Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• You can find detailed assistance regarding the application process and relevant forms here as well as further information on the website of International Affairs.
• Detailed information on the Learning Agreement can be found below in the FAQs.              

• You can find a list of partner universities of Faculty VIIhere.
• You can apply for both ERASMUS+ and overseas programs.
• A maximum of 3 applications for different universities are possible at the same time, ordered by priority.
• More information in the flyers here.
• You can apply for ERASMUS+ and Overseas at the same time.

• It is recommended to go abroad from the 3rd bachelor'ssemester or the 1st master's semester and onwards. Due to the long lead time of one year, it is therefore important to deal with the topic early on.
• Current application deadlines can be found here (the ERASMUS+ and overseas programs have different deadlines).
• The schedule for ERASMUS+ and Overseas
• Current information events about the exchange programs can be found here.
• Remaining spots: Unassigned spots will be announced at the Infothek in the Campus Center after the regular application process. All students can apply for these.

If you have missed a deadline, you should contact the Campus Center. Some universities offer the possibility to apply for remaining spots after the deadline expired.

Yes, the application deadline in January also applies to the summer semester. There is another application deadline in June, where spots for the summer semester are also awarded. However, these are the remaining spots from the winter application round. Therefore, you have a better chance of getting a spot at the university of your choice if you apply in January.

In principle, you can also apply for a study abroad program in a higher semester. This can be particularly useful if, due to a heavy workload in addition to studies, an internship semester, illness, caring for relatives, etc., sufficient courses can still be taken and credited abroad. In this case, it is particularly important that the application shows how the study abroad program fits into the overall course of study.

Many departments actively offer to give out recommendations proactively. Apart from that you can inquire from the secretary of the department on your own. When choosing a professor, you should consider that they can evaluate you, based on your grades in their courses. Ideally the professor supports your plans, the department fits the partner university, and you can show good academic accomplishments. Master students, that are new at the TU Berlin, can also use a letter of recommendation from one of their professors at their previous university.

The necessary form can be found here.

This depends on the partner university. In many cases a certificate by the ZEMS is sufficient. Ideally you research this ahead of time, as some universities require a TOEFL test. If you cannot find any information about this at the partner universities, you can ask the International Office at the TU.

For both certificates, you need to book beforehand, though the ZEMS-certificate is a lot cheaper. On the other hand, the TOEFL test is highly recognized worldwide, but it is only valid for two years.

In general, the study language is critical for the application. In some countries e.g., France, Spain, Italy it´s heavily recommended to know the basics of the national language, so that the day-to-day life can be dealt with better. It can also affect you chances positively, if you are willing to learn the home language or already can speak the home language.

• Modules must fit to your studies; unless you take the module as a free choice.
• Only compulsory modules must be recognized as equivalent, i.e. the topics covered abroad must be the same as the topics covered at the TU.
• For all compulsory elective modules (and free choice) it applies that these must fit in the corresponding area of the study program (not equivalent to a module at the TU). Therefore, the foreign module is written in English with the foreign ECTS number in Table B of the Learning Agreement.
• For all modules, the area in which the module is to be recognized in is written in brackets in Table B.
• Please fill out your Learning Agreement in Mobility Online and upload it.
• You will need the signed Learning Agreement only after you have been accepted for a study place at the partner university and not yet at the time of application!
• If you are unable to take modules abroad at short notice, it is possible to adjust the Learning Agreement again. For this purpose, please contact the International Advising Office again.
• If you take modules abroad that you have not approved in the learning agreement, there is no guarantee that you will be able to have them recognized for your studies.

The “International Standard Classification of Education” code serves as a classification of education programs into certain subjects. Faculty VII maintains cooperations with the following ISCED-Codes.

• 0311: Economics
• 041: Business
• 061: Industrial Engineering and Management (Information and Communication Systems)
• 071: Industrial Engineering and Management
• 0714: Industrial Engineering and Management (Electrical Engineering)
• 09: Industrial Engineering and Management (Healthcare Technology)

Depending on the cooperation, the ISCED-Code determines the courses you can take at the partner university. Usually, the courses in the course overview and in the learning agreement have to match the ISCED-Code. Exceptions can be made individually by the applicant with the partner university. Among others, some partners allow the student to take 1/3 of all credits at other faculties/schools than the partner faculty.

A list of all ISCED-Codes can be found in the list of all cooperations.

In this informal document, all courses that will be taken in the exchange are listed. It´s recommended to list more course than actually planned to take, in case some courses cannot be taken anymore upon arrival. Often it´s reasonable to add the course description.

Furthermore in the study plan you can explain your motivation for taking your courses, as well as elaborating on how to recognize your courses

We recommend several priorities as there are many popular partner universities, where we get significantly more applications than there are spots available. However, you should be able to see yourself studying at the partner universities of the 2nd and 3rd priority in principle and also inform yourself about them.

• With a Learning Agreement, students who go abroad through the Erasmus program are given a binding promise that their courses will be recognized at TU after completion of the semester abroad.
• As a special service, we therefore also offer students participating in an overseas program the opportunity to conclude a learning agreement with us once they have been accepted by the partner university.
• Thus, students who do not participate in the Erasmus+ program are also given the opportunity to receive a binding acceptance.
• Please contact us if you wish to set up a Learning Agreement for an overseas exchange.

• If you go abroad through TU Berlin, you will automatically receive a mobility scholarship. This covers the full tuition costs of the university abroad and also pays a monthly scholarship rate between 300 and 420 euros depending on the destination country.
• You can find more information about the scholarship here.
• Furthermore, it is possible to receive additional funding. The next links offer a selection of scholarships and scholarship databases:
  • Promos Program
  • AuslandsBAföG (also for students who are not entitled to BAföG in Germany).
  • Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst

•     For further information on scholarships, please contact the Career Service of the TU Berlin.

• The preparation of a stay abroad without the TU Berlin is possible. However, this results in a higher organizational effort.
• In addition, one continues to forego the Erasmus+ scholarship and must pay the tuition fees at the foreign university oneself (if available).
• Furthermore, the stay as a so-called "Freemover" is only possible if the TU Berlin does not already have a cooperation with the foreign university.
• Nevertheless, a Learning Aggrement should be concluded with the TU Berlin.

Yes, this is possible without any problems. The only important thing is that you:

• Beforehand: look for a supervising professor at the foreign university and obtain a written confirmation of supervision; look for a supervising professor at the TU and ensure the modalities of recognition.
• Meanwhile: Inform the TU supervisor about the progress and discuss changes.
• Subsequently: The supervising professor at the foreign university prepares a detailed report/evaluation and assigns a grade; the supervising professor at the TU confirms the evaluation and the examination office takes over the converted grade.

A leave of absence has few disadvantages. The number of subject semesters is not counted on and not every type of examination can be taken, e.g. portfolio examination. Writing exams (written exams), on the other hand, is usually possible. By taking a leave of absence, you can be exempted from the fees for the semester ticket and then only pay a small administrative fee at the TU Berlin.

Where can I get credits for the courses I completed abroad?

The examination board is responsible for the recognition of study achievements from abroad:

• Examination boards NaMa, VWL, IMES and MInE.
• Examination board of the GKWi (for industrial engineering)

You submit an application to the corresponding examination board for recognition of study and examination achievements obtained during a semester abroad or in a double master's program. You will find a corresponding form on the pages of the examination board.

Furthermore, please submit your transcript of records from the university abroad, a current transcript of grades from the TU Berlin, and (if available) the module descriptions of the achievements to be credited. If you have concluded a Learning Agreement before or during your studies abroad, please also enclose it.

All relevant information can be found here.