How to get into TUM Informatics (MSc) ?

What is TUM ?

The Technical University of Munich (TUM), also known as Technische Universit?t München, is widely recognized as one of the top universities in Germany and is highly regarded on an international level as well. It has a strong reputation for its technical and engineering programs, as well as its research contributions. Here are some key points that highlight the quality and reputation of TUM:

1. Academic Excellence: TUM consistently ranks among the top universities globally in various university rankings. It is known for its strong emphasis on research-led teaching and offers a wide range of programs across various disciplines.
2. Engineering and Technical Programs: TUM is particularly renowned for its engineering, natural sciences, and technical programs. It has a long history of excellence in these fields and is considered a pioneer in various engineering disciplines.
3. Research Impact: TUM is known for its cutting-edge research contributions across a wide array of fields. The university's research institutes and collaborations with industry partners often lead to advancements in technology and innovation.
4. International Reputation: TUM attracts a diverse group of students and faculty from around the world, contributing to a vibrant and international academic environment. It has numerous partnerships with universities worldwide and offers various international programs.
5. Strong Industry Connections: Being located in Munich, a city with a strong economic and technological base, TUM enjoys strong ties with industry and has a history of producing graduates who are highly employable.
6. Innovation and Entrepreneurship: TUM places a strong emphasis on fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among its students. It offers resources and support for startups and entrepreneurial ventures.
7. Campus and Facilities: TUM boasts modern facilities, libraries, research centers, and well-equipped labs, providing students with a conducive learning and research environment.
8. Student Life: Munich is a vibrant city with a rich cultural scene, making it an attractive location for students. TUM offers various extracurricular activities and student organizations that contribute to a holistic student experience.

Why TUM ?

Studying in Germany can be an excellent choice due to a variety of reasons that cater to their academic, personal, and professional aspirations. Here's why studying in Germany might be appealing from an Asian standpoint:

• High Quality Education
• Affordable or No Tuition Fees
• Research Opportunities and Working Student Jobs
• English Taught Programs
• Networking Opportunities
• Safety and Quality of Life
• Post-Study Work Opportunities
• Job seeker visa up to 18 months after graduation
• Gateway to Europe (Schengen Visa

Informatics (Computer Science)

TUM informatics provides wide range of elective modules to choose from. Some of these elective modules are:

• Computer Graphics and Vision
• Digital Biology and Digital Medicine
• Software Engineering
• Machine Learning
• Computer Architecture
• Robotics
• Security and Privacy
• Quantum Computing

Each of these elective modules have a large number of courses. Apart from these elective courses students are also required to take a practical course (internship) that can be completed in the university or with a company (but you will have to look for a professor yourself), a seminar and an Interdisciplinary Project (a project from a department not associated with informatics and can also be completed with a company but again you will have to look for a professor from the university yourself). If you love practical courses/experiments/research and want to take one more practical course, you can get it counted as a Guided Research.

Why am I telling you all of this ? Because you must be clear before applying to a Master's course what you intend to study. Courses here in Germany are difficult, it is difficult to score (or rather easier to fail), some good elective courses have prerequisites, it might take longer than 2 years to complete your Master's. So all in all you must be ready before you even begin your journey :)

Requirements for Application

Academic Requirements:

You must have a decent academic background in order to get an admit from the TUM Informatics since it is very competitive. There is no lower bound on the CGPA but my personal advice would be to keep your CGPA around 8.0+ out of 10.0 if you really want to get an admit. For people from India, you will have to get your CGPA converted into German GPA through something called as a VPD (through uni-assist - link provided at the end). There might be other companies that do this for you but you will have to check that yourself.

Work Experience:

It is not mandatory to have a work experience but if you do have it in a relevant field then it is can serve as an advantage for you, especially for the people looking to change streams after their undergrad degrees.

Internships:

Just like work experience, internships are not necessary but again to stand out of the crowd it is better to have internships as they demonstrate the practical knowledge and skills acquired by the individual.

GRE:

Stated in TUM Informatics Website:

1. Applicants with a Degree from Bangladesh, China, India, Iran or Pakistan have to submit a GRE (General) Test. We have defined required minimum scores, lower scores will not be accepted!
2. The required scores are: Verbal reasoning: (will not be taken into account anymore) Quantitative reasoning: 164, Analytical writing: 4.0, The Institution Code: 7806, Department: 5199 ("all other departments").
3. Alternatively, students can submit a scorecard of the Indian GATE test (Computer Science; for MSc CSE the Mechanical Engineering Test will also be accepted). The minimal qualifying score of the respective year is necessary.

Need help regarding application ?

While filling in your application there might be a point where you may need help. You can always send your queries/questions to:

1. studium(at)tum(dot)de
2. application(at)in(dot)tum(dot)de

These email addresses have been taken from the links shared below.

Please don't hesitate to send your emails to the university directly. They do take time to process your email but they always revert back.

FAQ

I have a low CGPA, what are my chances of getting an admit ?

The university considers a lot of parameters before declaring the admits. If you have a low CGPA then try to make up for it in the GRE or GATE.

I don't have work experience or internships, will I get an admit ?

As I said earlier, work experience or internships do give you an edge but they are not something to fret over. Having a good CGPA, good GRE score, a well written essay are equally important.

I don't have a decent profile, no work experience, no internships and my CGPA is also not good. Should I even apply ?

If you are passionate about getting a Master's then you could apply but you already know your chances are bleak, instead I would recommend you to take a year or 2 off (anyways the GRE is valid for 5 years) and work on yourself, get a job, learn some skills, maybe get relevant certificates from online learning tools.

What are the job opportunities after Master's in Germany and what is the salary one can expect ?

Unlike India, there are no on-campus placements in Germany. Getting a job depends on your skillset and networking abilities. But there are a lot of jobs available in Germany for a computer grad. Germany is home to many great startups along with multinationals such as SAP, Infineon, Siemens etc. Salaries heavily depend on the city and the company you are applying to. In Munich for instance you could expect somewhere near 60,000€.

Is Germany/Munich expensive, what is the cost of living in Munich ?

Rent: 300~700€, Insurance: 120€ plus the utilities like internet, food etc. So the total monthly cost could come somewhere between 600~1000€.

Can we earn money while studying ?

Yes you can and ideally you should. Lots of working students jobs and internships are available throughout Germany. But I would advice to start looking for job after 1 or 2 semesters as it takes a while to settle in a new country.

Is it necessary to learn German?

No it is not necessary to learn German if your program is taught in English (which is true for Informatics in TUM). However, learning German can open a lot of opportunities for you and it is also beneficial for getting visa's, citizenship etc.

I hope I did not forget anything. Anyways most of this stuff is already listed in detail on the website links I have shared (especially the second link).

If it takes longer for me to complete my Master's course will it have any side effects while applying for jobs ?

Ideally it would not affect your chances of cracking an interview because most companies prefer skills over time taken to complete your Master's. As long as you can justify why it took longer you should be fine. If it helps most of the people I know took atleast 2 years (and even more than 3 years) to complete their master's and they all are doing good :)

Important Links:

Key information about the program such as prerequisites, documents required, application procedure.

Another website detailing everything required for/during Masters in Informatics

Uni Assist VPD