Germany
Personal stories
This section consists of personal anecdotes from people living in Germany. Remember to take it as stories, but they can point you where you can do more research.
Academia
person 1:
The application process for international students can be very annoying and long winded so it's really good to check the website as soon as possible https://www.uni-assist.de/en/#c3086 then there is a bunch of bureaucracy associated with living in Germany like the registration the place you live and health insurance which can be different for none Germans. There is usually also a German proficiency requirement.
person 2:
you have to be accepted, and be able to prove you can sustain yourself during your studies. Tuition is free for foreigners as well. Most bachelor level courses are in German, with only masters courses being in English. Courses labelled as N.C. are filtered and the process can be harder for foreigners; those not labelled accept all applicants.
Immigration rules
person 1:
There is a bunch of bureaucracy associated with living in Germany like the registration the place you live and health insurance which can be different for none Germans. I will ask some people I know from the us about stuff they had to do.
person 2:
Germany and the Netherlands both have a high skilled residency permit, which have a salary threshold, but basically is guaranteed entry if you have a job. A normal job visa below that threshold requires approval, as well as making sure they've already tried finding native applicants before allowing the foreign one. For both countries, a visa is for entering the country while a residency pass is for staying in the country. Americans may enter Germany to receive an employment residency pass without applying for a visa first; this is an exception only granted for a short list of countries.
Finding work
person 2:
I work in tech so basically I found a tech job by using LinkedIn to find possible companies and then applying directly to their company. Keep in mind you'll have to look for larger companies as they're more likely to give out residency sponsorships. The main tip is to stay near urban centers and avoid rural areas. For Germany, maybe avoid the states that are majority AFD controlled.
Access to HRT
person 2:
Germany will give you a bridging prescription if you bring proof of medication, so you won't have to worry about any gaps. You will be transferred to an endocrinologist.
Contact us
If you know about life in Germany as an LGBTQ+ person or would like to ask us questions about Germany, you can reach out to us using the contact form.