I've met students who were extremely disappointed after studying in Germany, and I've also met students who returned to Germany from China, considering their time in Germany as the most precious time of their lives. We've seen countless articles on "how to apply for studying in Germany," but rarely do people tell you "how to have a meaningful study experience in Germany."

　　Today, our speaker is a senior from KIT in Karlsruhe. As his graduation approaches and the job search begins, he looks back on his years studying in Germany with a mix of cherishment and slight regret. Facing the requirements of German companies and the pressure of competing with Germans for jobs, he says that knowing these requirements beforehand, a truly meaningful study abroad experience should be approached this way.

　　 - 01 -The difficulties of studying in Germany only just begin upon arrival

　　As I'm about to graduate, I deeply feel that receiving the admission letter and arriving in Germany is merely the first step of a long journey. How to study and how to study well in Germany is the more crucial aspect. Some students have a clear research direction and field during their undergraduate studies, but many are undoubtedly uncertain about their future. German graduate programs are not like those in China, where professors guide you and help you gradually clarify your goals.
　　German graduate programs are lecture-based, mostly large lectures, so you might become even more uncertain about your research direction. You need to spend a lot of time at the beginning of the semester clarifying what you want to learn and how to choose your courses. A little background on Germany: Germany emphasizes specialization and professional skills; they highly value what you study. For example, if you study mechanical engineering, you're expected to work in that field; it's unlikely they'll accept you for software engineering or electrical engineering. Germany values "specialization".
　　On the other hand, they also value your professional skills and learning ability. Therefore, the courses you choose must highlight your research direction and learning focus, centering them around a core theme to demonstrate your specialization. Of course, learning ability is reflected in your transcript. Germans value grades, whether you're aiming for a doctorate or a job; grades significantly impact your opportunities. Students with good grades easily receive offers or lab opportunities.

　　 - 02 -Choosing courses during your studies in Germany is the most important aspect

　　German universities allow you to arrange your own courses, although there's a general framework. The specific courses you choose are up to you. I suggest choosing courses based on your future goals.
　　If you want to pursue research: Find professors whose research interests align with yours at the beginning of the semester.

　　If you want to find a job after graduation: Check job postings on company websites. German job advertisements are very standardized, clearly stating the job description, required qualifications, necessary skills, and company benefits.

　　This information is clearly presented in job advertisements. For example, if you want to work in autonomous driving for an automotive company, they might require image processing skills. Based on this, check the university website's module handbook (Modulhandbuch) to select relevant courses and create your schedule.
　　Therefore, spend time planning your courses at the beginning of the semester. You can change courses during your studies, but it's troublesome, and changing courses repeatedly weakens the coherence and focus of your curriculum. However, there are also easy courses in German universities; if you just want to easily get a degree, that's also a path.

　　But I sincerely suggest that if you've come here to learn something, put effort into choosing your courses.

　　If you focus solely on graduation and move too quickly but in the wrong direction, you'll easily find yourself in a difficult situation.

　　 - 03 -How to study in Germany? Praktikum (internship) is highly recommended

　　After planning your courses, the next question is how to study. In a lecture-based master's program, most courses are large lectures where the professor lectures, and you can ask questions. This is purely theoretical, and you may learn relatively little in class.

　　I highly recommend actively participating in research or Praktikum (internships) related to real-world projects. Every department (science) in German universities offers many Praktikum opportunities. I believe this is very helpful in improving professional skills.

　　I suggest you start looking for these opportunities at the beginning or during the first or second semester, not the third or fourth. By the third or fourth semester, you'll be relatively passive and might not have enough time to find internships in companies.
　　Most school Praktikum require a semester, so it's time-consuming. Start early. You can apply for any department's Praktikum. For example, if you're in mechanical engineering, you can apply for internships in computer science or electrical engineering. German universities don't restrict this; it's relatively open during your studies. You just need to provide a motivation letter to the department's secretary explaining your reasons for participating, your expectations, and your current knowledge. If you get the Praktikum, your supervisor will be a doctoral student or even a professor.
　　This is extremely helpful in improving your professional skills, far more than what you learn in textbooks or lectures. It's also valuable practical experience that greatly helps with future job searches and doctoral applications. German companies highly value practical skills.

　　Another benefit is that Praktikum grades are generally high. German universities use a 5-point scale, with 1 being the best. Large lectures usually score between 2.0 and 3.0, but Praktikum usually scores below 2.0, which significantly improves your GPA. Praktikum also offers more credits; large lectures usually have 2-4 credits, while a Praktikum typically has 6 credits.
　　How to find school Praktikum: Check the websites of different departments or ask experienced seniors. Note that Praktikum usually starts before the semester, for example, if the semester starts in September or October, the Praktikum might start in August. So, look for the next semester's Praktikum at the end of the current semester.

　　 - 04 -How to improve skills and earn money while studying in Germany

　　In addition to school Praktikum, I also recommend seeking company internships because they are paid. You can work 20 hours a week, earning around 12 euros per hour, resulting in approximately 960 euros per month, which can cover your living expenses. This is highly recommended; you can learn and reduce your financial burden.

　　However, for internships within companies, it is recommended to start looking after the third or fourth semester. This is because German company internships require full-time work, with a typical daily schedule of morning to afternoon. If you do a full-time internship, you won't have time for your studies.

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