Going off to University and seeking your advice :D

[F_Slim]

I studied physics at the University of Cologne. If you're into Astronomy the nice thing is that it is basically just next to Bonn and the Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy (where I did my PhD). You could also go to the University of Bonn in the first place, but from my experience things are much more relaxed in Cologne. As far as I know they now also have a lot of courses in English, at least the more advanced ones. I think Cologne is especially big in Theoretical Physics. I know the Nuclear Physics Department has its own (small) particle accelerator underneath the park outside, which is pretty cool. The spectroscopy-group is excellent as well.

Depending on where exactly you are looking for a flat it will always be expensive. Public transportation is quite good (and usually included in the University fee), so you can try to find something in the outskirts of the town or even in one of the villages close-by (I lived closer to Bonn and it took me just as long to get to the University as people who actually lived IN Cologne). Cologne also has several dormitories where you can live for very little money (but you'll probably share the kitchen and bathroom with several people), but that should be true for any city with a University.

I think you should consider in which direction you plan to go, and then check out what the Universities have to offer. One reason for me to go to Cologne was for example that I was able to choose Computer-Science instead of Chemistry as compulsory optional subject, which I couldn't in Bonn (the entire system of studies changed by now, so I have no idea what it's like nowadays).  Also some close topics like Geophysics may be of interest ... so unless you are already dedicated to a specific subject, maybe try to find a place where you have enough options. Or if you know what you want, choose the best place for that.

I would care less about general opinions like "It's expensive to live there", because every city in Germany is expensive to live in compared to living in the countryside, but in every city you'll still find cheap alternatives (or use public transport and live outside of the city).

 

[fusion_power]

I think Cologne is especially big in Theoretical Physics. 

Ah, the "real" Physics like Dr. Sheldon Cooper says. I'm sure he would be exited to work in Cologne then. ^^ Yes my physics knowledge is mostly from Big Bang Theory.

 

[rygD]

I just checked the cost per semester at the public university here.  $7,600.  Around double that for the private university, and even more if you aren't commuting.

I just dropped $3680.00 USD for two 3-credit courses at the college I'm attending. That's only two courses, how many classes do full-time students take at once a semester?

 

[zonova]

Sooo I've decided I'm going to try to do language courses for the first year and get as close to C2 certified as possible, and then the next 3 years I would spend studying physics. Taking an optional class of computer science instead of chemistry would be pretty awesome, I'll have to check which places offer that. Is cologne a nice place to live? How expensive would you rate it?

I found this list of the cheapest cities in Germany which I'm going through:

https://www.study-in.de/en/--17752

The only problem is, first I need to find a city out of those that has like a good intensive language program that's also cheap. I've heard about going to a VHS, but I don't know which city has a good one compared to others, since they seem to be a mixed bag.

I found a good school for language called the Deutsche Akademie in Berlin, so I'm trying to see if I can find shared accommodation for around 200 euros or less per month. It's difficult because many of these websites are purely in german, lol. What would you guys think about me staying in Berlin? Would it detract from the immersion aspect of learning a language, since so many people can speak English? I'm also not a big fan of drinking and partying as pass times, would there be other things for me to do there? Is it a super loud city?

Also if you guys happen to know anything about cheap places I could learn german in an intensive course, that would be aaaawesome. I'm trying to see if I can get my total monthly cost of course fee + rent to be less than 400 euros, it's a challenge, but hooopefully it's doable. But I guess you german locals would know more about that

 

[klapse]

I found a good school for language called the Deutsche Akademie in Berlin, so I'm trying to see if I can find shared accommodation for around 200 euros or less per month. It's difficult because many of these websites are purely in german, lol. What would you guys think about me staying in Berlin? Would it detract from the immersion aspect of learning a language, since so many people can speak German?

Huh? Do you mean "since so many people can speak English"?

I dont know about intensive language courses, but cost of living in ex-DDR cities like Dresden or Leipzig should be a good deal cheaper than the freakin capitol of Germany.

 

[zonova]

Oh, yeah, I fixed that, sorry

And yeah, that's true! I would definitely prefer living in the cheaper place, I think. However, if there isn't a decent intensive language course available nearby, it's would be for waste. Also I've heard that the cost of food in Berlin is pretty cheap, so perhaps that would offset some of the costs of rent? Perhaps some of you Berlin dwellers would like to take me in ;D

 

[Klumpen]

If you consider the income in Berlin, living here has become quite expensive because the rent has grown about 15-20% every year for about 10 years now and is still growing while the average payload is still shrinking.

Many people here pay about 70-80% of their payload only for the rent and in this place you cannot just get a small job if you need some money, it's easier for women though because they are always wanted for selling stuff at a counter or waitressing in a restaurant.

I was one of the blokes with high IQ that didn't get a place at university because of social background (would be a lot to explain, but this problem indeed is existent here due to an unfair school system, no help for children from abusive families, extreme sexism in school marks etc...), I wouldn't have gotten Bafög (financial help for studying paid by the state) anyway out of silly reasons.

If I had been a foreigner it would have been easier to get a place at university though, there is a quota. Non-natives are preferred in a way.

It extremely depends on which sciences you are considering though and it's easier with maths and physics.

I'm not sure how to think about your idea.

On the one hand it's just horrid how education is handled in your country and I can totally understand that you don't want to accept that,

on the other hand there will be another German bloke not getting into university because of it and more important:

It would be abusing our system if you will take this education and then leave afterwards without using it in Germany.

It always baffles me how the US can spend so much money on military bullshit and so few for education. What's the plan behind this? Rather conquer than allying themselves?

