# Questions about living in Germany



## Mathias

Greetings

I´m German but I´ve lived my entire life in Ecuador, I have a German passport and I would like to move to Dresden because I´ve heard that it is a beautiful city and the less expensive in Germany

I speak English and Spanish and I´m planning to learn German in while I´m studying Business in an university from Ecuador via Distant mode, once I get the Ecuadorian Business degree I would like to get a Master degree in an university, can I study to get a Master degree with an Ecuadorian Business degree in a German university? 

I´ve heard that German students and unemployeed people get enough financial aid per month until they get a job, I´m planning to go to Dresden, learn the German language while I´m studying Business from an Ecuadorian university, once I finish my Business studies I´m sure that my knowledge of the German language will be enough to start my studies to get a Master degree, after I get a Master degree I would be able to work and with my taxes help others, students and unemployeed people

I´ve heard that the minimum cost of living in Dresden is 600 euros, would the goverment aid me with 600 euros per month until I get my plans done?

Learning the language and finishing my studies will take time (4 to 5 years) would the government help me for all those years?

I would be 34 / 35 years old once I finish my studies, could I get easily a job to then with my taxes help others, students and unemployeed Germans?

Which Business degree is Dresden needing more?

Which office is in charge of giving the Financial Aid?

Thanks a lot in advance for the help.


----------



## Kaia

Mathias,
You need to speak, write and understand German very well in order to study successfully here. Foreigners are required to pass a German exam. I don't know how they deal with German citizens who don't speak German as a mother language.
Increasingly there are programs of studies (Studiengänge) in English.
Check the homepage of the university's Business department to see what they offer. When you have decided which program you want to study, contact the person responsible for advising (Studienberatung) and explain what you plan to do. He/she can tell you whether you can enroll in the Master's program with a bachelor's degree from Ecuador or whether you need to fulfill other prerequisites as well.
The German government provides generous financial aid, both to the unemployed and to students. HOWEVER: As far as I know, foreigners who have just arrived are restricted for a time at least, from getting "Arbeitslosengeld II" (that's the aid for the unemployed). I don't know how they treat German citizens who return to the country. At any rate, ALG II (that's the abbreviation) is supposed to be just enough to stay above water: a bit to live on + rent and heat in a flat that's "reasonable" - as the government defines it. Recipients of ALG II are required to be eligible for the job market. If you are approved for ALG II, they'll try to place you. If you don't have family, they'll place you anywhere in the country, not just in Dresden. At any rate, using ALG II to make ends meet until you start your studies can work out, but that's not what it's meant for and is also frowned upon.
Which brings me to the stipend for students: BAFöG. As far as I know, you are only eligible for BAFöG up until the age of 30. It may be that you have to have begun your studies by the time you're 30. You would need to find this out by contacting the BAFöG-Amt (or checking out the homepage).
Sorry to discourage you.
Kaia


----------



## ALKB

Mathias said:


> Greetings
> 
> I´m German but I´ve lived my entire life in Ecuador, I have a German passport and I would like to move to Dresden because I´ve heard that it is a beautiful city and the less expensive in Germany
> 
> I speak English and Spanish and I´m planning to learn German in while I´m studying Business in an university from Ecuador via Distant mode, once I get the Ecuadorian Business degree I would like to get a Master degree in an university, can I study to get a Master degree with an Ecuadorian Business degree in a German university?
> 
> I´ve heard that German students and unemployeed people get enough financial aid per month until they get a job, I´m planning to go to Dresden, learn the German language while I´m studying Business from an Ecuadorian university, once I finish my Business studies I´m sure that my knowledge of the German language will be enough to start my studies to get a Master degree, after I get a Master degree I would be able to work and with my taxes help others, students and unemployeed people
> 
> I´ve heard that the minimum cost of living in Dresden is 600 euros, would the goverment aid me with 600 euros per month until I get my plans done?
> 
> Learning the language and finishing my studies will take time (4 to 5 years) would the government help me for all those years?
> 
> I would be 34 / 35 years old once I finish my studies, could I get easily a job to then with my taxes help others, students and unemployeed Germans?
> 
> Which Business degree is Dresden needing more?
> 
> Which office is in charge of giving the Financial Aid?
> 
> Thanks a lot in advance for the help.


As a German national you have the right to live in Germany (or anywhere else in the EU) and you also have the right to non-contribution-based benefits.

You could go to Germany and apply for ALG II, which would cover your rent (to a reasonable extent, depending on location and number of family members), utilities and other basic cost of living. If you have a part time job, you can top up with ALG II if that part time job does not cover the minimum amount you need to survive.

Students cannot receive ALG II, as they need to be available to the job market or any qualification course the JobCenter throws their way. In your case, it would be very likely that the JobCenter would require you to attend an intensive German language course, which would be paid by the government.

For a Masters degree, the age limit for BAFoeG is 35 years. In some cases that can be extended:

BAföG: Altersgrenze

So, yes, you could come to Germany, start learning German and the government would pay for that. 

