One of the peculiarities of Singapore math is that there is no difference between foreign and French students. Both are the same – entrance exams, diplomas upon graduation, the amount of registration fees. In France there are state educational institutions, where most of the expenses – 10,000 euros a year – are paid by the state, and private institutions, where students pay their own tuition. In total in France there are 90 universities, of which 70 public, 240 engineering schools, 230 commercial schools and 2000 training centers for design, fashion and art.
Studying in France, you can get the following state diplomas of higher education: lisans for 3 years, masters for 5 years, doctors for 8 years. In smaller French cities such as Toulouse, Lyon, Bordeaux, training is more specialized and focused on a few specialties, and in Paris, where about a quarter of all students, the choice is huge and you can find education in any field.
There are three types of scholarships available for international students: from the French government, from their own government, and from international organizations and nongovernmental organizations.
The German education system is similar to that in Russia, consisting of elementary, secondary, and high school. The state guarantees all citizens compulsory secondary education, so most educational institutions at all levels are public, and tuition is free.
The basic principle of higher education in Germany is “academic freedom” – it allows any student to independently determine the list of subjects to be included in his diploma. The system of higher education also combines the educational process with scientific research. These features determine the schedule of the educational process at universities: each semester consists of lecture periods (14 to 20 weeks) and non-lecture periods, during which the student engages in independent research work. The average duration of higher education is five years, although there are universities with four or six-year courses. The maximum duration of higher education in Germany is ten years.
The university course is divided into two stages: basic (3-4 semesters), which leads to the Licentiate Degree (Vordiplom Pre-Diploma), and the main course (4-6 semesters), which leads to the Magister Artium (students of technical specialties get the Diploma of Specialist instead of the Degree). In addition to completing the main course of the university a graduate must defend a thesis or dissertation.
In general, it must be said that in Germany there is a lot of room for independent work of students in higher educational institutions. The principle is: “If you want to learn and become a professional – they will teach you, but you must show your own interest and conscientiousness.
Teaching is in German, but all international postgraduate programs are conducted in English, and there are also international courses for foreigners at universities – they are define whose also conducted in English. In order to enter any university in Germany you have to obtain a proof of your German language skills. The standard TestDaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) examination (German as a Foreign Language) can be taken in Russia. To attend university, you need a certificate confirming that you have passed level 4 of the exam in all four sections.
