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The application period opens today. I am planning to apply for North American Studies and potentially English Studies there. I just want to study literature, history, and critical theory. Does anyone have any experience with the process? It looks like GPA is all that matters, but I am nervous about actually getting accepted. Any clue what GPA you generally need to get in? I have a 3.6 from a University of California school. Anyone else planning on going to Berlin for school this October?

Hey everyone I want to ask about RWTH Aachen university , I heard that it notorious for rejecting students from unknown places . that students must have connections in the university to get admitted . Is it true ? I feel like it is a lie from rejected students . I need someone to answer me please . thanks all

Hey all , I need someone who is familiar with DAAD scholarship I need to know more about DAAD scholarship about the preliminary German courses prior to the scholarship , is it funded ? when students take those courses ? I am asking these questions because I am working in a full-time job and I don't know whether I should consider quitting my job during the courses or not . One more question , Do I have to pass the preliminary courses in order to get the scholarship ? or if I was selected then I am selected and the german courses will have no effect on my chances ? Thanks all

Has anyone researched German University MFA programs? I have been on many of their website but can't find information on how to apply for their MFA programs.

Has anyone used FINTIBA (http://www.fintiba.com) to get blocked account with Sutor bank before? I'm going to Uni in Munich and I was just wondering whether it'd be easy to withdraw the money from it because I could not find a branch of Sutor Bank in Munich.

Has anyone else applied to LMU's M.Sc. Psychology: Learning Sciences program? I was one of the first people to interview and was told to be patient for the results, but this waiting is driving me CRAZY I'm trying to prepare for the worst while remaining optimistic .. Applied 4 Interviewed 2/4 Accepted 0/4 Waitlisted 0/4 Rejected 0/4 GPA 3.556 cumulative

So, I'm in the process of applying via uni-assist for a German Master's program which requires both a certified copy of my high school transcripts & a certified copy of my high school diploma as verification of secondary school. After contacting my high school, they informed me that it is not possible to obtain a copy of my diploma, just the transcripts. Does anyone know where I might be able to have my high school diploma copied & notarized? (That would be reletively quick & not expensive) Thanks, Katie

Hi! I'm looking for information on scholarships and masters programs in Germany, Switzerland, or Austria. I want to study Ecology/Conservation Biology/Natural History. Kind of a specific request but if anyone has any information at all, I would be much obliged! I don't speak German fluently yet so I need to find a program that teaches in English, which from the research I've done looks doable. I'm having a hard time finding scholarships. I've found a few programs, but it's sometimes difficult to find them! I could apply as either an American citizen or a Swiss citizen, because I have both. Also, do I need to take the GRE if I do a master's in Europe? Thanks for any and all help!

hey there. I've applied for HTW Berlin,Germany this Dec via uni- assist for international business, I've send them my documents and they've informed me that they received it in 15th Dec. now after 5 weeks they mailed me and said that I'm not qualified for studying in university and the deadline is already expired! the deadline was 15Jan, I don't see how is that possible, they've had my documents weeks ago, as far as I've read in DAAD they need a proof of one year study in university, which I've send them "certificate of education" issued by university, now they say they need the grades, and I've got a little problem with university and I won't be able to get an authorized version of my grades, and also my major in iran is Physics engineering and I'm applying to do bachelor again. 1-is there any chance that uni-assist is being wrong? anyone with the same experience? 2-is there any chance that university come along with me and agree on taking the authorized grades when I go for registration? 3- do i have a shot for this major?

Hi all, I'd like to know which German universities' mathematics or statistics departments have the strongest reputation in the area of probability theory and mathematical statistics. I'm currently applying to a variety of German master's programs in mathematics, applied mathematics, and statistics, but -- not having been immersed in research myself -- I don't know which of these has the best reputation (particularly internationally) for research in the areas that I'd like to pursue. If anyone out there has a bit of insight, I'd really appreciate your feedback.

