Life in Germany may offer you great study options, as a diverse country with a growing international population, Germany thrives on this mix. The quality of German education is world-renowned student loan reason. It is well organized and designed to be highly accessible to all students, allowing them to continue studying up to the university level, regardless of the finances.
Generic Educational Standards of Germany:
German educational standards are relatively pretty high. The German school system is so well structured and rigorous, it produces some of the world’s most accomplished students, according to a PISA study that was published in 2015. Students are thoroughly tested and evaluated at each stage of schooling. If a student fails to achieve the required minimum grades in two or more classes, they have to repeat the whole year to ensure that they are always meeting the requirements to move up.
As we all know that Germany is the Federal Republic, that consists of sixteen sovereign states known in German as Land or Länder (plural). Here education is the primary responsibility of Bundëslander or the states with minimal interference from the Federal government.
The education system in Germany varies from state to state, although the basic Kindergarten to 12 is fairly uniform. Compulsory education in Germany is based on the rules and regulations of the Grundgesetz (the German basic or fundamental law). The departments of Education, Cultural Affairs and Science come together to create comprehensive education guidelines, administrative regulations, organizations and foundations.
The operational side of the German education system:
It is divided categorically and chronologically into 4 different levels:
- German School System:
a.) Preschool or Kindergarten
b.) Elementary school
c.) Hauptschule followed by Berufsschule
d.) Realschule
e.) Mittelschul
f.) Gymnasium
g.) Gesamtschule
h.) Sportschule
Apart from the above-mentioned sects, there are several International Schools and Special Education Schools in and across Germany.
- Graduation in Germany or Abitur
- German University System: Higher education in Germany, is usually tuition-free. Students only have to pay for textbooks, certain administrative fees ab Semesterbeitrag.
- German dual apprenticeship system: This is a groundbreaking and revolutionary approach that sets a benchmark for an individual to become pragmatic. Students in the dual system typically spend a few days of each week at a vocational school and another part at a company or longer periods in each place before alternating.
Compulsory school attendance:
It dictates that all students from the ages six to fifteen years old need to attend school compulsorily.
Financing your studies in Germany:
Germans are famously systematic when it comes to financing and funding a student. As education in Germany is subsidised in no of ways, it should be noted that funding university education is not completely free. Students may have to qualify for the BAfög or the student loan. In Germany, there are generous provisions for students including a range of state-financed grants and private student loans. This ensures, that poorer students don’t slip through the net, and it can also help international students who need guidance and help.
