Yooo...Motivation Letter!

I don't know how often is a motivation letter required for a student visa application, but you will need to write a motivation letter to apply for Germany's student visa. This post isn't about "How to Write An Impressive Motivation Letter", because  first I am not an expert in this, second I do not speak beautiful English nor able to write in good grammar. But I am here to share my experience with you ;)

This is my very first time on writing a motivation letter. I had no idea how a motivation letter should be. What should I write in the letter? How long should I prepare? Two pages? Or a short one is enough? In what language shall I write? Is it appropriate to start the story from secondary school? Or earlier? and bla bla bla.. I think all newbie thought the same thing as I thought. 

 I googled for some examples on the internet, most of the motivation letter is written for a Master application. Apparently the content are not so appropriate but the letter format and their opening paragraph is quite useful for a newbie like me. If you are thinking of plagiarism, first you have to make sure you and the original writer shared same background, same experience, and you understand what he/she is trying to express in the letter. Because if you are having a tough luck that month, and are called for an interview, I believe there is > 80% the interviewer will ask you question from the text for further explanation~ imagine that! This gonna be the biggest joke if you couldn't answer them.

SO, what exactly should I write in my motivation letter?I wrote a little about myself, my education background, my study plan in Germany also my future plan after completed the courses in Germany, not to forget "WHY do you want to study in Germany" too. 
Took out a pen and a piece of paper, I jot down points that I already got, sketched a draft, and there I start my first paragraph. You'll come out with next paragraph automatically after you finish one, so do not try to squeeze out whole letter just by sitting there, you'll just waste your time. This is how I start my letter.

Anyway, I struggled for more than a week to think an answer for "Why do you want to study in Germany?" and I only got myself one reason. However I think that is the most reasonable and powerful reason why I wanna study there -- immersion is the best way of studying a language. Isn't it?

I remembered the consular of embassy once asked me over a phone call, "Why do you want to study in Germany? Why not Malaysia?"I think she was hinting me why not Goethe Institute in Malaysia. I answered her "Because of the environment..." she interrupted rudely, "This is not a solid reason" Dafuq!!! I pointed her my middle finger immediately, of course she will never know it. (Oooppsss...Hoping she is never going to read my blog) Ya, this is the one who made me struggled for more than the reason I already got for myself. If she wasn't the consular, I wanted to shout into her face! "SO?What do you think is the best solid reason? Because Germany has Volkswagen or because she's famous with beer, sausage and pork knuckle?" geez  (==")

I wrote approximately 2 pages, in German. At first I wrote in English, everything seems perfect after my cousins helped me to correct whatsoever grammar mistake or phrasing error that I did, they also helped me to make it sounds much more convincing. But I have to rewrite after my first attempt to hand in my application to German Embassy. Another consular (not the one who always talk impolitely) advised me to write in German since I graduated with degree in German Language. She said, that higher my chances to get a Visa. Sob... I thank her for her kind advice, but that isn't an easy task cause it has been a year I never practice my German after graduate, sob, ya I know, it's all my bad :(
But anyway, task is completed.

 What I wrote in my letter? I mentioned my grade point average (GPA) in SPM, STPM and university, talk about my plan, reason of why Germany and that the language center has accepted my application, accommodation all settled. Listing out enclosed documents as ending. I will post my letter in my next post, I have two versions, one in English and another one in German. 

That's all for today. Good Luck!
See ya

What happens after?

I went to embassy to certify these documents (Blocked Account's application form) on Friday, 3rd of August 2012. We sent out our form to Germany with Post Laju on the following Monday, 6th of Aug. 

I am going to Germany with my friend, so we sent out the form together in one envelope, hehe...to save cost~It costs us approximately RM40 per person. If you are not rushing, you can just use normal post. That only costs you RM6 per parcel. 

Then I have waited for roughly 2 weeks plus, on same month 23rd (Thursday), I received an email (so please remember to fill in your email CORRECTLY in the application form, this is very important) from Deutsche Bank.

1st email from Deutsche Bank

In that email, they sent me my account number, the IBAN and Bank ID-Code, and whatever info that will be needed when you deposit money into your account. So now you already have an account in Germany! What you need to do next is to deposit money into your account.

How? Please note that they do not accept any payments by "Demand Draft" or "Cross Cheque". I use TT, Telegraphic Transfer. Every bank offers different currency rate, some expensive some slightly cheaper, do some survey if you want to save some $$$.

