Do Germans have free university?
Education in Germany
Public universities in Germany are funded by the federal states and do not charge tuition fees. However, all enrolled students do have to pay a semester fee ("Semesterbeitrag"). This fee consists of an administrative fee for the university (only in some of the states), a fee for "Studentenwerk", which is a statutory student affairs organization, a fee for the university's AStA ("Allgemeiner Studentenausschuss", students' government) and "Studentenschaft" (students' union), at many universities a fee for public transportation, and possibly more fees as decided by the university's students' parliament (e.g., for a cooperation with a local theater granting free entry for students). Summed up, the semester fee usually ranges between €150 and €350.
University of Düsseldorf
As a German public university, HHU receives funding from the Land of North Rhine-Westphalia and therefore does not charge tuition fees. However, a small service charge of currently about 230 Euros per semester (winter semester 2012/13) has become necessary to cover the expenses of the AStA, of student services such as housing and canteen organisation (Studentenwerk) and the semester ticket for free rides on all local trains and busses.
Various scholarships are available to cover specific student expenses and/or needs. For example, there are bursary programmes to cover living costs, facilitate stays abroad, or to finish one's final thesis. Within the National Scholarship Programme at German universities, for example, HHU currently ranks among the top 5 providers of scholarships.
New states of Germany
Irreligion is predominant in the eastern part of Germany, which is considered to be the least religious region in the world. An exception is former West Berlin, which had a Christian plurality in 2016 (44.4% Christian and 43.5% unaffiliated). It also has a higher share of Muslims, at 8.5%, compared to former East Berlin with only 1.5% self-declared Muslims as of 2016. On the other hand, Christianity is the dominant religion of Western Germany, excluding Hamburg, which has a non-religious plurality. 
On 26 April 2009, a referendum () was held on whether Berlin pupils should be allowed to choose between the ethics class, a compulsory class introduced in all Berlin schools in 2006, and a religion class. The SPD, the Left Party and Greens supported the "Pro Ethics" camp for a "No" vote, stressing that the ethics class should remain compulsory, and pupils could voluntarily take an extra religion class alongside it if they so chose; the CDU and FDP supported the "Pro Reli" camp for a "Yes" vote, wanting to give pupils a free choice. In East Berlin, an overwhelming majority of 74.62% voted against the introduction of religious education. In West Berlin, only 41.41% voted "No". In total, 51.5% voted "No" and 48.4% voted "Yes".
Gastarbeiter
There were some, and still are, tensions in German society, because Muslim immigrants feel they have been religiously discriminated against. For example, while the Christian churches are allowed to collect church tax in Germany, Muslim mosques are not able to do so as they are not as yet organised in a corporative association (which is sometimes criticised as forcing Christian organisation-style on non-Christians). While German universities have educated Jewish, Catholic and Protestant clerics and religious teachers, in the past none of the German universities have offered education for Muslim teachers and clerics. However, today such university courses exist.
German Jordanian University
German-Jordanian University (GJU) is a public university located near Madaba, Jordan. It offers more than 20 programs to over 6,000 students, primarily from Jordan and the Middle East. The curriculum differs from other Jordanian universities, with German language courses offered as preparation for the fourth academic year at a university of applied sciences in Germany and an introduction to German industry through an obligatory internship within the framework of the study program.
History of European research universities
Overall, science became the focus of universities in the 19th and 20th centuries. Students could conduct research in seminars or laboratories and began to produce doctoral theses with more scientific content. According to Humboldt, the mission of the University of Berlin was to pursue scientific knowledge. The German university system fostered professional, bureaucratically regulated scientific research performed in well-equipped laboratories, instead of the kind of research done by private and individual scholars in Great Britain and France. In fact, Rüegg asserts that the German system is responsible for the development of the modern research university because it focused on the idea of “freedom of scientific research, teaching and study.”
Education in Germany
Historically, Lutheranism had a strong influence on German culture, including its education. Martin Luther advocated compulsory schooling so that all people would independently be able to read and interpret the Bible. This concept became a model for schools throughout Germany. German public schools generally have religious education provided by the churches in cooperation with the state ever since.
Liberal arts education
In most parts of Europe, liberal arts education is deeply rooted. In Germany, Austria and countries influenced by their education system it is called '"humanistische Bildung"' (humanistic education). The term is not to be mixed up with some modern educational concepts that use a similar wording. Educational institutions that see themselves in that tradition are often a "Gymnasium"" (high school, grammar school). They aim at providing their pupils with comprehensive education ("Bildung") in order to form personality with regard to a pupil's own humanity as well as their innate intellectual skills. Going back to the long tradition of the liberal arts in Europe, education in the above sense was freed from scholastic thinking and re-shaped by the theorists of the Enlightenment; in particular, Wilhelm von Humboldt. Since students are considered to have received a comprehensive liberal arts education at "gymnasiums", very often the role of liberal arts education in undergraduate programs at universities is reduced compared to the US educational system. Students are expected to use their skills received at the "gymnasium" in order to further develop their personality in their own responsibility, e.g. in universities' music clubs, theatre groups, language clubs, etc. Universities encourage students to do so and offer respective opportunities but do not make such activities part of the university's curriculum.
University and college admission
There are two types of higher education institutions in Germany, the universities (including" Technische Hochschulen") and the" Fachhochschulen" (polytechnics). A prospective student who has passed the Abitur is qualified for admission to every German university, with the exception of very few new degree programs, for which additional entrance examinations were recently introduced. A Fachhochschule, in contrast, often requires the student to complete an internship to qualify for admission.
Academic dress
After the German student movement, following the years of 1967 all West German universities dropped their academic dress because they were identified with right-winged conservatism and reactionism by the mostly socialist influenced students at that time: The famous slogan "Unter den Talaren – Muff von 1000 Jahren" ("beneath the gowns the fug of 1000 years") refers not only to the old traditions of the Middle Ages, but also to the Nazi regime and their self-declared "empire of 1000 years". In East Germany, which was a communist one-party state, "Talare" were abolished by law at the same time. After East Germany began to dissolve in 1989, several universities, particularly University of Rostock, University of Greifswald, University of Jena, and University of Halle-Wittenberg, resurrected lost traditions including the "Talar" for officials. Some traditional universities in West German states have since followed, such as University of Heidelberg.
Vietnamese-German University
The Vietnamese German University is based on the cooperation between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Federal Republic of Germany, especially the State of Hesse. Both countries aim to build an acknowledged research university in Vietnam. VGU is substantially supported by German as well as Vietnamese institutions. Being a Vietnamese State University, Vietnam is in charge of covering the running costs. German institutions such as the State of Hesse, the German Federal government and the State of Baden-Württemberg support VGU financially. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the World University Services (WUS, Germany) contribute to VGU's further development by their long-term experience in higher education. Furthermore, German and multi-national companies support VGU. 