Anyway: If you go to Germany, you should avoid the biggest cities (Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt am Main) at all costs.

Life is way cheaper and easier elsewhere. Jena and Dresden which have already been mentioned are quite good, Halle was very cheap the last time I checked.

In some states you have to pay for studying too though, that's probably why the eastern cities are mentioned here, they haven't got this problem.

10 years ago they started taking additional money for studying here too but not everywhere.

Oh, yeah, I fixed that, sorry

And yeah, that's true! I would definitely prefer living in the cheaper place, I think. However, if there isn't a decent intensive language course available nearby, it's would be for waste. Also I've heard that the cost of food in Berlin is pretty cheap, so perhaps that would offset some of the costs of rent? Perhaps some of you Berlin dwellers would like to take me in ;D

Sorry, my 29m² appartment isn't big enough for stuff like that imho and you won't find much spare space at other appartments here either.

One day I'll have gathered enough money to start my own business and leave this horrid city.

Now that you mention it, it seems important to mention that I am Pakistani. Although I've lived in the US my entire life, my skin color is still that of a Pakistani. Would that change your recommendations at all?

You shouldn't mind this, you'll find xenophilia more often than xenophobia in many places here. Being somewhat exotic is mostly a bonus you wouldn't get if you were blonde and blue-eyed like me.

It has something to do with the well established German self hatred.

 

[thatgui]

I've heard about going to a VHS, but I don't know which city has a good one compared to others, since they seem to be a mixed bag.

They are municipal facilities, with teachers hired for specific courses, so depending on the specific circumstances, the last course could have been super, while the following one could be bad because the teacher changes too. This is just trial and error.

It's difficult because many of these websites are purely in german, lol.

We could help you out with that.

What would you guys think about me staying in Berlin? Would it detract from the immersion aspect of learning a language, since so many people can speak English? I'm also not a big fan of drinking and partying as pass times, would there be other things for me to do there? Is it a super loud city?

That depends heavily on which part of Berlin you want to stay. If you want to stay in the centre, it will be loud and crowded and you will see a lot of clubs/bars etc. The farer away you get from the center, the more things calm down and the more "indigenous" people you will meet, with a lot less english language skills. Best thing to do is, to let people not even try to converse with you in english, just keep talking in German, even if that means you have to rely on your hand and feet as additional means of communication.

Also if you guys happen to know anything about cheap places I could learn german in an intensive course, that would be aaaawesome. I'm trying to see if I can get my total monthly cost of course fee + rent to be less than 400 euros, it's a challenge, but hooopefully it's doable. But I guess you german locals would know more about that

Keeping monthly costs that low could be problematic in Berlin as rents aren't really cheap. While they get lower the more you move to the north eastern end of Berlin like Marzahn, its not everyones cup of tea there (unless you love to look at concrete from the 70s/80s).

iversity because of it and more important:

It would be abusing our system if you will take this education and then leave afterwards without using it in Germany.

When I worked at Siemens it was quite baffling to hear that Germany is considered a "cheap education" country, especially in asia. I met a lot of Chinese and Korean students, that were studying in Germany, because the could not afford to go to Britain or the U.S.

In some states you have to pay for studying too though, that's probably why the eastern cities are mentioned here, they haven't got this problem.

10 years ago they started taking additional money for studying here too but not everywhere.

Nowadays you usually pay additonal fees only if you exceed by a certain number of semesters, the primary/undergraduate degree is free in every state

 

[Klumpen]

In some states you have to pay for studying too though, that's probably why the eastern cities are mentioned here, they haven't got this problem.


10 years ago they started taking additional money for studying here too but not everywhere.

Nowadays you usually pay additonal fees only if you exceed by a certain number of semesters, the primary/undergraduate degree is free in every state

Under the current conditions I may have been able to study too somewhere as it seems, things were really fucked up the time I came out of school.

Most universities back then had enrolment fees and many had compulsory attendance back then and were so bad organized after having forced this shitty bachelor/master-system upon them,

that you had to be in several places at once, especcially in the university of Potsdam where you officially weren't allowed to use more than 6 semesters to get enough points to make your bachelor exam. They changed that later on because you couldn't win with so few tutors that many of the important courses were only given once a week and at the same time of course.

But since enrolment fees made most universities unattractive the ones that hadn't got those were totally overrun, sadly my school was known for not giving A (1) marks, especcially not for boys (mostly feminine school, Berlin was even mentioned along Hamburg in the most sexist school ratings in Gemany in a study).

This said: It's not all gold here either, but you should have a chance.

 

[Klumpen]

This quote from the late George Carlin is somehow on topic:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/WGL8FEMc378?feature=oembed

 

[KickAss]

Unfortunately the eastern part of Germany currently is somewhat xenophobic, so you better be a white caucasian.

lol this bit really made me giggle.

i studied medicine in giessen, so i cant tell if the physics department is any good really, but they sure gave me a hard time (mainly because i suck in physics).

giessen is small (has the most students of all german cities based on the number of citizens), cheap and right in the middle of germany. so wherever you wanna go, your halfway there (still love that one).

i was an active foreign students advisor working for ifmsa.org for a couple of years. this might be interesting: list of german universities/cities

i actually wrote the article about giessen.

this list was meant for medical students, but it might also serve you to get an idea where you would like to live/study.

in general i would say: the city doesnt really matter. you will meet young folk everywhere and they will be able to speak sufficient english. finding a cheap but acceptable place in one of the major cities is more than unlikely. go for smaller cities first, if you know your way around you can reconsider.