ABC Stay abroad

Application for an exchange semester

Once you have been nominated, you will receive an email from the host university with information on how to register there and which documents are required. The respective universities often use their own portals for stays abroad, just as TUD uses Mobility Online. Make sure you adhere to the deadlines communicated to you!

Arrival

After your arrival, you must have the Confirmation of Arrival signed. It confirms the start of your semester at the partner university and marks the first day of your mobility grant in the Erasmus program.

Outgoing students at TU Dresden can find the Confirmation of Arrival in the workflow at Mobility Online. You will find out on site whether you should submit it in paper form or send it digitally, as this varies from university to university.

Incomings at TU Dresden send the Confimation of Arrical, which they have received from their home university, pre-filled to .

BIP

There is the opportunity to participate in projects at universities in other countries as part of Blended Intensive Programs (BIP). BIPs combine virtual components with physical short-term mobility. The physical stay at the partner university is in most cases 5 days.

Blended Intensive Programs are offered for both students and university staff. Students receive 3 ECTS credits for participating in the BIP.

Course selection

Course selection is a central element of your exchange studies, regardless of whether you are studying regularly at TU Dresden and spending some time elsewhere (outgoings) or whether you are coming to Dresden as an international student (incomings).

Outgoings

Find out which courses are offered on the website of the partner university and then select the courses that interest you and fit into your study plan. You must choose courses worth 30 ECTS credits. For the application to TU Dresden, enter the courses in Table A of the Learning Agreement.
You will discuss the course selection and possible credit transfer at TU Dresden with the responsible academic advisor once you have been accepted. They will also sign the Digital Learning Agreement (DLA) in Mobility Online. You can also take courses from your other subjects, if there is an offer, or attend courses from a completely different degree program if you are interested. As a rule, however, around 50-70% of the credits must be earned in the area covered by the exchange agreement. If you are planning to take credits in a second or third subject, you must discuss this independently with the academic advisors of the respective subjects and document it (e.g. in a PDF printout of the LA). Further information on the Learning Agreement can be found in the corresponding section.

Incomings

At the Faculty of SLK, you can find all courses offered in the respective semester in the Annotated Course Catalog (KVV). It is best to search for the subject you would like to study and your corresponding study level (BA/MA).
Under Bachelor SLK [your subject] (first major) you will find all the courses that you can take as an international student in the Bachelor's program; as a Master's student, you will find the courses for the Master's programs European Languages (EuroS) and Literature, Culture and Societal Change (LiKWa) also listed by module.
As most courses can be taken by students in different degree programs and different modules, in most cases there are several possible examination credits and no fixed number of ECTS credits - you must agree these individually with the lecturers at the beginning of the semester. As a rule, you will receive approx. 4 ECTS credits for a written exam (90-120 min) in a lecture and 3-8 ECTS credits in seminars. It is also possible to obtain 2 ECTS credits through regular participation in courses(attendance certificate - 80% attendance, must be documented on an ongoing basis). You may also find it helpful to take a look at the study regulations(BA German Studies, BA English/American Studies, BA Romance Studies, BA Slavic Studies, BA Classical Philology, MA EuroS, MA LiKWa) to estimate how many ECTS you can obtain.
The completed Learning Agreement will be signed by the responsible coordinator at TU Dresden.

Credits

During your studies in another country, you will earn credits or ECTS. The credits you earn in another country can be credited towards your regular studies at TU Dresden , provided they are suitable for the module in question. The planned credit transfer must be discussed with the responsible academic advisor before the stay abroad (but only after you have been accepted) and will be recorded in the Learning Agreement.
During the semester at a partner university, you will earn 25-30 ECTS per semester; the Learning Agreement should be designed for 30 ECTS. The results of the work completed during the exchange semester are recorded in the Transcript of Records.

If you are studying as an incoming student at TU Dresden, you must clarify the examinations to be taken and the number of ECTS credits you can receive at the beginning of the semester. You can find out more above under course selection.