The VGU-Consortium, a non-profit organization plays a significant role for VGU's progress. It consists of more than 30 universities which include the TU9, an association Germany's leading Universities of Technology. The VGU-Consortium coordinates the cooperation with German partner universities and is in charge of academic as well as administrative issues. The VGU-Consortium also seeks to contribute to the internationalization of the German higher education sector. 
An important milestone in VGU's development is the loan of US$180 million, provided by the World Bank. Approved in June 2010, the loan is mainly used for the construction of the new campus in Binh Duong Province, a blooming town adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City.
Humboldtian model of higher education
Humboldt is still being discussed in Germany. Current problems and policy decisions regarding German education are addressed by a joint initiative called "Konzertierte Aktion Internationales Marketing für den Bildungs- und Forschungsstandort Deutschland" (KAIM). KAIM coordinates efforts of the partners, which include the state and federal government, universities, trade unions and industry associations. (The name of the group, KAIM, refers to earlier cooperative efforts, for example the at the end of the 1960s.) It tries to improve the international position of German education and research capacities, including marketing. Estimating that American universities receive US$10 billion annually from tuition fees and other financial contributions, which KAIM sees as an important source of revenue for the US, they have warned Germany to prepare for American attempts to market the American university model via the World Trade Organization in order to corner the international educational and research market. The Humboldt concept and its image are used by different and sometimes opposing parties in the German debate.
Free University of Berlin
The year 2007 was another crucial year for the Free University of Berlin as it was the university with the most approved funding applications in the German Universities Excellence Initiative, and it is now one of nine elite German universities to receive funding for its future development strategy. In the same year, Free University of Berlin dedicated a monument to the founding students who were murdered during the protests. The university presents its Freedom Award to personalities who have made a special contribution toward the cause of freedom.
Bundeswehr University Munich
In 1970 the then minister of defence Helmut Schmidt decided that the education of military officers in Germany had to be reviewed and had to include full academic studies. After one year the "Ellwein commission" presented its proposal for the creation of two civilian colleges within the armed forces. Students should get fully recognised civilian degrees independent of their military profession, to have a higher qualified officer corps and more incentives to join the military. The idea was that students would have better conditions than at normal universities so that they could cope with a higher workload and study faster. After almost two years of discussions and the necessary legislative procedures, both universities could open. University education normally being a responsibility of the German states, Universität der Bundeswehr München and Helmut Schmidt University are the only federal universities in Germany. With their innovative concepts Helmut Schmidt University and Universität der Bundeswehr München quickly became widely known as reform universities within the very traditional German university landscape. In the following years the universities had to establish their image and reputation and finally were accepted as full universities with the rights to award doctorate degrees as well as Habilitations to qualify university professors in the 80s. In the 90s and 2000s the university has started to open its teaching towards civilian students and to extend its international relations. While the researchers and doctorate students always used to be mainly civilians, the student body still had been purely military in the 90s. Today, Universität der Bundeswehr München has concluded partnership contracts with different major financial and industrial companies, which send students to Universität der Bundeswehr München. In the past few years different federal agencies have started to qualify their employees at the university. Since 2007 Universität der Bundeswehr München has changed its degree to the harmonized Bologna system. It has completely restructed its curriculums and awards bachelor's and master's degrees instead of the former German Diplom.The university is located in Neubiberg in the south of Munich, Bavaria. There are S-Bahn and U-Bahn connections to Neuperlach Süd as well as three bus connections available. In addition to that, there are motorway exits at Neubiberg and Neuperlach, permitting fast access by car. The large campus used to host the Air Force officer school before, and also included a military airport. Former runways are still used for scientific testing of vehicles.
Since the 1970s a large number of buildings has been built for teaching, scientific research and student housing. Most of the students live in modern individual student dormitories on the campus and next to the university buildings. There is currently a large renovation process ongoing on the campus: within the next years about € 220m will be spent on building activities. On campus students have access to different sports facilities like gyms, tennis courts and golf ranges.
Different multinational engineering companies have their headquarters or important industrial facilities directly next to the campus, most notably Siemens, Infineon Technologies, Bosch and Siemens Household Appliances (BSH), and EADS facilitating frequent cooperation in research.
Dormitory
In Germany there are dormitories called "Studentenwohnheim" (plural: Studentenwohnheime). Most Studentenwohnheime are run by the Studentenwerk (an organisation providing social, financial and cultural support services to students in Germany, comparable to student unions in the UK). Some Studentenwohnheime are run by a Catholic or Protestant church. Church-run facilities are sometimes single-sex.
Studentenwohnheime may be situated on or off campus. They are usually low cost and serve students with limited budget. Flats may be shared with other students or may be studio-type, with on-suite bathroom and kitchen facilities. The rooms themselves are always single occupancy.
German Universities Excellence Initiative
The funding for a future concept does often, but not necessarily result in a superior overall budget compared to other German universities. For example, due to its small size, the University of Constance is despite this additional means, not included in the top 20 funded universities in Germany.
Free University of Berlin
In the late 1960s, Free University of Berlin was one of the main scenes of the German student movement of 68 as a reaction to the global student protests during that time. After the assassination of student Benno Ohnesorg and the attempt on Rudi Dutschke's life, protests quickly escalated to violence in all of Germany. The events of the 68-movement provided the impulse for more openness, equality, and democracy in German society.
Charité
Many famous physicians and scientists worked or studied at the Charité. Indeed, more than half of the German Nobel Prize winners in medicine and physiology come from the Charité. Forty Nobel laureates are affiliated with Humboldt University of Berlin and five with Freie Universität Berlin.
In 2003 the Berlin city and state House of Representatives passed an interim law unifying the medical faculties of both Humboldt University and Freie Universität Berlin under the roof of the Charité. Since 2010/11 all new medical students have been enrolled on the New Revised Medical Curriculum Programme with a length of 6 years. Referred to the points needed in the German Abitur to get directly accepted, the Charité is together with Heidelberg University Medical School Germany's most competitive medical school (2016). 3,17% of all Charité Medical School students are supported by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation, the highest percentage of all public German Universities. The Erasmus Exchange Programme offered for Charité Medical School students is the largest in Europe.The Charité is one of the main partners of the Einstein Foundation, which was established by the city and state of Berlin in 2009. It is a "foundation that aims to promote science and research of top international caliber in Berlin and to establish the city as a centre of scientific excellence". Research fellows include:
Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin does not charge any tuition fees in the classical sense. Since 2003, public universities in Berlin introduced the model of semester contributions ("Semesterbeiträge"). It consists of an enrollment/re-registration fee, a contribution to the student union ("Studentenwerk"), a contribution for the student government and the fee for the semester ticket (public transportation pass) for the current semester. The fees for the semester ticket is defined by a contract with the local transportation company, the Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg and allows students to move freely in the ABC zones of Berlin. In the winter semester of 2013/14, students are required to pay €285.83 in total.
Since 2011, Free University of Berlin participates in the national "Germany Scholarship" program organized by the federal government, universities and numerous private companies. Highly talented and committed students can get €300 each month.
