Germany is a country that offers high-quality education, internationally recognized degrees and excellent job opportunities. As one of the major economies in the world, Germany has strong business relations and great career opportunities worth exploring. As a student studying in Germany, it is important to ensure that you got a laptop. Use reviewsbird.de to identify reputable laptop shops. You can also have a look at Acer. This guide will highlight some handy tips to make your life easy as an international student while studying in Germany.
Find a good place to stay
Once you get admitted to a university in Germany, you should immediately start figuring out your accommodation. You can choose to stay in university halls or opt for private accommodation. Private accommodation can be less social but will guarantee privacy. On the other hand, the halls will ensure you enjoy a more social life. Getting accommodation in the university halls will require prior arrangement before arrival. Ensure you go for an accommodation type that you are comfortable with financially. Additionally, there’re many different methods of renting in Germany. You can use online portals to look for a real estate agent to help you find rental accommodation.
Learn German
For a successful stay in a foreign country, it’s important to learn their language for efficient communication, thereby eliminating language barrier. Learning some German will make your stay in German quite easy and comfortable. This can be achieved through various ways, including studying the language online or even learning from a book. With the knowledge of the German language, it becomes easier for you to make friends, attend social gatherings, attend university events and festivals. The knowledge of the language also eliminates all likelihoods of difficulties when dealing with shopkeepers, for example.
Punctuality
Punktlichkeit, which is German for punctuality, simply means the good manners of keeping time. In German, people pride themselves as punctual in their everyday lives, from universities to their workplaces. It’s often advisable that as a student, you arrive either five or ten minutes earlier for your appointments, meetings and classes.
Oral exam
Some universities offer oral exams before you can enrol in the course of your choice. This is done before admission as an assessment exercise for the course. If you are booked for an oral exam, your university may give you information to help you prepare and plan well for the exam. With the exams, you can choose the topic of your choice or even write a proposal in advance based on the course and the subject. The exams also help you to demonstrate your knowledge of the syllabus coverage during the semester.
Finances
There is plenty to plan for financially besides the tuition fee and semester contribution as an international student. Always put into consideration living expenses, health insurance and utility bills. Always have the biggest portion of your budget for living expenses. With your finances, it is important to verify with your university if you would require any additional documents to open a local bank account in Germany. Before departure, consult your bank to inform them of your intended international transfers since some banks have limitations when dealing with such transfers and exchanges.
Prior planning
Before your travel, ensure you do all the needed planning ahead of time, from your accommodation to other minor issues such as switching your Simcard provider. You should also inquire about internet and utilities and seek to know whether they should be included in your rental fee or if you’ll have to pay for them separately.
Stay safe
Staying safe and comfortable is pretty simple while in Germany since the country is well known to be student-friendly. However, there’re few details you need to pay attention to while in Germany. After all, while in a foreign country, you should always ensure you are alert. Once you arrive in Germany, you need to keep your possessions close, especially in crowded places. Theft and pickpocketing are common. You also need to be aware of German emergency numbers.
Expect lazy Sundays
Sundays in Germany as is the case with most countries are a day of resting. You’ll find that majority of places including shops are closed and people spend most of their times with their family. While studying their as an international student, friends are your family, thus spend this time with them.
In conclusion, when you arrive in Germany, you’ll meet many other international students, and thus it won’t be lonely. Instead, it will offer you a great networking opportunity. This article provides the reader great tips to apply while studying in Germany.