Hey everybody, I am very new to this website and I am currently applying some grad schools around US and you know some schools want the transcripts to be send directly from the universities. However, the university I graduated in Germany refuses to send the transcripts by mail to US universities and they say it is forbidden by law. I am abroad, so I can't go and take personally from them. They won't even send them to me by post. I only have one original copy of my transcripts and that's it. Only one school agreed to accept a scanned copy but still 2-3 schools want them by post and they don't understand. Neither my german coordinator nor the officers in US. Can anybody update me? Are there any german students that can help me?

I am going to apply to 5 different universities in Germany for Winter 2017. However due to lack of available options for Intentional students I am applying to different programs. TU Munich - Informatics LMU Munich - Data Science RWTH Aachen - Media Informatics TU Darmstadt - Distributed Systems and as safety FH Kiel - Information Engineering My primary interest is in Data Science. Can anybody guide me how do I approach this problem without having to write seperate SOPs and letters of recommendation for each university?

Background: I studied CS as an undergrad, but I feel myself to be equally passionate about languages. I did TOEFL and SAT in high school with decent grades, went on a one-year exchange at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and learnt Spanish, and now I want to learn German and explore Europe, thus my applications to German universities. Honestly, during my time as an undergrad I didn't see myself very interested in a CS research career (the project I got involved in didn't go particularly well), and feel I would rather work as a programmer than committing myself to a PhD program. However, I haven't tried out anything related to computational linguistics yet (the professor in charge of this program at my university left when I enrolled, and no CS professor does related researches), thus I think if I ever do a Master's degree, I'd rather do a more theoretical one and lay foundation in case I ever go on to do a PhD. (I don't think the job as a programmer needs much training from a Master's program anyways.) Currently, I have received offers from Universität Tübingen in M.A. Computational Linguistics (Winter), Universität Stuttgart in M.Sc. Computer Science (Autonomous Systems) (Summer) and TU Darmstadt in M.Sc. Distributed Computing (Summer), with other decisions pending such as those from TU München in Computer Science/Data Science and the ITIS program http://www.itis-graduateschool.de/ (basically all the remaining programs are more traditionally CS rather than CL). My application at Universität Stuttgart for M.Sc. Computational Linguistics was unsuccessful, presumably because they think I'll have too much catching up to do in the field of linguistics. I'm considering whether to accept the offer from Tübingen outright and tell the other schools to stop the process already. My main concern is that Tübingen seems to be a school more renowned in humanities/natural science than engineering, and the program website for computational linguistics http://www.sfs.uni-tuebingen.de/study-iscl/en/ http://www.sfs.uni-tuebingen.de/en/courses-of-study/courses-of-study-at-the-sfs/international-studies-in-computational-linguistics/international-ma-programme-iscl.html seems to be a bit out of maintenance for a couple of years, with several broken links, which makes me a bit worried. Actually I was more inclined to join the M.Sc. CL program at Universität Stuttgart (seemingly focuses more on the computational aspect than the humanities aspect) but since I was rejected, this is no longer an option. Of course, I mean no disrespect for Tübingen and I hope my misgivings are all baseless, and that the program at Tübingen would help me learn the subject and prepare for a potential PhD with equal efficacy as any other. It's just an impression I got on the university based on its common reputation which I hope to be debunked. It would be best if there is somebody who studied computational linguistics at Tübingen who can give me some insight about its career prospect. Or maybe just somebody who is well versed in computational linguistics in general and knows the quality of various CL programs/research groups including that of Tübingen. Also, in general, if I want to go on the path of PhD, which one among the above mentioned three programs that admitted me would be the most sensible choice (in terms of research opportunities/international recognition of research projects etc.)? By the way, since I never really tried out linguistics, there is the possibility that I actually don't like the field once I get into it. In this case, I wonder whether it would still be possible for me to drop out and switch to another more traditional M.Sc. Program at another university in which I've been admitted before (submitting a new application, of course). I think I've seen some cases of switching programs/universities midway through, but I'm not sure how German universities treat new applications from students who already rejected their offers once before. I see a question during my application asking whether I had once been admitted before by the program, though. This has been a longwinded post. Thank you very much for your time and I appreciate any help you might be able to offer.

