Student Life in Germany
University towns are full of live. Bookshops, cafes, music pubs, program cinemas that show other than the mainstream fare and a wide range of sporting activities await you. When choosing your study location, make sure that you give some thought to what kind of town or city you would like to experience: industrial and urban or small and romantic…?
Students at German universities are educated to become critical and open minds. From the very beginning, they are encouraged to ask questions and not simply to accept any claim or statement as given fact. What is presented to the student as scientific or academic knowledge is exactly what that the student is expected to analyze, question, review and check.
Living expenses
The cost of living depends largely on your personal spending habits as well as on the location of your university. In general you will need more money in the major cities, such as Hamburg and Munich or in the student towns in the south of Germany, whereas smaller university towns especially in the East are less expensive
You should calculate 600 Euros per month for general living expenses, including rent, food, clothing, study materials, public transport, health insurance, leisure activities, personal every day items, etc.
The following average values provide a rough indication of the breakdown of costs: 30% of the budget will be used for rent, 20% for board, 10% for clothing, laundry and personal hygiene, 10% for travel, and 5% for study materials. The remainder is used for sundry costs.
You will be able to find assistance and advice on all questions relating to economic/ financial, social health and cultural issues from the student service ("Studentenwerk") by going to the following websites:
Accommodation
In some places it is not hard to find a place to stay, but it many towns and cities this can be an exhausting undertaking, so please calculate enough time. It is strongly recommended to start looking for a place to live well before the semester begins. Once lectures have started, most of the rooms already have been taken.
There are different kinds of accommodation: Student dorms, shared flats and own apartments.
Student dorms are probably the cheapest type of accommodation, and that is why there are quite popular among German and international students. Please submit your application to the local student services office (Studentenwerk) or Office of International Relations of your particular institute very early to have a chance to get a place.
In Germany it is very common to share a flat with some other students. To find a place in a so-called "WG" ("Wohngemeinschaft") you can check out the following internet pages:
If you start searching in Germany you can have a look at the notice board at the university or study the ads in the local newspapers.
It is also possible to rend an apartment on your own. But generally this will be the most expensive option.
Climate
Germany has a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. In the summer months from June to August, temperatures will usually climb up to 25 - 30°C during the day time, whereas the average winter temperature is between 1.5°C in the lowlands and - 6°C in the mountains.
You can pursue leisure activities in accordance with the prevailing seasonal weather. Winter offers skiing, not only in the Alps to the south, but also in the hills and lower mountain ranges. Summer can be pleasantly spent on the beaches of the North and Baltic Sea.
