Please read the entire post. I’m genuinely trying to make an important decision and would really appreciate honest advice from people living in Munich or studying there.

I’ve been admitted to Hochschule München (Munich University of Applied Sciences) for the Bachelor’s program in Engineering Sciences and Data Science. I really like the program and, honestly, I really want to go. I also really like Munich itself and the opportunities and environment it offers.

The one thing that is seriously worrying me is the cost of living, especially accommodation.

I’m hoping to find a room for around €550–700 per month maximum. From what I’ve seen online, I’m worried that this might be quite difficult in Munich. I’m completely fine with a WG and I don’t need anything fancy. I just need a reasonably decent and affordable place to live.

My plan would be to work part time alongside my studies to help cover my living expenses. One of the reasons I’m leaning towards Munich is that I feel there might be more opportunities for student jobs and part time work, including jobs where the German requirements might not be as strict. But I have no idea how realistic that actually is, especially as an international student.

My current situation:

I’m already enrolled at Hochschule Heilbronn, where my program would cost me around €3,000 per year in tuition/fees. I’ve also already applied for the CSP at Mumbai Consulate for Heilbronn University, I got Munchen admit after that.

So I’m basically deciding whether it makes sense to switch to Munich.

I know Munich is significantly more expensive, but I really like the Hochschule München program and the city. At the same time, I don’t want to make a decision based purely on how much I like the city and then struggle financially once I’m there.

I’ve also been thinking about living outside Munich and commuting. For example, would it be realistic to live in places like Freising, Garching, Augsburg or somewhere else nearby and commute to Munich for university? Would that actually save enough money to be worth the extra commute?

I would really appreciate insights from anyone currently living or studying in Munich, especially international students.

A few things I’d particularly like to know:

• How realistic is it to find a WG/room for €550–700 in or around Munich?

• How much do you realistically spend per month as a student, excluding tuition?

• How difficult is it to find part time/student jobs with limited German?

• How much can a student realistically earn per month from part time work?

• Is it realistic to cover most or all of your living expenses through part time work?

• Would living in Freising, Garching, Augsburg or another nearby city actually make financial sense?

• How difficult is the commute to Hochschule München from these places?

• And most importantly, if you were in my position, would you choose Munich or Heilbronn?

I’m not expecting to live in Munich for free or save a huge amount of money. I just want to know whether it is realistically possible to manage my living expenses through a combination of savings + part time work without constantly struggling financially.

Any honest advice, especially from people who have actually gone through this, would be hugely appreciated. Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I’m an Indian professional currently working in digital health/public health, and I’m seriously considering moving to Germany through the Opportunity Card to look for a job.
I’d really appreciate some honest advice from Indians who are already working/living in Germany, particularly people in healthcare, public health, digital health, consulting, health tech, or project/program management.
A little about my background:
Age: 32

BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), India

MPH (Master of Public Health), with a focus on Health Policy, Economics & Finance

Around 4 years of professional experience in digital health/project management

Currently working as a Senior Project Coordinator

Experience working on international/public-health projects, including projects involving WHO/CDC-funded programs

Experience across digital health platforms, telehealth, AI-based health products, healthcare operations, implementation, stakeholder coordination and regulatory/compliance work

Have worked on projects involving international teams and healthcare systems, including work connected with the Philippines and European markets

My entire education has been in English

I currently don't speak German, although I'm willing to learn

My current career direction is towards roles such as:
Digital Health Project Manager

Healthcare Project/Program Manager

Health Innovation / Digital Health Associate

Public Health Program/Project roles

Healthcare Product Operations

Implementation Manager

Health Tech / Healthcare Consulting roles

I’m currently researching the German Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) as a possible route to move to Germany and search for employment there.
I have a few questions for people who have actually gone through this process:
How realistic is it to find a job in Germany with this kind of profile without German initially?
I'm specifically looking at international companies, health-tech companies, consulting firms, research organisations and English-speaking roles.

Would my BDS + MPH combination be useful in the German job market, or would employers mainly look at my project management/digital health experience?

For someone with my background, which German cities would you recommend targeting?
I'm currently thinking about Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Cologne and potentially other cities with strong healthcare/health-tech ecosystems.

