In higher education, similarly, digitalization is now increasingly viewed as a means of academic modernization, as well as a way of boosting the already surging mobility of international students to Germany. While the COVID-19 emergency led to a sharp drop in the number of international students in the country—an estimated 80,000 of them left during the early stages of the pandemic—Germany has emerged as a growing international education hub in recent years. It draws increasing numbers of students from countries like China and India, notably to its English-taught master programs. There are five compulsory bullet points assessed for AO2 (5 marks) and AO3 (5 marks), as specified in the criteria below. The Germany is known for its high-quality vocational education system that has been emulated by several countries worldwide, partially because it’s considered effective in limiting youth unemployment: In 2020, Germany had the lowest youth unemployment rate in the OECD after Japan. Hauptschule programs most commonly last five years (grades five to nine). While there are minor curricular differences between states, nationwide standards exist for several subjects with German, mathematics, and a foreign language (predominantly English) as compulsory subjects in the entire country. In addition, students usually study natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, or technology), social sciences (geography, history, politics, economics), as well as physical education, and arts or music. The translation is assessed for AO3 (10 marks) as specified i

In addition to these traditional programs, there are a multitude of other part-time education programs that may be as short as three months, or as long as four years, offered by a variety of providers and companies. Students may enroll in these programs to obtain advanced knowledge in their field, improve computer skills, or train in another field. The German government actively promotes further education and lifelong learning, particularly with regard to digital competencies. Retraining programs for unemployed individuals may be paid for by the state, but unlike secondary programs, post-secondary vocational education is usually not tuition free. The grading scale is largely consistent across public universities, even if private universities and some programs, such as law programs, use alternative scales. It ranges from 1 to 5 and is different from most numerical grading scales in that the lowest number represents the highest grade. At most institutions, a final grade average of 4.0 is required for graduation, but some universities may graduate students with a final grade of 4.3. Of note, there’s been a trend toward grade inflation in recent years. Between 2000 and 2011 alone, the number of good and very good grades awarded by German universities in final graduation exams increased by 9 percent, although it should be noted that there are significant variations in grade distributions between academic disciplines. Germany did not exist as a modern nation state until 1871, but education in the German realm has a long tradition. The Kingdom of Prussia is said to be the first country in the world that introduced free and compulsory state-run elementary education in the early 18th century. The first German university, the University of Heidelberg, was established much earlier, in 1386.

Centre Finder

There were no data for the post-pandemic 2020 summer semester available as of this writing, but it’s clear that the pandemic led to a sharp drop in the number of international students in Germany, as it did in other host countries. According to Uni-assist, Germany’s main credential evaluation agency, for instance, the number of international applications for the winter semester 2020 was down by 20 percent compared with that of the previous year. Interviews of students from India, the second-largest sending country of international students to Germany, reflect that student mobility is currently hampered by concerns about diminished employment prospects after graduation, logistical hurdles, as well as apprehensions about educational quality, given that German universities have since the pandemic switched to blended learning, combining face-to-face instruction with online courses.

