Studying Abroad
Are you considering studying one or two semesters abroad? Not only will you benefit from it on a personal level, but also employers are on the lookout for graduates with international experience. During your studies abroad, you will enjoy interesting intercultural encounters, learn foreign languages, and gain new perspectives in your field.
Planning Correctly
To ensure that your stay at the host university runs smoothly and turns out to be an unforgettable experience, early and thorough planning is essential. First of all, please attend the information events that we hold in the summer semester (TUMexchange) and winter semester (Erasmus+, SEMP, school partnerships). These events will provide you with valuable insight and important information for your stay abroad.
What you expect from your stay abroad is the key factor: Do you want to improve your language skills, study at a renowned university, or simply broaden your horizons? Remember that you do not always have to be fluent in the local language – in Scandinavia, for example, the teaching language is English.
Take a look at the available degree programs offered by the institutions you are interested in. In this way, you can establish whether your areas of specialization are covered there. You will also find useful background information on the respective education system in the country information from DAAD.
The right time for studying abroad depends not only on your degree program and your personal aims, but also on the semester periods at the host university. The spring and summer semesters at foreign universities often overlap with the teaching and examination periods during the winter semester at TUM. Therefore, most students begin their studies abroad in the fall or winter semester. If you plan carefully and with foresight, you can, however, go on a stay abroad in the summer semester.
We recommend that bachelor’s students plan their stay abroad, ideally, for the 5th or 7th semester.
Please note: If you intend to go abroad, you should thoroughly work out your course of studies at TUM before and after the stay abroad. In particular, this means that you successfully complete the required modules for your degree program before you begin your stay abroad.
If you want to study abroad, you will need to prove sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction. When you begin the stay abroad, basic knowledge of the local language will be an advantage. The TUM Language Center offers an extensive range of language courses and programs on intercultural communication.
The required verification of language skills for the application may vary depending on the program and partner university. Therefore, please check well ahead what language level the host university expects from foreign students and what verifications of language skills are accepted.
Students who study for one or two semesters abroad can apply for a semester on leave of absence. Applying for leave of absence during the semester abroad is, however, not mandatory. Instead, it is a personal decision that depends on your personal study situation.
The leave of absence is not automatic and should not exceed two semesters during the whole degree program.
Erasmus+ & SEMP
Do you want to study at one of our partner universities in Europe? Erasmus+ and SEMP are ideal programs in this case.
TUMexchange
Broaden your horizons and think outside the box by going to a country outside the EU through TUMexchange.
School Partnerships
Thanks to the many partnerships the TUM CIT has formed with universities outside Europe, you can complete a stay abroad within your field.
Freemover
Do you want to go to a specific institution and cannot find a suitable program? You can also organize your semester abroad yourself.
Scholarships
How will I finance my stay abroad? Find out more about the TUM scholarships, different private endowments, and external providers.
Recognitions
Whether and to what extent examinations (credits) taken abroad can be recognized depends on your choice of course. This means it is important that you find out about the courses offered by the host university while you are planning your stay. How the recognition process runs in detail depends on your subject area:
You will find all important information under Recognition in the subject area of Electrical and Computer Engineering and in the Information on Recognition of Credits earned abroad.
Once you have received your Transcript of Records from the partner university, you can apply to have your credits earned abroad recognized. You will find important information under Recognition of Credits Earned Abroad.
Once your place in a degree program at the foreign university has been confirmed, we will gladly advise you on study planning, the learning agreement, and recognition. The Information on Recognition of Credits Earned Abroad will provide initial help. You will find information under Recognition of Credits in Mathematics.