Glossary: Study abroad in Germany

Academic System in Germany:

  • conventional universities with wide range of subjects and research-oriented
  • universities of applied sciences with practical orientation
  • art and music colleges

Academic year:

  • consists of two semesters: winter semester (“WiSe”) and summer semester (“SoSe”)
  • winter semester: from October until the end of March
  • summer semester: from April until the end of September

Admission/Qualification:

  • recognised school leaving certificate is required
  • it has to be proven that the qualification is equivalent to a German higher education entrance qualification

Admission requirements:

  • each (international) study programme has its own admission requirements
  • mostly available on the webpage of the study programme
  • additional documents are e.g. English/German language certificate, professional prior knowledge, APS certificate, GRE score, ...

Assignment:

  • depends on course type
  • lecture: written exam, oral exam, exercise/intermediate exam, tutorial/exercise
  • seminar: presentation, term paper, essay/exercise, written exam

Bachelor’s degree:

  • also: first study cycle
  • first degree that qualifies for a profession
  • e.g. Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.)

Bank account:

  • having a German bank account is useful to handle regular payments, e.g. rent, insurance in an uncomplicated way
  • most banks offer free accounts for students without tuitions
  • paying in cash is still popular in Germany
  • ATM machines are specific for different banks in order to withdraw money

Central Examination Office:

  • is in charge of the administration of final theses
  • makes out the degree certificate

Communication, Information, Media Centre (KIM):

  • central provider for IT and library services
  • in charge for your university e-mail address
  • assists you with setting up WiFi connection to campus network

Courses:

  • different course types with various assessments
  • lecture: teaching in large groups accompanied by homework assignments and tutorials
  • seminar: student-centred teaching in smaller groups
  • practical course: self-directed lab work

Departmental Examination Office:

  • is in charge of allocating your courses and credits
  • offers support when you have problems with course/examination registration

Departmental student advisor:

  • is in charge of answering subject-specific questions regarding study organisation
  • helps with course selection at the beginning of the semester
  • offers subject specific information meetings and regular office hours (also online)
  • gives support in different fields and helps students to complete their study programme successfully

Departmental student organisation:

  • elected student representation for a subject
  • may help with issues regarding daily business at university or questions about certain courses or inside knowledge about professors

Doctoral degree:

  • also: third study cycle
  • involves the completion of a dissertation (research paper) and concludes with the conferral of a doctoral degree

Enrolment:

  • after having received the official admission letter, it is necessary to get enrolled/matriculated
  • additional documents are needed, e.g. proof of health insurance, passport or ID, original academic qualification documents

Fees:

  • non-EU students have to pay 1,500€ per semester when studying at a university in Baden-Württemberg

Funding:

  • when applying for a visa, a proof of funding is necessary
  • mostly provided in form of having sufficient funds in a blocked account
  • possible sources of funding: parents, personal earnings, savings, scholarship

Faculty of Sciences:

  • one of the three faculties at the University of Konstanz
  • consists of six departments: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, Psychology
  • is highly research orientated

Holidays:

  • on public holidays, such as Christmas, Easter, Day of German Unity (3 October), shops are closed and public transport has special schedules
  • there are nine nationwide public holidays in Germany and additional public holidays in some federal states

Housing:

  • most of German universities have halls of residence that are affordable and popular for international students
  • flat sharing is popular among students in Germany; through sharing a place with others, money can be saved and friends can be made quickly
  • short term accommodation are often rooms with furniture in homes or shared flats which are available for a short time period, e.g. between 2 and 6 months
  • small flats are comparatively expensive and are often rented unfurnished and without kitchen

Insurance:

  • everyone who lives in Germany must have a healthcare insurance
  • students need to take the statutory health insurance cover (“Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung”/”GKV”) with a monthly contribution of around 100€
  • in case of illness costs of examination and treatment are covered as well as certain medicine and therapies

International Office:

  • most important contact point for international students
  • is in charge of assisting international students with: formalities, visas, residence in Germany, health insurance, bank account
  • organises orientation programmes and language courses for international students before lectures start
  • offers organised leisure time activities during the week and also on weekends

Internship:

  • good opportunity to gain practical working experience
  • counts as proper job even if it is unpaid
  • in some study programmes an internship is a compulsory part of the curriculum

Language:

  • it is helpful for everyday life to have a basic knowledge of German, e.g. at grocery stores, doctor, restaurants
  • universities often offer intensive language courses before the start of the semester or during the semester, especially for international students

Language Institute:

  • offers wide range of language courses
  • offers German language courses on different levels for international students

Master’s degree:

  • also: second study cycle
  • either consecutive to bachelor’s degree or continuing education courses
  • e.g. Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.Sc.)

Matriculation number:

  • every student who is enrolled gets one
  • identification code in the online service ZEuS
  • should always be mentioned when contacting, e.g. student advisor, examination office

Money/Paying:

  • paying in cash is still very popular in Germany
  • in small shops, at markets or at the bakery it is often only possible to pay in cash

Part-time jobs:

  • maximum of 20 hours per week during lecture period is allowed in order to keep student status
  • working as a research or student assistant at university may be close related to your subject area
  • student assistant jobs are published at university job portals or in newsletters; talking directly to professors or his*her secretary is also possible
  • international students from a third country are only allowed to work 120 days per year without the permission of the immigration office

Public transport:

  • there is the Konstanz city bus “Der rote Arnold” which has a bus stop directly on campus
  • an affordable semester ticket (Studi-Ticket) is available
  • there are relatively cheap rental bikes at the university for enrolled students
  • Konstanz rental bike “Konrad” is available on campus and at several points throughout the city
  • e-scooters of various providers are available all over the city and also on campus

Registration:

  • as international student you have to register your German address at the resident’s registration office within two weeks
  • you have to register at the foreigners’ registration office to get your residence permit

(Course) Registration:

  • course registration is possible via ZEuS and it has to be done during the course registration period
  • examination registration is possible via ZEuS and is obligatory for study achievements with credits
  • course and examination registration are separate processes

Sports:

  • Germany’s sports scene is popular for a wide range of sports clubs and associations
  • most universities have an own sports associations
  • they offer a lot of different sport activities with reduced course contributions for students

Student ID:

  • contains the official university e-mail address
  • allows to eat cheaply at the student canteen and to lend books in the library of the university
  • reduced prices at public institution, e.g. swimming pool, cinema, museum

Student Service Centre (SSZ):

  • assists you with all study-related formalities
  • is in charge for: matriculation, exmatriculation, tuition fees, student ID card, enrolment certificates
  • offers information events regarding different topics

Study regulations:

  • legally binding document which covers all the regulations of the study programme
  • include overview of the curriculum and information about, e.g. modules, credits, thesis regulations

Taxes:

  • when you are employed for a mini-job where you earn 520€ per month you do not have to pay taxes

Visa:

  • citizens from non-EEA countries without residence permit need a student visa to enter Germany
  • for studying in Germany a residence permit is needed
  • after having receiced the official admission letter you can apply for the visa
  • it is useful to apply for a student application visa before having been admitted to university

Waste separation:

  • waste separation schemes all over Germany is a contribution to protecting the environment
  • separation for: glass, paper, organic waste, packaging, deposit system on bottles and cans

WiFi:

  • is available on campus, in student halls of residence and shared flats
  • free public WiFi is available in some cafés and bars
  • public WiFi in cities is often not established or good