Do you want to go abroad but still have many unanswered questions? Here you will find answers to the most common questions.
Please note that some of the linked websites or documents have not yet been translated into English and are therefore only available in German.
The International Office (teamoutgoing[at]uni-wuppertal.de) offers advice on all questions related to studying abroad. We follow a three-step counselling concept, where you are first required to attend an information session before receiving individual advice via phone and subsequently in person.
Yes, the International Office regularly offers informational events for students. You can find the dates of these events here.
There are various sources that offer information on studying abroad. Some of the relevant options include:
The most well-known option for a stay abroad is studying abroad. It is possible to complete a semester abroad within Europe through the Erasmus+ programme, as well as to study at one of our partner universities worldwide. Additonally, you can also study as a free mover at a university with which BUW has no partnership.
Besides studying abroad, you also have the option of completing an internship abroad. This can be done within Europe through Erasmus+ or worldwide.
This depends on both the type of your mobility (study or internship) and your destination country (within Europe or not), as application deadlines vary. In any case, you should start preparing early: at least one year before the planned start of your stay abroad, as application deadlines for scholarships and grants are usually more than a year before the start of your stay abroad. Further information can be found here.
Yes, it is usually possible to receive multiple funding. For example, in the Erasmus+ program, you have a quota of 12 months per study phase (BA, MA, PhD).
In the PROMOS program, on the other hand, you have a funding quota of 6 months per study phase (BA, MA, PhD).
Unfortunately, there is no general answer to this question. Depending on the country, the cost of living differs from the average in Germany; rent, for example, can often be more expensive. In addition, there are also travel costs, organisational costs (e.g. visa, etc.) and costs for travel and activities in the destination country. For most countries, there are some rough monthly guidelines that you should factor in on average. You can obtain these figures from the International Office or the DAAD.
As an Erasmus+ scholarship holder, you will receive a monthly grant of up to 600 euros (study) or 750 euros (internship). There are also opportunities to receive further grants for sustainable travel (Green Travel) and for participants with fewer resources (Social Top Up).
Unlike in the Erasmus+ programme, receiving a place at a partner university worldwide does not automatically entail a monthly mobility grant. However, you can apply separately for corresponding scholarships or apply to the International Office for funding via the PROMOS programme.
You can find more information about financing your stay abroad here.
Students who have their permanent residence in the Federal Republic of Germany can receive BAföG/student finance services funding for a subject-related study period abroad. This also applies if you wish to complete your compulsory internship abroad.
Even if you do not receive BAföG in Germany, you can still apply for BAföG abroad. Please note, however, that the application should be submitted at least 6 months before travelling, as the processing takes several months.
Further information on BAföG/student finance services abroad can be found here.
Yes, you can apply for other scholarships in addition to Erasmus+ and PROMOS, as well as take out an student loan. You can find more information here.
If you are studying abroad via a programme such as Erasmus+ or at one of the international partner universities, your tuition fees will usually be waived. However, if you go abroad as a freemover, you may have to pay tuition fees.
You must continue to pay the semester fees during your stay abroad, as you must remain enrolled. However, it is possible to apply to the ASTA for a refund of the mobility fee and thus get a part of the semester fees back. Further information can be found here.
Furthermore, if you take a leave of absence for the semester in question at the Student Secretariat, you are exempt from paying the social contribution. Further information on leave of absence can be found here.
This depends primarily on the country and the visa regulations. With a study permit in Canada, for example, you are only allowed to work on campus. Within Europe, however, it should not be a problem to take on a part-time job.
This depends on several factors. In the Erasmus+ study programme, the departments conclude individual agreements with partner universities in Europe. You can therefore only apply for places at universities with which your department cooperates. You can find an overview of the Erasmus partnerships here.
Similarly, international university partnerships outside Europe are often linked to a specific department. However, there are also non-European partner universities that are declared as a university-wide partnerships. You can find an overview of international university partnerships here.
If none of the partner universities interests to you, there is also the option of going abroad as a freemover and applying independently to a university of your choice. Information on which degree programmes are offered in which countries can be found on the DAAD country pages.
