Planning and preparation of a semester abroad

If you intend to spend a certain period of your studies abroad, start planning early! As a rule, 12 to 18 months before the start of your studies abroad are estimated for planning and preparation. Especially scholarship applications have a long lead time.

Consider the following questions:
Why do I want to go abroad and when?
What foreign language skills do I have?
What financial resources are available to me?
Should it be Europe (Erasmus) or do I want to go further afield (university partnership)?

You should then look at the websites of your potential host universities and pay particular attention to the suitability of degree programmes and courses for your studies in Erfurt.

Now it's time for the actual application. You should find out about the application deadlines and dates for language tests. Then you need to compile the documents for the application and submit the application. If you decide on an exchange programme, you must first apply to the University of Erfurt. Once you have been accepted, you must also apply to the host university. You will receive information about this in good time from the International Office or the host university. If you organise your study abroad individually, you do not need to apply to the University of Erfurt.

Self-organized semester abroad or exchange programme?

First of all, familiarise yourself with the University of Erfurt's partner universities and the current announcements and get an overview of the requirements of a self-organised semester abroad. The following links are helpful:

  • Overview of the exchange programmes of the University of Erfurt (Erasmus programme and university partnerships outside the Erasmus programme). The exchange places are usually advertised at the beginning of the winter semester. The stay is then in the following academic year (September to July). As a rule, an exchange programme lasts one semester; sometimes two semesters are possible.
  • Individually organized study abroad: Individually organised stays abroad are only possible at universities with which the University of Erfurt has no exchange programmes. Not all universities accept free mover applications at all. The important information you should check once you know which country you want to go to includes semester dates, application deadlines, tuition fees and costs.Detailed information about your desired country of study and its higher education system can be obtained, for example, from the German Academic Exchange Service or the country profiles of Gate Germany.

Reports from abroad

Teaserbild Blogbeiträge International
Blog "I am off." You do not yet have a plan where you want to go? Let yourself be inspired by the experiences of your predecessors!