ENGINEERING: TOP CHOICE FOR INDIANS IN GERMANY

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has been offering a wide range of scholarships for Indian students and scholars for over 60 years. It funds "bi-directional movement" of scholars and academics between Germany and India and also funds projects by institutions. Apoorv Mahendru, head of marketing and deputy director, DAAD Regional Office, New Delhi, India, spoke to Careers360 about funding and scholarships. Edited excerpts below.

- Sheena Sachdeva

Q. How is Germany different from other countries, like Canada, US, Ireland or Australia, as a study abroad destination? 

A. The German system is comparable to global education but German education is state subsidised. This means public universities, which are a majority in Germany, do not charge tuition fees.

Students have to pay only their living expenses. Studying in Germany is quite cost-beneficial for students, especially for a price sensitive market like India.

Also, people associate Germany with high-quality education.

Q. In the last five years, how many students have been travelling to Germany for higher education?

A. Even during the Covid phase, we did not see any drop in the number of students enrolling in German universities. According to the latest numbers, during the winter semester of 2021, 34,134 Indian students enrolled in German universities. Five years ago, the number was approximately half. We have been witnessing 16-18% growth year-on-year for the last 20 years.

Q. What are the top courses or disciplines for Indians?

A. Indians form the second-largest group of international students in Germany. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects are the most sought-after because German universities are known for technology. Close to 80% Indian students are pursuing masters in Germany with 10% each in bachelor's and PhD programmes.

A majority of Indian students go to RWTH Aachen University and Technical University of Munich which are globally-renowned.

Germany has two kinds of universities - traditional and applied science. Traditional universities offer all courses at all levels and focus on theoretical aspects of knowledge. In 2021, 61% of Indian students chose traditional universities.