Deadlines

There are various deadlines to be met when organizing your exchange semester - starting with the application deadline. Please also note the deadlines for applying for Social Top-Ups and Green Travel and for signing the Grant Agreement. In addition, the Learning Agreement should be updated within 4 weeks of arrival at the host university.

Duration

You can spend anywhere from a few days to a year at a time in another country - the duration of your stay depends on the type and program.

Semester stays - Erasmus and TUDweltweit

With Erasmus and TUDweltweit, you can usually choose whether you want to study in another country in the winter or summer semester. Depending on the number of places available, it is also possible to spend two semesters at another university. You should indicate the desired period in your application. Make sure you check the website of the respective university beforehand to find out about the semester times that apply here - it is best to look for the academic calendar, which shows the lecture, lecture-free and examination periods.
Please note that the summer semester often overlaps with the winter semester at TU Dresden, as the second semester in other countries often begins in January/February. You should therefore plan for the fact that - if possible - you may not be able to write exams until a semester later, write seminar papers during the semester or agree a later submission with the lecturers. Block seminars that have already been completed at the beginning of your stay in another country are also a good option - there are a variety of approaches here.

Semester stay - Sri Lanka exchange programs

The exchange with the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka lasts five months and usually begins in July. Please note that there may be overlaps with the summer semester at TU Dresden and arrange any postponements of examinations in advance.

Stay at Ohio State University

The stay at Ohio State University, including the work as Graduate Teaching Associate, is designed for nine months beginning in the fall.

Short-term stays - BIPs, summer schools, language courses

There are always various offers for Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP), summer schools or language courses at our partner universities. The duration ranges from five days to several weeks. This is a very good option for students who are unable to spend an entire semester in another country, for example. If you are interested, please visit the website or send an email to .

ECTS

During your studies in another country, you will earn credits or ECTS. The credits you earn in a country can be credited towards your regular studies at TU Dresden, provided they are suitable for the module in question. The planned credit transfer must be discussed with the responsible academic advisor before the stay abroad (but only after you have been accepted) and will be recorded in the Learning Agreement.

During the semester at a partner university, you will earn 25-30 ECTS per semester; the Learning Agreement should be designed for 30 ECTS.

Erasmus+

Erasmus+ is the European Union's program for education, youth and sport. The aim is to promote lifelong learning, enable sustainable growth, strengthen social cohesion and European identity and drive innovation. Erasmus+ gives students the opportunity to study at partner universities of their home university in other countries.

As part of the Erasmus+ program, students receive a monthly grant of €540-600 per month for long-term mobility, depending on the destination country. During the Bachelor's and Master's degree courses, students can spend two semesters in other countries with Erasmus+ funding, and a total of four semesters in the teacher training course.

EWP

EWP stands for Erasmus without paper. One of the aims of Erasmus+ is digitalization, which is why the entire process is increasingly paperless. As a TU Dresden student studying in another country, everything from the application to the Learning Agreement to the end of the semester is organized via Mobility Online. Finally, the process for the Grant Agreement has now also been digitized.

Faculty cooperations

In addition to agreements via programs such as Erasmus+ and TUDweltweit, there are also faculty cooperations that enable you to study in other countries.

Funding

The financing of your exchange semester depends on the respective program. It is also possible to apply for BAföG abroad or to apply for scholarships. The exchange agreement means that there are no tuition fees.

• Depending on the destination country, you will receive funding of €540-600 per month via Erasmus+. In addition, there are social top-ups for students with children, first-time graduates, students with chronic illnesses or disabilities and working students of €250 per month. Further information can be found below.
• At TUDweltweit, funding is provided by PROMOS.
• The Sri Lanka Exchange Program includes a monthly scholarship of 975 € per month and a travel allowance.
• The cooperation with Ohio State University is linked to a Graduate Teaching Associate position with a salary of approx. 2,480 USD per month for 9 months.

Funding vor exchange semesters with Erasmus

The grant will be paid out in two installments: 70% of the calculated amount before the start of the Erasmus semester, as soon as all documents (Grant Agreement and Learnig Agreement) have been received in full, 30% after the end of your stay.