Education in Germany
With much controversy, the state of Baden-Württemberg has reintroduced tuition fees at public universities starting in 2017. From autumn 2017, students who are not citizens of an EU/EEA member state are expected to pay €1,500 per semester. Students who enroll for their second degree in Germany are expected to pay €650 per semester regardless of their country of origin. Although heavily criticised in Germany, the amount is considered below average in comparison with other European countries.
College-preparatory school
The γυμνάσιον (gymnasion) of Ancient Greece was a place for physical and eventually also intellectual education of young men. The later meaning of intellectual education persisted in German and other languages, whereas in English, the older meaning of physical education was retained.
The German Gymnasien are selective and competitive schools. They enroll students after completing 4th or 6th grade (depending on the "Bundesland", i.e., state) and prepare them for college.
The vast majority of Gymnasien is public and does not charge tuition fees. Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the German constitution, forbids segregation of students according to the means of their parents (the so-called Sondierungsverbot). Therefore, most private Gymnasien have rather low tuition fees and/or offer scholarships.
Culture of Germany
Germany is home to some of the finest academic centers in Europe. Some famous universities are those of Munich and Berlin, University of Tübingen, University of Göttingen, University of Marburg, University of Berlin, Mining Academy Freiberg and Freiburg University, among many others. Moreover, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg is one of the oldest universities in Europe.
University of Greifswald
The University of Greifswald was a large scale land owner until post-World War II communist land reforms. It owned more than 140 square kilometres of arable land, the revenue of which was the basis for its financial independence and wealth. It was one of the wealthiest universities in Germany. Parts of the land that the university previously possessed have been given back to the university since the German reunification, but some claims are still pending in court. Today, the university again manages some of the land previously owned, including a large forest near Eldena that is open to the public, but the revenue is low compared to other sources of funding. The university-owned forest is administered by university foresters.
Diplom-Jurist
Historically, German law students did not receive any academic degree upon completion of their curriculum. Instead, after usually four or five years of study, students would sit their First State Examination (Erstes Staatsexamen) in Law, which was administered by the ministry of justice of the respective state, not the university. More recently, however, some universities have begun to award their students a Diplom-Jurist upon passing the First State Examination, in order to indicate the equivalence of the education to a master's degree in other disciplines.
List of universities in Germany
This is a list of the universities in Germany, of which there are about seventy. The list also includes German "Technische Universitäten" (universities of technology), which have official and full university status, but usually focus on engineering and the natural sciences rather than covering the whole spectrum of academic disciplines. Some seventeen German universities rank among top 250 universities in world Highest ranked universities in Germany include some research oriented universities for MS, MBA and Medical and Engineering.
Education in Germany
In Germany, education is the responsibility of the states ("Länder") and part of their constitutional sovereignty ("Kulturhoheit der Länder"). Teachers are employed by the Ministry of Education for the state and usually have a job for life after a certain period (verbeamtet) (which, however, is not comparable in timeframe nor competitiveness to the typical tenure track, e.g. at universities in the US). This practice depends on the state and is currently changing. A parents' council is elected to voice the parents' views to the school's administration. Each class elects one or two "Klassensprecher" (class presidents; if two are elected usually one is male and the other female), who meet several times a year as the "Schülerrat" (students' council).
Bachelor of Science
In Germany, there are two kinds of universities: "Universitäten" and "Fachhochschulen" (which are also called University of Applied Sciences). "Universitäten" and "Fachhochschulen" – both also called "Hochschulen" - are legally equal, but "Fachhochschulen" have the reputation of being more related to practice and have no legal right to offer PhD programmes.
Studienstiftung
The German Academic Scholarship Foundation (German: "Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes", or "Studienstiftung" for short) is Germany's largest, oldest and most prestigious scholarship foundation. In line with its statutes, it supports "the university education of young people who, on account of their exceptional academic or artistic talents and their personalities, can be expected to make an outstanding contribution to society as a whole". The "Studienstiftung" is non-political, non-denominational and ideologically independent. Its headquarters are located in Bonn; it also has an office in Berlin. The current president is Reinhard Zimmermann, and it operates under the auspices of the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
University of Siegen
University of Siegen offers in total 126 degree programmes across four faculties:The university has a combined undergraduate and graduate student population of around 17,500. Approximately 13.5% of these students are foreigners.
The University of Siegen offers a large variety of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral degree programs at its four faculties in 144 fields of study.
As common among German universities, the academic year consists of summer and winter terms (semesters). The winter term runs from October 1 to March 31, while the summer term runs from April 1 to September 30. However, lectures and classes usually do not run for the full duration of these periods and allow for breaks in spring and fall.
German universities enjoy government subsidies, and as a result of legislative reform, beginning in Fall 2011 the University of Siegen will no longer charge tuition fees.
Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin operates on a semester calendar where the winter term begins on 1 October and ends on 31 March. The exact same model can be found at almost every university in Germany. The time where lectures are being held varies each year, normally beginning around mid-October and ending as early as mid-February.
Free University of Berlin offers a broad spectrum of subjects in over 190 degree programs. A speciality of the FU is the possibility to study a vast number of "small subjects" (e.g. theater and film studies, Egyptology, Byzantine studies, Jewish studies, Turkology, Sinology, Communication studies, Meteorology, Bioinformatics, Biochemistry) with a high level of specialization. Due to the Bologna process, most of the undergraduate programs are now leading to the three-year Bachelor's degree with 180 ECTS. At Free University of Berlin, Bachelor programs are generally divided into three categories: a regular Bachelor called "Mono-Bachelor", a combined Bachelor ("Kombi-Bachelor") consisting of two fields of studies and a combined Bachelor with a teaching option. Besides the core subject(s), all students are required to complete a series of courses related to general professional skills (ABV).
The old Diplom and Magister artium programs are still running, but do not accept new admissions anymore. In the fields of Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and the law, students enroll in programs with "Staatsexamen". Free University of Berlin also offers a variety of graduate degrees, from the master's degree to doctoral degrees.
Bundeswehr University Munich
Similar to some other military run universities like the École Polytechnique the university only offers civilian study courses. The contents generally have no relation to the military and correspond to courses at regular German universities. Bachelor´s and Master´s studies in total consist of 400 ECTS credit points. Due to this there also is a small number of highly gifted civilian students who are sponsored by industrial and financial companies like Allianz, Bosch or Munich Re. In addition to that other German ministries and federal institutions like Bundesnachrichtendienst also educate some of their employees at the university. In cooperation with George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies a course of studies for senior leaders (International Strategic Studies) has been introduced. The university also has international students and offers individual mentoring and tutoring programmes. Universität der Bundeswehr has concluded partnership contracts with an increasing number of international universities.
Furthermore, it is possible for civilians to receive a doctorate or to qualify as a university lecturer ("Habilitation"). All of the professors are civilians and the number of professors per student is significantly higher than at normal German universities. Thus in general the conditions for teaching are better.
In autumn 2009 the university introduced the first military related engineering course of study called "Defence Engineering", which is solely dedicated to civilian students from industrial companies and federal institutions.