That said, the vast majority of German students are now enrolled in bachelor and master programs, whereas other programs, including state-examined professional programs and non-Bologna compliant programs in artistic fields, make up a comparatively small percentage: In 2018, 49.6 percent of students were enrolled in bachelor programs, 28.3 percent in master programs, 5.6 percent in doctoral programs, and 16.5 percent in other types of programs. Short-cycle tertiary programs below the bachelor’s level are very uncommon in Germany. Less than 1 percent of students enroll in these types of programs compared with an average of 17 percent in other OECD countries. Credit System and Grading Scale The creation of a common higher education area in Europe in 1999, codified in the Bologna declarations, brought radical changes to German higher education, such as the previously unavailable Anglo-Saxon-style bachelor and master programs and the new European ECTS credit system. Whereas students in the 1990s were still able to freely pursue their academic interests and take a broad variety of courses in a more relaxed system without overly stringent semester limits, they are now boxed into more structured programs. Credential evaluators and international admissions officers will find the new programs considerably easier to assess than those of the previous less formal system. Administration of the Education System This low ratio is attributable, at least in part, to Germany’s long-standing separation between academic and vocational education, with the latter absorbing many students who in other countries might pursue tertiary education. Structural differences in labor market access in certain fields also play a role: Graduates from secondary-level German vocational programs—such as nursing, for instance—can legally work as entry-level professionals. In other countries, employment in these fields typically requires a tertiary degree. Higher German is designed to deepen your previous knowledge of the subject and create a better understanding of the language. You will be exposed to the language over a length of time and acquire greater fluency in topics within the contexts of society, culture, learning and employability. During the course you will enhance your skills in reading, listening, writing, speaking and translation. Grammar aspects will be studied and classroom interaction in the language will be encouraged. This course is challenging and requires the ability to study independently. Germany has the highest number of Waldorf schools in the world (more than 250). Also called Rudolf Steiner schools after the founder of the Waldorf education model, these schools are independent private institutions. They follow a less structured and more holistic pedagogical approach that places greater emphasis on practical and artistic learning than public schools do. While these schools are not supervised by government authorities, they are recognized by the state as special schools. They teach their own curricula, but simultaneously prepare students for official Sekundar I qualifications or the Abitur. However, depending on the state, students must sit for external governmental examinations. In the case of the Abitur, external examinations are required for graduation for students in Waldorf schools in almost all states.

Tertiary Education

Most German international students—82 percent—currently study in other European countries with Austria, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Switzerland being the top destinations. The next most popular world regions are North America, accounting for 8 percent of overseas enrollments, as well as the Asia-Pacific region, accounting for 7.9 percent of enrollments. The U.S. and China were the fifth and sixth most common host countries of German mobile students in 2017. About two-thirds of the curricula at vocational schools consists of theoretical instruction in the chosen field, whereas the other third is made up of general education subjects, such as German, social studies, or English. Programs last two to three and a half years, depending on the specialization. Upon completion of the school component, students receive a certificate of completion of vocational school ( Abschlusszeugnis der Berufsschule).

To graduate, students must pass a rigorous written and oral final examination, which is overseen by the ministries of education of the states, almost all of which mandate standard content for one uniform examination taken by all students. To further standardize the exams, several states use the same questions in German, mathematics, English, and French. These questions are developed by the Institute for Educational Quality Improvement ( IQB), a joint institution of the states responsible for monitoring the quality of German schools. The format of the test will be the same for each tier and will consist of three parts. Role-play (10 marks) However, these reforms have been sharply criticized, particularly by universities and organizations like the German Association of Engineers. The German Rectors Conference denounced the new degree names as confusing terms that obscure the distinctions between academic and practically oriented vocational education, both of which require different sets of competencies. The president of the conference argued that the new names give the false impression that vocational programs are of academic nature, particularly in other countries, where the degrees of bachelor and master are predominantly reserved for university qualifications. Indeed, the new degree names are likely to confuse some international credential evaluators. It’s the position of World Education Services that the vocational qualifications of Bachelor Professional and Master Professional are not directly comparable with academic degrees awarded by universities in the U.S. and Canadian contexts. The exam is called the Abitur—a name that derives from the Latin verb abire, which can be roughly translated as “to leave.” Students are usually examined in four or five concentration or core subjects. In some states, students may also contribute “special learning achievements,” such as a paper or project, toward their final grade average, which is calculated based on the Abitur exam grades and the regular class grades earned in the final four semesters. The overall grade average is expressed in a range of 1 to 4 with 4.0 being the minimum average required for graduation.Aside from these quantitative differences, German TNE is qualitatively distinct in that it is part of a long-term, government-subsidized internationalization strategy, while initiatives in other TNE hubs are often privately led and commercially oriented. Transnational partnerships are not only viewed as beneficial for the global competitiveness of German universities, but also as a tool of development aid, designed to support academic capacity building in other countries. More commercially oriented modes of TNE, such as distance education, validation, and franchising models, remain uncommon in Germany. In fact, the best practices for TNE set forth by the Rector’s Conference, Germany’s university association, stipulate that TNE ventures must be not-for-profit, and that fees can only be charged to cover operating costs. Whereas other TNE qualifications are not necessarily recognized in the countries where students enroll, the “academic qualifications offered by German higher education projects abroad” must be “recognized by both the host country and the participating German universities.” Compulsory education in Germany generally begins at the age of six, but almost all children— 95 percent in 2017—attend early childhood education (ECE) between the ages of three and five. This stage is intended to socialize and prepare children for formal education. Differentiated Higher and Foundation tier resources designed to give students the tools to apply language in different contexts, enabling them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to the best of their ability. Far more students obtain a Realschule qualification than those leaving school after Hauptschule. The number of students that only complete Hauptschule has drastically declined over the decades. In 1960, 72 percent of all students still attended Hauptschule, or an older type of school of the same level , the Volksschule. In 2017, by contrast, 34 percent attended the Gymansium, 21 percent the Realschule, and only 10 percent the Hauptschule. In general, enrollments are currently shifting strongly in favor of more integrated school forms like comprehensive Gesamtschulen. Between 2007 and 2017, the number of Haupt- and Realschulen in Germany dropped by 45 percent. There were no exams in 2021. The 2020-21 question paper resources are, for most subjects, modified papers which reflect the modifications put in place for session 2020-21