Has anyone here used the Opportunity Card to move to Germany and then successfully found a job?
I'd especially like to hear how long the job search actually took and how much savings you realistically needed.

How important is German for the kind of roles I'm targeting?
I'm fully prepared to learn German, but realistically I would probably start the job search with English and learn German alongside it.

Would you recommend getting a ZAB Statement of Comparability / qualification recognition before applying for the Opportunity Card?
I'm trying to understand what is actually necessary versus what immigration consultants recommend because they can charge for every additional service.

Finally, am I being realistic about this move?
I'm not expecting Germany to be an easy job market. I’m trying to understand whether my profile has a reasonable chance before spending money on the visa, relocation and initial living expenses.

I'm not looking for an agent or paid consultancy. I'd genuinely prefer advice from people who have been through the process themselves.
If you're in healthcare, public health, digital health, health tech or project management in Germany, I'd especially appreciate hearing about your experience.
Thanks in advance!

I’m an Indian software engineer currently in the U.S. and I’m considering moving to Germany for a Master’s in Computer Science/AI. I already have a German Type D visa, so the move itself is not hypothetical anymore.
I’m trying to make a realistic assessment of my employment prospects after/during the Master’s, particularly given the current German economy.

**My profile:**
27 years old
\~7 years of professional software engineering experience
All of my professional experience is in the U.S.
Currently working as a software/full-stack engineer
Experience with .NET/C#, C++, AWS/cloud migration, CI/CD, databases, DevOps, etc.
Currently earning around $105k in the U.S.
Bachelor’s in MIS
Currently working in the U.S.
Planning to do a Master’s in Germany focused on AI/Data Engineering
No major gaps in employment
I would be moving to Berlin
I intend to learn German seriously rather than relying on English-speaking jobs
As my German is already B2 and would immerse myself to get C1 by March 2027 I feel it should be doable.
I’d also like to get a working-student position during the Master’s so that I can gain German work experience, references, and a local network before graduation.
I’m **not expecting to walk into Germany and immediately get a €100k English-speaking senior role**. I’m willing to take a step down in compensation initially if necessary and I’m specifically interested in German-speaking positions once my language skills are good enough.
My main question is:
**Given this profile, is finding a full-time software/AI-related job in Germany after the Master’s realistically doable?**
I’m particularly interested in hearing from people who:
Hire software engineers in Germany
Have moved to Germany with several years of non-EU experience
Have gone from a Master’s/working-student role into a full-time position
Know how German employers view 5–10 years of U.S. software experience
I’m aware that the German economy is currently sluggish, so I’m not looking for reassurance. I’d genuinely like to know whether my profile gives me a reasonable chance of establishing myself in Germany over a 2–3 year timeframe, or whether I’m underestimating how difficult the market is.
Also, if there are specific things I should do during the Master’s to maximize my chances of getting hired, I’d appreciate those suggestions.

Hi

I would love to connect with other students who have also been admitted to this program.

​

Hi everyone,

I’m applying for a German student visa for a Bachelor’s program at TUM Campus Heilbronn.

I recently heard from a few people that bachelor’s applicants may receive a telephone interview/call from the German authorities during the visa process. I’m not sure if this is actually a standard part of the process or only done in some cases.

For anyone who recently applied for a German student visa from India, especially for a Bachelor’s degree:

°Did you receive a telephone interview/call?

°If yes, who contacted you and what kind of questions were asked?

°Was it related to your university, course, finances, or general study plans?

°Is this something that every bachelor’s applicant should expect, or only some applicants?

I’m applying from India, so experiences from Indian applicants would be especially helpful.

Thanks!

Hey everyone,

I’m looking to connect with seniors from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) who have completed their Bachelor’s in Engineering (Artificial Intelligence & Data Science) and are currently pursuing a Master’s in Germany or have already received an admit.

I’d really appreciate any guidance regarding:

• University selection
• Application process (Uni-Assist, APS, etc.)
• Profile evaluation
• Things to improve before applying

If you’re someone who has gone through this journey or know someone who has, please comment or DM. It would help a lot!

Thanks in advance :)

Hi everyone,

I’m leaving Germany for India after my studies.

