Prerequisites & Planning
Timing
Bachelor’s students
...must be enrolled at Viadrina and, where possible, have completed two years of their degree programme before going abroad. We recommend that you go abroad in your 5th and/or 6th semester. You should apply for this approximately one to one and a half years in advance, which is usually in your 3rd semester if you started your degree in the winter semester, or in your 2nd semester if you started in the summer semester.
Master’s students
...must be enrolled at Viadrina and have completed at least one semester of their studies before their period abroad. We recommend that you go abroad in your third and/or fourth semester. You should apply for this approximately one to one and a half years in advance; this may be at the same time as your application for a place at Viadrina, or during your first semester.
Important note for all law students (1st state examination):
We advise against undertaking a semester abroad before passing the intermediate examination.
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration & Economics: ECTS Credits
Undergraduate students at the Faculty of Business Administration & Economics must have earned at least 24 ECTS credits in order to apply for a period of study abroad at one of Viadrina’s partner universities. Students who have not yet earned 24 ECTS credits may, where applicable, apply for any remaining places in the second or third application round, provided they have fulfilled the required ECTS credits by then, or may postpone their period of study abroad by one year to the 7th and/or 8th semester. This rule does not apply to students from other faculties.
Language skills
To study at our partner universities, you must have the required language skills. Some universities, for example, require proof of language proficiency at B2 level in accordance with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), or a TOEFL or IELTS result. You can find further information on this directly on the websites of the overseas universities and in our lists of partner universities.
English-taught courses
...are available at many of our partner universities, not only in the USA, Australia or the United Kingdom, but also, for example, in many countries across Europe and Asia.
Language certificates
...you only need to provide proof of the required level when applying to the partner university. To be nominated for a place abroad via Viadrina’s internal application process, this is not yet required at the specified level. However, we do require proof of your current language level as part of your application to us, e.g. through placement tests, language courses you have completed or examinations taken at the Viadrina Language Centre. We also reserve the right to make an offer for a study place abroad subject to conditions if your language skills are insufficient.
Taking language tests
We recommend that you have your language level assessed at the Viadrina Language Centre in the relevant language right at the start of your studies and that you attend language courses. Placement tests are available at the start of each semester. If you require a TOEFL or another language test for your partner university, please note that these tests are not available every day. Allow sufficient time to prepare for the test and to register with the relevant institutions.
Funding & Costs
Entry requirements for partner universities
Some partner universities require a certain GPA (Grade Point Average) or a minimum grade average, or that you have already earned a certain number of ECTS credits by the time you apply to the partner university. We have listed all the specific requirements in our lists of partner universities, and you can also find them directly on the partner universities’ websites.
Travelling abroad with a disability
We strive to enable students with disabilities to study abroad at one of our partner universities. We are happy to advise you on choosing a study destination and support you with your preparations, as unfortunately not all of our partner universities offer facilities suitable for people with disabilities.
Additional financial support is generally easier to arrange when studying in another European country. Here, you will receive an Erasmus+ mobility grant, which can be supplemented to cover special needs, e.g. in the form of accessible accommodation, carers, etc. You must apply for this grant at least three months before your stay abroad – just get in touch with us!
Please note that, as a general rule, you should allow more time to prepare for a semester abroad if you have a disability.
Further information on studying abroad with a disability can also be found on the Deutsches Studentenwerk’s pages on studying and disability.
If a long-term mobility programme is therefore not possible for you, you can still enquire about our short-term stay programmes.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms Klück.
Equal opportunities are a key priority of the Erasmus+ programme.
Lump-sum funding
From the 2021 project year onwards, the DAAD will provide funding to students with a GdB of at least 20 or a chronic illness who have received confirmation from their home university that they have been accepted for an Erasmus+-funded study or placement abroad. A separate application is not required, but we do need to be informed. So please do get in touch with us directly! The monthly grant is a flat rate of €250.
Application for actual costs
There is also the option to submit an application for actual costs, again for students with a GdB of at least 20 or a chronic illness who have received confirmation from their home university that they have been accepted for an Erasmus+ funded study or placement abroad. A separate application must be submitted for this; the maximum grant amount is €15,000 per semester and per mobility period. The amount awarded is calculated according to your needs and paid in addition to the regular Erasmus+ grant.
Only additional costs that
- are not covered by national authorities (integration offices, health insurance funds, regional associations, social welfare offices, student services) can be taken into account.