Doctoral degrees are almost exclusively awarded by universities and research institutes—FHs are only in very rare exceptions allowed to offer these programs. There are two types of doctoral programs in Germany: “individual programs” and “structured programs.” Traditionally, all doctoral programs were pure research programs without coursework, attendance requirements, or hard deadlines. Candidates in these individual programs, which still predominate, independently prepare a dissertation under the supervision of a dissertation advisor ( Doktorvater or Doktormutter), usually a full professor or other senior researcher. The degrees awarded upon the defense of the dissertation have different Latin names, such as Doktor Rerum Naturalium (Doctor of Natural Sciences) or Doktor Rerum Politicarum (Doctor of State Sciences). Until the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc on education worldwide, international student mobility to Germany was booming. According to official statistics, the number of international students in the country surged by 46 percent between 2013 and the 2019/20 winter semester, from 282,201 to 411,600. In 2019, 11.7 percent of all students in Germany were international students—a high percentage compared with those of other top destinations like the United States, where just 5.5 percent of all students in 2019 were international, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE). Note, however, that Germany, unlike the IIE, includes in its international student numbers those foreign nationals who are in Germany on immigration or refugee status who attend higher education institutions (HEIs). Even so, 78 percent of all foreign students in Germany—319,000—are international students in the traditional sense, enrolled on temporary student visas. Given their autonomy, there can be considerable variation in education from state to state. The length of the secondary school cycle, for instance, varies between 12 and 13 years, depending on the jurisdiction. There are also differences between curricula, types of schools, and so on. However, a coordinating body, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Culture, facilitates the harmonization of education policies between states. Final and intermediate examination certificates ( Diplomprüfungszeugnis, Hauptprüfungszeugnis, Vordiplom, Zwischenprüfungszeugnis) – sent by the institution attendedeither Question 2.1 or 2.2. This question is common to Foundation tier Question 5. Question 3 (25 marks) Germany’s HEIs are recognized and regulated by the ministries of education of the states. To become “state-recognized” and have the same standing as public HEIs, private institutions must also be accredited by the Science Council, an advisory body to the federal and state governments. While Science Council accreditation is voluntary, private institutions without state recognition are not allowed to call themselves Hochschulen nor issue formal academic qualifications. Accreditation is granted for three to ten years based on the evaluation of teaching facilities and staff, quality assurance mechanisms, finances, and the mission statement of institutions. Given that most refugees don’t speak German on arrival and that Germany has a relatively short history as an immigration country, it thus far managed to incorporate these migrants into educational settings better than expected, despite significant structural and sociocultural barriers. That said, integration problems persist, and the social inclusion of immigrants will likely remain a political issue for the foreseeable future. (For more on this topic, see our related articles on the state of refugee integration in Germany in 2017 and 2019) International Student Mobility Another recent concern for German policymakers was the country’s slide in the latest 2018 OECD PISA study. While German students continue to perform above the OECD average, their test scores in reading and natural sciences fell below levels last seen in 2009 and 2006, respectively. Some German officials castigated these results as a “stagnation in mediocrity” and lamented the high number of 15-year-old students— 21 percent — who are unable to adequately read or perform mathematical calculations.