Studying abroad can be an exciting yet challenging experience, especially when you are in a foreign country like Germany.
Meetul and Jiyoon, two former international students, share their experiences with studying in Germany and how Expatrio helped them during their study journey. From finding accommodation to visa requirements, they reveal how Expatrio made their transition to Germany seamless and stress-free.
MEETUL 🇮🇳
1. What motivated you to choose Germany for your studies?
Expatrio has been consistently sharing valuable content about studying and working in Germany, career opportunities, and in the true sense, is selling the German Dream! What caught my interest was the start-up ecosystem in Germany, especially Berlin, the start-up capital of Europe with some of the biggest tech companies.
2. What was your experience with learning the German language, and how important was it for your studies?
Luckily, my course was in English, but when in Germany, the German language is critical. I got Goethe Certificate A2 in India to get a basic understanding of the language and to communicate effectively with the locals. After arriving in Germany, I kept improving my language skills by joining an evening batch at a Language school which helped me reach a conversational B2 level in German.
3. How did you find accommodation in Germany, and what advice would you give to other students looking for housing?
Finding accommodation in Germany has been one of the biggest challenges, especially in the last two years. Start looking for housing at least six months before your tentative travel date; look for StW apartments near your university, and use keywords such as Student and Young Professional Apartments in your city. Notably, only pay the deposit and rent after meeting the landlord and checking the apartment documents.
4. How did Expatrio help you with your study journey, and what services did you use?
Expatrio has been a trusted relocation partner from the day I thought about studying abroad, be it by sharing informative content about German Universities to preparing essential Visa documents like Blocked account and Health Insurance. I used Expatrio's Value Package, which fulfilled all the critical visa requirements and relieved my stress.
5. Would you recommend Expatrio to other international students, and why?
I recommend Expatrio to all international students and Expats because of the fast, efficient, and seamless process. I could open the account, transfer funds in my local currency and get the confirmation for my visa appointment in less than 48 hours. Moreover, customer service is always reachable via calls and emails and proactively solves any issues in a few hours.
JIYOON 🇰🇷
1. What was your social life like in Germany, and how did you meet other students and locals?
Despite the amount of energy I have, which converges to zero, I tried to hang out with international students during my exchange semester. Thanks to the preschool German language course, I made many nearby friends. Thanks to the professor and the student's office, I had a chance to teach Korean to German students planning to study in Korea. Thinking with a broader perspective and knowing about different cultures was exciting. And now, thanks to my amazing colleagues in Expatrio, I am enjoying my life in Berlin.
2. How did Expatrio help you with your study journey, and what specific services did you use?
I used Expatrio's Value Package during my exchange semester. Due to the pandemic, It took a lot of work to decide to leave Korea and live in a new place, Germany, for half a year. So the decision was delayed even after I got accepted by universities. It was less than two months before the start of the preschool period when I decided to study in Germany. I had no time to prepare for anything. I had to do everything fast. I booked a flight ticket and looked up German visa-required documents. The concept of Sperrkonto could have been more transparent.
First, I could pronounce it without confusion. After a few months, I went to Germany. However, I had no problem opening a Blocked Account and Health Insurance because it was all done within a blink of an eye (German time-wise, a blink of an eye is slower than Korean's, of course, but I still remember being surprised that the location of the transferred amount to German Sperrkonto took only a few hours)
3. Would you recommend Expatrio to other international students, and why?
As a current Expatrio team who was a customer, Expatrio team members are doing their best to improve international students' lives in Germany. We want to be a cushion to rely on during your rocky journey to Germany, as most of us have been in that position before.
Meetul and Jiyoon's stories demonstrate how Expatrio can be a valuable asset for international students studying in Germany. From essential visa documents to finding accommodation, Expatrio offers various services that make learning in Germany a smoother experience. Whether a new student or an expat, Expatrio has got you covered.
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