The following funding rates apply from summer semester 2025:

Grades

Whether grades are recognized in addition to performance depends on the home university. For SLK students, credits are recognized with a grade or grade equivalent - information on this can be obtained from the academic advisors.

Find out in advance about the grading system in the country where you will be studying! 

The following grading system applies at German universities:

The TU Dresden works with decimal steps of three. Thus, the following grades are assigned: 1,0 (A), 1,3 (A-), 1,7 (B+), 2,0 (B), 2,3 (B-), 2,7 (C+), 3,0 (C), 3,3 (C-), 3,7 (D+), 4,0 (D), 5,0 (F).

Grant Agreement

The Grant Agreement is the funding contract for the Erasmus stay. Among other things, it sets out the funding period and the amount of funding. Therefore, please make sure that you have entered the correct semester dates on Mobility Online, as the funding period is limited by the dates specified in the Grant Agreement.
The Grant Agreement will be available for download from Mobility Online in due course and must be digitally signed and uploaded by you.

Health insurance

The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), i.e. your traditional health insurance card, entitles you to treatment in EU countries. However, it is best to find out in advance from your health insurance provider what you need to bear in mind. If you are staying outside of political Europe, you should definitely take out supplementary insurance.

You can find more information on this topic on the German health insurance website.

Home university

A large part of the organization of the exchange semester takes place via the university at which you are regularly studying. You apply to your home university for a place at one of the partner universities, and the funding and crediting of examinations is clarified with your home university. If you have any questions on these topics, please contact the person responsible at your home university.
Questions about the courses offered, the course schedule or examinations during the exchange semester are not the responsibility of your coordinator at your home university - ask the host university or take a look at the experience reports.

Host university

The host university will support you during your exchange studies. Once you have been nominated for one of the exchange programs, you will receive all the important information about registration, courses offered, accommodation, etc. You do not have to register with the university yourself!
The host university will also sign the Confirmation of Arrival and Attendance, issue the ToR and assist you with any questions during the semester. The host university cannot give you any information about credit transfer at your home university.

Incomings

In the context of student exchanges, the terms " incoming" and " outgoing" are commonly used. Incomings are guest students at the university, so if you are studying at TU Dresden and spend some time in another country, you are outgoings here and incomings at the host university.

Incomings of the Faculty of Linguistics, Literature and Cultural Studies can find important information here. As an outgoing student at the TUD, you will also find important information for incoming students on the website of the partner university.

ISCED code

The ISCED code assigns the area to which an exchange agreement between two universities refers. At the Faculty of SLK, the ISCED code for partnerships is usually 023 - languages.

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Language courses

TU Dresden offers a wide range of language courses. Language training at TU Dresden is free of charge for enrolled students – including exchange students! – free of charge and is run by the TUDIAS Language Center.

Language certificate

As a student of a language that is not your first language, you can usually have your language level certified by the lecturers. The Abitur certificate is valid as proof of language proficiency for up to two years after receipt; certificates from TUDIAS courses are also often recognized.

It is also possible to take the DAAD language test via TUDIAS (fee: €60.00). Tests are offered in Chinese, German, English, Finnish, French, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish and Czech as well as other languages on request. TUDIAS also offers the TOEFL English language test and the German examinations TestDaF, TestAS and telc.

Learning Agreement

The Learning Agreement (LA) lists all the courses you will attend during your studies at the partner university. You can find the document in various file formats here.

The LA is drawn up in three stages:

