How to Get Into German Universities With LOW GRADES
Summary
TLDRThis video offers strategies for students with lower grades to enter German universities, highlighting open admission programs in natural sciences and engineering. It suggests applying during the summer semester for less competition and emphasizes the importance of learning German to boost profiles. The video also recommends considering universities of applied sciences and smaller cities for lower entry requirements, and advises on improving application quality with a strong motivation letter, relevant experiences, and letters of recommendation.
Takeaways
- 🎓 Certain universities and degree programs in Germany are more accessible to students with lower grades, especially those with open admission ('zulassungsfrei').
- 🔬 Programs in natural sciences and engineering often don't have strict admission requirements, allowing students to prove themselves through university performance.
- 📅 Applying for summer semesters can increase your chances of acceptance, as there's typically less competition and less strict admission requirements.
- 🇩🇪 Learning German can significantly boost your profile, especially if you're applying with lower grades. German proficiency is valued by universities and later in the job market.
- 🏫 Universities of Applied Sciences ('Fachhochschule') in Germany are generally more accessible to students with lower grades, often requiring entrance exams and strong letters of motivation.
- 🌍 Private universities in Germany may have flexible admission criteria, focusing more on motivation, interviews, and personal attributes rather than grades.
- 🔎 Researching and applying to lesser-known universities or programs in smaller cities can increase your chances of acceptance due to lower competition.
- ✍️ A strong letter of motivation is crucial for students with lower grades, as it demonstrates passion and alignment with career goals.
- 📜 Including letters of recommendation and showcasing relevant internships, projects, and extracurricular activities can strengthen your application.
- 🏆 The quality of education in German universities is consistently high, regardless of the university's location or ranking, so don't overlook smaller institutions.
Q & A
Is it possible to get into German universities with low grades?
-Yes, it is possible to get into German universities with low grades, especially through programs that have open admission and do not have strict admission requirements.
What does 'zulassungsfrei' mean in the context of German universities?
-'Zulassungsfrei' means that the degree program has open admission, allowing anyone with a higher education entrance qualification to join without specific grade requirements.
Why are natural sciences and engineering degrees more likely to have open admission?
-Natural sciences and engineering degrees are more likely to have open admission because they often give everyone a chance to prove themselves based on their university performance rather than prior grades.
What is a strategy for increasing the chances of university admission for those with lower grades?
-One strategy is to apply for summer semesters, which typically have less competition and may have less strict admission requirements.
Why is learning proper German important for university admission and the job market in Germany?
-Learning proper German is important because it boosts a student's profile, showing effort and commitment, and is beneficial for both university admission and later job opportunities in Germany.
What is the recommended German language level for English-taught programs in Germany?
-For English-taught programs, aiming for at least the A2 level of German is recommended, while for German-taught programs, reaching B2 or C1 is advised depending on the requirements.
What is the University of Applied Sciences known as in Germany?
-The University of Applied Sciences is known as 'Fachhochschule' in Germany.
How can students with lower grades increase their chances of admission to German universities?
-Students with lower grades can increase their chances by focusing on improving other aspects of their application, such as writing a strong letter of motivation, showcasing relevant internships or volunteer work, and obtaining a letter of recommendation.
What is the advantage of applying to universities in smaller German cities?
-Applying to universities in smaller cities can increase the chances of acceptance due to lower entry requirements and less competition, without compromising the quality of education.
How can students find new and less competitive degree programs in German universities?
-Students can find new and less competitive degree programs by conducting thorough research online and keeping an eye on universities that frequently launch new campuses and programs.
What is the importance of a strong letter of motivation in a university application?
-A strong letter of motivation is crucial as it explains the applicant's passion for the chosen field of study and their plan to succeed, helping to convince the university of their suitability for the program.
Outlines
🎓 Strategies for Gaining Admission to German Universities with Low Grades
This paragraph outlines strategies for students with lower grades to gain admission to German universities. It emphasizes the availability of degree programs with open admissions, such as natural sciences and engineering, which focus on university performance rather than prior grades. The speaker, who studied physics at the Technical University of Munich, highlights the importance of passion and hard work in university success. Additionally, the paragraph suggests applying during the summer semester when competition is lower and admission requirements may be less strict. Learning German is also stressed as crucial for boosting one's profile and for future job prospects, with the introduction of a program called SpeedyGerman to facilitate language acquisition.