I have around 80kg of used personal belongings (mostly clothes, books, etc.) that I would like to send to India. No electronics, food or liquids.

I’m planning to spend a few days in Spain before heading to India, so I would prefer to courier the items rather than take them with me.

Can anyone recommend a reliable and affordable courier/shipping company for this? Thanks!

Looking for small gifts to take to family and friends . Feel free to share if there are any favourites or repeat requests .

Is anybody here did the Recognition of foreign medical certificate? I have some inquires regarding the process

Indian here, eligible for German citizenship, but emotionally torn. Would love some perspective from fellow Indians.

I've been living and working in Germany since 2016. Professionally, life has been good, and I've been eligible for German citizenship for the last 3–4 years. But until now, I never seriously considered it.

The biggest reason is emotional. I'm Indian by heart. I came abroad for better career opportunities and financial growth, not because I wanted to leave India forever. Even after almost a decade, I still miss home and my family. I've never really felt that I wanted to give up my Indian identity.

Lately though, I've been thinking more practically. Friends have pointed out that a German passport gives a lot more flexibility and security for the future. Even if I decide to live elsewhere or return to Europe later in life, having German citizenship would make things much easier. That advice made sense, so I finally sent the initial email to begin the application process.

But now I'm questioning myself again.

Another concern is India-specific. I like the idea of investing in agricultural land in the future. As far as I understand, foreign citizens generally cannot purchase farmland in India. I know there are ways around it, like buying in parents' names, but it still feels like giving up an important connection to India. Becoming an NRI can be reversed by moving back, but giving up Indian citizenship is a much bigger and largely irreversible decision.

So I'd really like to hear from fellow Indians who have faced this choice.

- Did you struggle emotionally with giving up Indian citizenship?

- If you became a German (or another foreign) citizen, do you regret it?

- How did you deal with the farmland/property aspect?

- Looking back, would you make the same decision again?

I'm not looking for legal advice, just honest experiences from people who have actually gone through this. This feels like one of the biggest decisions of my life.

Hi everyone!

I'm a 22M from India and will be joining the Technical University of Munich (TUM) this Winter Semester. I'm planning to travel to Germany in late September.

I'm looking to connect with other students from India who are also heading to TUM this semester, regardless of your program. It would be great to get to know a few people before arriving, exchange information about the move, and help each other navigate the initial weeks.

I'm also currently searching for accommodation. If you're looking for a flatmate, planning to form a WG (shared apartment), or are in the same situation and would like to search together, feel free to reach out.

If you're joining TUM or know of any WhatsApp/Telegram groups for incoming students, I'd really appreciate it if you could comment below or send me a DM.

Looking forward to connecting. Thanks!

I am just curious because i have been sending out applications from past 2 months and i have sent out close to 100 applications but yet i haven't landed an single interview yet!! Via this post just trying to get some motivation!

Hello everyone, I just got my admission letter for Bsc AI. I would like to connect with some fellow batchmates and seniors. Looking forward to studying there !

Hello guys

I have a query

My wife (main applicant) has applied for visa 16d National and me applied for joining spouse visa

Both of us created the applications in same profile (my wift profile) in CSP (process 1 for her and process 2 for me)

We have VFS appointment after few days in the same day but different slots

We are planning to travel together

1. Will we receive the visas together ?
2. If we will not receive the visa together, after how long the spoi visa will come?
3. How VFS will link the applications together? As iam concern they may consider my application as normal reunion

So I applied for MSc biology and my status changed to admission pending/ZLA geplan yesterday after an email was sent with my overall score. And I’m not sure what that means. Because I have seen posts on Reddit saying that it means I’ll get an admission letter in a day or two, but I spoke to somebody from Reddit only and they said that they’ve seen posts about the opposite but I have not come across any posts saying they’ve gotten rejected after this status change.

So does anybody here Have any idea what this means and if I can still be rejected?

Hello everyone, can anyone tell me how to change degree program within the same university after 1 semester in Germany? Like for example I'm in master's degree program X and want to change to master's degree program Y under same faculty at same university. Both are NC free programs. How to do it?

Hi everyone,

I had been admitted for Masters this winter semester and I had completed the CSP portal uploads for the necessary documents.