How much should I transfer? You must at least bank in the required amount stated in your application form + 50EUR processing fee + charge and transaction fees billed by your principal bank + possible charges of the Deutsche Bank for non-domestic credit entries. If you want to know, I transferred an extra 192EUR besides the mandatory minimum amount, a total of 8,100EUR.

I made the transaction on Monday 27th August. Two days later on 29th, I received 2nd email from Deutsche Bank. This time is to confirm that they have received my transaction and that they have also informed the German Embassy in my home country. 

If you noticed, a 12EUR is deducted from my account. Remember? I banked in 8,100EUR. I think this 12EUR is the transaction fees charged by my principal bank. And what about the 50EUR? Idk, maybe they will charge me when I am there to unblock my account? Will update you in my other post when I'm there and done with it. So please pray for me that I'll get my student visa!! I'm very nervous about it everyday every hour every minute and  every second ...... (T口T) Please, everything goes smoothly! pray harder*

All you can do with a Blocked Account in Malaysia is done, and what you need to do next is to print out the second email from Deutsche Bank in 2 copies, and this is your financial documents that needed in your application for a Student Visa to Germany :)

Again, it's time to say,  
Wookay, Tschüss! ;) see you again!

Opening Blocked Account

Blocked Account, in German it is "Sperrkonto".
A Blocked Account is required for all foreign students from non-EU countries to study in Germany, if you are planning on financing yourself for your studies.

You can contact any bank in Germany over the internet and obtain the information regarding opening blocked account. I opened my Blocked Account with Deutsche Bank, but not the Deutsche Bank branch in Malaysia, because Malaysia’s Deutsche Bank does not offer this service.

To be frankly, opening a blocked account is really easy, all you need is just some time, roughly three weeks to one month. That's why I strongly suggest you to start with this throughout the whole mess, instead of preparing your motivation letter or to take a new grey/white-background passport photo. You can always prepare your motivation letter or to take a brand new good-looking passport photo when waiting for the application to process.

HOW to open a blocked account
First of all, enter here --> Deutsche Bank.
Here you'll see several types of form. Please choose the one which suits your condition best. In my case, the form I downloaded was "Opening ... ≥18 years (PDF)" because im 24 already!!! screaming******

Now, fill out the form.
If you have any question regarding opening a blocked account with Deutsche Bank, please  check in their FAQ's. Their FAQs cover from "Opening of the Account" to "Closing of the Account". Very helpful.

You will have to deposit a minimum of 670EUR per month of your staying in Germany.
For example, if you are going to stay there for 1 year, you will need to deposit 8,040EUR into your blocked account. However, this amount is subject to change, please check the exact amount from the embassy. At my time, it was 659EUR per month.

If you are not going to stay there for few months like me, REMEMBER TO FILL IN A DIFFERENT AMOUNT which you require. Otherwise, the prescribed default amount (8,040EUR) applies, and you must deposit full amount of it, or else your account will remain blocked.

I was so careless and didn't fill in a different amount (T.T) I end up have to deposit a total of 7,908EUR for my stay of only 6 months. This is not good, if I couldn't get myself to study in Germany for M.A. after this, I might suffer huge losses from the exchange rate to bank. Of course I could enter M.A. in Germany!!!

Together with the completed form, a copy of your passport, confirmation letter from university/language school (if available) and a registration fees of RM60 (please confirm with the embassy again before you head to embassy, in case the price changed).

There the embassy consular will authenticate your document. You will get back your application form with a/few stamps on it and a receipt. Keep the receipt as your reference, and then post the application form to the following address:

Deutsche Bank Privat und Geschaeftskunden AG
Service Center Hamburg / Auslaendische Studenten
Alter Wall 53
Deutschland / Germany

You may keep a copy of the application form for yourself, but please remember, you may only send the ORIGINAL application form to the bank.

Wookay, that's it! Fertig!
Thank you for reading and see you in my next post ;)

Student Visa

To apply a student visa to Germany is basically not so difficult and complicated, I would say so. However there might be some circumstances that you might need to take note.

Have you found yourself some useful info already? I am happy if your answer is YES, I believe the more info you collect, the greater determination you have. When I started to gather all the information for application, I was once trying to use the loophole, well, haha, at the end I found out it is not so possible and very risky. SO, I chose the secure way, I am a good girl and not going to teach you bad thing here. LOL 

First of all, Malaysian citizens DO NOT require a visa when travelling to Germany. We may enter Germany for 90 days without a visa but may not exceed 90 days within a 6-months period. Meaning we need to leave Germany for another 3 months before we can enter again without a visa, if you are already stayed there for 90 days within 6 months.

