The first university education system emerged in medieval Europe. Italy, France, and Germany were the birthplaces of the Bologna system and gave the world outstanding thinkers, scholars, and creators. As for Germany, today it attracts tens of thousands of international students thanks to its unique approach to education.
Why do students love studying in Germany? AdmiGram.com will tell you in the words of the students themselves. They shared some very interesting and unusual facts about their life in this country. Now we know for sure that studying in Germany is extraordinary and fun!
10 Facts About Germany Through the Eyes of Students
© Technische Universität München via Instagram
In Germany, sniffing your nose is considered impolite, but blowing it loudly is perfectly acceptable. The situation where a professor loudly blows their nose into the microphone during a lecture is quite common. It looks very comical and helps in some situations. For example, to wake up those who accidentally dozed off during the lecture. Or to make students stop loudly chewing their lunch.
© Mensa an der Universität Augsburg via Instagram
Yes, indeed — you can eat during lectures. There is even takeout soup available in the cafeteria, so it’s not uncommon to have soup in the middle of the day during lectures. Lectures are large events (200–300 people), since the subject may not belong to just one specialty. Seminars, on the other hand, are divided into groups of 20–30 people.
© Mensa in der Universität Ulm via Instagram
The cheapest place to eat is the student cafeterias (Mensa). Meals there are heavily subsidized and very cheap, and portions are huge. So if you don’t watch yourself, after a couple of months, you might have to throw away all the clothes you brought with you. You simply won’t fit into your previous size.
© Fachschaft WiSo Uni Köln via Instagram
Germany is the land of beer. So if your university has its own bar, that’s completely normal. After lectures, there are usually many people there (the atmosphere: homework + beer). The main thing is not to misbehave and to know your limits. Some university bars even serve different beers depending on the faculty crowd they attract — one for the humanities students, another for the math majors.
© Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität via Instagram
Many students in Germany opt for shared living arrangements known as “Wohngemeinschaft” (WG), where several students share one apartment. It looks very interesting, especially when the residents come from completely different countries and cultures.
© Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität via Instagram
Preparations for Christmas start as early as October. By the end of November, the Christmas spirit is everywhere. On December 6th, Nikolaustag, or Saint Nicholas Day, it’s customary to exchange gifts. Everyone gives each other various funny trinkets and souvenirs.
© Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität via Instagram
Education is mostly free at most universities: you just need to pay a small semester fee of around €200, which usually includes a transit pass valid for the entire federal state. Semesters at German universities are shifted by about a month (or more) compared to other countries. The academic year runs from October to March, and from April to August. The exam period is quite long — about a month and a half — so one exam per week is normal.
© Technische Universität Berlin via Instagram
By the way, most universities in Germany offer a practice called “Freiversuch,” or “free attempt,” for international students — meaning students get a second (and sometimes even a third) chance to pass an exam if they don’t succeed the first time. However, failing an exam three times at most universities means the end of that course of study, and in many cases, across German universities altogether.
© Freie Universität Berlin via Instagram
Germany also has a modular education system. This means it’s not necessary to take specific subjects at the end of a set semester — the main thing is that they must all be completed before receiving the diploma. When to take them and in what order is largely up to the student, although there’s a general recommended plan to help with scheduling. Because of this flexibility, studies can end up taking noticeably longer than the standard three years for a bachelor’s degree — and “perpetual students” are considered completely normal here.
© Freie Universität Berlin via Instagram
Germans take relaxation very seriously. Weekends are sacred. On Sundays, nothing is open except cafes and other entertainment venues. So if you don’t have homework, everyone heads to themed parties organized by entire faculties.
Studying in Germany, it turns out, is anything but boring. Anyone else packing their bags?
image on top: Darya Tryfanava / Unsplash
