Hi there,
my name is Jessica and I come from Taiwan. I’m currently in the second semester of my master studies and have just started working at Fintiba 3 weeks ago. For the first 7 months of my stay in Germany, I have realized that leaving home, family and friends to live and study in a foreign country is really not an easy task. There are so many expected and unexpected things that I have to learn and get used to before I see Germany as my second home. So for those who want to turn a new page in life and be well prepared for the journey ahead in Germany, this post is for you!
How I Become a Working Student at Fintiba
Have you ever wondered who is working on that awesome product or service behind the scene?
That is pretty much how I felt after getting my blocking confirmation within 3 days- impressed! Therefore, when “Fintiba X-MAS Hunt” event was organized a few months ago, I decided to take this opportunity to learn more about the people and story behind the company.
At the event, friendly employees welcomed us with enthusiasm as well as lots of food and drinks, which quickly made me feel at home. The CEO told us how the company was originally founded and its intention to minimize the time- consuming and bureaucratic process of block account opening. It is also important to mention that it is well recognized by the German foreign office for its contribution to making Germany more attractive to foreign students.
The event “Fintiba X-MAS Hunt” was a hunting game where participants compete in teams by accomplishing things written on the challenge list. After the crazy hunting game where we traveled around the city to complete funny missions, everyone finally gathered around at the Christmas market for a nice cup of Glühwein. The cofounders told us that the mission of the company is to help students and professionals abroad get their VISA for Germany and that they are glad every time when they know they have changed someone’s life and career path by doing so.
On my way home, even though exhausted, I was very inspired. I couldn’t help but think about ways to introduce Fintiba to more people in need and potential services it could develop for internationals in the future. That was when I realized: I don’t want my Fintiba journey to end yet.
Two months later, I rang the doorbell of their Frankfurt office once again. However, this time not with my cheesy „Merry Kissmas“ sweater on but with excitement, passion and goal to contribute to the Fintiba family.
And so my Fintiba journey continues!
Why Have I Decided to Study in Germany?
- Travel, travel, travel!
One of the best things about studying in Germany is traveling! Germany shares borders with nine other countries: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Netherlands- which makes it easy to bounce from one country to another over weekends! Not to mention the fact that with a student card, you can not only get discounts on transportation but also cheaper tickets to museums, concerts and many other tourist resorts!
- High Quality & Practice-Oriented Education
Many companies in Germany work closely with universities and research institutions in application-oriented research and development. Additionally, corporations often offer internships and part-time positions for qualified students who are willing to gain work experiences as well as finance their own studies. Therefore, many educational institutions in Germany emphasize the importance of putting theory into practice, making German diploma one of the most renowned degrees worldwide!
VISA Application – Need a block account ASAP?
I chose Fintiba as my block account service provider because its account opening process is much easier and faster (approx. 1-3 days) in comparison to traditional banks. For example, since there were no Deutschebank branches for individuals in Taiwan, applicants are required to send all documents to Hamburg via the embassy, thus the account opening will take approx. 4- 6 weeks. With Fintiba, on the other hand, the block account was set up within a day! The account opening process is digitized, I simply had to fill out forms, upload documents and go through video legitimation online, all of which were quite enjoyable with clear instructions and modern interfaces. In conclusion, even though I have not tried other block account service providers, but I had a very positive user experience with Fintiba and can recommend them to you.
Important Things to Learn About Germany
- Health Insurance is a MUST
Health insurance is mandatory in Germany by law. Beside different insurance requirements for people of different profession, age, and period of stay, there are also 2 types of insurance company you could choose from: private or public. Thus, it was one of the most confusing and urgent matters for me in the beginning of my stay. In order to ease the struggle, Fintiba Plus Package (Block Account+ Health Insurance) was invented! With it, internationals can save the trouble and easily get individualized and officially approved insurance package with just a click!
- Any Alternative for Expensive Rent Deposit?
I had no experience in renting a room or apartment until I moved to Germany, but I know that paying 2-3 months of rent as deposit is common here. Therefore, horrible stories such as landlord vanishing without returning the rent deposit or landlord losing contact right after rent deposit was transferred all freaked me out. As one day I certainly will have to move out of the school dorms, I have to face this issue sooner or later. Fortunately, Fintiba recently introduced the “Rent Deposit Insurance” which is an alternative to paying the usual rent deposit. By paying 5% of the deposit as premium annually, the guarantee certificate issued by the underwriting agency can be used to replace rent deposit. Therefore, it will increase tenant’s overall financial security and liquidity!
- Fear for Breaking Other People’s Stuff? (Liability Insurances)
In the beginning of the semester, I learned that some of the tenants in the school dorms had to pay fines of up to €300 for not maintaining their mattresses tidy. However, those tenants did not think the claim was justified so they eventually hired a lawyer to fight for their rights. Things like this are terrifying to me because of the language barrier, unfamiliarity with local regulations and high expenses of lawyer fee. In this case, liability insurance could come in handy because one of its functions is to protect its customer against unjustified claims. Besides that, it also covers personal or object related damages, protects against loss of keys, covers damages to your apartment, rental vehicle and many more. Therefore, it is one of the most popular voluntary insurances in Germany!
