Study Abroad

It is completely legitimate and feasible to want to look beyond your academic horizon during a semester abroad and attend courses that cannot be integrated into your regular degree programme.

However, it is just as legitimate to want to organise your semester abroad in such a way that you can have your academic achievements fully recognised for your regular studies at the Faculty 4: Computer Science. However, such an integration (also known as a ‘mobility window’) requires prior planning in terms of time and content.

Time Planning

As a non-binding rule of thumb, we recommend that you spend your semester abroad at the end of the second third or the beginning of the last third of your degree programme. Then you will already have a solid understanding of the subject, but still have enough incompleted modules to be able to choose the courses abroad flexibly. Of course, you can deviate from this if you think it makes sense.

If you are studying according to the standard period of study and are strictly following our study plans, you will usually find a specific recommendation in the footer of the pdf files as to when a semester abroad should be completed and how various modules could be postponed.

In some countries, the semesters have a different rhythm. A ‘spring semester’ then begins in January, for example, when courses from the winter semester are still taking place at the University of Koblenz and the examination phase is due. Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution to ensure that there are no overlaps. You can try to take modules in the semester before your semester abroad that offer more flexible examination dates (oral examinations, assignments, dissertations, research papers, etc.). Or talk to the lecturers about your situation and ask whether you can take part in the follow-up examinations that take place when you are back from abroad.

Plan early! If you are seeking financial support using the options mentioned later on this page, there are sometimes longer application deadlines.

Content Planning

With a little planning, it is possible (although not absolutely necessary) for you to have all of the credits earned during your semester abroad recognised for your studies at the University of Koblenz. It is best to start planning early.

In principle, a module abroad can be recognised if it does not differ significantly (particularly in terms of content and learning objectives) from the module at the University of Koblenz as which you would like to have it recognised. Think in advance about which Koblenz module you would like to have a module abroad recognised as. The contact persons for recognition for the FB4 degree programmes listed on the right will be happy to advise you. If possible, please provide them with complete module descriptions including content, learning objectives, examination forms, contact hours, and credit amounts, ideally as a tabular comparison.

You can make your life easier if you take modules during your semester abroad that can be recognised in your compulsory elective areas (if your degree programme includes any). Then, if a course abroad is cancelled or overlaps with another course, you can easily choose an alternative that can be recognised in the same compulsory elective area.

Some of our degree programmes have so-called ‘dummy modules’. They are used solely for the recognition of achievements, for example from the semester abroad, for which we do not offer an equivalent course and have names such as ‘Elective Master Course 1/2/A/B’, ‘Special Topics in XY’, etc. Ask the contact person on the right for the recognition of your degree programme about such dummy modules and whether a certain foreign module could be recognised with them.

Re-enrollment and Semester of Leave

Please never apply for a semester of leave for your stay abroad! You must be regularly enrolled at the University of Koblenz, even if you spend most of the semester abroad. This is because you are not allowed to complete any coursework during a semester abroad. The Examination Office would refuse to recognise these credits.

You decide which university in which country you spend your semester abroad at. It is not necessary for the your destination to have a partnership with the University of Koblenz. However, the details depend on how you are funding your stay abroad:

... with ERASMUS+

With ERASMUS+ you can choose any partner universitiy of the Faculty 4: Computer Science that matches your degree programme. The target regions are limited to the European Union and some third countries. For your orientation, we offer a table with partner universities of the Faculty 4: Computer Science, which also shows the suitability for our degree programmes. Some universities have restricted themselves entirely to ERASMUS+ and only accept exchange students from partner universities.

... with scholarships

If you finance your semester abroad with a scholarship, any restrictions depend entirely on the scholarship guidelines and the funding intentions. While some scholarships restrict the selection to individual countries or even specific universities, other scholarships give you a free hand in choosing the destination university.

... with other forms of funding

Other funding instruments such as PROMOS usually have no restrictions regarding the target university. And if you do not apply for funding and finance your stay abroad yourself, there are no restrictions for your target university.

No matter which university you have in mind: If you intend to have your academic achievements recognised, make sure that the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany classifies this foreign university as equivalent to a German university. Otherwise, recognition will not be possible. This is always the case for partner universities within the ERASMUS+ programme; for other institutions, a look at the ANABIN database will help. Or contact the address on the right for advice on the choice of destination university.

A semester abroad is associated with additional costs. However, you can cover most of these costs by one or more funding instruments. In general, the following applies:

• In the case of structured programmes (such as ERASMUS+ or PROMOS), a donor awards funds to institutions such as our university, which then independently support students in accordance with the donor's guidelines. Our university is therefore responsible for advising and organising the funding.
• Scholarships, grants or benefits of any kind can be awarded by a wide variety of providers, such as associations, foundations, public institutions or companies. Application, advice and organisation are handled directly between you and the providers; the University of Koblenz is not directly involved.