In order to study at one of the partner universities abroad, students must be fully enrolled in a Bachelor's/Master's/PhD or an expiring diploma programme at the University of Wuppertal. Furthermore, study visits are only eligible for funding after completion of the first academic/study year (does not apply to Master's students) and must last a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 12 months*.
*Short-term mobility of 5 to 30 days is also possible for doctoral students.
If you would like to complete a stay abroad within Europe via Erasmus+, you must apply via our Mobility Online platform. The application deadline here is always 15 January for the following academic year. Further information on the application process for Erasmus+ can be found here.
As the faculties decide who gets the study places at the partner universities, you may also have to apply separately to your faculty or there may be special requirements. The best way to find out about this is to contact your faculty directly. You can find them in the list of Erasmus+ subject-related collaborations.
To apply for a place at an international partner university, please contact the relevant faculty or contact person. The contact persons can be found in the list of international university co-operations and further information on the application process can be found here.
Usually you will need the following application documents:
It depends on your faculty whether the CV and the letter of motivation must be in German or English, as well as whether you need a language certificate and an application form and if there are any other special features that you need to consider. It is therefore best to ask your faculty's contact person for Erasmus+ or non-European stays abroad.
You can find further information on the application process for Erasmus+ and international partner universities here.
When applying for an Erasmus+ stay, you can specify up to three preferred universities in Mobility Online. It is also advisable to use this option to increase your chances of being selected for one of the universities.
Please note that if you are studying in a combined BA programme, you must choose one of your subjects. You cannot apply to partner universities for both of your subjects at the same time.
As a free mover, you can apply to as many universities as you like. However, as this is quite time-consuming, we recommend that you apply to around 3-5 universities.
Studying abroad for just one semester is only possible if the academic year at your foreign partner university allows it. This is because a so-called academic year (10 months) abroad is often seen much more as an annual unit, even if it is divided into semesters: courses then run over 2 semesters, for example. In addition, semesters, trimesters or even quarters often start on different dates abroad than in Germany. Please contact the International Office (teamoutgoing[at]uni-wuppertal.de) or your faculty's contact person for Erasmus+ or non-European stays abroad to find out whether and at which universities it is possible to go abroad for just one semester.
Freemovers are students who do not make use of one of the existing exchange programmes, but who take care of their studies abroad independently. You can find more information about freemovers here.
Generally, it is also possible to write your thesis abroad or have it recognised by a foreign university. However, this must be agreed in detail with the home university and the host university and the relevant requirements are not always met by both parties. To find out, it is best to contact your faculty's contact person and the BUW International Office (teamoutgoing[at]uni-wuppertal.de) directly. Some students also have the opportunity to obtain a double degree. You will then receive a certificate from your home university and one from the host university. There are often special programmes for this.
There are no limits here. You can complete an internship both within Europe, with the Erasmus+ programme, and worldwide. You can find more information here.
To be eligible for funding via a programme such as Erasmus+ or PROMOS, your internship must be related to the content of your studies. Activities such as au pair, work & travel or language courses are generally not eligible for funding.
No, as long as your internship is study-related, voluntary internships are also eligible for funding.
In the Erasmus+ programme, study-related internships, whether compulsory or voluntary,are eligible for funding in other European countries. The internship must last a minimum of 2 months (60 days) and a maximum of 12 months* and it must be a full-time internship (at least 30 hours/week). Further information can be found here.
The prescribed duration of an internship in the PROMOS programme differs slightly and is a minimum of 4 weeks and a maximum of 6 months. Further information can be found here.
*Short-term mobility of 5 to 30 days is also possible for doctoral students.
No, the International Office does not arrange internships, but is happy to support you in your search. Further information and tips on finding an internship can be found here.
First of all, you need to organise an internship on your own. Once you have done so, you can then contact your faculty and the International Office and apply for financial support from the International Office or relevant funding organisations. For internships within Europe, funding via Erasmus+ or an application for a short-term scholarship for internships as part of foreign-related degree programmes at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) are possible.
