study nearly every course in english, so the language barrier is not as high as in other countries in Europe.
5. Cost of living
Different to what most people expect, german costs of living are relatively low. The most money will go into accommodation and airfaire, but if you decide to live in a dorm you have the opportunity to save money and get to know other people. Food in Germany is more affordable than in the United States, also public transportation is very cheap (mostly included in your student fees, so you can travel for free) and good, so there is no need for a car. Also there are a lot of facilities such as cinemas that offer a student discount.
6. Endless travel opportunities through Europe
Once you get your student visa, you can travel anywhere in the European Union, including Spain, France, Italy and 24 other countries. There is no need for visas and you can cross the boarders easily. Germany has a well developed airport infrastructure, so you can be fly to other destinations in a couple of hours. Weekend trips are definitely affordable and worth it.
Compared to other top study abroad destinations, Germany is a very save place to be. The crime rate is low and you can stay out night and day. Also the politic and economic is very stable, which is good when it comes to terms of security. Diversity and Liberalism is a very big thing in this country, there is equality for everyone also the LGBTQ+ community is big and welcoming.
These are just a few of the reasons you should consider Germany as your study abroad destination. You can not display the beauty and diversity of the country in one post, so if I made you a little bit curious about what Germany has to offer. Stay tuned for the next posts, where I would like to explain to you how you can plan your stay here. :)
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