Malaysian citizens do not require a visa when travelling to one or more of the Schengen countries for business or tourism purposes. The stay in the Schengen States, however, may not exceed 90 days within a 6-months period. This means that once you have stayed for 90 days in any of the Schengen States, there will be a waiting period of 3 months imposed before you can enter any Schengen State once more.

Before we continue, if you have ever heard about Schengen Visa, please forget about it, because Schengen Visa is not applicable for Malaysian and even though if it's applicable, a Schengen Visa is only a short-term stays up to 90 days. Still, it is not adaptable to our condition. 

Who are these Schengen States? 
These are the Schengen country:
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland

Who needs a Schengen Visa to visit these countries?
Loooonnngggg list they have, I am only going to give you a slight view:
Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, Egypt, North Korea, Laos, Thailand, Taiwan, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka etc. You want to know more? Here you go.
More info about Schengen visa, please click here.

I would like to give an account of myself here before I list out what documents and procedure I need to proceed to visa application, because additional documents may be required for your condition, since this whole mess thing is a case to case basis. Thus I would suggest you to ask the consular in person, to avoid any misapprehension.

I hold a B.A degree in German language (Level B1), going to Germany for a 6-months intensive course (a total of 4 modules) at a language school & full payment is made, I have also booked myself an accommodation with a company & deposited a down payment.


How long does a processing of visa application will take?
According to the Embassy's website, it's 2 to 3 months (=口=) dafuq???
Yes, I do not understand why 2 to 3 months too. But if you want to be on the safe side, just follow the rules, start everything 2 to 3 months earlier.

I were asked to prepare a list of document as below:

• 2 duly Completed Residence Permit Forms (Application form)
• 2 Passport-size Photographs (IMPORTANT: Grey or White background)
• 6 months validity Passport
• 2 Copies of Passport
• 2 Copies of Admission Letter for a Language Course in Germany
• 2 Copies of Proof of German Language (My degree certificate)
• 2 Copies of Transcript
• 2 Copies of Motivation Letter (in German language)
• 2 Copies of Financial Document

and because I mentioned the accommodation in Germany is booked and deposit is paid, I provide an additional document, which is the confirmation letter from the accommodation company, in 2 Copies too.

Did you notice that I highlighted the Financial Document?

Yes, this is the most important part out of all, and you should start with preparing the financial document instead of other, cause it takes time, for approximately 3 weeks to one month.

There are 3 types of financial document:

1. Proof of Scholarship (amount of scholarship stated in EURO,-)
2. Verpflichtungserklärung (Formal Obligation) - Proof of financial stability for        ,- EURO in a year. Financial Documents has to be laid out by the Sponsor, Bank Statements, Salary Slips, Savings Account Book - from the last 3 months
3. Blocked Account (Sperrkonto) in Germany

In my condition, i do not have a scholarship for my language course, and I was advised to go for the third option, which is Blocked Account.

Wookay! I have to stop now, please do not expect me to finish all in one post, that's gonna kill me, or make me blind. I will stop at here for today and will see you again in my next post. 

Peace :)

Next: Blocked Account

Let's GO!

I faced a lot of troubles and obstacles on the process of application for a student visa to Germany. I found out there is very limited information and sources for a Malaysian student to seek for advice or info on student visa application especially when it comes to the procedure, hence I decided to create this space, to share my experiences with you. Me n my friend (i call her sexy lady, S.lady) together we are working and do not have a lot of annual leave, I have only 8 days per year...sob..that's why it comes to me to think that making clear on the procedure is so damn important! You do not want to travel back and forth to the embassy, do you?

I am a Malaysian, completed my B.A in German language and linguistic from University of Malaya. I dream to be an interpreter, which most probably oscillated between English and German. TestDaF as a proof of German language proficiency is needed as an admission requirement to enter M.A Conference Interpretation in Germany. However my German language proficiency at level B1 is inadequate to meet the requirement.

I always believe the best way to learn the language is to immerse oneself in the native-speaking environment, that is the biggest reason why I am not taking intensive language course in Goethe Institute in Malaysia. I realized I am not able to speak like a native even though I have been learning German language for 3 years as a full time student, which mean I have German classes everyday for 3 years continuously and prepared my FYP in German. I only have the chance to get in touch with the language under a simulated German-speaking  environment in the university. Thus I believe the same will happen in Goethe Institute in Malaysia.

WELCOME to all, at this moment, I have just send in my visa application form and other related documents to the embassy 2 days ago which is on 4th Sept 2012. Will I be granted a student visa? Yes please, I am really NERVOUS for god sake!