Biology studies with experience abroad

The International Office of the TU Dresden has compiled and answered the most frequently asked questions in their CORONA FAQ.
For further questions, please contact us by email.

The option of a virtual or combined semester abroad is one possible answer to this question. During these uncertain times, this option provides a safe framework for European and worldwide academic exchange.

• What would I like to do?
  Study abroad/semester abroad, combine a stay abroad with practical work experience (internship), write the final thesis abroad, complete a short stay (summer or winter school) or a language course.
  
  Please refer to the Planning Guide of the International Office of the TU Dresden - item "Study or Internship" - for further information.
• How long do I want to go abroad?
  only for a short time: participation in specialized courses for further scientific education directly related to your studies (e.g. summer or winter schools), or language course
  longer: semester abroad, internship or combination of semester abroad with an internship, writing the final thesis abroad
• How far along am I in my studies?
  Stays abroad are possible from the 3rd semester in the Bachelor's program and from the 1st semester in the Master's program.

• Which country am I interested in?
  When looking for a suitable university, it is important to find an institution with a suitable study program. The DAAD's country information is very helpful for getting started with these questions. Here you will find information on the university system and study conditions, broken down by country.

• Which languages do I speak?
  In most cases you will have to provide proof of your language skills and sometimes a special language test (e.g. TOEFL test for English speaking countries). It is important to be able to follow the lectures without major problems and to be able to work scientifically on the study content.

• How can I finance a stay abroad?
  There are numerous possibilities to finance a stay abroad: e.g. Erasmus+, PROMOS and BAföG outside of Germany.
  Short information about funding possibilities has been summarized by the International Office of the TU Dresden on the page "Study Abroad" in the section

  How can I finance my stay abroad?

  Worth mentioning are the exchange program Erasmus with partner universities in European and non-European countries as well as university cooperations of the Technische Universität Dresden with partner universities worldwide. They include the waiving of tuition fees and sometimes allow for a partial scholarship.

In order to have all important information in view when planning a stay abroad, the International Office of the TU Dresden has compiled a planning guide for those interested.

• Which of the possibilities of a stay abroad do I want to use?
  Every stay abroad includes the place abroad, as well as the funding. Some programs, such as Erasmus+, already consist of both. If this is not the case, you have to take care of the place abroad as well as the financing separately.

• Where can I study or complete my internship abroad?
  Find out about the courses offered, language requirements, housing options, etc. at an early stage. This will help you to avoid false expectations and to find convincing arguments for your application.
  
  Currently available partner universities and the most important key data for exchange studies can be found in the Mobility Online Portal.
  For internships abroad, you should ask the Leonardo-Büro Sachsen.
  Freemovers please inquire at the International Office of the TU Dresden.
  
  The choice should be made taking into account subject and language requirements.

• Which courses do I want to take at the foreign university?
  Course selection is an important part of your planning for a stay abroad. In addition to checking whether the relevant course is offered at the university of your choice, you also need to check how many credit points are required as a minimum.

• Which courses are recognized at the Technischen Universität Dresden?
  The subject representatives and the Student council of the Faculty of Biology will be happy to advise you.

• Do I have to apply for a semester of leave?
  The semester of leave is often used because it is counted as a university semester but not as a subject semester and therefore no study time is "lost". (Erasmus students are not required to apply for a semester of leave).

• Who can I ask for advice on finding a suitable university or on the host country?    
  Ask someone who knows -- More than 470 alumni of the Technische Universität Dresden are available as regional ambassadors worldwide and locally as contact persons.

• Where can I find reports on my experiences?
  Many TU Dresden students have already been abroad with Erasmus+ and have documented their experiences.

• Are there information events?
  At the School of Science, information events on Erasmus and other programs for students of the entire department take place once a year (usually in January). An announcement is made as news on the homepage International Affairs of the Scool of Science.
  Further interesting  information events on studying abroad are offered by the International Office of the TU Dresden.

A study period abroad is a personal, academic and cultural experience gain that has a direct benefit for the studies and the later career. This presupposes that the study achievements made abroad are recognized as far as possible at the home university.

There are a few things to keep in mind:
You can find information on this at the International Office of the TU Dresden under Recognition of Academic Achievements.

Form for the acknoledgement of examinations for biology students:
The form "Antrag zur Anerkennung von Studienleistungen" of the Faculty of Biology has to be filled out and submitted to the Examination Office.

The International Office of the TU Dresden has summarized other numerous contact points for the implementation of the study project, be it on a financial, organizational, linguistic or intercultural level, on the page Advice and Information Sources.

Do you still have questions?
The contact persons at the Faculty of Biology will be happy to help you.

Worldwide cooperation of the Technische Universität Dresden with other universities enables an interdisciplinary exchange of students: TUD worldwide - student exchange (International Office of the TU Dresden).

There are many cooperations of the chairs and the institutes of the Faculty of Biology with universities all over the world. For more information, please contact the respective professors of the Faculty of Biology directly.

It is also worth considering organizing your studies abroad individually. To make it easier to get started, the International Office of the TU Dresden has summarized some useful information in "Studying abroad as a freemover at the university of your choice" (only in German). For further information please contact the International Office of the TU Dresden and the DAAD.

Master's, advanced or supplementary studies in the context of a specialization or specialization; time: after the first degree, duration: 1-2 years.

Please contact the professors of the Faculty of Biology.

Participation in specialized courses for advanced scientific training directly related to your studies (e.g. summer schools at universities), duration: 1-6 weeks.

Please contact the professors of the faculty of biology.

The first point of contact for internships abroad is the Leonardo-Büro Sachsen. The free support includes: Application workshops, intercultural preparation courses, internship placement and support, and even scholarships. University groups such as AIESEC or IAESTE also offer extensive support.

There is a project abroad on the topic of your thesis. It is important for you to work on your scientific work or thesis on site. The final thesis would be well combined with a practical phase in your study program. This must be very well thought out and planned!

Even if the thesis is done abroad, the regulations of the Technische Universität Dresden, especially of the Faculty of Biology, apply. Therefore, consult your examination and study regulations in time! This applies in particular to deadlines to be met, the scope of the thesis, its registration, etc.
Furthermore, you need a thesis topic and a supervisor. You can only write your thesis abroad in consultation with the supervisor. To do this, you apply to the Leonardo-Büro Sachsen for a sponsored internship, which you can complete either at a university/college or in a company and write your Bachelor's or Master's thesis within the framework of this internship.

Promos Scholarships Worldwide (International Office of the TU Dresden):
The PROMOS program can support both study exchanges within the framework of partnerships worldwide and individually planned stays abroad. There are also scholarships for language and training courses abroad and for writing the final thesis.

DAAD Scholarships Worldwide    (International Office of the TU Dresden):
At the German Academic Exchange Service you can apply for one-year study scholarships (all subjects from the 4^th semester onwards). In addition, there are various special announcements (some from the 3^rd semester onwards).

Additional funding opportunities (International Office of the TU Dresden):
Exchange programs and scholarships are often limited to certain countries, disciplines or even universities. The International Office of the TU Dresden will gladly inform you about scholarship programs outside of the university, such as the Auslands-BAföG, the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD) or the scholarships of the Fulbright Commission.