Postponing starting my Master's degree (Germany)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the possibility of postponing enrollment in a Master's program at a university in Germany due to financial constraints. Participants explore the implications of deferring admission, the process involved, and the financial challenges faced by the original poster.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster expresses concern about financial support for studying abroad and considers postponing enrollment until the next academic year.
  • Some participants suggest contacting the university to inquire about the possibility of deferring enrollment.
  • The university's response indicates that the original poster would need to reapply for the next semester, with no guarantees of acceptance.
  • Participants emphasize the importance of financial stability and caution against starting the program without sufficient funds.
  • There is mention of the original poster looking for scholarships, but the university does not offer any, and external scholarship deadlines have passed.
  • One participant advises prioritizing work and seeking financial aid opportunities rather than rushing into the program.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of financial support before starting the program, but there is no consensus on the best course of action regarding postponement and reapplication.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights the uncertainty surrounding the reapplication process and the lack of financial aid options, which may impact the original poster's decision-making.

Phylosopher
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Hi,I have been accepted in one of the top universities in Germany. The program starts not very far from today (Summer 2020). Problem is that I have just established myself in my career as a teacher and I do not have a lot of money to support myself abroad. (just started two months from now)

My plan was to finish my contract in the school this year, then go into university at the start of the next academic year to complete my higher degrees. (I applied for the master's degree in summer 2020 as an alternative plan).

Now that I have the acceptance letter, is it usually possible to postpone the enrollment to the next semester? Because, I do not think it is very wise to rush things up while I don't have the financial support.
 
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It wouldn't hurt to write the University and ASK!
 
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HallsofIvy said:
It wouldn't hurt to write the University and ASK!

I wrote, still waiting for a response. But I wanted to know if this is a common thing or not. Also, whether such cases are usually accepted from universities.
 
HallsofIvy said:
It wouldn't hurt to write the University and ASK!

Update

The university advised me to basically apply again for the Winter semester. As I understand, this means that I will have to reject the current offer and reapply. The outcome of the Winter semester screening may be positive or negative, and it is not necessarily tied to this year decision.

The person I emailed sounded positive that since I have been accepted this year, I will probably be accepted next year as well. But there are no inssurance what so ever!

Does anyone have any advise for me?
 
Phylosopher said:
Does anyone have any advise for me?
Phylosopher said:
I do not have a lot of money to support myself abroad.
Do not be in a situation where you have no financial support.
I would guess that you have already tried looking for a scholarship from this same university, but what about external ones?
 
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archaic said:
Do not be in a situation where you have no financial support.
I would guess that you have already tried looking for a scholarship from this same university, but what about external ones?

Thank you for your reply. Yes I have looked for scholarships.
The university does not offer any, and the deadline for all the external scholarships that I know of has passed.

Even if there is one, it will take around a month or two for a decision, and I only have around 10 days to decide whether I should accept or reject the university offer. I guess German universities are really fast pace ^^".

With my current financial situation, I can support myself for about two semesters, after that, I would be a beggar.
 
Phylosopher said:
With my current financial situation, I can support myself for about two semesters, after that, I would be a beggar.
And I do not think that you would be so sure as to obtaining a scholarship after those two semesters, or even after the first. I think that the more responsible choice is to take the work for now and keep an eye for potential financial aid opportunities.
 
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