The education system in Germany has a long tradition of compulsory state schools. Education encompasses teaching and learning specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, good judgement and wisdom. ... Compulsory education is education which is required by the government, usually at the national level. ...

History of German Education

The Prussian Era (1814–1871)

Historically, the Lutheran denomination had a strong influence on German culture, including its education. Martin Luther advocated compulsory schooling, and this idea became a model for schools throughout Germany. The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Luther at age 46 (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529) The Luther seal Martin Luther (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk, and an ecclesiastical reformer whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions. ...

During the 18th century, the Kingdom of Prussia was among the first countries in the world to introduce free and generally compulsory primary education, comprising of an eight-year course of primary education, Volksschule. It provided not only the skills needed in an early industrialized world (reading, writing, and arithmetics), but also a strict education in ethics, duty, discipline, and obedience. Affulent children often went on to attend preparatory private schools for an additional four years, but the general population had virtually no access to secondary education. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Prussia, 1701-1918 The word Prussia (Old Prussian: Prūsa, German: Preußen, Polish: Prusy, Lithuanian: Prūsai, Latin: Borussia) has had various (often contradictory) meanings: The land of the Baltic Prussians (in what is now parts of southern Lithuania, the Kaliningrad... A Volkschule was an eighteenth century system of state-supported primary schools established in the Habsburg Austrian Empire. ...

In 1810, after the Napoleonic wars, Prussia introduced state certification requirements for teachers, which significantly raised the standard of teaching. The final examination, Abitur, was introduced in 1788, implemented in all Prussian secondary schools by 1812, and extended to all of Germany in 1871. Combatants Allies: • United Kingdom, • Prussia, • Austria, • Sweden, • Russia • France • Denmark-Norway • Poland Casualties Full list Full list The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... Abitur is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18 or 19) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. ... 1812 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1871 (MDCCCLXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

German Empire (1871-1918)

When the German Empire was formed in 1871, the school system became more centralized. As learned professions demanded well-educated young people, more secondary schools were established, and the state claimed the sole right to set standards and to supervise the newly established schools. Flag of the German Empire, 1871–1919: black-white-red Coat of arms The term German Empire commonly refers to Germany, from its foundation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of Emperor Wilhelm II on November 9, 1918. ...

Four different types of secondary schools developed:

• A nine-year classical Gymnasium (focusing on Latin and Greek or Hebrew, plus one modern language)
• A nine-year Realgymnasium (focusing on Latin, modern languages, science and mathematics)
• A six-year Realschule (without university entrance qualification, but with the option of becoming a trainee in one of the modern industrial, office or technical jobs) and
• A nine-year Oberrealschule (focusing on modern languages, science and mathematics)

By the turn of the 20th century, the four types of schools had achieved equal rank and privilege, although they did not have equal prestige. In 1872, Prussia recognized the first separate secondary schools for girls. Gymnasium can have following meanings: Gymnasium (ancient Greece)—an educational and sporting institution in Ancient Greece Gymnasium—a school of secondary education found in several European countries (approx. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Weimar Republic (1919-1933) to the present

After World War I, the Weimar Republic established a free, universal 4-year elementary school (Grundschule). Most students continued at these schools for another 4-year course and those who were able to pay a small fee went on to an Intermediate school (Mittelschule) that provided a more challenging curriculum for an additional one or two years. Upon passing a rigorous entrance exam after year 4, students could also enter one of the four types of secondary school. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead:5 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:8 million Military dead:4 million Civilian dead:3 million Total dead:7 million The First World... Flag of Weimar Republic, 1919–1933 This article outlines political events from 1918 until the collapse of the Republic in 1933. ...

During the Nazi era (1933-1945), indoctrination of Nazi ideologies was added to student education, however, the basic education system remained unchanged. The term National Socialism has been used in self-description by a number of different political groups and ideologies, some of which have no connection with the Nazis; see National socialism (disambiguation). ... The word indoctrination has accumulated negative connotations over the past century. ...

