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I came across this question and I feel obliged to address it. I personally experienced everything, what the original quote says. And when I say "everything" - I mean it. This quote pretty much summarizes my entire PhD experience. Similarly to an original poster, I do NOT recommend doing your Ph.D in Germany, if you have any other options. Let me address it point by point:

1. I had no mentor-ship, no support, no input from my "supervisor".
2. The group was very large and not well managed.
3. German students were treated differently, than foreigners. There were more tolerance toward them, a blind eye was turned to their behavior.
4. Zero networking opportunities, zero consideration or support for an alternative careers for graduate students.
5. Customarily bad reference letters (or no references at all) for foreigners, esp.those that didn't speak good English.
6. Unrestrained power of German PI.
7. Absolute inability to recognize own mistakes. I was under impression that my PI is a genuinely kind person, simply overly busy or maybe unaware that he hurts people's careers. But when all postdocs and PhD students [repeatedly] complained about multiple issues and all complaines were given no consideration...in your face!!!
8. Again, a lot of subtle discrimination: Germans are treated better than foreigners, women are treated differently than men.
9. It is considered as a Kindness to tell a foreign scholar / grad.student that he better look for a career elsewhere, because he doesn't look/sound German.
10. Industry - the original poster said it all; there is a complicated immigration rules which pretty much ban any hiring of non-EU people.
11. Generally, across the globe you are far better off with a PhD from UK, USA, Canada. It is much easier to switch to alternative careers with degrees from those countries. USA PhDs and English are in demand everywhere, no one cares about German PhD.
12. Worst of all: you have ZERO chances of doing you due diligence. You have no way to understand who your PI is until you are in and it's too late. No one will ever warn you or disclose anything negative. Many places do not have "alumni" pages, so you have no way to contact former group members.

Again, I managed to get my PhD, but it is completely useless. You see, today I has been looking for a teacher's job in S.Korea, and you have to both be citizen of an "English-speaking" country AND have degree from the English-speaking Institution! So I cannot even use my PhD degree in molecular biology (!!!) to get a measly job of a teacher in Korea!!

Please, please, please for mercy of God !!! Do NOT repeat my mistakes!!! Avoid German graduate programs like pestilence. Let German student excel and shine, as a foreigner you are way way better off elsewhere. I am sorry for this long reply. This post literally made me cry. Yes, it is THAT bad. It is a bad as doing drugs.

I would like to add couple of points more:

1. Point 1: Despite over a decade of var. "International PhD programs" in major Uni-s, German academia (faculty) is 90% white and 80% German. There are no Visible minorities and no diversity. Contrast this with USA -- diverse people of different races, colors and creeds are everywhere, from a Ivy league to "no-name" teaching/primary undergrad universities. Can be proven by simply opening a web-site of any German University or research Institute. Where is diversity? Are these international PhD programs simply supplying cheap labor? Point 1a: Should this apparent lack of diversity among faculty in Germany raise a flag for a foreign/international Student? Or should the student ignore the fact the faculty is predominantly white, male and German?
2. Point 2: Germany is the richest country in EU. Several centuries of academic "freedom" tradition and university history; developed research infrastructure, big universities, major corporations headquartered in Germany, multiple academic societies and research institutes (like Max Plank and Fraunhofer). Why with all these enormous resources the survey shows only average or below average PhD student experiences in Germany? Why with all these unparalleled resources PhD students cannot have the best experiences possible ?
3. Point 3: Why there are only Germans who "whitewashing" German academia here? Why there are no "international students" with wonderful experiences, who launched their successful careers by doing PhD in Germany? O would really love to hear from them? Any comments from them? This Question has more than 3K views now. Is it a big enough sample size? Where are comments from happy and fulfilled foreigners (Grad students/postdocs) residing in Germany???

Anyhow, I did what my conscience ordained me to do. I have no skin in this game and it is up to theOP and all others, who decide to enroll in a graduate school in Germany. When I came to Germany, I believed that I will study and work hard and I will have a career and a better life! Instead I had not only my career ruined, but my entire life destroyed. I thought that I'm coming to a civilized and progressive country, instead I had to deal with Chauvinism. Even here, online, I am subjected to an offense of which even Gen.von Hindenburg would be proud!!! I had enough of this, enough is enough for me! One thing I can promise to the OP: should you become a PhD student (pre-doc) in Germany, you will remember every singly word of this reply. Several years down the road, through tears and grinding of teeth -- you will remember it!

