BONN VOYAGE: The University of Bonn is among the best in Germany

Between the northern city of Hamburg and Munich down in south Germany, they say there are some one lakh amateur researchers busy working in their workshops and home labs. In Germany, the land of cutting-edge research, it is indeed difficult not to get caught in this web of science. If you have a knack for research or are keen on practice-oriented education, make Germany your destination. With over 330 institutions of higher education, it has a range of courses to offer students interested in postgraduate studies and research.

And the good news is that over 500 international degree programmes (IDP) are taught in English. ?This has resulted in an increase in the number of Indian students enrolled in institutions of higher learning. In the winter term last year from 2004 to 2005, we had 4,249 Indian students studying in German universities,? says Ulrich Podewils, director of the German Academic Exchange Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst - DAAD).

The IDP programmes offer courses in various disciplines including engineering, natural sciences, environmental studies, computer sciences and economics. In Germany, points out Podewils, foreign students are encouraged to opt for higher learning courses. ?We suggest students go to Germany after graduation for postgraduation studies and PhD,? says the director. At present, German universities do not consider the Indian school-leaving exam to be equivalent to the German school finals. Before being eligible for a bachelors degree course, you will have to successfully complete at least one year of studies in India or elsewhere. Therefore, the best time to apply to German universities is after graduation in India.

There are mainly two types of institutions of higher education in Germany. The Universities of Technology (TU) and the Universities of Applied Sciences (FH). While the technology universities focus on research, those teaching applied sciences are practice-oriented. ?The Universities of Applied Sciences are very popular with Indian students as they give them an opportunity to do internships in companies,? says Podewils. At these universities you can mainly study engineering, business administration, social sciences and design.

Research enjoys a high status in Germany. You can opt for either one of the universities or for the national research centres. Vaibhav Agarwal, currently doing his PhD in infection biology at the University of Wuerzburg in south-western Germany, chose the course for two reasons. ?The duration is comparatively lesser as compared to institutes in India and secondly, because of the superior quality of scientific research,? says Vaibhav, who is on a DAAD fellowship for three years.

P.M. Prasad, assistant professor of economics at the IIT, Kanpur, says, ?The German education system values good students.? Prasad did his PhD in Germany from 1995 to 1997. ?The professors are helpful and encourage students to perform better. So much so that even on weekends my professors were accessible.?

Apart from excellent education opportunities, there are other incentives too. As most universities are state-funded, students do not have to pay tuition fees. As a foreign student, you will have to bear only living costs which amount to 650 euros (about Rs 35,270) per month. And since January 1, 2005, as per a new immigration act, you can stay in Germany for a year even after completing studies to look for a job.

If you are still unable to make up your mind about studying in Germany and just want to experience the life and culture of the country, enrolling in one of the summer schools is your best bet. Conducted at various universities all over Germany, summer schools offer various subjects, attractive cultural programmes and language courses. A stint at such schools will help you explore your kind of course for further studies.

If all this has your tempted, start your preparation right away. To begin with, contact the DAAD offices located in Delhi, Calcutta, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. January to March is the right time for application. Submit the application form and other documents between March and June. If you are a research student, you can apply for DAAD scholarships. There are other organisations that offer aid, but you can avail of those only once you are in Germany.

For international degree programmes, most universities want TOEFL or IELTS scores. Depending on your area of study, some universities might ask you for GMAT or GRE scores. But there are no assessment tests as students are selected on the basis of the documents they provide.