After World War II, the Allied powers (Soviet Union, France, Britain, and the USA) saw to it that the Nazi ideas were eliminated from the curriculum. They installed educational systems in their respective occupation zones that reflected their own ideas. When West Germany gained partial independence in 1949, its new constitution (Grundgesetz) granted educational autonomy to the state (Länder) governments. This led to a widely varying landscape of school systems, often making it difficult for children to continue schooling whilst moving between states. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. ... The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Grundgesetz für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is the constitution of modern Germany. ... Bundesland (plural Bundesländer), also known as Land (plural Länder) is the German language name for the federal states of Austria and Germany. ...

More recently, multi-state agreements ensure that basic requirements are universally met by all state school systems. Thus, all children are required to attend one type of school on a full-time basis (i.e. five or six days a week) from the age of 6 to the age of 16. It is possible to change schools if a student shows exceptionally good (or exceptionally poor) abilities. Graduation certificates from one state are recognized by all the other states, and training qualifies teachers for teaching posts in every state.

Education in East Germany

Main article:Education in East Germany Education in East Germany was a high priority for the communist government, and was compulsory from age six to age sixteen. ...

The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) started its own standardized education system in the 1960s. The East German equivalent of both primary and secondary schools was the Polytechnische Oberschule (polytechnic high school), which all students attended for 10 years, from the ages of 6 to 16. At the end of the 10th year, an exit examination was given, and depending upon the results, a student could choose to end their education or choose to undertake an apprenticeship for an additional two years, followed by an Abitur. Students who performed very well and displayed loyalty to the ruling party could change to the Erweiterte Oberschule (extended high school), where they could take their Abitur examinations after 12 school years. This system was abolished in the early 1990s, but continues to influence school life in the eastern German states. East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR), German Deutsche Demokratische Republik (DDR), was a socialist country that existed from 1949 to 1990. ...

Present situation

Here is a quick glance at the present school system:

Grundschule (Elementary school) can be preceded by voluntary Kindergarten or Vorschulklassen (preparatory classes for elementary school) and lasts four or six years, depending on the state. A kindergarten in Afghanistan. ...

Parents who are looking for a suitable school for their child have a considerable choice of elementary schools in Germany today:

• State school in their neighborhood (the huge majority in Germany)
• Waldorf School (187 schools in 2003)
• Montessori method school (272)
• Freie Alternativschule (65)
• Protestant (63) or Catholic (114) parochial schools

Teachers possess different qualifications at all these schools, but parents have to pay additional costs at non-state schools, since the state does not cover the full costs of tuition and administration; these non-state schools may also not be close to the student's home. Waldorf Schools (also known as Steiner schools) state as their mission educating the whole child, with a strong emphasis on balancing the childs natural stages of development with creativity and academic excellence. ... The Montessori method is a methodology and educational philosophy for nursery and elementary school education, first developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. ... The Evangelical Church in Germany (German Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland, abbreviated as EKD) is a federation of 23 Lutheran, Reformed and United churches in their respective regions. ... A parochial school (or faith school) is a type of private school which engages in religious education in addition to conventional education. ...

After Grundschule (at 10 years of age), there are basically four options as to secondary schooling:

• Hauptschule (the least academic, much like a modernized Volksschule) until grade 9.
• Realschule (formerly Mittelschule) until grade 10.
• Gymnasium (High School) until grade 12 or 13 (with Abitur as exit exam, qualifying for university).
• Gesamtschule (comprehensive school) with all the options of the three "tracks" above.

• After all of those schools the graduates can start a professional career with an apprenticeship in the Berufsschule (vocational school). The Berufsschule is normally attended twice a week during a two, three, or three-and-a-half year apprenticeship; the other days are spent working at a company. This should bring the students a knowledge of theory and practice. Notice that the apprenticeship can only be started if a company accepts the apprentice. After this (s)he will be registered on a list at the Industrie und Handelskammer IHK (board of trade). During the apprenticeship (s)he is a part-employee of the company and receives a salary from the company. After successful passing of the Berufssschule and the exit exams of the IHK, he/she receives a certificate and is ready for a professional career up to a low management level. In some areas the apprenticeship is teaching skills that are required by law (special postitions in a bank, assistance of a lawyer ...).

