In an increasingly smaller world, it is becoming more important than ever for students to acquire international skills. Studying abroad gives you an opportunity to develop these skills. It not only improves your career prospects by enhancing your subject expertise and improving your language skills, it also contributes to your personal development. Last but not least, it often leaves you with lasting benefits for your whole life.

For your study period abroad to be a success, we advise the following:

• Start planning and preparing your period abroad in good time, generally one year in advance. Enquire about deadlines, applying for funding, time taken for processing and postal services.
  
  
• Take into account that you should have at least some basic language skills for a study period in a country where the language spoken is not your own.
  
  
• Be very clear about the reason for your trip, in particular whether it is an organised stay abroad or whether you are responsible for its organisation.
  
  
• Enquire in detail and in good time about:
  • the host country
  • potential universities of applied sciences and businesses
  • the host country's visa requirements and residence permits (getting the necessary papers can often take a considerable amount of time)
  • health, accident, and liability insurance cover abroad (normal health and travel insurance often do not provide adequate insurance cover).

The International Office looks forward to assisting you in your planning.

Study abroad can be organised in various ways. Depending on the purpose and the time available, the period abroad may be organised during your studies or after you have completed them for continuing education purposes, or for a postgraduate or supplementary course of study. Study abroad does not necessarily have to take place at a partner university, you can also organise it yourself.

In self-organised study abroad, you apply to a university of applied sciences by yourself, as it were, independently of the contacts and programmes of your own university of applied sciences. This may apply in particular if the relevant Department has no partnership with a university of applied sciences in the country in which you wish to study.

As a "freemover", however, you must bear the costs of the tuition fees that are usually charged at universities of applied sciences abroad. These can vary quite considerably depending on the country and the university. When applying, you must also consider that the deadlines and formalities of universities of applied sciences abroad often differ considerably from those common in Germany.

If you complete a period of study at a university of applied sciences abroad, you can apply for leave of absence for the relevant semesters. This means, among other things, that you only can to take module retake examinations. For further information about leaves of absence, click here.

Information about studying at universities of applied sciences abroad can be found in the detailed country-specific guides to study of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). These guides and other useful information are available in the International Office and the library. Comprehensive information and advice for studying at universities is available for the USA at Amerikahaus, for Great Britain at the British Council, and for Australia/New Zealand at the Institut Ranke-Heinemann and GOstralia! or GOzealand!! respectively.

Studying at a partner university does not usually require as much organisation on your part. Many aspects of the student exchange in terms of admission, reduction in or exemption from tuition fees, recognition of academic credits, etc. are usually arranged in the partnership agreements. You also benefit from the advice and support of the project coordinators and international offices at the partnership universities. For certain collaborations, there is also an opportunity to take part in the Erasmus+ programme and to obtain partial funding.

A list of all of the universities abroad with which Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences has a bilateral cooperation agreement (at university level) and maintains contact at department level under the Erasmus+ programme can be found at Opportunities abroad.

The Examining Committee of the respective department of the university is responsible for the recognition of academic credits obtained at other universities and/or universities abroad. Academic credits can only be recognised once an application for the recognition of credits has been made to the Examinations Office.We strongly recommend that before departure students find out which subjects and courses correspond to those at their home university and for which they can receive credits, and that they create a 'learning agreement'. A learning agreement must be completed in order to take part in the Erasmus+ programme. Students are strongly advised to contact their department’s International Affairs Officer.
The exact process and further information on obtaining recognition for academic credits achieved abroad can be found here (in German).

• Erasmus+
  for a study period of 3 to 12 months at a participating partner university of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences
  
  
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • PROMOS: Programme to Promote the Mobility of German Students
    for 1 to 6-month study and research periods and for final dissertations abroad
  • full-year scholarships
    for a period of study anywhere in the world lasting a full academic year
  • combined study and practice
    for all parts of the world and for all subject areas

• Internationalisation of Universities (Internationalisierung der Hochschulen)
  for study and final dissertations abroad

• Auslands-BAföG (funding for study abroad under the Federal Education and Training Assistance Act - BAföG)
  for subject-based study abroad

• Fulbright Student Programme
  for graduate studies (master's or Ph.D) at American universities of applied science

• Bavarian University Centres (Bayerische Hochschulzentren) and other organisations

A work placement abroad is an opportunity for you not only to gain professional experience in an international environment but also to extend key expertise and communication and teamwork skills and to acquire and enhance knowledge of foreign cultures and markets.

• Erasmus+
  for a 2 to 12-month work placement in a host organisation in a country participating in the programme
  
  
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
  • PROMOS: Programme to Promote the Mobility of German Students
    for compulsory work placements abroad lasting from 6 weeks to 6 months
  • combined study and practical training semester abroad
    for a period of study and a practical training semester in the same country
  • travel grants
    for work placements abroad organised by IAESTE, AIESEC, the German Medical Students' Association (bvmd), the Dental Exchange Organisation (ZAD), and the German-Chinese Society of Medicine

• Internationalisierung der Hochschulen (internationalisation of universities)
  for compulsory work placements that will be completed abroad
  
  
• Auslands-BAföG (funding for work placements abroad under the Federal Education and Training Assistance Act - BAföG)
  for a work placement lasting at least 12 weeks

• Bayerische Hochschulzentren (Bavarian University Centres) and other organisations

Preparation of a final bachelor's dissertation or a dissertation for a Diplom degree certificate abroad is a further opportunity to spend a period abroad as part of your studies. It has the added benefits that the duration of studies is fixed and you are usually not tied to the lecture periods of the university abroad.

• Erasmus+
  for a stay in a host organisation of a country participating in the programme or for a study period at a participating partner university of Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences
  
  
• DAAD Programme to Promote the Mobility of German Students (PROMOS)
  for 1 to 6-month study and research periods and for final dissertations abroad
  
  
• Internationalisation of universities (Internationalisierung der Hochschulen)
  for study and final dissertations abroad

• Bavarian University Centres (Bayerische Hochschulzentren) and other organisations