Preparation

Procedure following your acceptance of a semester abroad or a double degree:

1. Information session
   We invite you to an information session. There, we will answer your questions and, if necessary, go through the Erasmus+ documents with you.
2. Nomination
   We will register you with your partner university as a selected candidate and forward your details to them. As soon as the nomination has been finalised, you will receive an email from us. Please do not contact the partner university before then.
3. Application to the partner university
   The partner university will usually inform you about the application procedure and deadlines. However, please do keep an eye on the deadlines yourself. If you do not receive any information in good time, please get in touch with us.
4. Submission of all necessary documents
   You will usually submit the necessary documents, e.g. declarations of honour, your Learning Agreement and Grant Agreement, online via our MoveON portal. We will inform you of this separately by email.

Can I take a leave of absence from Viadrina whilst I am studying abroad?

Yes, you can apply for a semester’s leave of absence. Your place at Viadrina will be retained during this time. However, you will not be able to attend any lectures or sit any exams at Viadrina during this period.

Will courses completed abroad be recognised despite taking a semester’s leave of absence?

That depends on your study course:

• Students in the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics and the study course Law and Business | Business and Law: credits from a semester abroad taken whilst on leave of absence cannot be recognised at Viadrina.
  
  
• Students on all other study courses in the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences and the Faculty of Law: credits are recognised despite a leave of absence.

Do I have to re-enrol despite taking a leave of absence?

Yes. Regardless of whether you apply for a leave of absence, you must remain enrolled at Viadrina.

Can I withdraw my application for a leave of absence at a later date?

Yes, before it expires. This may be advisable if you are not yet sure whether you will be taking or passing courses abroad. The Matriculation Office will inform you of the deadlines, usually around one month before the end of the leave of absence semester.

Can I be exempted from the semester ticket regardless of whether I am taking a semester’s leave of absence?

Yes. Regardless of your Faculty, an exemption is possible if you are staying abroad for at least three to four consecutive months.

How do I apply for an exemption from the term ticket?

• With a leave of absence: Submit your application for a leave of absence to the Matriculation Office within the re-registration deadline. Include proof of your stay abroad. You can find application forms and deadlines on the Matriculation Office’s website.
  
  
• Without a leave of absence: Submit an informal application for exemption from the semester ticket to the Matriculation Office within the re-registration deadline. Please enclose proof of the duration of your stay abroad.

Please ensure you have adequate insurance cover in good time before commencing your studies abroad. You are responsible for taking out the necessary insurance yourself.

Health insurance

Health insurance is compulsory for studying at a partner university, just as it is in Germany.

• Those with statutory health insurance hold a European Health Insurance Card, which guarantees basic healthcare within the EU. You can find out the extent of your cover in individual cases from your health insurance provider.
• Those with private health insurance should check with their insurer to clarify whether and to what extent cover applies abroad.

The cover provided is often insufficient, for example in the event of repatriation or a specialised medical procedure. We therefore recommend taking out additional international health insurance. This applies in particular to stays outside Europe and to countries with which Germany has no bilateral social security agreement.

Accident and third-party liability insurance

These types of insurance are optional and are regulated differently in individual countries or at host universities. You should therefore check whether your existing insurance policies are valid abroad.

Recommended supplementary insurance

• Overseas health insurance covering repatriation (including in the event of death)
• Accident insurance with cover abroad
• Civil liability insurance with cover abroad
• Optional: Insurance against loss or theft of documents, travel tickets and luggage

At your own expense, you can join the DAAD’s group insurance scheme (health, accident and civil liability insurance). Further information is available from the DAAD Insurance Office.

Stays in other European countries

Students who are EU nationals do not usually require a visa. However, there may be formalities relating to residence permits to be completed on arrival. You can obtain information from your partner university and from the host country’s diplomatic mission.

Students who are non-EU nationals and hold a German residence permit should please note the following:

• Information from the partner university: Please follow the guidance provided by your partner university regarding which visa and residence regulations apply to you and what you need to arrange before entering the country.
• Contact the diplomatic mission: The host country’s embassy or consulate in Germany will provide you with information on entry and residence requirements. You will usually apply for your visa there as well. In rare cases, this may only be possible from your home country.
• Extend your German residence permit: This must still be valid upon your return to Germany. Otherwise, re-entry into Germany will be difficult.

Further information:

• Schengen 90/180-day rule: The visa-free stay in the Schengen Area of up to 90 days within a 180-day period applies, amongst other things, to tourism and visits, but not necessarily to longer study stays. Leaving and re-entering the Schengen Area does not reset the count.
• REST Directive: With a German residence permit for study purposes, you may, under certain circumstances, study for up to 360 days in another EU country, except in Ireland and Denmark. Some countries require you to notify the relevant authority separately for this purpose. You can find information on the REST Directive and in the information sheet on country-specific procedures. The regulation does not apply automatically, and some partner universities still advise obtaining a visa. You should therefore check with your partner university or the diplomatic mission abroad to see whether it applies to you.
• Do not travel until your residence status has been clarified. If you require any documents from us, please do not hesitate to contact us. Documents relating to your residence status abroad are usually issued by the partner university.