Military students of the university usually only have a maximum of 4 years to pass their Master's within the intensive studies with more content. If they do not finish their Bachelor's after 2 1/4 years with the necessary grades they cannot proceed. As the studies have to be finished in a shorter time than at common German universities the "academic year" consists of three trimesters instead of the normal two semesters.
The university has restructured its courses of study according to the Bologna treaty and offers bachelor's and master's degrees as well as doctoral and postdoctoral studies. Universität der Bundeswehr offers normal university courses of studies as well as a few more practical oriented "Fachhochschule" (University of Applied Sciences) study courses.
Free University of Berlin
During the 1970s and the 1980s, the university became a ""Massenuniversität"" ("mass/mega university") with 50,298 registered students in 1983. After reunification, Free University of Berlin was the second largest university in Germany (after the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) with 62,072 students in the winter term of 1991/92. Shortly thereafter, the senate of Berlin decided to drastically reduce enrollment until 2003, the number of students shrank to 43,885 in the winter term of 2002/03.
Affirmative action
Article 3 of the German Basic Law provides for equal rights of all people regardless of sex, race or social background. There are programs stating that if men and women have equal qualifications, women have to be preferred for a job; moreover, the disabled should be preferred to non-disabled people. This is typical for all positions in state and university service , typically using the phrase "We try to increase diversity in this line of work". In recent years, there has been a long public debate about whether to issue programs that would grant women a privileged access to jobs in order to fight discrimination. Germany's "Left Party" brought up the discussion about affirmative action in Germany's school system. According to Stefan Zillich, quotas should be "a possibility" to help working class children who did not do well in school gain access to a "Gymnasium" (University-preparatory school). Headmasters of "Gymnasien" have objected, saying that this type of policy would "be a disservice" to poor children.
University of Tübingen
Tübingen's elitist self-conception is often controversially discussed. Since almost all German universities are public (most private universities do not have the official German "Universitätsstatus"), and therefore mainly paid by taxes and generally egalitarian, there is no German Ivy League of institutions of higher education. Moreover, the German Universities Excellence Initiative is a publicity-laden fund for specific research projects only. It aims to promote cutting-edge research, to create outstanding conditions for young scientists at universities, and to strengthen some selected universities more than others in order to raise their international visibility.
Hochschule
The German education system knows two different types of universities, which do not have the same legal status. The term "Hochschule" can be used to refer to all institutions of higher education in Germany that confer academic degrees, that is both regular universities ("Universitäten") and "Fachhochschulen".
Free University of Berlin
The Free University of Berlin (, often abbreviated as FU Berlin or simply FU) is a research university located in Berlin, Germany. One of Germany's most distinguished universities, it is known for its research in the humanities and social sciences, as well as in the field of natural and life sciences.
Franco-German University
The Franco-German University (FGU, , ) is an international organization of universities from Germany and France with the purpose of facilitating international cooperation in higher education. The FGU is not a university in its own right, but rather enables students to study at multiple universities in both countries in a Franco-German course of study, leading to a double degree.
Free education
In European countries such as France and Malta, tuition is usually free for European students, and in Germany, tuition is free for all European and international students. In Scotland University tuition is free for all Scottish nationals and is discounted for all European students, except from students coming from other parts of the United Kingdom.
German Universities Excellence Initiative
Since almost all German universities are public (most private universities do not have the official German "Universitätsstatus"), and therefore mainly paid by taxes and generally egalitarian, there is no German Ivy League of institutions of higher education. However, the Excellence Initiative aims to strengthen some selected universities more than others in order to raise their international visibility. The initiative is conducted by the German Research Foundation (DFG) together with the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR). More than 30 universities in total received funding. It includes three lines of funding:
History of European research universities
The situation in Germany, or rather the various German states, was different. The specific German Bildungsbürgertum, which emerged in starting from the mid-18th century with an educational ideal based on idealistic values and classical antiquity had failed in gaining political power and in its aims for nationalist movement. The Bildungsbürger turned to education as means to construct a common national culture and strived for freedom against the nobility in power. Only when Prussia and its absolutist government had been utterly defeated by the Napoleonic armies in 1806, the weakness of the defeated government allowed for the Prussian reforms of the county's institutions. 
"Just as primary instruction makes the teacher possible, so he renders himself dispensable through schooling at the secondary level. The university teacher is thus no longer a teacher and the student is no longer a pupil. Instead the student conducts research on his own behalf and the professor supervises his research and supports him in it." Early 19th-century American educators were also fascinated by German educational trends. The Prussian approach was used for example in the Michigan Constitution of 1835, which fully embraced the overall Prussian system by introducing a range of primary schools, secondary schools, and the University of Michigan itself, all administered by the state and supported with tax-based funding. However, some of the concepts in the Prussian reforms of primordial education, "Bildung" and its close interaction of education, society and nation-building are in conflict with American state-sceptical libertarian thinking.
Freedom was an important concept in the German university model, and the system of professors was based on competition and freedom: although professors served as state functionaries, they had the freedom to choose between several states, and their identity and prestige arose from the specialization of scientific disciplines.
Free University of Berlin
Free University of Berlin is consistently ranked among Germany's top ten universities overall, with particularly strengths in the arts & humanities followed by the social sciences internationally.
Academic grading in Germany
At university level, the distribution is highly non-normal and idiosyncratic to the subject. Substantially more German students fail exams in university than in other countries (usually about 20-40%, often even more). Grades awarded vary widely between fields of study and between universities. (In law degrees, for instance, only 10-15% of candidates get a grade better than "befriedigend".)
Humboldtian model of higher education
In Germany, the German Universities Excellence Initiative was begun in 2005–06 to counter the perceived lack of cutting-edge achievement in both research and education in the state-funded universities. This initiative is primarily driven and funded at the federal level. The American tradition of large private grants and foundations for science has been mirrored in the 21st century, for example at Freiberg University of Mining and Technology. The Freiberg University, one of the oldest mining schools in the world, narrowly escaped closure after German reunification. In 2007 it received a private grant in the triple-digit millions of euros from the "Dr.-Erich-Krüger-Stiftung" (Dr. Erich Krüger Foundation), the largest grant ever made to a state-owned university in Germany. Peter Krüger, the Munich-based real estate and food retail entrepreneur who endowed the foundation, was born in Freiberg and started an apprenticeship there in 1946, but was driven away by the East German communists because of his bourgeois background. He was made an honorary senator of the University of Mining and Technology in 2007.
Private university
Germany has 83 private universities (called "Privathochschule") and 45 church-run universities (called "kirchliche Hochschule"). Similar to the state-run universities, they are subdivided into "Universitäten" (research universities), "Fachhochschulen" (universities of applied science) and "Kunst- und Musikhochschulen" (art schools). Private universities in Germany need institutional accreditation by the state.
