Over 100 students attended a seminar on the higher study and research options in Germany organised at the Goethe-Zentrum on Wednesday. The event was organised by the German Academic Exchange Service (known as DAAD), an autonomous body under the German government.
Shilpa Pandeshwar, information officer of DAAD from Bangalore, who led the seminar, said that Germany has now emerged as the preferred destination of Indian students after the US. From around the world, some three lakh students are currently studying or doing research in Germany, she said. She spoke about the educational system existing in German universities, with particular thrust on the technical universities in nine major German cities.
The German universities do not take any fees for the courses, except for the two federal states where the students have to pay a semester fee of 500 Euros, approximately Rs 35,000, she said.
With the introduction of the BLUE CARD, Germany now permits non-EU students to seek employment in Germany and settle there. After completing the studies or research, they are now allowed to stay in Germany for 18 months to search for a suitable job.
This has increased the interest in Germany as a preferred destination, she said. She also urged students to take up the study of the German language as it exposes them to a new culture and adds to their academic qualifications.