🏫 Exploring Alternatives to Top-Ranked Universities in Germany
The second paragraph discusses alternative pathways to higher education in Germany for students with lower grades. It suggests considering universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschule), which may be more accessible and focus less on past grades. The paragraph also recommends looking into private universities with flexible admission criteria and new degree programs that may have lower competition. The advice extends to applying to universities in smaller cities, which may have lower entry requirements and offer a more relaxed, cost-effective environment for study. To strengthen an application, the paragraph advises writing a compelling letter of motivation, detailing relevant experiences such as internships and extracurricular activities, and obtaining a strong letter of recommendation. The summary concludes with encouragement to pursue studies in Germany despite low grades, directing viewers to additional resources and a community for support.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Good Universities
💡Low Grades
💡Open Admission
💡Natural Sciences and Engineering Degrees
💡Summer Semester
💡German Language Proficiency
💡University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule)
💡Private Universities
💡New Campuses and Degree Programs
💡Small Cities
💡Letter of Motivation
Highlights
Getting into good universities in Germany is possible with low grades.
Certain types of universities and degree programs in Germany have open admission, not caring much about grades.
Degree programs labeled 'zulassungsfrei' allow anyone with higher education entrance qualification to join.
Performance at university is more important than grades for open admission programs.
Open admission is common in natural sciences and engineering degrees.
Applying for summer semesters can reduce competition and admission requirements may be less strict.
Learning proper German is crucial for boosting one's profile and is appreciated by universities.
Competition for German-taught programs is lower due to fewer international students opting for them.
For English-taught programs, aim for at least A2 level of German, and for German-taught ones, B2 or C1.
University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) is more accessible to students with lower grades.
Private universities in Germany are known for flexible admission criteria and often focus on English-taught degrees.
New campuses and degree programs in Germany can offer lower competition and less strict admission requirements.
Applying to universities in smaller cities can increase chances of acceptance due to lower entry requirements.
Quality of education is consistent across all German universities, regardless of ranking.
Studying in a small German city can be beneficial due to lower cost of living and less financial stress.
Improving other aspects of the application, like a strong letter of motivation, can impress the university.
Including internships, research projects, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities can enhance an application.
A letter of recommendation from someone with authority can make a strong first impression.
Combining a university of applied sciences in a small German city with a quality application can increase chances of acceptance.
Transcripts
Getting into good universities in
Germany is possible
even with low grades.
In this video, I'll tell you
exactly how you can do that, even
with percentages of 70 or 60%.
Please watch this video until the
end, because every single strategy
is going to help you boost
your chances. Now, there are
certain types of universities and
degree programs in Germany
that don't care too much about
grades. In case you have low
grades, your biggest opportunity
is going for degree programs that
have open admission. For example,
I studied physics at
the Technical University of
Munich, and this degree program
didn't have
admission restrictions.
It was "zulassungsfrei", which
meant that anyone with a higher
education entrance qualification
could join.
The only thing that counts
is your performance at university.
These kinds of programs are more
common than you think, especially
in natural sciences and
engineering degrees. So the good
thing is that the university gives
everybody a chance to prove
themselves. Some people perform
poorly in school, I mean, things
like this can happen. But you can
excel at university if you're
passionate about the degree
program and study really hard.
Getting into a German university
is not that hard. But staying
there and
performing well is the actual
difficult part. But don't worry,
on this channel I got you covered,
so subscribe. A different
strategy is to apply for summer
semesters. In that period, there's
usually less competition,
because fewer people start their
studies in this period.
I mean, did you know that you can enroll
in the summer semester? Maybe not.
Now, the summer semester
goes from April to August and the
application period usually closes
on the 15th of January.
And the good thing is, in a lot of
cases, the admission requirements
are not so strict.
Of course, there are also fewer
programs offered for the summer
semester, so you
don't have that many
options to choose from. But also
please consider this as your
starting point for your studies.
Now, if you have lower grades,
learning proper German is
especially important
because this is going to
boost your profile by a lot.
If a university sees that you
really put effort into
learning the language
they really like it.
It will help you not only for
university admission, but also
later in the job market.
We all know that competition for
German-taught programs is way lower.
Fewer international
students go for these ones,
because yeah, not everybody wants
to put in the effort to learn
German. But you will need German
language skills in Germany, and I
have massive respect for anyone
who is learning the language.