Ruhr
The three largest universities (Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen) opened an alliance called "UA Ruhr". Students enrolled at one of the UA Ruhr universities can attend lectures and seminars at all three institutions without having to pay a visiting student fee. Consequently, they have many options to specialize in and to explore their chosen disciplines in depth. The UA Ruhr has three liaison offices for interested students in New York City, Moscow and São Paulo. All public transport companies in the Ruhr region are run under the umbrella of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, which provides a uniform ticket system valid for the entire area. The Ruhr region is well-integrated into the national rail system, the Deutsche Bahn, for both passenger and goods services, each city in the region has at least one or more train stations. The bigger central stations have hourly direct connections to the bigger European cities as Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Vienna or Zürich.
Academic tenure
Due to a university system that guarantees universities relative academic freedom, the position of professor in Germany is relatively strong and independent. As civil servants, professors have a series of attendant rights and benefits, yet this status is subject to discussion; for example, the question of relating professorial pay to performance rather than merely to age is now being considered.
Germany
Most of the German universities are public institutions, and students traditionally study without fee payment. The general requirement for university is the "Abitur". However, there are a number of exceptions, depending on the state, the college and the subject. Tuition free academic education is open to international students and is increasingly common.
According to an OECD report in 2014, Germany is the world's third leading destination for international study.
Academic freedom
The German Constitution () specifically grants academic freedom: "Art and science, research and teaching are free. Freedom of teaching does not absolve from loyalty to the constitution" (Art. 5, para. 3). In a tradition reaching back to the 19th century, jurisdiction has understood this right as one to teach ('), study ('), and conduct research (') freely, although the last concept has sometimes been taken as a cover term for the first two. ' embraces the right of professors to determine the content of their lectures and to publish the results of their research without prior approval.
Indians in Germany
Germany has become a popular destination for higher learning, and of the total student population in Germany about 12% are International students. Hundreds of schools in India have signed up to teach students German as their primary foreign language as part of an effort by Germany's top technical colleges to attract more Indian students. As a result, there has been a steady increase in the Indian student population in Germany which has quadrupled in 7 years since 2008. Of these, more than 80% Indian students pursue their studies or research in the STEM fields i.e., Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. There are also Indians in Germany who actively take up and organize lectures and discussions on relevant social and political issues. In 2016, many students and research fellows at the University of Göttingen, and Goethe Institute Göttingen took part in the Dalit Asmita Yatra (meaning, Dalit Pride March). In July 2017, the first International Conference on Periyar Self-Respect Movement was organized at the University of Cologne to commemorate the 91st anniversary of the Self-Respect Movement that started in 1926.
Bundeswehr University Munich
Bundeswehr University Munich (, UniBw München) is one of only two federal research universities in Germany that both were founded in 1973 as part of the German Armed Forces ("Bundeswehr"). Originally called "Hochschule der Bundeswehr München" the institution was supposed to offer civilian academic education for military officers. Today, the university has an increasing number of civilian and international students. The academic year at the university is structured in "trimesters" and not the usual semesters, to offer intensive studies with more credit points per year. Very capable students can therefore achieve a bachelor's and a master's degree within less than four years, while this would usually require five years. Universität der Bundeswehr München has well-established scientific research and forms part of two excellence clusters of the German government's university excellence initiative. Bundeswehr University is one of only very few campus universities in Germany.
Education in Germany
Germany's universities are recognised internationally; in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) for 2008, six of the top 100 universities in the world are in Germany, and 18 of the top 200. Germany ranks third in the QS World University Rankings 2011.
German Universities Excellence Initiative
Out of the 140 universities in Germany 11 universities were chosen, among them five new winners (HU Berlin, University of Bremen, University of Cologne, TU Dresden, University of Tübingen) and six title holders: RWTH Aachen, FU Berlin, Heidelberg University, University of Konstanz, LMU Munich, and Technical University of Munich. These universities are commonly referred to by the media as "elite universities". As in 2006 and 2007, also other universities were awarded for special clusters of excellence and renowned graduate schools.
Friedrich Naumann Foundation
The Friedrich Naumann Foundation, together with other foundations of different philosophical, political and ideological orientation and the non-political German National Academic Foundation, acts as an instrument for the promotion of excellence in German university education. This scholarship system is subsidised by the Federal Government of Germany.
Currently, the foundation sponsors around 800 students, among those 175 PhD students (as of 2009 (German)). Awards are granted after a multi-stage selection process and are based on grades, letters of recommendation, personality and character, political and social commitment with a dedication to liberal values and interviews with staff and affiliates of the foundation. Around 20% of the scholarships are held by foreign students, studying at a university in Germany.
Free University of Berlin
With 12 departments (FB) and three interdisciplinary central institutes, the university can be seen as an "universitas litterarum" (a traditional university where studies in all basic sciences is possible).Despite the variety of subjects, apart from computer science, studies in the field of engineering can only be done at the Technical University or universities of applied science "(Fachhochschulen)".With 33,000 applicants for the undergraduate programs (Bachelor) in 2013, admissions at Free University of Berlin remain highly competitive as the university only offers about 4,300 places each year. Due to the high numbers of applicants, most undergraduate programs at Free University of Berlin have limitations determined through the NC.
The general deadline for students directly from high school applying to limited programs in the coming winter semester is 15 July every year at all universities in Germany.
Gymnasium (Germany)
In 2005, the German government spent €5,400 per student for those attending public gymnasium. This is less than what was spent on a student attending Hauptschule, but more than was spent on those attending Realschule. It should be noted that some Hauptschule and Gesamtschule students have special needs requiring extra help, so those schools cannot operate as cost-effectively as gymnasia.
Gymnasium (Germany)
Gymnasia are generally public, state-funded schools, but a number of parochial and private gymnasia also exist. In 2009/10, 11.1 percent of gymnasium students attended a private gymnasium. These often charge tuition fees, though many also offer scholarships. Tuition fees are lower than in comparable European countries. Some gymnasia are boarding schools, while others run as day schools; they are now predominantly co-educational, and few single-sex schools remain.
Universities and research institutions in Berlin
The Berlin-Brandenburg capital region is one of the most prolific centers of higher education and research in the world. It is the largest concentration of universities and colleges in Germany. The city has four public research universities and 27 private, professional and technical colleges "(Hochschulen)", offering a wide range of disciplines. Access to the German university system is tuition free.
Bard College Berlin
Bard College Berlin (formerly known as ECLA or European College of Liberal Arts) is a private, non-profit institution of higher education in Berlin, Germany. It was founded as a non-profit association in 1999. The college is, according to Martha Nussbaum, one of the educational institutions in Europe that makes the liberal arts idea into reality. Students and faculty come from all over the world and the language of instruction is English. Qualifying students earn both an American B.A. and a German B.A.
Free University of Berlin
Because of an unresolved dispute over the Nobel laureates before the Second World War (both Humboldt and Free University of Berlin claim to be the rightful successor of the University of Berlin), they do not appear in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), anymore. The last ARWU, also known as Shanghai Ranking, placed the FU at 83rd in the world in 2007.