In some states, children have to attend 2 years (usually grades 5 and 6) in Orientierungsstufe ("orientation phase"), a special school type that follows the Grundschule, and is intended to help decide whether the student should be sent on to Hauptschule, Realschule, Gesamtschule, or Gymnasium. Primary school teachers or Orientierungsstufe teachers counsel parents on where to send their child. Depending on the state, parents or teachers make the final decision. A Hauptschule (German: main school) is a German secondary school, starting after 6 or 4 years of elementary schooling, depending on the Bundesland in which they are located. ... A Volkschule was an eighteenth century system of state-supported primary schools established in the Habsburg Austrian Empire. ... In Germany, the Realschule was an outgrowth of the realistic tendencies of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. ... A gymnasium is a type of school of secondary education in parts of Europe. ... Abitur is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18 or 19) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. ... Apprenticeship is a traditional method, still popular in some countries, of training a new generation of skilled crafts practitioners. ...

Also, in states without Orientierungsstufe, grades 5 and 6 are seen as an orientation phase in which initial decisions can be reversed. Achievements in the subjects of Mathematics, German, and the chosen foreign language (commonly English, French or Latin), are considered to be most important in the decision about the school that the child will attend.

In Germany, the 16 states have the exclusive responsibility in the field of education. The federal parliament and the federal government can influence the educational system only by financial aid (to the states). Therefore, there are many different school systems; however, in every state the starting point is Grundschule (elementary school) for a period of 4 years.

After Grundschule, a few states offer Orientierungsstufe, although most states start with secondary schooling immediately afterwards. All German states have Gymnasium as one possibility for skilled children, and all states - except Bavaria, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia - have Gesamtschule, but in different forms. Some eastern states (Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringa in particular) only have Gymnasium and Regelschule (Secondary school until the 10th grade). In most of the 16 states, there are all of the kinds of secondary schools described above.

English is compulsory statewide in secondary schools. In some states, foreign language education starts in Grundschule. For example, in North Rhine-Westfalia, English starts in the 3rd year of school; Baden-Wurttemberg starts either English or French in the 1st year; in Brandenburg, it is English or Polish.

It is often problematic for families to move from one state to another, because there are extremely different curricula for nearly every subject.

Life in a German school

Although German students are not very different from other students across the world, there are organizational differences. The main points are outlined below; however, it should be noted that there are additional differences across the 16 states of Germany.

• Each group of students born in the same year forms one grade or class, which remains the same for elementary school (years 1 to 4), orientation school (if there's orientation school in the state) or orientation phase (at Gymnasium years 5 to 6), and secondary school (years 5 to 11). Changes are possible, though, when there is a choice of subjects, e.g. additional languages, and the class is split.
• Most subjects (except PE, art, science, and music) are taught in the students' own classroom (similar to a "home room"); the pupils stay in their room whilst the teachers move from class to class. This is common throughout school up to year 11.
• There are usually no security guards at German schools; at some schools there are, however, Schülerlotsen, mostly older pupils who patrol the roads by the school.
• Students sit at tables, not desks (usually two pupils at one table), sometimes arranged in a semi-circle or another geometric shape.
• Teacher-student relationships are relaxed, sometimes even casual (though this has its limits, which are often difficult to detect for foreigners). This practice also varies between states and schools (Gesamtschulen are often the less formal ones).
• There is no school uniform or dress code other than the most basic rules of decency.
• School usually starts at 8 a.m. and can finish as early as 12; instruction at lower classes ends almost always before lunch. In higher grades, however, afternoon lessons are very common.
• After each period, there are breaks of 5, 10, 15, and maybe even 20 minutes. There is no lunch break as school usually finishes before 1:30 for junior school.
• Exams (which are always supervised) tend to be essay based, rather than multiple choice.
• At every school type, students study one foreign language (in almost all cases English) for at least five years. In Gymnasium, students can choose from a wider range of languages (mostly English, French, or Latin) as the first language in 5th grade, and a second mandatory language in 6th or 7th grade. Some types of Gymnasium also require an additional third language (such as Spanish, Italian, Russian or Ancient Greek) in 9th or 11th grade.
• At the end of their schooling, students usually undergo a cumulative written and oral examination (Abitur in Gymnasiums or Abschlussprüfung in Realschulen and Hauptschulen).
• Corporal punishment was banned in the 1970s.