• BEFORE YOUR STAY ABROAD, you select courses with a total of 30 ECTS per semester based on currently published course catalogues (i.e. 60 ECTS if you are applying for two semesters). These are to be entered in the document in Table A. The courses or modules for which the academic achievements completed at the partner university are to be recognised are entered in Table B. For the ERASMUS application, you only need to complete Table A.
• DURING YOUR STAY, the courses will be reviewed and changed. Since the LA that was created before the exchange stay is based on older course offerings, some of the courses will probably not be offered in your semester of study, will not fit into your timetable due to time shifts or you may find courses that interest you more or fit better into your study plan. In principle, therefore, all courses listed in Table A can be changed. Once you have arrived at your partner university and have an overview of the courses on offer, the selected courses can be adjusted in Table C. If necessary, the planned crediting must also be revised in Table D. The revised LA should be designed for 25-30 ECTS. The LA must be changed within four weeks after arrival at the partner university.
• AFTER YOUR STAY, you will receive the Transcript of Records, an overview of the courses you have attended with grades and credits (ECTS). This corresponds to Table E in the Learning Agreement. As soon as you have received the Transcript of Records, you can take care of the credit transfer. This is done using the credit transfer document for BA/MA students or teacher training students. Please make an appointment with the relevant academic advisor (who also signed the LA) for the credit transfer. The completed credit transfer corresponds to Table F.

Important information

• TU Dresden and many of the partner universities work with a digital learning agreement (DLA) as part of EWP (ERASMUS without paper). For this purpose, the courses are entered in the respective online application portal (at TU Dresden Mobility Online). If you are studying at TU Dresden and have received a place for a stay in another country, you must re-enter the courses you specified in your application in the corresponding section of Mobility Online.
• The different versions of the LA must be signed by three people – by yourself, the student counsellor for the subject of your exchange and by the partner university. You can either find the contact details of the person responsible for signing at the partner university on the respective website or you will receive them by email from the partner university. With EWP, the entire signing process is done digitally.
• The LA is your guarantee that you will be able to take the courses at the partner university as planned and have them recognised later if desired. If you have been offered a place, please contact the relevant academic advisor at TU Dresden via Mail or in person to discuss your course selection and credit transfer options. In addition to the title and number of ETCS of the course, please prepare an overview of the content and, if applicable, examination formats of the selected courses – if this is available on the partner university's website – and consider in advance for which module you would like the courses you have taken to be recognised later.
• Via Mobility Online, the DLA is only ever signed or approved by one person – the student advisor for the respective subject of the exchange (German Studies, Romance Studies, English Studies, Slavic Studies, Classical Philology; as listed in the overview of partner universities). If you would also like to take and receive recognition for courses in your second or third subject, this must be agreed with the responsible student counsellor for the respective subjects. To do this, you can generate an extract of the DLA in Mobility Online and then  highlight which courses are involved. This is essential for the academic achievements to be recognised – if you are not planning to transfer credit, this step is irrelevant.

• The requirements of the partner universities regarding the selection of courses vary widely. Some universities require at least 50% of the courses to be completed in the area of the exchange agreement, others limit the selection to two subject areas, while others are very free regarding your choice of courses. You will usually receive the relevant information by the university itself after you have been nominated.

Leistungsschein

International students studying at TU Dresden for one or two semesters do not have to register online for examinations in regular classes. Instead, a grade certificate (Leistungsschein) must be completed for each examination that is taken. Enter your personal details and the title of the course and send it to your lecturer, who will then enter the number of ECTS credits and the grade discussed in advance. For written examinations, you can send the transcript of records together with your examination results by email; for written examinations or written assignments that have to be submitted in paper form, you send the transcript of records to your lecturer afterwards.

Please note that for language courses at TUDIAS you will have to register via selma!

As soon as you have received all the transcripts of records for the courses you have taken, send them together to , whereupon the transcript of records will be issued.

You can download the Leistungsschein as a PDF and obtain further information here.

Letter of Motivation

The letter of motivation is the centrepiece of your application. You can explain in detail who you are and why you should study at the university you have applied for. On one A4 page, you should set out your academic and personal motivation for studying in another country. This also includes going into detail about your study plans: Which courses would you like to take and what relevance do they have to your previous and future study experience? Does the programme offer the opportunity to acquire knowledge in areas that are not taught at TU Dresden? 
The letter of motivation only needs to be based on your first choice. There are no formal requirements.

Mobility Online

Mobility Online is the portal used to manage stays abroad at TU Dresden. This is also where you submit your application.

• To log in to Mobility Online after you have created an application, click here.
• If you would like to find out more about the available places and create an application, you can access the search servlet here..