Hi GradCafe members, I was fortunate enough to be accepted to an M.A. in South Asian Studies program at Heidelberg University in Germany with a full scholarship. Now, the problem is housing. Housing is not guaranteed. If anyone on here has experience finding housing in Germany and can give me some recommendations, I would be very grateful.

TL;DR: As an American, does it make sense to consider a MS in Statistics in Europe (Germany, Switzerland, or England) prior to applying to PhD programs in the US? I am confident that I want to do a PhD in Statistics in the US for a number of reasons: reputation of the top US universities, better funding, structure of PhD programs, and lack of language barrier (English is my native language*). However, I am entertaining the idea of first doing a MS in Statistics in Germany, Switzerland, or the UK. I am interested in how this might affect my chances of getting into a top statistics PhD program in the US. Rationale: My German girlfriend of 4 years lives in Hamburg and is tied to the city for at least the next 1.5 years, so I would like to narrow this gap somewhat, even if we can't live in the same city. (It's a world of difference to be able to visit each other over long weekends than to suffer the expanse of the Atlantic.) Bolster my applications with research experience during my master's studies, as I currently have precious little to boast. Also, cultivate relationships with professors for letters of recommendation. Low cost -- at least in Germany & Switzerland: tuition in Switzerland is very low (<1,000 EUR/year), although cost of living is high; and tuition in Germany is free, just leaving room and board. Bureaucratic reasons (Germany). It's likely that I will eventually move back to Germany, and a degree from a German university gives me nearly unhampered access to the German labor market, as the state does not require employers to demonstrate a lack of qualified German applicants for a position, given that the non-EU applicant holds a degree from a German university. Programs I'm considering: In England: LSE - MSc Statistics (1 year) Imperial College - MSc Statistics (1 year) In Switzerland: ETH Zürich - MS Statistics (1.5 years) In Germany: LMU Munich - MS Statistics (2 years) Berlin (consortium of Humboldt, TU, FU, and Charité : 2 years) - MS Statistics Concerns: Potential poor performance, as I am not accustomed to the academic systems at these universities. From what I gather, they tend to place a substantially higher emphasis on final exams, often basing entire class grades on these. This unnerves me, as I sometimes succumb to test anxiety and excessive time pressure can be my kryptonite. Additionally, the distribution of grades – from what I hear – can be rather severe compared to the US. For example, I've heard it's not uncommon for half the class to fail a major test or for nobody to receive the equivalent of an A grade in courses at Swiss and German universities. Professors may be more aloof. For example, they might be less willing to explain tricky concepts during office hours, less likely to write a glowing letters of recommendation, and less likely to entertain the possibility of a research assistantship. Lack of prestige in the eyes of US admissions committees. While the Oxbridges and LSEs of the world are international name brands, the German universities worry me, as few Americans are familiar with German higher education. Cost. While an masters program in the US would doubtlessly be more expensive, possible direct acceptance into a PhD program in the US would be the least expensive option, especially considering the opportunity cost of the time invested an MS program. What do you think about pursuing a MS in Statistics in any of these countries as preparation for a PhD in the US? A lot of what I've written is conjecture, some of which is surely incorrect. Please correct me wherever you can. I'd especially appreciate advice from those with experience navigating both US and European university systems or with insight into PhD admissions with regard to foreign degrees. * I do speak fluent German, frequently passing as a native speaker and definitely surpassing the necessary proficiency level required study at a German university. Still, I'm less articulate, slower taking notes, prone to make minor errors in academic writing, and less sensitive to nuances in the language compared to English.

have few enquiries.1)for EU( specially Germany) countries do we need to show proof of financial statement covering atleast one year expenses(living ,food etc all included) for a visa interview even after we are getting a monthly funding from the particular University for PhD?2)is it mandatory to purchase health insurance for phd students before visa interview for germany? If, so, how much are we suppose to spend in buying it?

I keep frantically checking my e-mail everyday to see if I was accepted as a finalist for the Fulbright ETA to Germany, but it seems the waiting will continue.... I hope there are those who are in solidarity with me as we wait.

