German Ambassador to India: Reasons to Study in Germany

In an interview with New2, German Ambassador Walter J. Lindner explains the reasons for studying in Germany. With the criteria the ambassador lists here, he gives a good guideline for choosing a place to study outside India. Germany is very suitable for studying according to these criteria.

Anjana Singh: Why should a student come to Germany? What makes Germany special? What are the advantages of studying in Germany?

Walter J. Lindner: So when someone from India goes abroad to study, a few questions arise. Which is the best place to go to? What is a good university? Which country has the best reputation, for example, if you want to work as an engineer or study this subject. So then you look at the qualifications of the university. The second thing is the cost of living. The third is the cost of studying. These are three criteria, so to speak, and I think if you take Germany, it is no coincidence that so many Indians study in Germany.

The cost of living is very low in Berlin, for example, where students can easily get student flats and have part-time jobs and so on. Germany is a very good place to study because the cost of studying is also very low. Of course, you can go to a very expensive private university, but you don't need to, because you can go to Humboldt University in Berlin or other universities for free, you'll get a fantastic education there. Whereas in some other countries, even in Europe, you have to put down an insane amount of money. Moreover, the quality of universities in Germany is very high and has a very good reputation in the world. Especially at technical universities, for the subjects of engineering and mechanical engineering, but also in other subjects, German universities offer the highest quality.

And then there is the attractiveness of living in a country. Is it a tolerant country? Is it "easy to live in"? Do I get along with the people? Do I get along reasonably well with my English? All together, these are good reasons that would make me, as an Indian student, say I'm going to Germany to study.

Anjana Singh: And how can students find very authentic information? I mean, everybody is looking on the embassy site, but what would you recommend to students? Where should they go?

Walter J. Lindner: Of course, for basic information you first go to the website of the German Embassy to see what it means to go to Germany, what do I need for it or what are the requirements for visas. I would definitely go to the Goethe Institute, or Max Müller Bhavan as it is called here, to get information about Germany. The DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) is important to see which universities are good, what are the recommendations, should I do a PhD or should I do a Master's or should I combine them. You can clarify all these questions there. And then, of course, you should look for more information on the internet. If there are additional apps, all the better.

Anjana Singh: Thank you very much for taking so much time.

Walter J. Lindner: With pleasure, good luck with the app.

The interview with the German Ambassador in New Delhi, Walter J. Lindner, which is only presented here in excerpts, was conducted by Anjana Singh. Transcription and editing Tanja Holbe

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