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What Students Say
Likes
- Course content: the courses are very tailored to ESMT and case based rather than just theory
- Professors: the professors are very engaged and knowledgeable. They take a personal interest in your learning journey
- Campus and facilities: the campus is beautiful because it’s a heritage building and is protected. It also has lovely study rooms that are private and can be booked
Dislikes
- No job support; they do not support in placement. No companies come to campus.
- Restaurant: The food is actually not great so I don’t love the cafeteria
- Overpriced: to some extent I do think it’s not great value for money. You can get the same/similar content for less money in other colleges
Course Curriculum
8
- The course curriculum was detailed and personally, I didn’t find it difficult. It was a mix of both and that’s the main reason I chose the program. It has simulations and case studies that keep you engaged.
- Positive-engaging, real-life applications, more based on reality and not theory.
- Negative—sometimes repetitive—the first semester is nothing new for a business major in bachelors.
- Around 150 students for all three masters programs.
- Around 15-17 Indians were there.
Admission Experience
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I only applied to 3 colleges:
- Michigan Ross, MIT, and ESMT.
- I got confirmed admission from UMich and ESMT.
- I applied for ESMT in September, had my interview in November and got a confirmed admission notification on the 13th of December.
- I did not attend the interview for MIT and that is the reason it didn’t move forward. This was because their program is solely finance based and I didn’t want that to be somethingI pursued..
- I really liked the course content of ESMT and the fact that it was applied learning and a dual learning method—so not just focused on theory but also practical learning through internships.
- The admissions process was fairly easy. I applied on the website. Then I had an interview, which was mainly based around my life and previous work experience. They really need to get a sense of you outside of academics and see that you’re a well-rounded person. After that, I was immediately accepted and got notified. I had to submit a few to confirm my acceptance and that I was interested too. I also received a scholarship so my overall fee was less.
- They need GMAT and IELTS/TOEFL but there are waivers for all of them. I got a GMAT waiver but the minimum score is mostly 630-670, I think. And then, if your bachelor's degree was in English, you don’t need TOEFL or IELTS. You just need to submit the scores in your bachelors.
- I really liked the admissions experience. It’s pretty easy and ESMT has student services that help you every step of the way. Also with the move to Germany.
- I applied in the early application batch. They have an early application discount, and the deadline is March 31. There are unlimited of these and the main factor that influenced my decision was:
- I’d get a discount
- I wanted to complete all my applications by September to maximise chances of admission
- Most colleges are done with Indian applications by the end of the first month because so many people apply right at the start. So to maximise your chances, apply ASAP.
- I submitted my application in September. I got a confirmation that they received it and told me to wait for further information. 2 weeks later they told me they’d like me to give an interview. The interview was scheduled for mid-November. Then, around 4 weeks later, I got the acceptance.
Faculty
8
- The ratio is not super high—it’s around 40:150. A lower faculty-to-student ratio generally allows for more individualised instruction, increased interaction with professors, and better academic support, which can significantly enhance the quality of education.
- Teaching methodology is mostly case-based, as mentioned before. It’s not sufficient but of course students always need to make their own efforts and personally understand what is required in the workplace.
- They can if you ask them and if they have the right connections
- I admire professors Francis, David for economics, and Vlada for consumer preference modelling.
Campus Life
8
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ESMT has both amazing equipment as well as courses that are supported by modern lecture halls which still have some of the old architecture. There are study rooms on the 3rd floor and student lounges, as well as a beautiful library with a view of Alexanderplatz
ESMT does partner with some organisations for student lodging but this is not on site. - They have various student clubs and 2 of them I was a part of—the net impact club and the women in leadership club. They have different events like DFS and TEDx where students can form leadership teams and take on the challenges of organising huge events!
Part Time Jobs
- No students—no positions. Only some research positions are available sometimes but no TA.
- I don’t know the pay range but definitely lower than what we normally get for an internship.
- No on-campus jobs. You can only work part time with some other companies.
- Maximum hours are in accordance with German guidelines set by the government. Mostly there are around 25 hours per week now, I think.
- On campus, jobs are difficult to get because they don’t exist.
- I think hourly wages are less—around 20 euros sometimes but mostly around 1500 a month with MNCs. It’s not ectremely diicult as there are plenty of working student jobs available. The usual process is to go through a platform like a job portal, LinkedIn, or smart recruiters and submit your resume and motivation there. Then go on to around 3 rounds of interview and several weeks of discussions about responsibilities to signing your contract
Placement
6
- There is an employment rate of 91%. Almost all students are employed either before or within 3-4 months of graduation. There is a choice to do a RLF—responsible leaders fellowship. Which some children went for this year as the job market was not great.
- The average package in Germany is 50-65k; I was lucky enough to be above that. There are different sources, such as career services, networks, and existing internships converted into a job offer to get a job, but most people use different job platforms to get one.
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- Off campus student housing at Berlinovo with the help of student services also.
- Monthly rent was around $500.
- Berlin is a highly competitive market and it's hard to find houses here. You need to be extremely vigilant and take it very seriously. Start well in advance. Getting into student houses is next to impossible but if you do, lock in a 2-year contract.
- Most Indian students stay in cheap student houses. My accommodation was around 40 minutes away
Exams
- They accept GRE but that can be waived too. This is what ESMT told me: "GMAT or GRE scores are not obligatory if candidates can provide alternative evidence of outstanding quantitative skills and/or scientific training within their bachelor’s studies through competitive grades. As a guideline, GMAT scores below 600 or GRE scores below 304 are not competitive.Please note that depending on the educational background as well as the grades, the review of the scores can focus more on the quantitative section of the respective test.”
- A bachelor's degree:
- Proof of English proficiency (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS) or graduating from a university program taught in English
Completed application, including essays and one recommendation
Having less than 24 months of post-graduate professional experience (not including internship or work experience prior to bachelor program graduation)
- Proof of English proficiency (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS) or graduating from a university program taught in English
- Boban Sulic conducted my interview. It was very friendly and they made me feel extremely comfortable. It was about my life and the learning’s I had so far. What I was looking for in. Masters program, what they needed and my mindset on a few topics like team work, character building, etc.
Fees
- To officially confirm my enrolment and reserve my place in the class, a first deposit of €4,000 had to be paid no later than four weeks after receiving your acceptance offer.
- This deposit will be deducted from future tuition payments. The remaining tuition fees were to be paid in two equal installments, at the beginning (September) and after the first year of the program. ESMT does not have a hostel.
- Its yearly. At the beginning of each year in September, we need to pay the fee.
- The rent and other expenses can vary very quickly. I was staying in a student accommodation so I paid 500 per month in rent and then of course 49 euros for the DEUTSCHLAND ticket and other regular expenses are groceries and insurance. Insurance is around 130 euros if you go with aTechniker krankenkasse.
Scholarship
- I received an Outstanding Student Leadership Scholarship. Number of scholarships available: two.
- Value: up to €8,000 ( I received around 5000)
- Eligibility was candidates displaying outstanding student leadership experiences during their bachelor’s study, specifically with regards to taking leadership initiatives in student clubs, student government, volunteer projects, international conferences, and during bachelor’s internships.
- Requirements: Candidates should complete the scholarship essay as part of their ESMT online application explaining how they qualify for this scholarship.
- My batchmates also received other scholarships, like women in leadership, etc. on average, the amount is around 1k-3k euros
