Germany

It really depends on the level (graduate or undergraduate) and the subject you are applying for. Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering, for example, is the most fought over subject and thousands of applications arrive each year from Germany and all over. For this particular subject there are extra rounds of reviews and interviews (which are not applied to other subjects). In general, I would recommend fulfilling all requirements for the particular subject, obviously. (minimum grade, GRE if applicable, TOEFL if applicable, cover letter, neat CV, etc. ). Knowledge of the German language is only required for subjects taught in German, but for international degrees a basic knowledge is always appreciated by the University (include proof of knowledge in your application). Write a nice competitive cover letter making you stand out from the crowd and showing INTEREST. Ive noticed Professors take previous grades very importantly before hiring or admitting somebody, so if you have very good grades make sure to make them visible.