During these times of pandemic, the German government is offering financial support for South African students who are currently engaged in studies at German universities. Due to Covid-19, many foreign students have lost their jobs which allowed them to finance their stay in Germany. According to official figures from Statista, three out of four foreign students in Germany work throughout their studies and have had their incomes seriously affected by the pandemic.
In this context, the German Minister of Education and Research, Anja Karliczek, has announced the creation of an interest-free education loan program to ensure the continuity of their studies. According to information from MyGermanUniversity, a portal specializing in studies in Germany, almost 400,000 international students are enrolled in German universities, with this anticipated to be a growing trend in the years to come.
Stephan Paulini, co-founder of MyGermanUniversity, based in Hamburg, was previously director of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) in Peru and knows very well the reality for international students in Germany. Paulini stresses the importance of this measure taken by the German government: “This will allow many South African students to continue their studies and not be forced to return to their country because they do not have sufficient resources to cover their expenses.” South African students will be able to access the education loan for up to 650 euros per month from June 1, 2020.
Germany stands out as one of the preferred destinations for South African students, ranking in the top 10 preferred country destinations for students from South Africa in 2016 according to the DAAD. The great interest in Germany among South African students is self-explanatory by its high quality of education and its 400 internationally renowned universities, which offer more than 20,000 undergraduate and graduate programs. Furthermore, students do not need to speak German to study at postgraduate level at a German university. There are more than 1,700 Master’s programs in English, with 69% of them charging no tuition fees, due to the enormous economic subsidy offered by the German state.
The study portal MyGermanUniversity, has the largest and most complete database of master’s programs in Germany, with more than 1,700 Master’s programs in English.
Source: MyGermanUniversity is a Hamburg-based start-up in the field of educational technology (EdTech). The start-up has built up Germany’s largest database of English-language master’s degree programs, with over 1,700 programs for students to choose from, and helps international students find the right offer from more than 400 universities and 20,000 study courses to choose from. The personalized StudyFinder allows students to master their individual way to study in Germany.
About MyGermanUniversity
MyGermanUniversity is a Hamburg-based start-up in the field of educational technology (EdTech). The start-up helps international students find the right offer from more than 400 universities and 20,000 study courses to choose from. The personalized StudyFinder allows students to master their individual way to study in Germany.
At www.MyGermanUniversity.com the start-up has built up Germany’s largest database of English-language master’s degree programs – with over 1,700 programs for students to choose from.
Students from all over the world can now find the right course of study – fast and easy.
- MyGermanUniversity lists up to 60% more English master’s programs offered by German universities than comparable data bases.
- By personalizing the database, users only see the information (e.g. application deadlines, costs, etc.) that is relevant to them.
- For the first time, it is now possible to filter study programs by application deadlines, rankings, Uni-Assist, and TOEFL/IELTS scores.
The two founders of MyGermanUniversity know exactly what international students need. Tobias Bargmann and Stephan Paulini previously worked for the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for 11 years and headed the DAAD offices in Italy and Peru. Now based in Hamburg, they and their team would like to further expand Germany’s first personalized online platform for international students. Press Release MyGermanUniversity