Education Scenario in Germany

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Education Scenario in Germany

Germany has much to offer as a place to study - courses geared to international needs, internationally recognized qualifications such as Bachelor and Master, a credit system which allows the accumulation and transfer of study and exam modules.

German institutions of higher education are characterized by the quality and diversity of courses on offer. They combine established university traditions with modern facilities, research and teaching.

German universities are open to anyone who fulfills the prerequisites - academic freedom is one of the basic principles of the German university system. That's also one of the reasons German universities don't charge tuition. You'll only have to pay for your education at a few private schools

Work Scenario in Germany

Foreign nationals from states outside the European Economic Area (EEA) may as a rule only work in Germany if they have a work permit. Such foreign nationals who wish to enter Germany in order to commence work may, because of the 1973 ban on recruitment and current high unemployment levels, only be issued with work permits in exceptional cases.

The exceptions relate in the main to employment in the course of vocational training or in the framework of cooperation between firms, or to jobs for which international exchange is common practice. Further information on the exceptions can be obtained from your local German mission.

Before applying for a visa one should obtain and enclose an assurance from the employment authorities that a work permit will be issued. To this end you should contact the Employment Office (Arbeitsamt) for the district in which your future employer has his place of business.

Employment for Students
Foreign students can work in Germany even without a work permit (Arbeitserlaubnis). There are some restrictions for non-EU residents, though. Students are allowed to work 90 days a year without a work permit. In some German states, students are only allowed to work during the semester breaks. The Foreigners Affairs Office (Ausländeramt) of the individual universities can issue a permit to work an extra ten hours a week, if permission to do so is granted by the local Employment Office (Arbeitsamt). Students who are residents of a European Union member state and German students are usually allowed to work an unlimited number of hours.Waiting tables, delivering pizzas or cleaning houses won't finance a degree. The average student wage in Germany is about DM 15 an hour. However, the number of classes most students have to attend doesn't leave time for a full-time job. Students who are able to offer specialized services - computer programming, for instance, or who have Internet skills, will have a much easier time finding a job in Germany.