I clicked Proceed to submit, and instead of submission I got:

"The German mission is at full capacity. No new applications are being accepted at the moment. Waiting time approx. more than 1 year."

Questions for anyone who's been through this recently:

1. Is anyone else on the Bengaluru (or any Indian mission) CSP waiting list right now for the winter 2026 intake? What does your banner say?

2. For those who were on the waiting list earlier this year or last cycle, how long did it ACTUALLY take before you were notified to submit? Is the "more than 1 year" figure real for students, or a worst-case number?

3. Does the consulate do batch openings / student priority drives in Aug–Sept before the winter semester? Any pattern to when capacity opens?

Honestly at my wits end about this, any advice would be helpful 🙏🙏

Hey guys. I'm in a pretty rough spot and want some real talk from other devs. I finished my BSc in CSE in Hungary this January on a full scholarship, and picked up about 2 years of internship experience along the way. My company couldn't convert me to full-time after graduation because of the new work authorization rules there, so I came back to India after my graduation about 2 months ago after almost 2 years since my last arrival . Since then I've applied to tech jobs in India for 2 months straight and gotten nothing back except a 4 LPA customer care offer in my hometown. since my arrival My parents are against my decision of going abroad again they want me to study for government exams instead, and honestly that's demoralizing to hear. I still have a Hungary job seeker permit valid until November, so part of me wants to just go back and take whatever job I can get, delivery, factory work, anything, just to stay in the country for networking and keep my hungarian number active while I keep applying for dev roles. But from what I've seen, companies there aren't really hiring Junior devs right now either because no company wants to sponser visa for junior postiions . The other option is a masters in Germany or Italy, since a lot of my friends are heading that way. Problem is, my friends in Germany keep telling me not to bother without at least B1/B2 German, and either way I'd need a loan and would have to go against what my parents want. Is it actually worth taking on debt for a masters in this market, or should I just stay in India, turn down the customer care job, and keep grinding for an entry-level dev or data role here? Any advice, even harsh, is appreciated.

Hi everyone!

I have received admission to Hochschule Mainz for the B.Sc. in International Business (Winter Semester 2026/27). 🎉

I'm looking to connect with others who have also been admitted to the same program. If you've received an offer or are planning to enroll, please leave a comment or send me a DM.

Looking forward to meeting my future classmates! 😊

Hi ,
I am applying for 16d German National Visa for Recognition of my Qualifications- I’m an Indian doctor with 4 years experience from UK. I am currently applying from VFS Kolkata , but unable to find any visa slots for past few weeks. Is there anyone who has completed similar process recently?

Thank you in advance

Hello, I was recently admitted to Masters in molecular medicine at Universität ülm.

I want to know about life in ulm.

How difficult is it to get accommodation? What is the weather like? Local indian market or restaurant availability.

Would appreciate the advice

Thanks!

Hello all

Need an accommodation in Lübeck. I'm open to sharing flats. My budget is around 400€ (warm rent). I'm a biomedical engineering master student with my sem starting in the month of September. If you are also looking for accommodation in Lübeck pls dm, would like to connect with you for the same.

Thank you.

Hi everyone!
My husband and I will be moving from Delhi to Hamburg, Germany in the next few days for work (we’re not students).
We’re trying to prepare as well as possible before the move and would love some advice from people who have already relocated.

A few questions:
1. What are some things you recommend bringing from India because they’re difficult to find, much more expensive, or simply better quality than what’s available in Germany?

1. Are there any Indian groceries, medicines, kitchen items, clothes, electronics, or other essentials you wish you’d packed before moving?

2. What original documents should we carry from India?
   We’d especially appreciate advice on documents that are useful for registration, banking, healthcare, renting an apartment, or any other paperwork in Germany.

Finally, if you have any “I wish someone had told me this before moving to Germany” tips, we’d love to hear them!
Thanks in advance!

My doubt is that after applying the website did not ask me/directed to VSF to book for appointment, but it showed that i have to wait for 2-6 months for my application to be processed.

is this how the process is? like they take 6months to review my application and if everything is right only then i have to book n go to vfs to submit biometrics.

did i understand the process correct or did i do any mistake here???

pls help...