If you are doing an internship outside of Europe, you can also apply for a short-term scholarship for internships and a travel allowance from the DAAD. Funding via PROMOS is also an option.
Further information on the application process can be found here.
For funding via the Erasmus+ programme, please submit the following application documents in person or by post to the International Office:
Further information can be found here.
For the PROMOS scholarship, please send the following documents by e-mail, bundled as one PDF (max. 2 MB) to the International Centre (icenter[at]uni-wuppertal.de) by the deadline:
Further information can be found here.
Subject-specific coursework completed abroad can be recognised if there are no significant differences in terms of the skills to be acquired (see module description) compared to the skills acquired at the host university. For this purpose, you must prepare a Learning Agreement before the start of your stay abroad, which lists in detail which credits you will complete abroad and which credits you would like to have recognised at the BUW.
If you complete a compulsory internship abroad, you can have this recognised. To do this, you must draw up a Learning Agreement before the start of your stay abroad, which lists in detail the work you will be doing abroad and which work you would like to have recognised at BUW.
As part of the ECTS procedure, a learning agreement is concluded, which - especially in the case of study visits to host universities - ensures the recognition of academic achievements in advance through agreements with the home and host universities. It contains both the work you will be doing abroad and the modules you wish to have recognised at BUW.
For an Erasmus+ study abroad programme and a semester abroad as part of the PROMOS programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the preparation of a "Learning Agreement" is mandatory in good time before the start of your stay abroad. For other stays abroad, the "Learning Agreement" should also be drawn up before the start of the stay in order to enable later recognition of the achievements at the BUW (e.g. for other DAAD scholarships or for stays abroad without funding).
Changes required at short notice can be noted in the second part of the Learning Agreement "Changes to the original Learning Agreement" and must be signed by all parties within one month.
To draw up a Learning Agreement, you must first list the courses you wish to take abroad. If you are studying abroad, you must find out in advance which courses your university offers. This information can usually be found on the websites of the respective universities. You then need to look at your examination regulations to see which courses you have to complete at BUW and find courses at your university abroad that correspond to these. To do this, it is best to consult the contact person for Learning Agreements from your subject and discuss whether the courses can really be credited.
You must then have the Learning Agreement signed by your contact person, the International Office at BUW, as well as the International Office of your partner university and then send it to the International Office at BUW.
For the Erasmus+ study abroad programme, complete your Learning Agreement via the following platform: https://www.learning-agreement.eu/
For a study visit or a specialised course funded by the PROMOS scholarship, please use the following template for your Learning Agreement.
You must also draw up a Learning Agreement for internships abroad. You must also consult your contact persons at the BUW and your internship provider, obtain their signatures and send it to the International Office at the end.
For Erasmus+, please use the following template for your Learning Agreement.
The procedure is identical for PROMOS. Please use the following template for the Learning Agreement.
It is not at all a problem if the courses you choose at the host university differ slightly from those originally planned, as it is sometimes difficult to predict which courses the university will offer at which times. It is only important that you draw up an adapted Learning Agreement, known as a "Learning Agreement During", in good time so that the International Office can keep track of the changes.
There is usually one or more contact persons for Learning Agreements for each degree programme. It is best to ask your faculty or subject who is responsible for this.
No, you can also have credits recognised for your other subjects if you have completed corresponding courses abroad. It is only important that you draw up a separate Learning Agreement for this subject so that you end up with a Learning Agreement for each of the subjects in which you wish to complete courses.
Yes, that is possible. The time abroad is very well suited to getting a taste of other subjects or taking a language course. Please note, however, that these courses must be listed in the Learning Agreement as well, as this should include all the courses that you take abroad, regardless of whether they are recognised or not.
When you have completed your stay abroad, you must first fill out the "Learning Agreement After", which shows which achievements you have actually completed abroad and for which you want these achievements to be recognised. This "Learning Agreement After", just like the original one, must also be signed by your contact person.
The "Learning Agreement After" is not necessary for the PROMOS scholarship.
