Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

German universities scrap all tuition fees
The Times ^ | October 7, 2014 | David Charter

Posted on 10/07/2014 6:58:44 AM PDT by NCjim

All German universities will be free of charge when term starts next week after fees were abandoned in Lower Saxony, the last of seven states to charge.

“Tuition fees are socially unjust,” said Dorothee Stapelfeldt, senator for science in Hamburg, which scrapped charges in 2012. “They particularly discourage young people who do not have a traditional academic family background from taking up studies. It is a core task of politics to ensure that young women and men can study with a high quality standard free of charge in Germany.

The experiment with tuition fees, which began in 2006, was overturned...

(Excerpt) Read more at thetimes.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-27 last
To: outpostinmass2

The trade route is probably the best bet anyways.


21 posted on 10/07/2014 7:58:18 AM PDT by Phillyred
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: FlipWilson

A good one-liner perhaps, but the result, in economic productivity terms, seems to indicate otherwise.


22 posted on 10/07/2014 8:24:10 AM PDT by Moltke ("The Press, Watson, is a most valuable institution if you only know how to use it.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: NCjim

German Universities never really charged tuition lol They were fees... about 700 euros. As it is very difficult to get into many University programs right after graduating high school, many students have to wait if they want to study. This could be as much as 7 years. They also can only attend University if they have been on an academic track, meaning they completed their Abitur at a Gymnasium.

Popular majors, ie professional tracks require basically the equivalent of a 3.7 to 4.0 gpa, to begin studies directly after the Abitur. Many graduates typically do a gap year, or even an apprenticeship in a related field to what they would like to study, if they have a longer waiting time. But this is not educaiton for all.. by age 12 you are either on an academic track or you’re not.


23 posted on 10/07/2014 8:33:45 AM PDT by Katya (Homo Nosce Te Ipsum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Katya

Thanks for the clarity. What you wrote is exactly the way I understood it to be, has been for a very long time.

Also thought they ‘tested’ these children and decided for them what vocation they would be studying. Is that still the way?


24 posted on 10/07/2014 8:38:23 AM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: AllAmericanGirl44

Depending on which German state you live in, at either ten or twelve you go on to either Gymnasium (academic track) Hauptschule (least academic, graduate at end of 9th)) or Realschule (middle path with exam at end,graduate at end of 10th) After Realschule or if you go from Hauptschule to a realschule, and do you exam.. you can enter an apprenticeship and attend Berufschule twice a week while working. Teachers can make recommendations, but no one tells you what you should do later. There are aptitude tests you can take to figure out what you might be good at.

It is very difficult to switch tracks, and most students are put off because they don’t want to finish high school as a 20 plus year old. Because they make you go back and begin the gymnasium from the start.. there is no transferring into the same grade. If you finish your Abitur, and sit for the exams... similar to the Bac, depending on your Numerus Clausus and what you concentrated in .. you can decide what University track you will enter. The problem of course is, what if you did a humantiies track and yet you would like to do social science at University this becomes very difficult as you need to choose what your Abitur exams will be in and concentration ahead of time. Even with the introduction of the Bachelors/Masters degree at the University level now, it’s not a flexible system.


25 posted on 10/07/2014 9:10:44 AM PDT by Katya (Homo Nosce Te Ipsum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Katya

Thank you Katya, very informative.


26 posted on 10/07/2014 9:42:45 AM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Moltke

Quote: “A good one-liner perhaps, but the result, in economic productivity terms, seems to indicate otherwise.”

Because the German economy is just humming along? I look at it as this, how many University Graduates in Germany are actually holding jobs that require University level training?


27 posted on 10/07/2014 10:22:29 AM PDT by FlipWilson
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-27 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson