u/LectureStunning9306

Hi everyone! I am an 18-year-old student living in Bulgaria. This year, I am graduating from a German language high school. I have completed my German Language Diploma II (DSD II) and expect to graduate with a German equivalent grade of 1.3. With this diploma, I will be able to study in Germany or Austria later on. My preferred country is Germany – but that is where my problem begins. My parents are completely against my decision and are not supporting me in studying abroad. Nevertheless, I really want to study in Germany and am currently looking for a solution. My question is: Is it realistic to study full-time and work at the same time if you receive no financial support from your parents? Unfortunately, I don't know much about scholarships and student financial aid either – I don't know if there are even options available for international students from Bulgaria. My family is not poor, but they simply wouldn't allow me to study abroad. My dream major is Computer Science (Informatik), ideally at the TU Munich, TH Cologne, or Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences. However, I am afraid that living in these cities might be too expensive for me. Or should I do an apprenticeship (Ausbildung)? One of my ideas was to stay in Bulgaria for a year, work, and save money for my first year of studies. But I don't know if I would manage to keep working during my studies afterwards to finance the following years. Or is the risk too high and should I perhaps do my Bachelor's degree in Bulgaria and only go to Germany for my Master's? Are there perhaps people here who were or are in a similar situation? I would really appreciate your experiences and tips! xx

Hello everyone!

I am a future student from Bulgaria and I am planning to move to Frankfurt to study at the Goethe University o starting in the Winter Semester 2027. My German level is C1 (DSD II), and I will be working in my home country for a year beforehand to save up some starting capital, as I won't have financial support from my family.

Since I am not yet familiar with the city and the system, I would highly appreciate some firsthand advice on a few things:

Studierendenwerk: I know that the earliest you can apply for a student dormitory is 6 months before the semester starts. How realistic is it to actually get a spot if I sign up for the waiting list on the very first day (early April)? Which specific dorms or neighborhoods would you recommend for students?

Financing & Minijobs: My plan is to combine the German child benefit (Kindergeld via an Abzweigungsantrag) with hopefully the Deutschlandstipendium (due to an excellent high school grade). On top of that, I want to work a Minijob. Are there good opportunities in Frankfurt for students with fluent German in areas like office assistance, customer service, or retail?

Cost of Living: Is a monthly budget of around €1,000–€1,100 (including rent in a student dorm, health insurance, and groceries) realistic enough to live decently and independently as a student ?

Hallo zusammen!

Ich bin eine zukünftige Studentin aus Bulgarien und plane, ab dem Wintersemester 2027 an der Universität zu Köln zu studieren. Mein Deutschniveau ist C1 (DSD II) und ich werde ein Jahr lang in meiner Heimat arbeiten, um mir ein Startkapital anzusparen, da ich keine finanzielle Unterstützung von meiner Familie haben werde.

Da ich die Stadt und das System noch nicht perfekt kenne, hätte ich ein paar Fragen an euch:

Kölner Studierendenwerk: Ich weiß, dass man sich frühestens 6 Monate vor Semesterbeginn für ein Wohnheim bewerben kann. Wie realistisch ist es, tatsächlich einen Platz zu bekommen, wenn man sich direkt am ersten Tag (Anfang April) auf die Warteliste setzt? Welche Wohnheime oder Stadtteile würdet ihr für Studierende empfehlen?

Finanzierung & Minijobs: Mein Plan ist es, Kindergeld (per Abzweigungsantrag) und hoffentlich das Deutschlandstipendium (wegen sehr gutem Abitur) zu kombinieren. Dazu möchte ich einen Minijob machen. Gibt es in Köln gute Möglichkeiten für Studierende mit fließendem Deutsch im Bereich Bürohilfe, Kundenservice oder ähnlichem?

Lebenshaltungskosten: Reicht ein Budget von ca. 1000–1100 Euro im Monat (inklusive Miete im Wohnheim, Krankenversicherung und Lebensmitteln) aus, um in Köln als Studentin gut und unabhängig zu leben?

Ich freue mich sehr auf eure Tipps und Erfahrungen! Vielen Dank im Voraus

Hello everyone!

I am a future student from Bulgaria and I am planning to move to Cologne to study at the University of Cologne starting in the Winter Semester 2027. My German level is C1 (DSD II), and I will be working in my home country for a year beforehand to save up some starting capital, as I won't have financial support from my family.

Since I am not yet familiar with the city and the system, I would highly appreciate some firsthand advice on a few things:

Kölner Studierendenwerk: I know that the earliest you can apply for a student dormitory is 6 months before the semester starts. How realistic is it to actually get a spot if I sign up for the waiting list on the very first day (early April)? Which specific dorms or neighborhoods would you recommend for students?

Financing & Minijobs: My plan is to combine the German child benefit (Kindergeld via an Abzweigungsantrag) with hopefully the Deutschlandstipendium (due to an excellent high school GPA). On top of that, I want to work a Minijob. Are there good opportunities in Cologne for students with fluent German in areas like office assistance, customer service, or retail?

Cost of Living: Is a monthly budget of around €1,000–€1,100 (including rent in a student dorm, health insurance, and groceries) realistic enough to live decently and independently as a student in Cologne?