I came across this question and I feel obliged to address it. I personally experienced everything that the original quote says. And when I say "everything" - I mean it. This quote pretty much summarizes my entire PhD experience. Similarly to an original poster, I do NOT recommend doing your Ph.D in Germany, if you have any other options. Let me address it point by point:

1. I had no mentor-ship, no support, no input from my "supervisor".
2. The group was very large and not well managed.
3. German students were treated differently than foreigners. There were more tolerance toward them, a blind eye was turned to their behavior.
4. Zero networking opportunities, zero consideration or support for an alternative careers for graduate students.
5. Customarily bad reference letters (or no references at all) for foreigners, esp. those that didn't speak good English.
6. Unrestrained power of German PI.
7. Absolute inability to recognize own mistakes. I was under impression that my PI is a genuinely kind person, simply overly busy or maybe unaware that he hurts people's careers. But when all postdocs and PhD students [repeatedly] complained about multiple issues and all complaines were given no consideration...in your face!!!
8. Again, a lot of subtle discrimination: Germans are treated better than foreigners, women are treated differently than men.
9. It is considered as a Kindness to tell a foreign scholar / grad.student that he better look for a career elsewhere, because he doesn't look/sound German.
10. Industry - the original poster said it all; there is a complicated immigration rules which pretty much ban any hiring of non-EU people.
11. Generally, across the globe you are far better off with a PhD from UK, USA, Canada. It is much easier to switch to alternative careers with degrees from those countries. USA PhDs and English are in demand everywhere, no one cares about German PhD.
12. Worst of all: you have ZERO chances of doing you due diligence. You have no way to understand who your PI is until you are in and it's too late. No one will ever warn you or disclose anything negative. Many places do not have "alumni" pages, so you have no way to contact former group members.

A couple of points more:

1. German academia (faculty) is 90% white and 80% German. There are no Visible minorities and no diversity. Can be proven by simply opening a web-site of any German University or research Institute. Where is diversity? Are these international PhD programs simply supplying cheap labor?
2. Germany is the richest country in EU. Several centuries of academic "freedom" tradition and university history; developed research infrastructure, big universities, major corporations headquartered in Germany, multiple academic societies and research institutes (like Max Plank and Fraunhofer). Why with all these enormous resources the survey shows only average or below average PhD student experiences in Germany? Why with all these unparalleled resources PhD students cannot have the best experiences possible ?
3. Why there are only Germans who "whitewashing" German academia here? Why there are no "international students" with wonderful experiences, who launched their successful careers by doing PhD in Germany? O would really love to hear from them? Any comments from them? This Question has more than 3K views now. Is it a big enough sample size? Where are comments from happy and fulfilled foreigners (Grad students/postdocs) residing in Germany???

I would like to add couple of points more:

1. Point 1: Despite over a decade of var. "International PhD programs" in major Uni-s, German academia (faculty) is 90% white and 80% German. There are no Visible minorities and no diversity. Contrast this with USA -- diverse people of different races, colors and creeds are everywhere, from a Ivy league to "no-name" teaching/primary undergrad universities. Can be proven by simply opening a web-site of any German University or research Institute. Where is diversity? Are these international PhD programs simply supplying cheap labor? Point 1a: Should this apparent lack of diversity among faculty in Germany raise a flag for a foreign/international Student? Or should the student ignore the fact the faculty is predominantly white, male and German?
2. Point 2: Germany is the richest country in EU. Several centuries of academic "freedom" tradition and university history; developed research infrastructure, big universities, major corporations headquartered in Germany, multiple academic societies and research institutes (like Max Plank and Fraunhofer). Why with all these enormous resources the survey shows only average or below average PhD student experiences in Germany? Why with all these unparalleled resources PhD students cannot have the best experiences possible ?
3. Point 3: Why there are only Germans who "whitewashing" German academia here? Why there are no "international students" with wonderful experiences, who launched their successful careers by doing PhD in Germany? O would really love to hear from them? Any comments from them? This Question has more than 3K views now. Is it a big enough sample size? Where are comments from happy and fulfilled foreigners (Grad students/postdocs) residing in Germany???

Anyhow, I did what my conscience ordained me to do. I have no skin in this game and it is up to theOP and all others, who decide to enroll in a graduate school in Germany. When I came to Germany, I believed that I will study and work hard and I will have a career and a better life! Instead I had not only my career ruined, but my entire life destroyed. I thought that I'm coming to a civilized and progressive country, instead I had to deal with Chauvinism. Even here, online, I am subjected to an offense of which even Gen.von Hindenburg would be proud!!! I had enough of this, enough is enough for me! One thing I can promise to the OP: should you become a PhD student (pre-doc) in Germany, you will remember every singly word of this reply. Several years down the road, through tears and grinding of teeth -- you will remember it!

