Study at TUHH in exchange program!

The International Office supports you on your study start: Join our Welcome Weeks Programm 2024

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Preparing your exchange stay at TUHH

1. Is your university a cooperation partner of TUHH?

Check our international cooperation´s partner list or ask the International Office at your home university

3. Are you meeting the language requirements for exchange studies at TUHH?
  • For courses taught in English: Level B2
  • For courses taught in German: Level B1
  • For working on your Master Thesis: no language test required
  • More information about language requirements can be found in FAQ below : further  information and contacts
4. Nomination

Contact the  International Office of your home university and read the Application Procedure for Exchange Students and get nominated.

FAQ

Application Procedure: necessary steps

1. Nomination

Your home university nominates you by sending the nomination form to internationaloffice@tuhh.de
The nomination deadlines at TUHH usually are 15.04 for winter semester stays and 15.10 for summer semester stays.

Please note that these dates may change. Check the homepage regularly for current updates!

2. Before the application

The TUHH international office will send you the exchange application link by Email and inform you about the upcoming procedure and dates.

 

3. Starting the application

To start your online exchange application, you need to follow the link you received from us by Email. It directs you to an online form, which is the first part of your exchange application.

Fill out this online form and click ‘send’ at the bottom. This will create an application for exchange studies in our database Mobility-Online. NOTE: This application is still incomplete!

Mobility-Online will send you a confirmation email and asks you to create a user account in Mobility-Online.

4. During the application

Follow the link in this Email to register as a user in Mobility-Online. You need to choose a user name, login and password. This will enable you to view and complete your still unfinished exchange student application.

Your entire exchange stay at TUHH will be managed through Mobility-Online. You’ll need to get back to your application/mobility workflow in Mobility-Online before, during, and after your stay at TUHH.

5. During the application

Complete your exchange application. The steps in the workflow are consecutive: they have to be filled out one after the other, and they are all obligatory. Download information and forms from the workflow and upload filled out and signed forms to your exchange application workflow.

Note to ERASMUS students: We are about to switch to the OLA (Online Learning Agreement). For now, we are still using the PDF-paper-based Learning Agreement form.

Documents to down- and upload:
a.    Learning agreement form
b.    Transcript of records with previous and current work
c.    Language Certificate
d.    Motivation letter
e.    Facial picture
f.    TUHH exchange application form

6. Finishing the application

The last step in your application is the upload of a scan of the exchange application form. Your home university needs to sign this.
This last upload completes your exchange application and notifies the TUHH International Office.

7. The accommodation application

If you would like to apply for a room in the student's halls in Hamburg, please go the webpages of the Accommodation Office TUHH. You will find there all the necessary information on contacts and procedures. The accommodation office will advise you as well about the possibilities of finding private rooms and flats in Hamburg.

FAQ

Further important information and contacts

Language Requirements

Please note, that you can only study at TUHH if your language proficiency is sufficient for your study purposes. Most of the bachelor courses are taught in German and bachelor students need to have a German level that will allow them to undertake an academic study.

All exchange students from partner universities must have sufficient language skills in the working language German (B1) and/or English (B2) (CEFR).
Certified tests such as TOEFL, TestDAF, IELTS, etc. are accepted (online version is sufficient). Online grading tests with conclusive identification of the participants, e.g. Erasmus+ OLS- tests, will not be accepted. If you have no official test document, the proof must be in a form of a confirmation / official certificate from a recognized language school in the home country or a language institute of the home university. A confirmation by the home exchange coordinator is also sufficient.

Those exchange students, who are studying in an English speaking degree programme can only be acquitted of the duty to provide a language certificate when they can provide proof that all courses at the home university are in English.

If a language certificate or proof cannot be provided during the online application, a document must be submitted instead stating that the applicant has registered for a language course and that the course is completed until the start of the study.

Applicants wishing to complete a project or master thesis at TUHH should have the required language skills in the working language. A language certificate is not required.

Entry Regulations and Residence Permit in Germany

Entering Germany

EU nationals and nationals of certain countries (e.g., Australia, Great Britain, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, Liechtenstein, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States) do not need a visa to enter Germany.

Students from other coutries will need a valid visa to enter Germany!

