As students’ desires to study abroad remain strong, Germany is poised to become a major beneficiary of shifting international student flows because of its reputation as a destination with high-quality education, strong post-study work opportunities, education affordability, and ease of visa processing.
The country is a particularly attractive destination for students from India, China and Turkey, who make up its top three source markets. Education agents, of course, play a major role in these students’ higher education journeys – and it is critical that agents are prepared with the latest information to help them navigate the way.
“Germany stands out as one of the top destinations when we're talking to partners and agents. They're commenting about the look of stability, affordability, and the clear career paths that students are looking for,” said Jorge Avila, Senior Relationship Manager at Flywire for EMEA. “But navigating that journey requires the latest and most accurate information.”
Here are four pieces of advice for education agents shared by leaders in the market on a recent Flywire webinar, “Germany 101: Unlock a New Study Destination for Your Students.”
1. Help students understand the difference in study program, including cost
Germany appeals to students as an affordable study option relative to other big markets, but it will not be entirely cost-free. While public universities are tuition-free, there are fees associated with study. There are also tuition fees for private universities.
Agents should educate students on the different types of institutions, to help them choose a school that aligns with their learning styles and career goals. There are two categories of university in Germany to that end:
- Research Universities (Universitäten): These focus on theoretical knowledge and research.
- Universities of Applied Sciences (Hochschulen or Fachhochschulen): These are more "practice-oriented" and focus on employability, offering programs directly relevant to industry needs.
2. Prepare students for a long application process by starting early
Students need to be thinking about applications months in advance, Adam-Lucas Pettit, Director of Partnerships for AECC Global, a global education consultancy, said.
Each university has its own processes and requirements. While there is a good tool to help centralize the application process (Uni-Assist), it is not intuitive and students need guidance going through it. Factor in that even once they secure placement, wait times for embassy visa appointments can be up to 3 months.
“There can be relatively slow response times, so students often panic when they don’t hear back immediately,” Pettit said. “This is something students need to be aware of.”
Other special considerations include:
- Getting an APS Certificate: For students from India, China, and Vietnam, this verification of academic documents is mandatory. It can take several weeks to obtain.
3. Guide students through visa requirements around funding and insurance
In February of this year, German embassies introduced a new digital visa process, making it much more efficient and streamlined, according to Laila Irfan, Head of International Sales at Expatrio, software and services specifically built to simplify the steps to getting a visa to study in Germany, with specialized services through its StudyBuddy tool to help students and agents navigate over 400 bachelor’s and 1,800 master’s programs in English from public and private universities across Germany.
Students can now upload documents in advance, appointment scheduling is automated and students can track their application status digitally.
However, there are two important requirements that can affect visa processing and require special attention: proving students have sufficient funds to study in Germany and securing the right health insurance.
- Students need to open a blocked account before they apply for a visa. To prove they have sufficient funds to study in Germany, the vast majority of students require a blocked account. This differs from other countries, where embassies require a bank statement to show sufficient funds. Germany instead requires a separate bank account with dedicated funds for a student’s living cost for one year in Germany.
- Blocked accounts require €11,904 in funds, which is released to the student in monthly amounts of €992 after they arrive in Germany. “They need to have the blocked account in place before they apply for the visa,” Irfan said. “They will not get the visa appointment if those documents are not in place."
- Students need to secure two types of health insurance. Students also require two types of health insurance for securing a visa.
- Travel Health Insurance (or Incoming Health Insurance): This covers the student's journey to Germany, until they activate their German National Health Insurance. It's a mandatory requirement for the visa application.
- German National Health Insurance: This is activated once the student is in Germany and is crucial for ongoing healthcare. Irfan clarified that students do not need to pay in advance for this; they only start monthly payments once activated in Germany.
4. Encourage students to learn some basic German
Students do not need to be fluent in German to study at a university in Germany. As Irfan explained, both public and private universities offer programs in English, and at public universities, many of these are indeed tuition-free.
But while many courses, particularly at the Master's level, are taught in English, students often "underestimate how important even a basic level of German is for everyday life, work and internships," Pettit said. Agents can encourage students to embrace language learning, with many universities offering free German language courses.
In such a way, education agents can set students up for success with the application and enrollment process, positioning them for one of the most attractive prospects of life in Germany – securing a job after graduation. Germany has the second lowest graduate unemployment rate in the EU, and it has one of the world’s highest retention rates for international graduates. Some 45% of students who have studied in Germany remain in Germany 10 years after graduating, according to Saif.
“They're able to find employment there quite easily I would say in comparison to other places,” she said.
For more information, listen to our recent webinar and learn more about Flywire’s solutions for education agents.