What Students Say?
Likes
- Germany has always been a country that provides top quality education and the fact that there was no tuition fee was a bonus. TUM is one of the top universities in Germany with a good atmosphere not just for academic growth but also for various other extracurricular pursuits. The faculty and chairs of the particular course I wanted to pursue were very well established which made this a dream opportunity for me.
- The university offers support to not only our academic pursuits but also to the holistic growth of the students. They understand the hardships of the students and provide various support systems, such as counselling, career advice, accommodation advice etc to help us out. As previously mentioned, there are numerous student activities and initiatives to choose from that help the student be part of a community, make connections and assist in their personal growth.
Dislikes
- There are no particular things I dislike about the university. But one thing I'm not used to is the examinations. For example, for most of the exams, we are not provided with the previous year's question papers to practice. This is not ideal, especially in a problematic subject where ample practice and understanding of the previous exam patterns are essential. There is also no separate question-and-answer paper, we are provided with questions printed with space left for answers. Some papers have space in the back for the correction but one of the exams I gave did not so rewriting the answer was not possible. The exams are also notorious for having really little time.
Deciding to pursue my Master's at TUM was the best decision I ever made. Not only am I provided with a world-class education and academic infrastructure, but I am also provided with invaluable personal growth opportunities. I am proud to be part of the diverse and inclusive student community. I have made efforts to participate in and volunteer for the various clubs and events at the university that have provided me with an opportunity to meet like-minded students as well as interact with the esteemed professors. But I have to admit that for a new student not used to the German education system, the studies can be a bit challenging, especially during the exam seasons.
Course Curriculum
The course is up to date in my opinion. There are many modules to choose from as per our wanted outcome so it is flexible. Some of the modules are seminars where we are encouraged to work on a project, sometimes in groups or sometimes individually which helps us sharpen our research, problem solving and analytic skills. Various other courses also offer industrial exposure.
Exams
There was a minimum GPA requirement of 2.5. I took IELTS and scored 7.5 and the cutoff was 6. . I had to provide an SOP for the course in which I briefly outlined my interests and career aspirations and why this course would be a fit for me. I also talked about the subjects and projects I did during my bachelor's that resonated with the master's course. In my LOR apart from my academics, I emphasized the participatory and leadership roles I took during my studies. And for the CV, I mentioned the details of my internships, the certification courses I did, the various projects etc. No, I did not have to take an interview so I am unsure about the process.
Placement
There is no campus placement as such done by the university but there would be career fairs where we can approach company representatives to get their contacts and details about their firms. I unfortunately have no data on the placements.
Internship
I have not opted for an internship at the moment
Fees
Currently, there is no tuition fee. I only have to pay 85 euros per semester but from winter semester 2024, the tuition fee would be about 4000 to 6000 euros per semester.
Scholarship
No, I am not a recipient of any scholarship
Faculty
I'm not sure about the faculty-to-student ratio but I would say that it is sufficient to provide us with appropriate support. The faculty, even though highly established have always been kind and friendly and extremely helpful which has made approaching for help easy. One of the professors that I had an opportunity to meet was Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Lang who holds the Chair of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Design and Construction (ENPB) at the Technical University of Munich.
Campus Life
There are around 180 student clubs with everything ranging from Business and entrepreneurship to religious and spiritual. We also have numerous social, cultural, casual as well as career-oriented events frequently. The university also has support for the startup ideas of the students. The library offers a variety of free resources to assist the studies and also provides a large study space. The wifi is unlimited and free to use. There are no sports facilities on my campus but they have a separate campus for sports science which the TUM students can access at a very cheap price.
Hostel
The university does not provide accommodation and it is our responsibility. Currently, I live in a shared flat with 4 other people and have my room. I pay 470 euros but the average rent in Munich can go up to 650-700(I live outside Munich). The city has various student dormitories that provide rooms for cheap but due to competition, they are hard to get.