- are incurred by you as a result of your stay abroad. These include, for example, flight costs and accommodation costs for accompanying assistants or for accessible accommodation.
As you must provide evidence of the difference between costs at home and abroad, please allow sufficient time for the application and be sure to inform us personally!
The application should be submitted to the DAAD by your home university at least two months before your departure. Unfortunately, any application submitted after you have started your studies or placement abroad cannot be considered. The DAAD will review the application and reserves the right to reduce the grant amount accordingly.
Travelling abroad with a child
Of course, as parents, you can also study abroad for one or two semesters. The Division of International Affairs will support you in this and advise you on choosing a study destination to help you find a university with suitable facilities. Not all of our partner universities are equally well-equipped to cater for students with children. In principle, however, it is possible to spend a semester abroad with children at any of them. It is easier at some universities than others, and we recommend that you make use of the office hours offered by the Division of International Affairs to find a suitable partner university.
In this student report, you can find out more about one of our students’ experiences.
If a long-term mobility programme is therefore not possible for you, you can still enquire about our short-term stay programmes.
If you have any questions, please contact Ms Klück.
It is easier to obtain financial support for an exchange semester within Europe. Under our EU exchange programmes, you will receive a grant. This can be increased to cover additional family members, but you must apply for it at least three months before your stay abroad.
You can contact the division for International Affairs for this and also seek advice from the Viadrina’s Commissioner for Families.
Please note that you generally need to allow more time to prepare for a semester abroad than your fellow students without children. As the selection process for studying abroad takes place only once a year during the winter semester, a planning period of one to one and a half years would be helpful.
Anyone undertaking a semester abroad with a child as part of the Erasmus+ programme may also apply for additional funding.
Since the 2014/15 academic year, the DAAD (Erasmus+ Guide, as at 22 July 2014) has stipulated the following:
“Project organisers pay grant recipients the fixed monthly ‘regular’ Erasmus+ grant per country group (…), and in addition, the target group described above may be granted a monthly lump sum (capped at the maximum rate for the country group) as follows”:
200 euros, regardless of the number of children.
To improve the conditions for successfully studying whilst raising a child, all newborn children of students at the European University Viadrina will receive a one-off welcome gift of 100 euros from the 2010/11 winter semester onwards. Half of the payment will be made by the Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder) and half by the AStA at Viadrina.
As well as ERASMUS+ funding, there are other opportunities to apply for scholarships:
- MAWISTA Scholarship – Studying abroad with a child
LGBTQIA+ students
For queer and LGBTQIA+ students, there are a number of specific factors that should be taken into account when planning a period abroad:
- Legal and social situation: Find out about the situation in your destination country. In some countries, there are restrictions or even criminal prosecution relating to LGBTQIA+ identities. You can find up-to-date information on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
- Local support services: Check which partner universities are considered particularly inclusive and which queer networks, groups or organisations exist locally.
- Gender identity and enrolment: Some universities only offer binary gender options during enrolment. Find out at an early stage what solutions may be available.
- Accommodation and halls of residence: Some halls of residence are segregated by binary gender. Enquire with the partner university at an early stage about gender-neutral accommodation options or single rooms, and look into alternatives such as private accommodation.
Further information:
- Support and advice: If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the Division of International Affairs or seek advice from colleagues in the Equal Opportunity Division.
- Experience reports: Tips and personal stories from the LGBTQIA+ community can be found at studieren-weltweit.de/queercommunity
- DAAD information sheet: Tips for queer students (LGBTIQA+) studying abroad
- ILGA Europe Rainbow Map: Interactive map covering topics such as ‘Equality & non-discrimination’ and ‘Legal gender recognition’ in Europe
- ILGA World Map: World maps covering, amongst other things, the legal recognition of gender identity and same-sex partnerships
First-class graduates
Being the first in your family to go to university is a big step. And now a period studying abroad as well? It might feel like a lot to take on at first, but it’s worth it: you’ll exceed your own expectations and gain new perspectives. If you have any questions or concerns, we’re happy to advise and support you.
Support and inspiration:
- Social Top-Up from the Erasmus+ programme: In addition to the monthly grant, first-year university students on Erasmus+ receive a Social Top-Up of €250 per month. This makes it easier to manage your finances.
- ArbeiterKind.de: Personal advice and information for first-year university students. Here you can meet people who have overcome similar challenges and are sharing their experiences. There is also a group in Frankfurt (Oder).
- Studying Abroad: Experience reports from first-year university students who have taken the plunge and moved abroad.