Peter Gruss
Gruss pointed out on numerous occasions that the appointment of directors at the Max Planck Society involved competing with some of the world's leading research institutions: "Yet we at Max Planck are not competing with the average – we are competing with the Harvards, the Cambridges and ETH Zurichs of this world". He went on to say that Germany was not internationally competitive when it came to pay, but that the Max Planck Society was largely able to offset this disadvantage due to the support it enjoyed from the Max Planck Foundation and thanks to its world-renowned planning security. A first step towards improving the financial conditions for top scientists from overseas was the Freedom of Science Initiative of the German Government, which has offered non-university research institutions new financial freedoms since 2009.
Jacobs University Bremen
An admission process of a typical German university is overall not selective. Domestic students with Abitur(University Entrance Qualification) can enroll a "zulassungsfrei"(literally, admission-free) program without any application. It can be a bit selective or necessary to wait for places by "zulassungsbeschänkt"(literally, admission-limited) or NC programs, due to the limited educational resources. An application to a US university can be complicated, typically with supplying SAT/ACT scores, English test score for non-native speakers, GPA of school years, recommendation letters, and an essay, extracurricular activities. It can be very selective. For example, Rice University has an admission rate at about 15%. "Jacobs" is using an admission process similar to US universities.
University of Göttingen
As Germany is a member of the European Union, university students have the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus Programme. The university also has exchange programs and partnerships with reputable universities outside Europe such as University of Technology, Sydney in Australia, Tsinghua University, Peking University and Fudan University in China, Tokyo University in Japan and the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States.
Humboldt University of Berlin
Today, Humboldt University is a state university with a large number of students (36,986 in 2014, among them more than 4,662 foreign students) after the model of West German universities, and like its counterpart the Free University of Berlin.
Public Health Postgraduates Germany
The University of Kassel was chosen because of its geographical location in the heart of Germany, but also because of personal contacts to the faculty. Since 1987, the University of Kassel was very active researching the philosophical consequences of the Holocaust within Germany itself. The stood in the tradition of the in Frankfurt, Germany. In 1974, historian Fred Rosenbaum founded Lehrhaus Judaica in Berkeley, California, USA. In spite of the Holocaust, committed by Germans, he still took the German word "Lehrhaus" as its name (meaning “house of learning”) and inspiration from this school for Jewish studies founded by philosopher Franz Rosenzweig in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1920. Furthermore, the Free Speech Movement (FSM) from 1964 to 1965 at the University of California, Berkeley was a historical precursor of the German student movement in 1968. While founding Public Health Postgraduates Germany between 1996–1997, founders had personal contact to in Kassel, Fred Rosenbaum in Berkeley and , son of Franz Rosenzweig, in Switzerland.
Free education
Free education is education funded through taxation or charitable organizations rather than tuition funding. Many models of free higher education have been proposed. Primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in many countries, for example, and all education is mostly free (often not including books (from primary) and a number of administrative and sundry fees in university) including post-graduate studies in the Nordic countries. The Article 13 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ensures the right to free education at primary education and progressive introduction of it at secondary and higher education as the right to education.
Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz
The Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz (mostly known by its abbreviation BAföG) is Germany's Federal Training Assistance Act for students at secondary schools and universities in Germany. Since its introduction in 1971, it has regulated federal student grants and loans. Students who receive loans and grants under this law refer to it by saying they "receive BAföG". In 2012, 24% of all students in Germany received financial support via "BAföG".
List of universities in Germany
Some universities were established in the 14th or 15th centuries, but shut down for longer periods and later re-opened (e.g. the universities of Cologne, Erfurt, Ingolstadt, Mainz and Würzburg). These are not included in this list.
Education in Germany
In Germany, Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the Grundgesetz, the constitution of Germany, guarantees the right to establish private schools. This article belongs to the first part of the German basic law, which defines civil and human rights. A right which is guaranteed in this part of the Grundgesetz can only be suspended in a state of emergency, if the respective article specifically states this possibility. That is not the case with this article. It is also not possible to abolish these rights. This unusual protection of private schools was implemented to protect them from a second Gleichschaltung or similar event in the future.
Demographics of Germany
The national constitutions of 1919 and 1949 guarantee freedom of faith and religion; earlier, these freedoms were mentioned only in state constitutions. The modern constitution of 1949 also states that no one may be discriminated against due to their faith or religious opinions. A state church does not exist in Germany (see Freedom of religion in Germany).
According to a 1990s poll by "Der Spiegel", 45% of Germans believe in God, and a quarter in Jesus Christ. According to the Eurobarometer Poll 2010, 44% of German citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", 25% responded that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 27% responded that "they don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force". 4% gave no response.
Thuringia
The German higher education system comprises two forms of academic institutions: universities and polytechnics (Fachhochschule). The University of Jena is the biggest amongst Thuringia's four universities and offers nearly every discipline. It was founded in 1558, and today has 21,000 students. The second-largest is the Technische Universität Ilmenau with 7,000 students, founded in 1894, which offers many technical disciplines such as engineering and mathematics. The University of Erfurt, founded in 1392, has 5,000 students today and an emphasis on humanities and teacher training. The Bauhaus University Weimar with 4,000 students is Thuringia's smallest university, specialising in creative subjects such as architecture and arts. It was founded in 1860 and came to prominence as Germany's leading art school during the inter-war period, the Bauhaus.
Humboldt's Ideal
"Humboldt's educational ideal" developed around two central concepts of public education: The concept of the autonomous individual and the concept of world citizenship. The university should be a place where autonomous individuals and World Citizen are produced at or more specifically, produce themselves.Academic freedom describes independence of the university from outside governmental and economic constraints. The university is to evade government influence. Humboldt demands that the scientific institution of higher education should loose itself "from all forms within the state". Therefore, his concept of university planned, for example, that the University of Berlin should have its own goods in order to finance itself and thereby secure its economic independence. Academic freedom also demands, next to independence of the university from outside governmental and economic constraints, the independence from within; i.e. free choice of study and free organization of studies. The University should therefore be a place of permanent public exchange between all involved in the scientific process. The integration of their knowledge shall be pursued with the help of philosophy. Philosophy is supposed to represent a kind of basic science, which allows members of different scientific disciplines to bring an exchange of their discovery and to link them together. "Humboldt's educational ideal" formed German University History decisively for a long period, albeit it was never realized practically in its entirety or cannot be realized. Great intellectual achievements of German science is linked to it.
Jacobs University Bremen
US universities can be public or private, which typically offer 4-year undergraduate programs with charging very expensive annual tuition fees and providing accommodations so that students can live in the campus. At the meanwhile, most German universities are public. They offer 3-year undergraduate programs after Bologna Process, which charge mostly no tuitions but only fees for board and traffic ticket per semester, and don't provide accommodations. Dormitories and meals are managed by Studentenwerk, a municipal student service organization independent to universities. Due to the limited numbers of rooms, not every student will be offered a place after application. Now "Jacobs", a private university, offers 3-year undergraduate programs with less expensive tuition fees, providing residential campus for every students. It can be the first and the only private institution to provide comprehensive higher education programs with residential campus in Germany.
