To Author's Page
Applying to a German University requires a lot of preparation and consideration, particularly for international students. In my blog post, I will tell you about my experiences and impressions I had when applying to Frankfurt School and additionally what I would improve in the future.
The first step is to ask yourself where you want to live? Do you prefer small or big cities? Which languages do you want to speak daily? After doing a lot of research, you will notice that you can not have all of it. You will find yourself having to prioritize. Universities tend to have complicated websites, so when researching you should focus on important topics. For example: Is this university in a ranking? What about the classes and subjects? Do they provide accommodation? Extracurricular activities? If their website answers all these and even further questions, you have collected enough information to make the right choice. Many of my friends applied to multiple countries in Europe, Germany might be the most restrict one but when it comes to providing information, they outstand everyone else, especially Frankfurt School.
Although they might look the same, every university even in the same country has different requirements. Some of them are: Registration fees, assessment center, letter of motivation, interview, high school diploma, certificate of language degree, and so on. Most universities will ask for a combination of documents, including some listed above. Just make a checklist and be sure to hand in everything before the deadline. It is very important to apply as soon as possible. Frankfurt School has relatively easy entry requirements, but the German government does not. Therefore, you should apply soon to have enough time for corrections in case some unpredictable issues occur.
The documents required by uni’s are very similar to the ones you will need for your visa if you are an international student. These often include: High School transcripts, a small photo, passport copies, parents’ documents, proof of health insurance, accommodation paperwork and others.
Making decisions is the biggest challenge. First, you have to decide which country you would like to live in, what university to study at and many other life-changing decisions. When you have finally decided and arrived at the new reality and you think the challenges are over, I’m sorry (not really) to say that it is just the beginning. Some tips to “survive” are: Stay positive, do one thing at a time, everything will change in a constant pace so just “Go with the flow”, try to make new friends, most are going through the same thing as you are, they can help you the same way you can help them. Do not try to do it all alone, asking for help is a sign of strength. With time, challenges will become funny stories and memories. You will appreciate having them 😉
Emotions are emotions, there is no good or bad emotion. You will face a mix of them daily, this is normal. Do not let them “defeat” you and make you question yourself. In my opinion, emotions are really important, though no one really talks about them, everyone feels them. Just be prepared for them.
My final recommendations for you are: Do a lot of research, read all information you can find, be over-prepared, be proud of yourself after mastering a challenge and share your emotions with family or friends. If you remember all this, you will be fine.
Frankfurt School gGmbH
Adickesallee 32-34
60322 Frankfurt am Main