In English-taught programs,
even if the language of instruction
is English, aim for at least the
A2 level of German. And for
German-taught ones, reaching B2
or C1 depending on the
requirements is absolutely enough
to easily apply.
Studying German is not rocket
science. It's very doable if you
have a good structure for that.
I recently launched a program
called SpeedyGerman to make sure
that you learn German fast.
If you're serious about learning
German, check it out, it's the top
link in the video description.
Now, in Germany, there are
multiple different types of
universities. One of them is the
University of Applied Sciences
known as "Fachhochschule". I've
covered this one
multiple times on my
channel. I even switched from the
Technical University of Munich to
the University of Applied
Sciences in Munich. Now, this
certainly doesn't go for all
institutions and degree programs,
but in general, universities of
applied sciences are more
accessible to
students with lower grades.
For example, to get accepted into
my degree program, Computer
Science and Design, back then,
I had to pass an entrance exam and
write a strong letter of motivation
Then trust me, once you're
studying in a degree program in
Germany, nobody cares about your
past grades. The only things that
matter are your willingness
to learn and develop new skills.
To look for universities, you can
use websites like the DAAD
database or myGermanUniversity.
There are in total more than 400
universities in Germany to choose
from. Make a big list, let's say
about 15 different universities
you want to aim for.
Alright, private universities
in Germany
are also known for flexible
admission criteria. They might
care more about your motivation,
interviews and other personal
attributes instead of grades. And
they often focus on English taught
degrees. I'm personally not the
biggest fan of most English taught
programs and private universities,
Just be caware of the tuition
fee thing here and make sure you
work on your German, even though
you study in English. English
taught programs are actually quite
powerful if you combine them with
learning proper German.
Now universities in Germany are
also frequently launching new
campuses and new degree programs.
At my university, they recently
launched a new program called
International Management and
Digital Engineering, which is
taught completely in English.
And not many people
know about this one.
Only the people who did proper
research online were able to find it.
But this means the competition
is lower. And since the program
starts this year, the admission
requirements are not so strict at
first. So you truly have an
advantage if you find one of these
gems. If you have
low grades, it's all
about avoiding crazy competition.
Now I see that many people apply
to universities in big cities
like Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin.
However, applying to universities
in smaller cities can increase
your chances of acceptance.
A lot of them have lower entry
requirements simply because fewer
people are interested in these
universities. They are less
popular, but that
doesn't mean that they
are bad universities. The quality
of education is still really good
in all German universities.
Believe me when I say this, you
don't have to go to a top-ranked
university in Germany to get good
education and land a job. The TU-9
and university rankings are nice,
but everybody is trying to go
for KIT and TUM.
Imagine you
pick a university in a small city.
Let's say "Giesen". "Technische
Hochschule Mittelhessen".
Technical University
of Applied Sciences
Mittelhessen. Have you heard of
this one? Probably not, but that's
okay. The quality of education
there is still really good and the
competition is lower. And studying
in a small German city is
honestly pretty chill. The cost of
living is extremely low, so you
have less financial stress
and you can focus on your studies.
Less noise, less pollution, trust
me it's a good choice for
your studies. Now low grades also
mean that you need something else
to impress the university.
You have to focus on improving
other aspects of your application
and spice things up. The first
thing to do is write a strong
letter of motivation. Please take
this one extremely
seriously. You have
to explain why you are passionate
about your chosen field of study
and how you plan to succeed in it.
It's all about convincing the
university of your reasons for
studying there and
how their programs
align with your career goals. Make
the best possible impression here.
If you have completed
any internships, research projects
and volunteer work, mention them
in your application.
The best scenario is if they are related to
your field of study.
The same goes for
extracurricular activities. This
shows that you are a well-rounded
person and you have a genuine
interest in learning. And one of
the most effective strategies
to make a strong first impression
is to present a letter of
recommendation.
This document should
come from someone who knows you
well and can vouch for your
character and
academic abilities.
This can be your teacher, professor,
past manager or basically anyone
who has some form of authority.
This also goes hand in hand with
your motivation. If you're truly
someone who wants to work hard
and put the effort in, people are
going to see it and respect it.
If you combine all of that,
so let's say you pick a university
of applied sciences in a small
German city and the program
is taught in German and you also
take care of the
quality of your application.
I want to motivate you to really
aim for studying in Germany.
It's possible even with low
grades. Check out Speedy German
and other useful resources in the
video description. Subscribe and
join our huge Discord community.
Love you and stay focused.
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