Alumniportal Deutschland
Alumniportal Deutschland is a non-profit online social network of "Germany Alumni" – designed for anyone from around the world who has studied, researched, worked or completed a (further) training or a language course in Germany or at a German institution abroad. It offers its users the opportunity to get in touch with Germany-Alumni from around the world as well as companies in order to discuss special interest topics, develop their skills and benefit from the expertise of others. The portal is a networking platform for both the professional and private field. It is open to any and all international Germany Alumni, regardless of whether or not they received a scholarship from one of the many German scholarship organizations, participated in an organized study abroad program, or enrolled directly in an institution. The registration and use of Alumniportal Deutschland is free of charge and can be done as individual or as business/organization.
University of the German Federal Armed Forces
The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) runs two universities—one in Munich, (Bundeswehr University Munich) and another in Hamburg (Helmut Schmidt University)—which focus on the scientific work and the academic study of the German armed forces' officers. Unlike other nations' military academies, both universities only offer courses of study which have almost no relation to the military and correspond to courses at regular German universities.
List of Free University of Berlin people
A list of Free University of Berlin people. Alumni and faculty of the Free University include many scientists, philosophers and politicians, amongst them five Nobel Prize winners and 15 Leibniz laureates.The DFG has awarded the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize to outstanding German scientists every year since 1985. As the most acclaimed award for research achievements in Germany, it comes with a research grant of 2.5 million € to be used within seven years.During its history, Free University has awarded various people with an honorary degree, amongst them:
History of Germany
Hanover did not have to support a lavish court—its rulers were also kings of England and resided in London. George III, elector (ruler) from 1760 to 1820, never once visited Hanover. The local nobility who ran the country opened the University of Göttingen in 1737; it soon became a world-class intellectual center. Baden sported perhaps the best government of the smaller states. Karl Friedrich ruled well for 73 years (1738–1811) and was an enthusiast for The Enlightenment; he abolished serfdom in 1783.
Education in Germany
The rate of university graduates varies by federal state. The number is the highest in Berlin and the lowest in Schleswig-Holstein. Similarly, the ratio of school graduates with university entrance qualification varies by state between 38% and 64%.
Education in Germany
While there are numerous ways to achieve entrance qualification to German universities, the most traditional route has always been graduation from a Gymnasium with the Abitur; however this has become less common over time. As of 2008, less than half of university freshmen in some German states had graduated from a Gymnasium. Even in Bavaria (a state with a policy of strengthening the Gymnasium) only 56 percent of freshmen had graduated from a Gymnasium. The rest were awarded the Abitur from another type of school or did not hold the Abitur certification at all.
Education in Germany
While German universities have a strong focus on research, a large part of it is also done outside of universities in independent institutes that are embedded in academic clusters, such as within the Max Planck, Fraunhofer, Leibniz and Helmholtz institutes. This German peculiarity of “outsourcing” research leads to a competition for funds between universities and research institutes and may negatively affect academic rankings.
List of universities in Germany
The list does not, however, cover the German "Fachhochschulen" (University of Applied Sciences) or institutions that cover only certain disciplines such as business studies, fine arts, or engineering. Those do not have all of the responsibilities and limitations of universities, and they cannot award doctorate degrees on their own.
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
In general it is not clear who the rankings are made for. Many students, especially the undergraduate students, are not interested in the scientific work of a facility of higher education. Also the price of the education has no effects on the ranking. That means that private universities on the North American continent are compared to the European universities. Many European countries like France, Sweden or Germany for example have a long tradition on offering free education within facilities of higher education.
Gymnasium (school)
German gymnasiums are selective schools. They offer the most academically promising youngsters a quality education that is free in all state-run schools (and generally not above 50 €/month cost in Church-run schools, though there are some expensive private schools). Gymnasiums may expel students who academically underperform their classmates or behave in a way that is seen as unacceptable.
Education in Germany
Germany's "Left Party" brought up the discussion about affirmative action. According to Stefan Zillich, quotas should be "a possibility" to help working class children who did not do well in school gain access to a Gymnasium. Headmasters of Gymnasien have objected, saying that this type of policy would "be a disservice" to poor children, that they would not be able to academically keep up with their classmates and that they would not feel welcome at a Gymnasium. Wolfgang Harnischfeger, headmaster of a well known Berlin Gymnasium, stated: "It can be noticed in children as young as kindergarten-age, that children take after their parents. They emulate their language, their way of dressing, their way of spending their freetime. Children from Neukölln (a poor neighbourhood) would not feel good about themselves if they had to attend that type of school that mainly serves pupils from social classes different from their own. They will not be able to integrate. Every field-day, every school party will show that very soon." He also said that "this kind of policy would weaken the Gymnasium" and that this would be dangerous, because "German society could not afford to do without the truly educated adults the Gymnasium produces". Stefan Zillich has answered to this, saying that "German society can not afford having only so few adults who were truly educated". While affirmative action laws were not passed (status: January 2010) sought after schools have been guaranteed the right to employ their own quotas since the 1970s.
American Association of Teachers of German
For over 50 years, the Federal Republic of Germany, through the German Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) and its Pedagogical Exchange Service (Pädagogischer Austauschdienst), has provided the AATG/PAD Study Trip Awards, a 3-4 week trip to Germany in the summer following the Exam. Students attend classes at an academic high school, stay in homestays, and participate in various excursions to places of cultural significance. The initial selection process takes place through the AATG National German Exam: Those students who score at or above the 90th percentile and meet eligibility requirements are informed that they can apply for the Study Trip Award. Of those who apply, two candidates are selected from each state by the AATG Chapter committee: Award 1, a sophomore or junior, and award 2, a senior. These candidates' applications are then sent to the National AATG Selection Committee, which makes the final decisions.
Education in Germany
Church and state are separated in Germany. Compulsory school prayers and compulsory attendance at religious services at state schools are against the constitution. (It is expected, though, to stand politely for the school prayer even if one does not pray along.) In 1995, it was ruled that the Christian cross was not allowed in classrooms, as it violates the religious freedom of non-Christian students. The cross is allowed if none of the pupils object, but must be removed in the event of an objection. Some German states have banned teachers from wearing headscarves.
Education in Austria
The country’s university system was free until 2001; since then studies have been subject to fees (€366 per term for Austrian citizens, about €700 per term for non-Austrians). There are some non-state exceptions to this, where students can still study for a subsidized education, for example within the campus system of the English Teacher Training College. In 2008, however, the government decided to abolish fees for students who complete their studies in the minimum time and are EU/EEA citizens, but not for others.
Free University of Berlin
In April 2005, the Free University of Berlin, in conjunction with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU Munich), opened a joint representative office in New York. This German University Alliance, located in German House, the seat of the German Consulate General and the German UN Mission, represents the interests of the two universities in the United States and Canada and works to increase the exchange of students and scientists.