Japanese high school students in uniform School uniforms are common in elementary and secondary schools in many nations. ... Clothing has various sociological functions, including: conspicuous consumption stating or claiming identity establishing, maintaining and defying sociological group norms Thus wearing specific types of clothing or the manner of wearing clothing can convey messages about class, income, belief and attitude. ... An essay is a short work that treats a topic from an authors personal point of view, often taking into account subjective experiences and personal reflections upon them. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A foreign language is a language not spoken by the indigenous people of a certain place: for example, English is a foreign language in Japan. ... Abitur is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18 or 19) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The school year

The school year starts on the 1st of August and is divided into two semesters. There are typically 12 weeks of holidays, in addition to public holidays. Exact dates differ between states, but there are generally 6 weeks of summer and two weeks of Christmas holiday. The other holiday periods are given in spring (usually around Easter Sunday) and autumn (the former "harvest holiday", where farmers used to need their children for field work). Schools can also schedule one or two special days off per semester. Easter (also called Pascha) is generally accounted the most important holiday of the Christian year, observed March or April each year to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead (after his death by crucifixion; see Good Friday), which Christians believe happened at about this time of year, almost two...

Report cards are issued twice a year at the end of the semester, usually in February and June or July. The grade scale ranges from 1 to 6, where 1 is "Excellent" and 6 is "Failed". Students who do not measure up to minimum standards have to repeat a year (which happens to almost 5% of students every year).

Model timetables

Students have about 30-36 periods of 45 minutes each per week. There are about 12 compulsory subjects: two or three foreign languages (one to be taken for 9 years, another for at least 3 years), physics, biology, chemistry and usually civics/social studies (for at least 5, 7, 3, and 2 years, respectively), and mathematics, music, art, history, German, geography, PE and religious education/ethics for 9 years. A few afternoon activities are offered at German schools - mainly choir or orchestra, sometimes sports or drama. Many of these are offered as semi-scholar AG's (Arbeitsgemeinschaften - literally "working groups"), which are mentioned, but not officially rated in the testimonials. Other common extracurricular activities are organized as private clubs, which are very popular in Germany.

In grades 11-13, 11-12, or 12-13 (depending on the school system), each student majors in two or three subjects ("Leistungskurse", "Profilkurse"). These are usually taught five hours per week. The other subjects are usually taught three periods per week.

There are many differences in the 16 states of Germany and there are alternatives to this basic pattern, e.g. Waldorfschulen or other private schools. Adults can also go back to evening school and take the Abitur exam. Waldorf Schools (also known as Steiner schools) state as their mission educating the whole child, with a strong emphasis on balancing the childs natural stages of development with creativity and academic excellence. ...

Organizational aspects

In Germany, education is the responsibility of the states (Länder) and part of their constitutional sovereignty (Kulturhoheit der Länder). Teachers are hired by the Ministry of Education for the state and usually are employed for life after a certain period (which, however, is not comparable in timeframe nor competitiveness to the typical tenure track, e.g. in the US). A parents' council is elected to voice the parents' views to the school's administration. The local town is responsible for the school building and employs the janitorial and secretarial staff. For an average school of about 600–800 students, there may be two janitors and one secretary. School administration is the responsibility of the teachers (who will receive a reduction in their teaching obligations if they participate). Germany is a Federal Republic made up of 16 States, known in German as Länder (transliterated as Laender in English, singular Land). ...

Recent developments

After much public debate about Germany's international ranking (PISA- Programme for International Student Assessment), some things are beginning to change. There has been a trend towards a less ideological discussion on how to develop schools. These are some of the new trends: The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a three-yearly world-wide test of 15-year-old schoolchildrens scholastic performance, developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 1997. ...

• Establishing federal standards on quality of teaching
• More practical orientation in teacher training
• Transfer of some responsibility from the Kultusministerium (Ministry of Education) to local school

Since the 1990s, a few changes have already been taking place in many schools:

• Introduction of bilingual education in some subjects
• Experimentation with different styles of teaching
• Equipping all schools with computers and Internet access
• Creation of local school philosophy and teaching goals ("Schulprogramm"), to be evaluated regularly
• Reduction of Gymnasium school years (Abitur after grade 12) and introduction of afternoon periods as in many other western countries

The phrase bilingual education has multiple definitions: education where two distinct languages are used for general teaching education designed to help children become bilingual (sometimes called two-way bilingual education; e. ...