Nomination

If you have received a place, you will be nominated at the respective university in the next step. This means that your information will be passed on to the partner university. You will then be contacted by the partner university by email and will receive information on registration and, if applicable, on course selection and options for a place in a hall of residence.

The nomination for the winter semester usually takes place from April to June, stays in the summer semester are nominated from August to October – this depends on the partner university. So when you receive the first information from the partner university varies greatly!

OLS language test

The OLS language test is a mandatory part of an Erasmus+ application. You must take a language test before the start and a test at the end of your stay abroad. This is for statistical purposes and the results have no effect on your place, but also do not count as proof of language proficiency.

OLS (Online Language Support) also offers you language support in the form of online courses during the Erasmus semester!

Partner universities

Through the exchange agreements, you can study at TU Dresden's partner universities for one or two semesters without tuition fees and, depending on the program, with financial support.

On the SLK website you will find overviews of the Erasmus partner universities and faculty cooperations. TUDweltweit offers exchange places worldwide across all faculties and you can also search for universities on Mobility Online.

In addition, many of the partner universities regularly offer BIP (Blended Intensive Programs) or summer schools - so check this overview regularly if you are interested!

Recognition of academic achievements from examinations taken in another country

At TU Dresden, examination achievements are recognised via an application at the examination office – those are different for teacher training students and BA/MA students. Discuss the recognition with your academic advisor, who will then enter the credit to be recognised and sign the document. Different forms must be submitted for recognition in different subjects.

If you study at TU Dresden, only TU Dresden is responsible for recognising credits – if you are told by the partner university that you cannot have certain courses recognised, this is usually due to a misunderstanding. In this case, please contact us.

Summer Schools

Some partner universities offer short-term programs in the form of summer schools - information can be found here.

SWS

As with many organizational units, it is common practice at the university to use abbreviations to simplify and speed up processes. Unfortunately, this is not particularly easy for those who don't know what they mean! SWS stands for Semesterwochenstunden (weekly semester hours) and refers to the length of a course: 1 SWS = 45 minutes.

As a rule, a course lasts 90 minutes, i.e. two SWS. With one session per week, the course comprises 2 SWS, with two sessions per week 4 SWS.

Tuition fees

As an outgoing student (students who study regularly at TU Dresden and study at a partner university for one or two semesters), you do not pay tuition fees at the host university through your exchange program (Erasmus+, TUDweltweit, faculty cooperation...).

As a student of TU Dresden, you pay the regular semester fee – even if you take a semester off – so that you remain enrolled.

Urlaubssemester

Studierende können sich innerhalb des regulären Rückmeldezeitraumes für ein Semester vom Studium beurlauben lassen. Auch für ein Urlaubssemester zahlt ihr den vollen Semesterbeitrag, könnt euch den Anteil für das Ticket aber (anteilig) über den StuRa zurückerstatten lassen! Dabei hilft euch auch der Leitfaden des StuRa. Das solltet ihr auch machen, falls ihr kein Urlaubssemester beantragt.

In der Regel spricht nichts gegen die Beantragung eines Urlaubssemesters – es hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Anerkennung von Prüfungsleistungen, die ihr an der Gastuni erbrachte habt, weiterhin könnt ihr auch Prüfungsleistungen an der TU Dresden erbringen – etwa, wenn sich eine Klausur oder die Anfertigung einer Seminararbeit durch das Austauschsemester verschoben hat. Da das Urlaubssemester nicht als Fachsemester gezählt wird und somit die Semesterzahl "stehenbleibt", profitieren besonders BAföG-Empfänger:innen von einem verlängerten Förderzeitraum. 

Beachten müsstet ihr eventuelle individuelle Besonderheiten – bei Auslandsaufenthalten, die nicht durch die Studienordnung als Pflichtaufenthalt vorgesehen sind, kann es bei einem Urlaubssemester unter gewissen Bedingungen zu Problemen bei der Weiterzahlung etwa von Halbwaisenrente oder Kindergeld kommen. Beim ersten Austauschaufenthalt ist das in der Regel aber nicht der Fall. Am besten klärt ihr das direkt mit den zuständigen Ämtern ab.