Hauptschule
The German state spends more money on students attending public "Hauptschulen" than it spends on students attending public "Realschulen" or "Gymnasien", and "Hauptschulen" have a more favourable student-teacher-ratio than those other types of school. "Hauptschulen" often have a very diverse student body in terms of ethnic groups, languages spoken at home, religions, social classes, and students' abilities. The schools face many challenges, because they sometimes have to educate students of average abilities alongside students that have learning difficulties or need special attention. In some German states, such as Bavaria, "Hauptschulen" offer different classes to their students. They offer the so-called M-classes for it advanced students, regular classes and the so-called P-classes for students who are struggling.
Free University of Berlin
In addition, Free University of Berlin, as the first German institution of higher education, founded an alumni- and fundraising organization, the Friends of the Freie Universität Berlin (FFUB) in New York. Since 2003 this alumni- and fundraising organization has maintained close contact to alumni and scientists of the Free University of Berlin in the U.S. and attempts to gain alumni and friends as sponsors, to strengthen the long-lasting trans-Atlantic relations. Some of the proceeds from these fundraising activities were contributed to the renovation of the Henry Ford Building.
Education in Germany
There are university-sponsored scholarships in Germany and a number of private and public institutions award scholarships—usually to cover living costs and books. There is a state-funded study loan programme, called "BAföG" ("Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz", "Federal Education Aid Act"). It ensures that less wealthy students can receive up to €735 per month for the standard period of study if they or their parents cannot afford all of the costs involved with studying. Furthermore, students need to have a prospect of remaining in Germany to be eligible; this includes German and EU citizens, but often also long-term residents of other countries. Part (typically half) of this money is an interest-free loan that is later repaid, with the other half considered a free grant, and the amount to be repaid is capped at €10,000. Currently, around a quarter of all students in Germany receive financial support via "BAföG".
Education in Germany
"Ersatzschulen" are ordinary primary or secondary schools which are run by private individuals, private organizations or religious groups. These schools offer the same types of diplomas as in public schools. However, Ersatzschulen, like their state-run counterparts, are subjected to basic government standards, such as the minimum required qualifications of teachers and pay grades. An Ersatzschule must have at least the same academic standards as those of a state school and Article 7, Paragraph 4 of the Grundgesetz, allows to forbid the segregation of pupils according to socioeconomic status (the so-called "Sonderungsverbot"). Therefore, most Ersatzschulen have very low tuition fees compared to those in most other Western European countries; scholarships are also often available. However, it is not possible to finance these schools with such low tuition fees: accordingly all German Ersatzschulen are subsidised with public funds.
Education in Germany
Since the end of World War II, the number of young people entering a university has more than tripled in Germany, but university attendance is still lower than that of many other European nations. This can be explained with the dual education system with its strong emphasis on apprenticeships and vocational schools. Many jobs which do require an academic degree in other countries (such as nursing) require completed vocational training instead in Germany.
German University of Administrative Sciences, Speyer
The German state heavily subsidizes university study to keep higher education affordable regardless of socio-economic background. Like most German public universities, Speyer charges no tuition fees for academic programs, for both EU and non-EU citizens. For the professional M.P.A. in Higher Education and Research Management program, the school charges €8,000 in tuition. The annual housing costs for on-campus dormitories range from €1,560 to €3,240.
Technische Universität Darmstadt
On 1 January 2005 the first version of the TUD Law applied making TU Darmstadt the first German public university to be given administrative autonomy. New administrative structures were put into place, and their success is being evaluated. For instance, the university can now autonomously administer its budget and buildings. Also, the university can hire professors and negotiate their salaries by itself. Formerly this was done by the State of Hessen. The TUD law in its current state has legal force up to 31. December 2014.
Academic term
German universities run two semesters with the start and end dates depending on the university. The "Wintersemester" (WiSe), during which most students start university, often goes from 1 October until 31 March, with lectures starting around 15 October and lasting 14 weeks. There is usually a two-week break around Christmas and New Year (which is not counted in the 14 weeks). The "Sommersemester" (SoSe) consequently usually goes from 1 April until 30 September with lectures starting some time after Easter and lasting 12 weeks. The two lecture-free periods of 12 to 14 weeks between the semesters are for taking exams, doing internships, lab courses, and employment.
Free education
In University of Oslo, there is no tuition fee except small semester fee of NOK(600) (74 USD). From 2013 in Northern Europe, Estonia started providing free higher education as well. Sweden, until the early 21st century, provided free education to foreign students but changes have been introduced to charge fees to foreign students from outside the European community. Denmark also has universal free education, and provides a monthly stipend, the "Statens Uddannelsesstøtte" or "SU", to students over 18 years of age or students who are under 18 and attending a higher education. Bachelor and master's degree programmes in Denmark are offered in either Danish or English depending on the programme or university. Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, and Turkey provide free education at all levels, including college and university for its citizens.
German student movement
When this time limit was introduced at the Free University of Berlin during the summer holidays of 1966 the students were not there, and so were unable to protest against it; instead, the first big sit-in of the German student movement happened when they returned after the holidays, with about 4,000 participants. The events at the Free University of Berlin are representative of the events at all universities in Germany, as the same events were quickly repeated elsewhere.
Axel Meyer
In 2015, Axel Meyer wrote an article for FAZ (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) describing German university students as lazy and dishonest. Despite a long history of publicly funded post secondary education in Germany, Meyer argued that the tuition-free education system made todays students spoiled and entitled compared to those in the United States – though the US faces increasingly high rates of student debt.
Education in Germany
In 2005, the German Federal Constitutional Court ruled that a federal law prohibiting tuition fees was unconstitutional, on the grounds that education is the sole responsibility of the states. Following this ruling, seven federal states introduced tuition fees of €500 per semester in 2006 and 2007. Due to massive student protests and a citizens' initiative which collected 70,000 signatures against tuition fees, the government of Hesse was the first to reverse course before the state election in 2008; other state governments soon followed. Several parties which spoke out for tuition fees lost state elections. Bavaria in 2013 and Lower Saxony in 2014 were the last states to abolish tuition fees.
Free University of Berlin
The 2011 British QS World University Rankings ranked the university at 66th internationally. The 2011 QS WUR for law ranked the FU at 41st internationally, 12th best in Europe and 2nd in Germany. In the QS WUR 2014, Free University of Berlin was placed at the 81–90 slot being the fifth German university ranked in the list.
Education in Germany
Only "Universitäten" have the right to confer doctorates and habilitations. Some universities use the term "research university" in international usage to emphasize their strength in research activity in addition to teaching, particularly to differentiate themselves from "Fachhochschulen". A university covering the full range of scientific disciplines in contrast to more specialized universities might refer to itself as "Volluniversität". Specialized universities which have the formal status of "Universität" include "Technische Universitäten", "Pädagogische Hochschulen" (Universities of Education), "Kunsthochschulen" (Universities of Arts) and "Musikhochschulen" (Universities of Music). The excellence initiative has awarded eleven universities with the title University of Excellence. Professors at regular universities were traditionally required to have a doctorate as well as a habilitation. Since 2002, the junior professorship was introduced to offer a more direct path to employment as a professor for outstanding doctoral degree.