Learning German is hard. Reading books in German is even harder. But reading literature in the original language is not only wonderful for learning grammar, vocabulary and increasing your fluency, but it will also expand your literary horizons, especially in preparation for university applications. German literature, just like English literature, is a vast and multi-faceted corpus and it can be hard to know where to start. So if you want to branch out from re-watching ‘Goodbye, Lenin!’ for the fiftieth time and make sure you stand out as a German linguist and literature student, here are some books to start with and ideas for your personal statement and interview preparation if applying for German at university/ Oxbridge.

You've sat your exams, chosen your top 5 Universities to apply to, you've registered with UCAS. Now what? Oh yes, you've got to write a personal statement - 4000 characters to encapsulate why YOU are suitable for your course. Done well, your personal statement can demonstrate what motivates your study of your given subject now and give an insight into your academic ability, which can only boost your application. Our Oxbridge experts give 10 top tips to ensure you avoid standard pitfalls and overcome what can be a daunting task.