Experience with applying to universities in Germany

[Anonymous]

There are very very few undergrad programs in English in Germany. There are more Masters level programs in Germany in English.

In the Netherlands, virtually every major university has an undergraduate "university college" (aka liberal arts honors college) where the language of instruction is in English.

From someone who has lived in both countries: while it's true that in general education Germans speak excellent English, it's also true that it's way more important to speak proper German if you live/work in Germany than it is that you speak proper Dutch if you live/work in the Netherlands. Many Dutch companies have English as their day-to-day language. That is not true in Germany. Also, you will find that in day-to-day life, you will come across many people who do not speak English (the grocery cashier, etc, etc) in Germany. This is also different in the Netherlands.

[Anonymous]

Man, everyone is way off topic here. OP is asking about applying to German universities - I am assuming to the existing English language programs which do exist and as someone pointed out tend to offer more graduate programs than undergrad although undergrad programs do exist). She never said anything about her child moving permanently or seeking a job in Germany.

I have read several articles in the past couple years about English language undergrad programs at European universities, mostly Germany and Netherlands. Sounds like nokne on DCUM has real experience with this however. I think because the full range of degrees are not offered your child would be limited in their choices. From what I’ve read the best options seem to be business or international affairs, although some have other programs as well.

[Anonymous]

19:49 again - behold the power of google. You can do it too!!

https://www.bachelorsportal.com/articles/2457/european-countries-with-the-most-english-taught-bachelors-degrees.html

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:FCPS senior thinking about going to college in Germany. What is your experience with the application process?

He is self taught and is decent with reading and speaking German.

Does he have proof of his German language ability? If not, he will need to pass exams first. How do you know he is decent if you are not German? (not trying to be snarky, I'm German and I've heard a lot of poor German over the years--it's a tough language to learn)

Here's a website that talks about German universities' German language proficiency requirements:

https://www.studying-in-germany.org/proof-of-language-proficiency-german-english/

I think one challenge is that Germany is pretty big, and Germans are used to being able to speak in German. It might be easier to go to college in a smaller country, like the Netherlands, where people assume they have to know English to survive.

No, educated Germans speak better English than you do. All over Germany.

So sensitive and aggressive.

You must be American.

No, i'm European. I've lived and worked all over the world including most of the major cities in Germany. You are just talking out of your butt, wherever you come from, I really don't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS senior thinking about going to college in Germany. What is your experience with the application process?

He is self taught and is decent with reading and speaking German.

Does he have proof of his German language ability? If not, he will need to pass exams first. How do you know he is decent if you are not German? (not trying to be snarky, I'm German and I've heard a lot of poor German over the years--it's a tough language to learn)

Here's a website that talks about German universities' German language proficiency requirements:

https://www.studying-in-germany.org/proof-of-language-proficiency-german-english/

I think one challenge is that Germany is pretty big, and Germans are used to being able to speak in German. It might be easier to go to college in a smaller country, like the Netherlands, where people assume they have to know English to survive.

No, educated Germans speak better English than you do. All over Germany.

So sensitive and aggressive.

You must be American.

No, i'm European. I've lived and worked all over the world including most of the major cities in Germany. You are just talking out of your butt, wherever you come from, I really don't care.

Well, if you live a life where you only speak to the educated, as we say here in the US, you need to get out more. (I'm a NP, who speaks German and Dutch)

[Anonymous]

I was looking to apply to European universities. Most of them require the International Baccalaureate at a certain score. If you don’t have that and are coming from an American high school, they generally require 2 years of American university before starting your first year at the European university.

Another option is to do a 1 year study abroad program.
I went to GWU but found an excellent program at Sarah Lawerence college that allowed me to take classes at a university in Paris with French classmates. For some classes I was the only American.

[Anonymous]

If he is self-taught, how do you know he is at a fluent level?
I would recommend he minor in German and do a study abroad program his sophomore or junior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was looking to apply to European universities. Most of them require the International Baccalaureate at a certain score. If you don’t have that and are coming from an American high school, they generally require 2 years of American university before starting your first year at the European university.

Another option is to do a 1 year study abroad program.
I went to GWU but found an excellent program at Sarah Lawerence college that allowed me to take classes at a university in Paris with French classmates. For some classes I was the only American.

A. I know this off of the OP's topic. Sorry.

B. I think Dutch universities will look at American students with the equivalent of about three or four AP classes. But I think the AP classes those schools want are comparable to what American students applying to selective colleges typically have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s harder than in the US to get in. My SIL speaks excellent German, had good scores, etc., but couldn’t get into grad school. Not sure about undergrad.

I'm pursuing my PhD in the US and am thinking of doing a postdoc in Germany, just for the hell of it (I loved it there on my visits). Do you know why your SIL wasnt accepted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are very very few undergrad programs in English in Germany. There are more Masters level programs in Germany in English.

In the Netherlands, virtually every major university has an undergraduate "university college" (aka liberal arts honors college) where the language of instruction is in English.

From someone who has lived in both countries: while it's true that in general education Germans speak excellent English, it's also true that it's way more important to speak proper German if you live/work in Germany than it is that you speak proper Dutch if you live/work in the Netherlands. Many Dutch companies have English as their day-to-day language. That is not true in Germany. Also, you will find that in day-to-day life, you will come across many people who do not speak English (the grocery cashier, etc, etc) in Germany. This is also different in the Netherlands.

Agree with this. I took the trouble of taking an elementary German class to prepare for my second trip to Germany. Didn't have to speak a lick of Dutch in Amsterdam. Just watched 'The Resistance Banker' and realized how similar Dutch and German sounded (Germanic roots).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s harder than in the US to get in. My SIL speaks excellent German, had good scores, etc., but couldn’t get into grad school. Not sure about undergrad.

I'm pursuing my PhD in the US and am thinking of doing a postdoc in Germany, just for the hell of it (I loved it there on my visits). Do you know why your SIL wasnt accepted?

PP from page one applying to german grad school - to be fair, the program i'm applying to isn't super competitive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS senior thinking about going to college in Germany. What is your experience with the application process?

He is self taught and is decent with reading and speaking German.

Does he have proof of his German language ability? If not, he will need to pass exams first. How do you know he is decent if you are not German? (not trying to be snarky, I'm German and I've heard a lot of poor German over the years--it's a tough language to learn)

Here's a website that talks about German universities' German language proficiency requirements:

https://www.studying-in-germany.org/proof-of-language-proficiency-german-english/

I think one challenge is that Germany is pretty big, and Germans are used to being able to speak in German. It might be easier to go to college in a smaller country, like the Netherlands, where people assume they have to know English to survive.

No, educated Germans speak better English than you do. All over Germany.

So sensitive and aggressive.

You must be American.

No, i'm European. I've lived and worked all over the world including most of the major cities in Germany. You are just talking out of your butt, wherever you come from, I really don't care.

Well, if you live a life where you only speak to the educated, as we say here in the US, you need to get out more. (I'm a NP, who speaks German and Dutch)

+1.

Europe is not like the US apartheid, in which the educated hate/ condescend on the uneducated.

First PP must be "European" in the sense that maybe one parent was actually European and thanks to that preppy lucky educated wasp boy has a European passport which entitles him to know Germany better than Germans.