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Dear Madam,

I am pursuing Mechanical Engineering and am currently in the fifth semester. I wish to pursue master’s in Automobile Engineering. What are the aptitude tests that I should write? Please suggest some good universities in Germany for the above-mentioned course.

Rajeev Prabhu

Dear Rajeev,

You need to take the GRE and TOEFL iBT. You can register for both these tests on the ETS website.

University of Bayreuth, Technical University of Munich, Technical University of Berlin, RWTH Aachen, University of Stuttgart and Esslingen University of Applied Sciences are well known for Automobile Engineering. Since you are only in the fifth semester, you have time to register for German language classes at the Goethe Institute. By the time you are ready to apply for admissions, you will have some knowledge of the local language which will be an added advantage.

Dear Madam,

My son is pursuing Pharm D
course. Now he is in fifth year. Can you please suggest some courses for Pharm D graduates, which can be pursued abroad? What tests should he write and how to prepare for the same?

Attaulla Sharieff

Dear Attaulla,

After completion of Pharm D, your son can start his career as a clinical pharmacist, drug inspector, analytical chemist, retail pharmacist, medical writer etc. If he wishes to study further he could either carry out research in pharmaceutical and translational sciences. Areas of specialisations could include Pharmaceutical Sciences, Molecular Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical and Experimental Therapeutics, Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy, Healthcare Decision Analysis and Regulatory Sciences.

Pharmaceutical and translational scientists are employed by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, they work as researchers, scientists and professors at universities, for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and at government laboratories. He needs to write his GRE and TOEFL iBT or IELTS to go to US, Canada or Europe. If he wants to study in UK, he needs to only write IELTS academic exam.

Dear Madam,

I am currently doing my bachelor’s in Electronics and Communication Engineering. I am interested in space research and exploration. Please suggest some universities abroad where I can pursue a course in astronomy and astrophysics. Are there any online courses that will be helpful?

A student

Dear Student,

The best universities for Astrophysics and Astronomy in US are MIT, Stanford, Princeton, Harvard, California Institute of Technology and University of California Berkeley. In UK, it is Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, Manchester University and University College London. In Europe, Ludwig-Maximillians University and TU of Munich Germany, ETH Zurich Switzerland, Radboud University and TU Delft Netherlands and KTH Royal Institute of Technology Sweden.

In New Zealand, I would recommend University of Canterbury which has its own observatory. Closer home in Asia, University of Tokyo Japan, NUS and NTU Singapore are among the finest. In Canada, University of Toronto and University of British Columbia are known for Physics and Astronomy. Online courses in Astronomy and Astrophysics are offered by Harvard, Coursera, EdX and Open University UK.

Dear Madam,

I am studying in final year of Biotechnology Engineering. I wish to pursue my master’s abroad in either Forensic Science or Food Technology. Do these courses have scope? Which other courses would you suggest and to which countries should I apply?

Preeti

Dear Preeti,

A Masters in Forensic Science will prepare you for a career in crime investigation, forensic science provision, consultancy, policy-making with public sector employers such as Police forces, Home Ministry, and Ministry of Defence. You can also specialise in forensic archaeology and forensic geoscience, DNA profiling, analysis of fires and explosives, drug abuse etc.

If you choose to pursue a Masters in Food Technology, you will study General Food Science, Food Chemistry, Food Microbiology, Food Engineering, Dairy Science, Food Processing Waste Technology, Health and Nutrition, Wine making etc. Opportunities for employment include positions in the food and allied industries, private and public sector companies, government agencies and educational and research institutions.

Dear Madam,

I have completed my BE in Telecommunication Engineering with a GPA of 9.6. Now I have joined a Business Analytics cum Data Science course and want to pursue my career in the Data Science field. Please suggest some good universities in the US and Germany for MS in Data Science. Give details regarding stay-back period, scholarships, tuition fees, internship opportunities.

Sharath Ram

Dear Sharath,

The universities that are known for Data Science in US are Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, Purdue, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, University of Washington, University of Minnesota, Columbia, NYU, University of Massachusetts Amherst, North Carolina State University, UT Austin and Northwestern University. In Germany, Technical University of Munich, Ludwig Maximillians University of Munich, University of Magdeburg, TU Dortmund, University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt and University of Mannheim are among the best.
When you go to US, you apply for a F1 visa. F1 students are eligible for curricular practical training at the graduate level during the programme of study. F1 students are also eligible for optional practical training during or following the programme of study. On-campus employment is work that F-1 students whose Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) status is active may apply for. Examples of on-campus employment include working at a university bookstore or cafeteria. Scholarships, graduate assistantships and teaching assistantships are available in all universities. You have to apply for these at the time of applying for admissions. Tuition fees in US is around USD 60000 to 70000 per year.

German Universities, on the other hand, are extremely affordable. Some universities charge a nominal fee while some others offer free education. I would suggest you register for German language classes at the Goethe Institute before heading to Germany. Although your programme is taught in English, knowing the local language will help you land a job easily. In order to receive a study visa for Germany you will be required to present proof of financial resources. This serves as a guarantee that you can afford the cost of studying in Germany; you will be expected to demonstrate funds of around €10,000. The student visa is initially issued for 3 months. You have to then apply for a residence permit. You can stay-back for 18 months after your graduation to find a job. Most universities offer campus placements and internships. You are allowed to work up to 190 full days and 240 half days. For more details on German visas, stay back options and scholarships, please visit http://www.daad.de