College and university

Since the end of World War II, the number of youths entering universities has more than tripled, but university attendance still lags behind many other European nations. This is partly because of the dual education system, with its strong emphasis on apprenticeships (see also German model). In the annual league of top-ranking universities compiled by Shanghai Jiaotong University in 2004, Germany came fourth overall, but had only seven universities in the top 100 (compared to 51 in the U.S.). The highest-ranking German university, at number 45, was the Technical University of Munich. Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead:17 million Civilian dead:33 million Total dead:50 million Military dead:8 million Civilian dead:4 million Total dead:12 million World War II... A dual education system is practised in several countries, notably Germany, Austria and Switzerland, but also Denmark, the Netherlands and France. ... Apprenticeship is a traditional method, still popular in some countries, of training a new generation of skilled crafts practitioners. ... The Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg The term German model is most often used in economics to describe post-World War II West Germanys means of using (according to University College London Professor Wendy Carlin) innovative industrial relations, vocational training, and closer relationships between the financial and industrial sectors to... Shanghai Jiao Tong University, (SJTU, 上海交通大學), abbreviated Jiao Da (交大), is one of the leading universities in China. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... Munich University of Technology, or Technical University of Munich (TUM) (German: Technische Universität München, TUM), is a major German university, located in Munich (and the towns of Garching and Weihenstephan out of Munich). ...

Universities in Germany are part of the free state education system, which means that there are very few private universities and colleges. Private universities and colleges in Germany are generally less well regarded than public universities. While the organizational structure claims to go back to the university reforms by Wilhelm von Humboldt in the early 19th century, it has also been criticized by some (including the German-born, former Stanford University president Gerhard Casper) for having an unbalanced focus, more on education and less on research, and the lack of independence from state intervention. Many of today's German public universities, in fact, bear less resemblance to the original Humboldt vision than, for example, a typical US institution. Wilhelm von Humboldt Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Karl Ferdinand Freiherr von Humboldt (June 22, 1767 - April 8, 1835), government functionary, foreign diplomat, philosopher, founder of Humboldt Universität in Berlin, friend of Goethe and especially of Schiller, is especially remembered as a German linguist who introduced a knowledge of the Basque... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University (or simply Stanford), is a private university in Stanford, California, USA. It is incorporated as The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. ... Gerhard Casper (born 1937) is a constitutional scholar who is currently a faculty member at Stanford University. ...

German university students largely choose their own programme of study and professors choose their own subjects for research and teaching. This elective system often results in students spending many years at university before graduating, and is currently under review. There are no fixed classes of students who study together and graduate together. Students change universities according to their interests and the strengths of each university. Sometimes students attend two, three or more different universities in the course of their studies. This mobility means that at German universities there is a freedom and individuality unknown in the USA, the UK, or France.

Generally, it can be said that Germany does not have "colleges" in the sense that is used in the US. Upon leaving school, students may choose to go on to university; however, most (male) students will serve a year's military or alternative service (Zivildienst) beforehand. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The Gymnasium graduation (Abitur) opens the way to any university; there are no entrance examinations. The Abiturdurchschnittsnote (similar to GPA in the US, or A-Level results in the UK) is the deciding factor in granting university places; an institution may quote an entry requirement for a particular course. This is called numerus clausus (literally "restricted number"), but it generally only applies to popular courses with very limited places; for example a medical course could require an Abitur grade of between 1.0 to 1.5, approximately equivalent to a 3.9 - 4.5 GPA in the USA. Abitur is the word commonly used in Germany for the final exams young adults (aged 18 or 19) take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling. ... An A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education usually taken during Further Education and after GCSEs. ... Medicine is the branch of health science and the sector of public life concerned with maintaining human health or restoring it through the treatment of disease and injury. ...