Before you book a ticket, I'd advise to send your Ecuadorian degree in for assessment. It might be recognised or it might be counted as x amount of years in university; in any case you'd know where you stand. You could contact the university that you are interested in and ask for advice. A lot of universities have their own offices to assess foreign degrees.


----------



## sport_billy

just a small contribution from my part. If you would like to know if your degree is recognized here in germany then i would advise you to follow the following link

Anabin - Informationssystem zur Anerkennung ausländischer Bildungsabschlüsse: Hochschulabschlüsse

Here you will find all the degrees from universities around the world and what is their equivalent in german.

Personally because i've been through all that i have to say that german universities are not very keen on recoginizing foreign degrees... But non the less this shouldn't stop you from trying


----------



## Mathias

Hi

Thanks for the help, finally an answer that keeps me interested in going to Germany, my mother´s land.

As I tried to make myself understand in my post, I´m going to be an investment for the German government but first I need some aid to then with my taxes help others

So Jobcenter is the office that I have to contact to get the financial aid?

*I still have to finish my studies in the Ecuadorian university so could I get financial aid from the Jobcenter office while I´m studying both German and Business via distant mode?*

I would like to keep in contact with you because I have more questions, I´m not allowed to post my email in this page because I´m not an active member, please check my profile

*Please send me the answers to this questions here and to my email*, because your answers written in this page might help others in my situation so answer here too 

Thanks


----------



## Mathias

ALKB said:


> As a German national you have the right to live in Germany (or anywhere else in the EU) and you also have the right to non-contribution-based benefits.
> 
> You could go to Germany and apply for ALG II, which would cover your rent (to a reasonable extent, depending on location and number of family members), utilities and other basic cost of living. If you have a part time job, you can top up with ALG II if that part time job does not cover the minimum amount you need to survive.
> 
> Students cannot receive ALG II, as they need to be available to the job market or any qualification course the JobCenter throws their way. In your case, it would be very likely that the JobCenter would require you to attend an intensive German language course, which would be paid by the government.
> 
> For a Masters degree, the age limit for BAFoeG is 35 years. In some cases that can be extended:
> 
> 
> 
> So, yes, you could come to Germany, start learning German and the government would pay for that.
> 
> Before you book a ticket, I'd advise to send your Ecuadorian degree in for assessment. It might be recognised or it might be counted as x amount of years in university; in any case you'd know where you stand. You could contact the university that you are interested in and ask for advice. A lot of universities have their own offices to assess foreign degrees.


Hi

Thanks for the help, finally an answer that keeps me interested in going to Germany, my mother´s land.

As I tried to make myself understand in my post, I´m going to be an investment for the German government but first I need some aid to then with my taxes help others

So Jobcenter is the office that I have to contact to get the financial aid?

I still have to finish my studies in the Ecuadorian university so could I get financial aid from the Jobcenter office while I´m studying both German and Business via distant mode?

I would like to keep in contact with you because I have more questions, I´m not allowed to post my email in this page because I´m not an active member, please check my profile

Please send me the answers to this questions here and to my email, because your answers written in this page might help others in my situation so answer here too 

Thanks


----------



## Mathias

[email protected]


----------



## ALKB

Mathias said:


> Hi
> 
> Thanks for the help, finally an answer that keeps me interested in going to Germany, my mother´s land.
> 
> As I tried to make myself understand in my post, I´m going to be an investment for the German government but first I need some aid to then with my taxes help others
> 
> So Jobcenter is the office that I have to contact to get the financial aid?
> 
> I still have to finish my studies in the Ecuadorian university so could I get financial aid from the Jobcenter office while I´m studying both German and Business via distant mode?
> 
> I would like to keep in contact with you because I have more questions, I´m not allowed to post my email in this page because I´m not an active member, please check my profile
> 
> Please send me the answers to this questions here and to my email, because your answers written in this page might help others in my situation so answer here too
> 
> Thanks


The JobCenter will only pay you if you are resident in Germany and available to the job market. I am not aware of any possibility to get government payments while living outside Germany. The German Embassy in Ecuador might be able to help there - there could be local programmes sponsored by DAAD or GIZ.

You would have to move to Germany, get accommodation, register and then apply at your local JobCenter. They will most probably send you to an intensive German course before they require you to apply for jobs left, right and centre.


----------



## MrTweek

You will definitely not get any financial aid unless you live in Germany.

If you live in Germany, you will probably be eligible for ALG II. This means, they pay your rent and give you about 360 EUR, per month if I remember correctly. You can survive on that, but probably not much more.


----------



## WorldTraveller007

Best thing to do is learning German.
You have the 'rights' of being here, because you hold a passport, but STILL you have to live sharing life with germans and without the language they will sound alien to you and you to them.
And to everything needed: registering yourself etc..it will make a life 'less complicated' here. You ll be alrght after going thru all the bureaucrat process.


----------

