So far, I am enjoying my time here at Leipzig University. The professors over here are really qualified for their positions and they go above and beyond to explain the topic materials. Moreover, there are weekly seminars which you can attend to ask about subtopics where you’re having difficulty. The weather in summers is also really good which gives a psychological boost when you have to study for long hours. I also have great admiration for my colleagues. Each person is more talented than the other and we help each other out during group study sessions before exams. The library here is also very good. Not only does it have an extensive collection of books from nominated authors, it also has a secluded study area for students where they can study without any interruption. There are also rooms available for group discussions.

The IPSP Programme in Leipzig is an enticing offer to study Physics in English at Angela Merkel’s own Alma Mater. However, this programme does not live up to the prestige that the university may seem to have. The study programme still seems to be in its infancy, despite already being in place for a number of years. Professors change regularly and often seem unfamiliar with their course content. Seeking additional help from them was impossible, as most of the lectures were taken, verbatim, from textbooks, and it is not possible to receive further explanation from them on topics that are unclear.

One must be completely self-reliant if they wish to study IPSP and be willing to dedicate more time to individual study than students in other, similar programmes. Even the most ambitious of students, as I thought myself to be, will find themselves extremely challenged in IPSP and the low retention rate of the programme speaks to the widespread burn-out experienced by its students. Expect the number of your classmates to halve with each semester, and to see only a handful of students reaching graduation.