Yet another difference: while at Gymnasium a student cannot take courses that result in university credits. This might also have to do with the fact that the credit system is unknown in Germany so far, although it is being introduced with the Bologna process that is intended to unify education and degrees for all EU states. What counts at the end of one's studies is a bundle of certificates ("Scheine") issued by the professors proving that the required courses (and/or exams) were successfully taken. Usually there are few required specific courses, rather students choose from a more or less broad range of classes in their field of interest, while this varies greatly upon the choice of subject. Once a student has acquired the needed number of such certificates, he or she can decide to register for the final examinations. In many cases, the grades of those certificates are completely discarded and the final diploma grade consists only of the grades of the final exams and master thesis. This can seriously impair the student's motivation to achieve excellence during their studies. The purpose of the Bologna process is to create the European higher education area by harmonising academic degree standards and quality assurance standards throughout Europe for each faculty and its development. ...

At Gymnasium, students are under strict observation by teachers, and their attendance at all courses is checked regularly. At German universities, however, class attendance is rarely checked. Life at German universities may seem anonymous and highly individual, but most students find a group of fellow students with common interests in their first year, and then often take courses together and study in this group up to the final exam studies.

While there are curriculae for the first two or three years in the sciences, in the liberal arts, every student picks the lectures and seminars he or she prefers, and takes the exams at the end of the study period. Each student decides for him- or herself when he or she feels ready for the final exam. Some take the minimum 4 years, most take 5-6 years, some may even spend 10 years at university (often because they changed subjects several times). After 13 years at school plus maybe 1 year in the military, graduates may sometimes be almost 30 years old when they apply for their first job in life.

If they have successfully studied at university for two years (after a Zwischenprüfung/Vordiplom), students can transfer to the USA or other countries for graduate studies. Usually they finish studies after 4-6 years with a degree called the Diplom (in the sciences) or Magister (in the arts), which is equivalent to an M.Sc. or M.A., or a Magister Artium. Many universities nowadays offer a Bachelor degree, but this is so far of limited use and acceptance in Germany. Diplom - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... A bachelor is traditionally an unmarried but marriageable man, however some restrict the usage to men who have never been married. ...

However, there is another type of post-Abitur university-like training available in Germany: the Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science), which offer similar degrees as regular universities, but often concentrate on applied science (as the English name suggests) as opposed to basic research and purely academic subjects. Students start their courses together and graduate (more or less) together, and there is little choice in their schedule. To get on-the-job experience, internship semesters are a mandatory part of studying at a Fachhochschule. After about 4 years (depending on how a student arranges the courses he or she takes over the course of his studies, and on whether he or she has to repeat courses) a Fachhochschule student has a complete education and can go right into specialized working life. Fachhochschule graduates receive a title that starts with "Dipl." (Diploma) and ends with "(FH)", e.g. "Dipl. Ing. (FH)" for a graduate engineer from a Fachhochschule. The FH Diploma is roughly equivalent to a Bachelor degree. An FH Diploma does not usually qualify the holder for a Ph.D. programme directly -- most universities require an additional entrance exam or participation in theoretical classes from FH candidates. A Fachhochschule (plural: Fachhochschulen) or University of Applied Sciences in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland is comparable to a polytechnic. ... Research is often described as an active, diligent, and systematic process of inquiry aimed at discovering, interpreting and revising facts. ... For information about a medical intern, see the article on Medical residency. ...

Perhaps one of the most important differences: All courses at the roughly 250 universities and Fachhochschulen are - like any school in Germany - free. One might also say the government offers a full scholarship to everyone. However, students that take longer than the "regular length of studies" (Regelstudienzeit) do have to pay "long-time study fees" (Langzeitstudiengebühren) of about 500 EUR per semester, in a growing number of states. Today there are a few private institutions (especially business schools) that charge tuition fees and offer better conditions for students than state financed universities. One does have to pay for one's room and board plus one's books. After a certain age, one must obtain obligatory student health insurance (50 EUR per month), and one always has to pay for some other social services for students (40-100 EUR per semester). Students often enjoy very cheap public transport (Semesterticket) in and around the university town. There are cheap rooms for students built by the Studentenwerk, an independent non-profit organization partially funded by the state. These may cost 150 EUR per month, without any food. Otherwise an apartment can cost 500 EUR, but often students share apartments, with 3 or 5 people per apartment. Food is about 100 EUR (figures for 2002).