Hello people! I am Baris Sonmez and I got accepted to TUM MSc. Informatik and the Max Planck institute in Saarland University for the MSc. Computer Science for the SS2016. Latter is the International Max Planck Research School for Computer Science (IMPRS-CS), jointly run by the MPI-INF, the MPI-SWS and the Saarland University’s CS department. They offer a scholarship of 800 euros per month, a MPI membership and other small benefits (finding accommodation, guidance, etc). I can’t decide between TUM MSc. Informatik and this offer, and I think that I might use your help to help me decide. My ultimate goal is to create a start-up company and run my own business, however for the short-term, I am planning to find an interesting and well-paid job in industry and gain some experience. But I shouldn't sound as I don't like to do research. What I hesitate most about Saarland is the highly research-oriented nature of the program and the difficulty of finding a job after graduating from there. TUM is surely more reputable in industry compared to Saarland, but MPI is also very well known in Germany and there is a scholarship. Please share your opinions. Thanks!

Hi, I am grasping at straws here to understand if I stand a chance at all. My profile looks somewhat like: GRE: Q: 157 V: 155 AW: 4.0 TOEFL: 112 Work Experience: 1.5 Years as Project Coordinator for a Social Entrepreneurship based out of Kolkata dealing with last mile Solar Solutions to bottom of pyramid households; Summer Internships in Credit Suisse & IDFC Mutual Funds; Vice President Human Resources AIESEC Kolkata (1 year); Voluntary Community Service for over 5 years. Undergrad GPA: 8.99 out of 10 Applied to: Rutgers, Cornell CIPA, Sciences Po, Hertie School of Governance I wanted to understand if my profile would be deemed suitable for any aid. Please help.

Hi! I have to make a decision soon regarding which program to attend and I am torn with my options! Maybe you can help? Here is the situation: I have always wanted to go to grad school in the US because of the structure of programs, course offerings, TA experience, everything. I applied for two rounds and was accepted without funding because they had budget cuts, etc. Finally, I have been accepted with funding (15K per year in an expensive state, so I will be very very poor) for 4 years to school X. The courses are the best, I love them all. My advisor is awesome. He/she is at the top of her field, has many connections, many projects. But, I have heard from other professors that the advisor at X is quite detached, very busy, and I probably would be on my own. Advisor can write superb recommendation letters and get me more funds for my research, but he/she may not have time to mentor me, read thoroughly my applications, papers, etc. I will be done in 6 years... with luck? There is the thing that I have plenty of friends and family in this city, so it won't be such a shock to move out of my country and be at a new place. And advisor could really help me to land a job in something I like because of advisor's connections. Then, I applied to scholarship from DAAD to go to Germany to school Y and got it. School Y is on the top 10 in Europe and in associated with an institute which is renowned in my field. Advisor at Y is amazing. Not as famous and with that many projects, but I think that is his zen way of living, since he is very prolific and excellent at what he does. He/she has been like a mentor since the beginning of my career, I have a close and great relationship with him/her and I am more than sure he/she will have all the time to advice me, read my things, give suggestions, etc, etc. Also, the funding package is very good, I will not have to worry for money at all and I don't have to TA. Since I actually am not required to take courses, the course offering is very general, nothing exciting. I just have to focus on my reseach, which will be an improved version of what I am doing now (instead of a reloaded version in the US, where I will learn stuff I don't know and include it in my research). I will be done in 3 years. I don't know anybody here, but the advisor, and I don't speak any german (the PhD is in english). DAAD offers to teach me 6 months of german, but I may feel alienated and alone since I won't be able to comunicate properly. I have the feeling that Germany is the safe choice, if I go there, my worst regret could be to not have a strong foundation and lack the knowledge I want in some topics I am not good at. Not a tragedy, but a personal thing that could be solved with some discipline on my part (to selflearn). I feel the US as the complicated choice. Everything could work out and I would feel fulfilled and happy with my research and studies. But it may be too much the first years, being very poor, teaching and taking courses. Also, I am worried about the situation in the US. Many colleague have mentioned the shortage of funds for science is increasing and since I will be an international students, fellowships and etc. for me would be very limited. What if in 4 years, I can't find more money to finish my PhD which is stimated to last 6 years? What if my advisor really does not have time for me? But I have always wanted this. Any comments are greatly appreciated!