 

Stays Abroad (Non-EU)

For study periods in non-EU countries, both EU and non-EU nationals generally require a visa. Please enquire with the embassies of the respective countries regarding the formalities. You will receive relevant information from your coordinator at Viadrina and the respective partner university, or from the embassies/consulates.

First steps in applying for a visa

• You have received confirmation from the Division of International Affairs.
• You will be invited to information sessions. There you will learn more about applying to the partner university and about visa formalities.
• Check with the embassy of your destination country to find out whether you need a visa and what steps you need to take.
• Once you have been admitted, the partner university will send you a letter of acceptance.
• You can use this letter to apply for a visa at the relevant diplomatic mission.

We recommend that you bear the following in mind before you travel:

• Follow travel and safety advice: Before you travel and whilst you are there, check the advice from the Federal Foreign Office. There you will also find information on entry requirements, travel documents and proof of vaccination. (The linked website is in German only. You may also consult the travel advice of your home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.)
• Use the ‘Sicher Reisen’ app: The app from the Federal Foreign Office also displays information about your destination country via push notifications. (The App is in German only. You may also consult the your home country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for information.)
• Register with the crisis preparedness list: By registering on the “Elefand” crisis preparedness list, the German diplomatic mission abroad can contact you quickly in an emergency. Registration is free of charge. (Check to see if your home country also offers a registration program for citizens living abroad.)
• Save the emergency number: Save the telephone number of the German diplomatic mission in your destination country and of your home country's embassy or consulate in the destination country.

Further information is also available in the DAAD information sheet – Staying safe abroad (only in German).

Tips for finding accommodation

Start your search early!

• Partner university: Check their website first. Many universities provide information about accommodation on their websites or work in partnership with providers. The International Office can often help or offer advice as well.
• Buddy and mentoring programmes: Some universities put you in touch with local students who may be able to help you find accommodation.
• Erasmus Student Network (ESN): The local ESN group may be able to help you find accommodation. With the ESNCard, you can sometimes get discounted access to partner services for finding accommodation.
• Social media: Rooms are sometimes advertised in Facebook and WhatsApp groups relating to partner universities and the city.
• Experience reports: You can find tips from former exchange students in the experience reports. If necessary, also search online for experience reports from students at other universities.
• Temporary solution: If you cannot find a flat, you could book short-term accommodation for the first few days and continue your search once you arrive.

Further advice:

• Watch out for scams! Be wary if the price is well below market rates, if a viewing isn’t possible, or if you’re asked to pay in advance.
• If necessary, insist on a viewing – via a video tour if need be – and only pay once you have viewed the property and signed the tenancy agreement.
• If possible, take someone with you who is familiar with the language and local customs when signing the tenancy agreement.
• In the event of fraud, inform the police, your bank and the accomendation search platform you may have used. 

 

Student dorms

Not all partner universities offer student dorms. Sometimes it is not possible to rent a room for just one semester. Some halls of residence give priority to students from non-EU countries. If you are coming from a German university, you may not be included in this category.

A dorm offers the chance to quickly make friends with fellow students and is often affordable. However, find out in advance about the facilities and conditions and decide whether the student dorm is right for you.

• Room types: Options range from single rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchens to flats with their own kitchenette and en-suite bathroom. Double or shared rooms are particularly common in Eastern Europe. Single occupancy is sometimes possible for an additional charge.

• Facilities: These vary considerably. You will often need to bring your own bed linen and kitchen utensils. The student dorms website usually provides this information.

• House rules: Some dorms have stricter rules, such as a ban on visitors or alcohol, fixed access times (e.g. only until 10 pm) or strict gender segregation. This may be particularly relevant for LGBTQIA+ students.

• Catering: In some cases, meal plans are linked to your room. The rent is then higher, but includes some or all of your meals.

• Costs and location: Costs vary depending on the country and facilities. Whether a student dorm is cheaper than private accommodation depends on the country and city. Some dorms are located on campus or within walking distance, but are not always centrally located in the city.

Students going abroad on Erasmus+ can use the Online Language Support (OLS) on the EU Academy platform. They can voluntarily take a language test and complete language courses online before, during and after their stay abroad. They can test their proficiency in as many languages as they wish and attend as many courses as they wish.

The programme covers all official European languages as well as the official languages of other Erasmus+ programme countries: Icelandic, Macedonian, Norwegian, Serbian and Turkish.

• Go directly to the language courses (EU Academy)
• Instructions (OLS Starter Kit)
• European Commission Help Centre (Help with questions and technical difficulties)