The German Constitutional Court recently ruled that a federal law prohibiting tuition fees is unconstitutional, on the grounds that education is the sole responsibility of the states. Following this ruling, several state governments (e.g. in Bavaria and North Rhine-Westfalia) proclaimed their intention to introduce tuition of around €500 per semester within the next year. The Federal Constitutional Court (in German: Bundesverfassungsgericht) is a special court established by the German constitution, the Grundgesetz (Basic Law). ... The Free State of Bavaria  (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... North Rhine-Westphalia (German: Nordrhein-Westfalen, usually shortened to: NRW) is - in population and economic output - the largest Federal State of Germany. ...

There are no university-sponsored scholarships in Germany, but a number of private and public institutions hand out scholarships, usually to cover the cost of living and books. Moreover, there is a law (Bafög or Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz) that sees to it that needy people can get up to 550 EUR per month for 4-5 years if they or their parents cannot afford all the costs involved with studying. Part (typically half) of this money is given as an interest-free loan and has to be paid back.

Most students will move to the university town if it is far away. Getting across Germany from Flensburg to Konstanz takes a full day (1000 km or 620 miles). But, as mentioned above, there is no university-provided student housing on campus in Germany, since most campuses are scattered all over the city for historical reasons. Traditionally, university students rented a private room in town, which was their home away from home. This is no longer the standard, but one still finds this situation. One third to one half of the students work to make a little extra money, often resulting in a longer stay at university.

Figures for Germany are roughly:

• 1,000,000 new students at all schools put together for one year
• 300,000 Abitur graduations
• 30,000 doctoral dissertations per year
• 1000 habilitations per year (qualification to become a professor)

University degrees: Most courses lead up to a diploma called Diplom or Magister and these are about equivalent to the Master degree (after a minimum of 4 to 5 years). The doctoral degree usually takes another 3-5 years, with no formal classes, but independent research under the tutelage of a single professor. Most doctoral candidates work as teaching- or research assistants, and are paid a reasonably competitive salary. This is different in medicine, where an M.D. is (effectively) required for work and hence a more streamlined process applies. Habilitation is a term used within the university system in Germany, Austria, and some other European countries such as the German-speaking part of Switzerland, in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Russia, and other countries of former Soviet Union, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kirgizstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc. ...

Recently, changes related to the so-called Bologna-Agreement have started taking place to install a more internationally acknowledged system, which includes new course structures - the (hitherto unknown) Bachelor degree and the Master degree - and ETCS credits. These changes have not been forced on the universities and the hope has been that they will develop them from the bottom up. So far, students have been reluctant to start these new courses because they know that within Germany, employers are not used to them and prefer the well-known system. In the winter semester of 2001, only 5% of all students aspired to complete either a bachelor or master degree, but this is changing as some universities and polytechnics (Fachhochschulen) change their course offerings to exclusively provide only bachelor or master degree certificates (e.g. Erfurt).

In addition, there are the courses leading to Staatsexamen (state examinations), e. g. for lawyers and teachers, that qualify for entry into German civil service, but which are not recognized elsewhere as an academic degree (although the courses are sometimes almost identical).

See also

 Education by country   (Portal)  

Australia · Brazil · Canada · China · France · Germany · India · Israel · Korea · Japan · Russia · Singapore · United Kingdom · United States · More... Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_bookcase. ... A German classroom, circa 1930s. ... Image File history File links Nuvola_apps_bookcase. ... Currently, Korea is divided into two separate countries. ... This is a list of articles on education organized by country: Education in Afghanistan Education in Albania Education in Algeria Education in Argentina Education in Armenia Education in Australia Education in Austria Education in Bangladesh Education in Belgium Education in Bolivia Education in Brazil Education in Bulgaria Education in Burkina...

• Education in East Germany (historical)
• Habilitation
• List of schools in Germany
• List of universities in Germany.

Education in East Germany was a high priority for the communist government, and was compulsory from age six to age sixteen. ... Habilitation is a term used within the university system in Germany, Austria, and some other European countries such as the German-speaking part of Switzerland, in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Russia, and other countries of former Soviet Union, such as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kirgizstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc. ... This is a list of schools in Germany sorted by Bundesland. ... There are 331 universities and colleges in Germany: 158 Fachhochschulen (Universities of Applied Science), 95 non-state institutions (of these 51 privately-, 44 church-operated), and 56 which teach arts or music only. ...

External links

• List of schools in Germany
• German Academic Exchange Service
• Doing Higher Education in Germany