My experience in Hochschule Furtwangen - Germany

RWTH Aachen University

7.8(26 Reviews)

Reason for Rejection

• I got below the required cutoff in the GRE exam at this university. I could not submit my bachelor's degree earlier to get into the University of Lübeck.
• Most of the German Universities have heavy competition due to lower fees and the process to get visa takes time.

• It is encouraged to include competitive advantages in technical skills if the academic grades are on average or low.
• The ability to handle organisations and administrative capacities could also be helpful motivation for choosing the programme, which should evidently be reflected in the CV Proof of German language skill is a huge advantage.

• I chose Germany due to the cost of Tuition fee. Hochschule Furtwangen is a well-known regional applied sciences institute run by the State of Baden-Württemberg.
• Although known mainly for International Business Management, the Hochschule offers a variety of courses. It is located in the Black Forest district. The job opportunities are endless after the completion of studies.
• The students are expected to manage themselves and learning is mostly self-organised, although professors offer guidance when requested. There is a student club and students usually network with themselves at places of study, festivals and residences.
• There are 3 campuses: Schwenningen, Furtwangen and Tuttlingen. The Hochschule has connections with the local stadium and gym for students and offers part-time for students with technical skills.

• 20 hours of classes per week with labs included; the timings depend on the availability of professors and their schedules.
• The classes last for an hour, and labs for 2 hours.
• The number of Students is from 20 to 40 per course, on average 18 Indians in my batch; the number is higher for English-based courses Usually 5-10 hours of self-study per Week

• 1:30 is the faculty-to-student ratio in my course The easy-to-approach faculty are from languages and cultures centre; some of the professors from computer science and mathematics are difficult to approach due to their schedule.
• The culture gap in Germany adds to the difficulty in approaching professors, as students tend to speak in different accents and struggle to properly address the professors. Some professors help students find part-time research work but they react well when approached as early as possible.

• There are 3 campuses The library is available but most books are in German; there is a football club for students who are professionals. Medical services are available at request.
• Schwenningen Campus is located at the centre of the town; apart from campus festivals, the town has its own cultural festival called Fasnet. Clubs exist for wall climbing, and entertainment exists like laser tag, Saina, etc.
• The town is bike friendly and has the black forest to take a hike or cycle.

• They get paid about 13€ per hour. A part-time job is difficult to find if they cannot speak German.
• Most get employed at international fast food restaurant chains like McDonald's.
• Finding a HiWi job in the respective research institutes of the Hochschule Furtwangen is almost zero since it's highly competitive.

• The part-time jobs are usually for people with good German skills or with relevant technical experience.
• If the people have a good long-term contact with the respective employer, they have a chance to get it.
• The hourly wage is €13 per hour. It is difficult to find part-time work within the university and easier with the surrounding fast food chains and companies for technical work. The maximum number of hours to work is 20.

• Almost more than 50% of students secure a job within 6 months of graduation but a job with English alone takes time. The salary range varies based on experience and academic background.
• A master degree can guarantee a higher salary range which can be 50k € at the start given a good company. But higher salaries demand a higher level of experience and German knowledge.
• Students utilise the job fair at the college and social media to find jobs.

• The residence is not guaranteed by the college. Students use various websites and apps like WG gesucht to find a place to stay.
• Knowing German, again, is an advantage. The behaviour of the students based on their nationality plays a role in finding a place to rent and some places of stay are not for internationals.
• The place of stay should be secured atleast a month before moving in.