You must then complete the "Application for recognition of study and examination credits from a stay abroad" and also have it signed by your contact person for the Learning Agreement. You must then have this application signed by the Examination Board of your subject. You can then forward the application signed by the FPA to the Central Examination Board, which will sign the application and then forward it to the Central Examinations Office, which will then enter the credits in your student account.
You can find the necessary documents on the website of the Examinations Office under your respective degree programme.
Whether and what type of visa you need depends on your destination country. Information on visa applications for various destination countries can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
For countries outside the European Union and without a corresponding agreement with Germany, you need a passport. You can have this issued at the Citizens' Registration Office, which usually takes about 3-4 weeks. You will need a biometric passport photo for the passport.
Please note: For some visas, the passport must be valid for up to six weeks after your return from abroad.
Students are entitled to benefits under the statutory health insurance schemes in many European countries. If you are staying in countries where no benefits can be granted, you will need to take out private health insurance. During the stay, the obligation to pay contributions to the German health insurance fund remains in force. Students should clarify with their insurance company in good time before the start of their stay abroad whether insurance cover exists in the respective destination country or whether additional insurance needs to be taken out. It can be particularly useful to take out private supplementary insurance for return transport to Germany.
You can find more information here.
You must remain enrolled at BUW during your stay abroad. However, students who spend at least three months studying or doing an internship abroad can take a leave of absence for the semester in question.
The leave of absence must be applied for by the students themselves and is by no means carried out by the International Office or the faculty! Students on leave of absence are not authorised to take courses and examinations at BUW. Even if they return to BUW before the end of the semester, they are not entitled to take examinations. Coursework completed abroad during the leave of absence can of course be credited towards the degree programme.
A semester on leave does not count towards the number of subject semesters, but only towards the number of university semesters. Furthermore, students who are on leave of absence due to a semester abroad or an internship semester are automatically exempt from paying the social contribution.
For a leave of absence, you must apply in person at the Registrar's Office within the re-registration period.
Further information on leave of absence can be found here
Finding accommodation abroad can be quite difficult. However, there are many organisations that can help you with your search. If you are studying abroad, you can apply for a place in a student residence, for example. There is also the option of living "off-campus". To find a flat here, there are often groups or portals on various social media platforms that connect students and landlords. The best way to find out about this is to contact your partner university or students who were at the same university before you.
If you are doing an internship abroad, you can contact your internship institution to help you find accommodation and possibly give you further contact or tips. It can also be useful to enquire whether fellow students have already completed an internship in your target country and to obtain testimonials.
As early as possible, because then it is still favourable. However, it often takes a while before you receive the final confirmation from the host university and know the exact semester dates. Some partner programmes also offer a Welcome Week in the host country, which you can attend. If you want to look for a flat locally, you also need to allow a few extra days. As soon as you are sure of the date, you should book your flight. You can find out about price trends online. If you book at a travel agency, you can often choose more flexible offers, for example a postponable return flight if you are not yet sure exactly when you will finish your exams and what you would like to do.
However, please also note that if you choose a more climate-friendly means of transport to travel to your destination country, you can receive a financial support for sustainable travel from the Erasmus+ program (Green Travel). Therefore, depending on your destination country, it may be worth considering other travel options. Further information on Erasmus+ Green Mobility can be found here.
The proof of language proficiency can vary from country to country. Some American and Canadian universities, for example, require a certain minimum score in the TOEFL test, which is rather extensive and time-consuming. For other countries, a language test at the university's language centre is sufficient. Depending on the language in which the lectures or internship take place, you usually only have to prove your knowledge of this language. In the Scandinavian countries in particular, no proof of proficiency in the national language is required.
Even if no major proof is required, you should be aware that you should understand lectures and work instructions in the foreign language and be able to communicate to some extent in the country. So if you do not yet have good language skills, you can certainly make good use of the time until your departure.
If you participate in the Erasmus+ programme, you are obliged to take the OLS (Online Language Support) language test before and after your mobility. This is free of charge and is used to help students understand the extent to which your language skills have improved as a result of your stay abroad.
Whether you have to take another language test depends on your host institution, so it is best to check with them.
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