Programme Overview
At a glance: What are the benefits of WeltWeit?
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Tuition fee waiver at almost all host universities through so-called exchange spots, or reduced tuition fees through so-called study abroad spots
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Integrated financial support through the PROMOS programme for particularly well-qualified applicants
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Support in the preparation and organisation of the study abroad semester
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Academic recognition of courses completed abroad is possible (subject to consultation with the respective department)
How does the WeltWeit Student Exchange Programme work?
The WeltWeit Exchange Programme is based on university-wide and subject-specific cooperation agreements between overseas partner universities and the University of Augsburg. Students can spend one or two semesters studying at a host institution, provided they are successfully nominated through the University of Augsburg’s internal application process.
Tip: It is possible to participate in the exchange programme more than once.
As a participant in the WeltWeit Programme, you are expected to take a full-time course load at your host university. A workload equivalent to 30 ECTS per semester is recommended, while the minimum requirement is 15 ECTS per semester (or the equivalent in the host institution’s credit system).
Following consultation with your department, you may arrange for these courses to be recognised towards your degree at the University of Augsburg, so that your academic progress is not delayed, or only delayed to a minimal extent. If you wish, you may also take courses offered by another department at the host university, for example to explore a different academic field. You are free to decide whether and how many courses completed abroad you would like to have recognised as part of your degree in Augsburg.
In addition to experiencing a different academic system and broadening your knowledge, WeltWeit offers you the opportunity to develop your social and intercultural skills and to apply and further enhance your foreign language skills in a practical context.
What are the eligibility requirements?
To participate in the WeltWeit programme, you must meet the following basic requirements:
- You must be formally enrolled at the University of Augsburg in a degree programme leading to a recognised academic qualification.
- You must have completed at least two semesters of study before the start of your semester abroad. (This requirement does not apply to Master's students, as they already hold a Bachelor's degree and have therefore completed more than two semesters of higher education).
- You must have good to very good language skills in the language of instruction at the host university.
- Your academic progress is satisfactory, and you have achieved good to very good academic results.
Meeting these minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee the participation in the programme, but it is necessary in order for your application to be considered. Applications are assessed competitively based on the selection criteria and the number of places available at each partner university.
Q&A
Yes. The WeltWeit Exchange Programme outside Europe is open to all fully enrolled students of the University of Augsburg, regardless of nationality.
Please note, however, that participating in an exchange programme abroad usually requires you to obtain a student visa or residence permit for the destination country. Neither the International Office of the University of Augsburg nor the host university has any influence over visa decisions made by the relevant immigration authorities. As a result, visa applications may occasionally involve delays or other complications.
In addition, international students are responsible for checking with the German immigration authorities whether and for how long they are permitted to leave Germany during their studies without affecting their residence status. We strongly recommend clarifying these matters well in advance of your planned exchange period.
It is your responsibility to ensure that all visa and residence requirements—both for the host country and for Germany—are met before your departure.
As a general rule, this is not possible, or it may give rise to significant complications. Please take the differing semester dates into careful consideration when planning your degree programme and explore alternative solutions to address any timetable overlaps. Depending on your degree programme, various options may be available, such as postponing examinations to a subsequent semester or completing a placement semester prior to your study abroad period.
If necessary, please discuss this with your academic advisor.