Germany officially the Federal Republic of Germany is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The territory of Germany covers 357,021 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate.
Capital Cities
Berlin is the capital city of germany with a population of some 3,458,000. The other main cities are Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Essen, Dortmund , Stutgart and Düsseldorf.
Area
357,021 SQ KM.
Languages
The German language is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. German is related to and classified alongside English and Dutch.
Religion
Christianity is the largest religion in Germany with 59,981,000 (73.14%) adherents. The second largest religion is Islam with 3.3 million adherents (4%) followed by Buddhism and Judaism.
Currency
Currency for Germany is Euro.
Economic Profile
The UNDP 2004 report shows that 8.3 % of Germany's population lives below income poverty line (50% of median household income Germany is ranked 19th in 177 countries of the world in terms of human development index. Germany's labour force growth rate of 0.1% in last six years is far short of the other high-income countries' growth rate of rate of 0.7% during these years.
Time difference
Germany is 3.5 hrs behind Delhi.
Climate
A substantial part of the country experiences cool/temperate climate. The north and northwestern parts experience oceanic climate with rains falling all through the year. Summers and winters are relatively mild.
Why to Study in Germany?
1) Germany is a place of remarkable beauty and stunning splendor. The country has long been associated with learning as the oldest university in Germany was founded in Heidelberg in 1386.
2) Germany currently has more than 300 institutions of higher education that include 82 universities, 132 such institutions that offer shorter and practically oriented courses, and other institutions. Germany has a high turnout of foreign students as it offers a high range of study possibilities.
3) German Universities are autonomous and provide special emphasis on research and teaching. Some of the groundbreaking discoveries that the world has seen have been the result of German Universities. This is one of the strongest reasons why students increasingly prefer Germany for research studies.
4) German Universities offer courses in Medicine, Law, English, German, and various other disciplines. Academic freedom is one of the main characteristics of the German university system and is one of the reasons why public universities in Germany don’t charge any fee.
5) All the German universities have a Foreign Student office that looks after the queries of the foreign students and applicants. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) facilitates academic exchange of the institutions of higher education in Germany. The DAAD works towards promoting international academic relations particularly through exchange of students and teachers.
6) Many universities in Germany offer academic training necessary for a well groomed professional career.
Visa Procedure
In order to receive your visa in good time, please note the following three points:
1. Submit your application with all accompanying documents at least eight weeks before your planned trip to Germany;
2. Fill in the application form and bring it with the complete set of documents to the Embassy;
3. Should you have any queries, please contact the Cultural Section at the Embassy in Singapore, which is responsible for your area.
You may be issued with one of three types of visa:
1) student applicant visa (if you do not yet have a certificate of admission to higher education or of confirmation of application);
2) student visa (if you have a certificate of admission to higher education or of confirmation of application);
3) visa for participation in a language course (if you only wish to attend a language course in Germany).
N.B.: If you intend to begin studies in Germany immediately after your language course ends, you must apply for either a student visa or a student applicant visa before arrival in Germany, otherwise you will have to leave Germany at the end of the course and reapply from Singapore. The visa for a language course cannot be converted into a student visa or a student applicant visa in Germany!
1) For the student applicant visa you will need the following basic documents:
a valid passport and 2 passport photographs;
proof of possession of a school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, entitling you to study in both Singapore and Germany (or to visit a preparatory course in Germany)
as well as, where necessary
proof of previous studies;
proof that you already possess German-language skills or that you plan to attend an intensive language course (at least 20 hours per week) in Germany;
proof of sufficient funds to finance your period of study.
You may either
a) finance yourself or
b) nominate one or more persons who will assume the full costs.
You must supply evidence that sufficient funds per months or a sum covering at least one year's study are available (e.g. own funds) equal to the highest German student loan level (BaföG), i.e. currently about DM 1,000 per month.
N.B.: As a student in Germany you may as a rule work for a maximum of 3 months and, depending on where you study, only during recess periods (e.g. semester holidays).
(1) If you are financed by a sponsor in your home country, that person must declare his/her willingness to cover all your costs during the standard period of study (proof of a minimum monthly income of 4,000 S$ (by means of local documents such as tax receipts, bank statements, certificates of employment, pay slips, Commercial Register excerpts).
(2) If you are financed by a sponsor in Germany, that person must submit a binding declaration that he/she is willing to cover all your costs during the standard period of study.
(3) If you receive a scholarship you must produce a letter of confirmation to this effect.
In all cases it must be certain that you will have a monthly sum available to you directly in Germany.
2) For the student visa you will in principle need all documents listed under 1) above, except that
Instead of the school leaving certificate, i.e. A-level certificate, you must enclose the certificate of admission to higher education or of confirmation of application.
N.B.: You may normally only send for your family later to live with you in Germany in exceptional cases, e.g. if you are scholarship holder or on a postgraduate course. In these cases you must be able at least to support yourself and your family, have sufficient accomodation for your family, and already be registered at a German higher education institution.
Please take your time and do not hesitate to contact the Cultural and Consular Sections of your local Embassy for further detailed advice on any questions you may have regarding your planned studies in Germany.
3) For the visa for participation in a language course you will basically need the following documents:
a valid passport and 2 passport photographs
proof that you have registered for a language course (e.g. certificate of registration, receipt of course fees)
proof that you will be covered by health insurance for the duration of your stay in Germany
proof that you are able to finance your stay and the course (using your own funds or via third parties).
N.B.:
1. During the language course you are normally not allowed to take up employment.
2. If you intend to study in Germany after your course ends, please state this fact in your application, so that you can be issued with a student applicant visa or student visa, provided you fulfil the conditions for issue. These visas entitle the holder to attend language courses and to study in Germany (see above!). If you only apply for the language course visa, you will have to leave Germany at the end of the course. It is not possible to exchange this visa for another form of residence permit in Germany.
3. Examination of your application will normally require approximately 6 - 8 weeks. If the language course is longer than three months, processing of your application will require about 8 - 10 weeks. Therefore please send your application to the Consular Section in good time, i.e. at least eight weeks before you plan to travel!
Should you intend to travel to Germany with your family, please contact the Cultural or Consular Section of your local Embassy.
There is no legal right to a visa, even if all documents are submitted. The ultimate decision rests with the Legal and Consular Sections of the Embassy. You may be asked to supply further documentation.