ERASMUS+

ERASMUS+ is a structured programme of the European Union to promote internationalisation in the field of education.

It follows an annual cycle: In January, you apply at the University of Koblenz for admission to the programme and funding for a stay abroad in the coming winter semester or summer semester of the following year. Alternatively, you can apply in June for the remaining free places in the summer semester of the following year. We will then nominate you to the partner university. After your application and before your stay abroad, you will sign a learning agreement to ensure that the coursework you wish to complete abroad will be recognised.

Different funding rates are available depending on the destination country. Further funding can be granted for environmentally friendly travelling and various compensations for disadvantages. In addition, any tuition fees at the partner university will be waived. ERASMUS+ can be combined with a number of other funding instruments.

Currently, if you apply correctly, you are almost guaranteed a place on the ERASMUS+ programme, including financial support. Most students are also offered a place at their preferred university. In a few cases we can only offer you a place at an alternative university of your choice.

The advantages of ERASMUS+ lie in the well-established procedures, good formal support and financial planning. On the other hand, available destinations are limited to our partner universities and the process is sometimes quite bureaucratic and somewhat lengthy.

Your participation in ERASMUS+ is organised by the International Relations Office (IRO) of the University of Koblenz. The IRO also has a detailed information page on ERASMUS+. If you have any questions about partner universities, learning agreements and credit transfer, please contact the ERASMUS departmental coordinator of Faculty 4: Computer Science.

PROMOS

PROMOS is also a structured programme, so you apply directly at our university for funding. The university receives its funds by applying to the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) each year.

There are two deadlines for applying for funding at the University of Koblenz: the end of February for a stay abroad in the first or second half of the same year and the end of June for a stay abroad in the second half of the same year (provided that all funds have not already been used up by then). You are solely responsible for the application to your destination university and other formalities.

The funding rates depend on the country and are based on the cost of living in the country. The lump sum for travelling to and from the destination also varies depending on the expected travel costs. Tuition fees may be incurred at the destination university. PROMOS can be combined with several other types of funding.

PROMOS is more selective than ERASMUS+, so your chances of success depend on how well you fulfil the assessment criteria and how strong your competitors are. The selection criteria consist of academic qualifications and personal suitability, which are assessed by a committee from our university. You will find out whether you are successful approximately one month after the application deadline.

The advantages of PROMOS are the free choice of destination universities, more flexibility compared to ERASMUS+ in terms of the content of your stay abroad and the quick and unbureaucratic application process. On the other hand, your chances of success are not as predictable as with ERASMUS+ and more initiative and self-organisation is required of you.

PROMOS is handled by the International Relations Office (IRO) of the University of Koblenz. There you will also find a detailed information page on PROMOS. The Faculty 4: Computer Science is not involved in the application process, but you are welcome to contact the ERASMUS departmental coordinator about course recognition and study integration.

Scholarships

Contrary to popular belief, scholarships are not exclusively aimed at the highly gifted or other high-flyers. Every donor pursues their own interests when awarding scholarships and, in view of the enormous and ever-changing variety of scholarships, many niches are covered, which means that many students can theoretically benefit from a scholarship to finance a stay abroad.

Any modalities such as deadlines, application process, selection criteria, etc. differ depending on the scholarship and awarding institution. The University of Koblenz and Faculty 4: Computer Science are not involved here (at most if, for example, a report on academic achievements or a recommendation is required). However, you are welcome to contact the ERASMUS departmental coordinator with any questions regarding credit transfer and integration into your studies.

Many scholarships can be combined with other funding programmes. Further advantages are the sometimes generous funding rates and the high degree of flexibility. On the other hand, financing a stay abroad via scholarships requires a great deal of initiative in terms of organisation and research. First starting points in the search for a suitable scholarship include:

• the very extensive scholarship database by the DAAD
• information on the Fulbright scholarship for studying in the USA
• the Ranke Heinemann institute focusing on Australia and New Institut mit Fokus auf Australien und New Zealand
• scholarships for studying at the Fisher College in Boston/USA

(Auslands-)BAFöG

As a semester abroad is associated with higher costs than regular studies at home, you may also be entitled to BAFöG abroad if your parents' income is too high for regular BAFöG or as an international student. In addition, BAFöG abroad can be combined with several other funding instruments. It may therefore be worthwhile applying for BAFöG abroad.

The University of Koblenz and the Faculty 4: Computer Science are not directly involved here. Instead, depending on the destination country, different central international offices in Germany are responsible. Details, forms and contact persons can be found on the information page on BAFöG abroad.