I came across this question and I feel obliged to address it. I personally experienced everything, what the original quote says. And when I say "everything" - I mean it. This quote pretty much summarizes my entire PhD experience. Similarly to an original poster, I do NOT recommend doing your Ph.D in Germany, if you have any other options. Let me address it point by point:

1. I had no mentor-ship, no support, no input from my "supervisor".
2. The group was very large and not well managed.
3. German students were treated differently, than foreigners. There were more tolerance toward them, a blind eye was turned to their behavior.
4. Zero networking opportunities, zero consideration or support for an alternative careers for graduate students.
5. Customarily bad reference letters (or no references at all) for foreigners, esp.those that didn't speak good English.
6. Unrestrained power of German PI.
7. Absolute inability to recognize own mistakes. I was under impression that my PI is a genuinely kind person, simply overly busy or maybe unaware that he hurts people's careers. But when all postdocs and PhD students [repeatedly] complained about multiple issues and all complaines were given no consideration...in your face!!!
8. Again, a lot of subtle discrimination: Germans are treated better than foreigners, women are treated differently than men.
9. It is considered as a Kindness to tell a foreign scholar / grad.student that he better look for a career elsewhere, because he doesn't look/sound German.
10. Industry - the original poster said it all; there is a complicated immigration rules which pretty much ban any hiring of non-EU people.
11. Generally, across the globe you are far better off with a PhD from UK, USA, Canada. It is much easier to switch to alternative careers with degrees from those countries. USA PhDs and English are in demand everywhere, no one cares about German PhD.
12. Worst of all: you have ZERO chances of doing you due diligence. You have no way to understand who your PI is until you are in and it's too late. No one will ever warn you or disclose anything negative. Many places do not have "alumni" pages, so you have no way to contact former group members.

Again, I managed to get my PhD, but it is completely useless. You see, today I has been looking for a teacher's job in S.Korea, and you have to both be citizen of an "English-speaking" country AND have degree from the English-speaking Institution! So I cannot even use my PhD degree in molecular biology (!!!) to get a measly job of a teacher in Korea!! Please, please, please for mercy of God !!! Do NOT repeat my mistakes!!! Avoid German graduate programs like pestilence. Let German student excel and shine, as a foreigner you are way way better off elsewhere. I am sorry for this long reply. This post literally made me cry.

I came across this question and I feel obliged to address it. I personally experienced everything, what the original quote says. And when I say "everything" - I mean it. This quote pretty much summarizes my entire PhD experience. Similarly to an original poster, I do NOT recommend doing your Ph.D in Germany, if you have any other options. Let me address it point by point:

1. I had no mentor-ship, no support, no input from my "supervisor".
2. The group was very large and not well managed.
3. German students were treated differently, than foreigners. There were more tolerance toward them, a blind eye was turned to their behavior.
4. Zero networking opportunities, zero consideration or support for an alternative careers for graduate students.
5. Customarily bad reference letters (or no references at all) for foreigners, esp.those that didn't speak good English.
6. Unrestrained power of German PI.
7. Absolute inability to recognize own mistakes. I was under impression that my PI is a genuinely kind person, simply overly busy or maybe unaware that he hurts people's careers. But when all postdocs and PhD students [repeatedly] complained about multiple issues and all complaines were given no consideration...in your face!!!
8. Again, a lot of subtle discrimination: Germans are treated better than foreigners, women are treated differently than men.
9. It is considered as a Kindness to tell a foreign scholar / grad.student that he better look for a career elsewhere, because he doesn't look/sound German.
10. Industry - the original poster said it all; there is a complicated immigration rules which pretty much ban any hiring of non-EU people.
11. Generally, across the globe you are far better off with a PhD from UK, USA, Canada. It is much easier to switch to alternative careers with degrees from those countries. USA PhDs and English are in demand everywhere, no one cares about German PhD.
12. Worst of all: you have ZERO chances of doing you due diligence. You have no way to understand who your PI is until you are in and it's too late. No one will ever warn you or disclose anything negative. Many places do not have "alumni" pages, so you have no way to contact former group members.

Again, I managed to get my PhD, but it is completely useless. You see, today I has been looking for a teacher's job in S.Korea, and you have to both be citizen of an "English-speaking" country AND have degree from the English-speaking Institution! So I cannot even use my PhD degree in molecular biology (!!!) to get a measly job of a teacher in Korea!!

Please, please, please for mercy of God !!! Do NOT repeat my mistakes!!! Avoid German graduate programs like pestilence. Let German student excel and shine, as a foreigner you are way way better off elsewhere. I am sorry for this long reply. This post literally made me cry. Yes, it is THAT bad. It is a bad as doing drugs.