  • See the list of countries for which there is / is not a visa requirement on the multilingual web page of the Federal Foreign Office. This page also contains information about applying for a visa.
  • Make sure you apply for this visa in good time at the German diplomatic mission in your home country.
  • Please note: During the peak travel season there may be a longer  waiting period for making an application to a German mission.
  • For special information, see the web page of the diplomatic mission responsible for you.
  • Note that the 3-month Schengen visa (tourist visa, visitor’s visa, business visa, visa to attend a language course without the intention of pursuing university study) cannot be converted into a residence permit in Germany. In this case, you must leave Germany and reenter with a special visa issued by the diplomatic mission responsible.

If you enter Germany from a non-EU country, you must prove you have sufficient financial resources when you apply for the visa. If you can enter Germany without a visa, you can prove you have sufficient financial resources when you apply for a residence permit.

Please check further information:

on the prove of the financial resources (Finanzierungsnachweis) and the German blocked bank account

on visa and entry formalities at: The Hamburg Welcome Portal and Federal Foreign Office

 

Special mobility regulation for non-EU students with a valid residence title issued by another EU Member State for study purposes.

 Students from non-EU countries who hold a valid residence title issued by another EU Member State for study purposes, may enter Germany and study in Germany  up to 360 days!

However, the German university, in this case the TUHH, must notify the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of your stay beforehand. In any case, the notification should be received in full 30 days before your entry.

If your exchange stay falls under this mobility regulation, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can take the necessary steps.

Contact person: Eva Turos/eva.turos(at)tuhh(dot)de or internationaloffice(at)tuhh(dot)de

Further information: https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/MobilitaetEU/MobilitaetStudent/mobilitaet-student-node.html

 


Applying for your residence permit in Germany

You must apply for a residence permit at the local Immigration Office within the period for which your national visa is valid :

at the Aliens Registration Office , the Welcome Center Hamburg  or one of the District Immigration Authorities directly!

  • Please check on the Checklist od the Aliens Registration office which documents are required for the application
  • When you apply for the first time you will be charged a processing fee of up to 110€. Extending your residence permit costs upwards to 80€.
  • To obtain your permit, you must show up in person at the Alien´s Registration Office. 
  • You can use the Online Tool for arranging of the residence permit for registering and the documents upload.

Please note that the processing time for the extension of your residence permit applications is currently longer then usual at the Aliens Registrations Office! It is necessary to make your arrangements in a good time! 

 

Creating your Learning Agreement: choosing courses suitable for exchange students

To complete your Learning Agreement you can select courses from all of TUHHs degree programs (Bachelor and Master), except for the Joint Master program courses.
Please check specific information and selection of the courses suitable for exchange students in the Study Packages assigned to each school of study listed.

Check out the list here

The non-technical elective courses are listed separately. Most of them have limited places and some have special entry requirements and registration procedures. There is a detailed description of the non-technical electives (Bachelor and Master) and the business and management courses (for all degree students) as well.

Please also have a look into the module handbooks of the degree programs (sorted by degree program) to see an overview of all the modules and the courses they consist of. There are also detailed module descriptions (sorted by alphabet, not by degree program). Some module courses may have prerequisites.

Please note:

  • the exams are offered only for complete modules, i.e. one exam for all the courses that belong to one module. Depending on whether you will stay for 1 or 2 semester, please make sure to always select all the courses belonging to one module. Pay attention: some modules stretch over more than 1 semester!
  • some courses are only offered in winter or summer semester. Please make sure that your choosen course is offered in a given semester by contacating the appropriate school of study/deputy dean international.
  • Students who intend to carry out a thesis work at TUHH should make all necessary arrangements with the TUHH supervisor before they arrive at TUHH!
TUHH Academic Calendar

Semester start at TUHH:

Summer semester:  1. April

Winter semester: 1. October

Please check the university webpage for exact dates for the upcoming semesters.

The TUHH examinations are carried out in the non-lecture period. Summer semester: mid- July until the end of September, Winter semester: mid- January until the end of March. The examination registration for exchange students is carried out within two weeks in May and in December. If you have to leave the TUHH earlier, you should contact the professor in time to find an individual regulation for the examination you want to take.

Please check the university webpage for exact dates of current examination period: tentative examination period of the current semester.

Deputy Deans International (Dep. Coordinators) & Schools of Study

The teaching at TUHH is organised in schools of study. There is one Deputy Dean International (with an assistant) for each school of study at TUHH, who has the role of a departmental coordinator for exchange studies. For academic questions and issues with your learning agreement, please turn to your Deputy Dean International and his or her assistant.

Health Insurance

All international students in Germany must be compulsorily insured (German Social Security Code V, Paragraph 1 Clause 9).

Proof of health insurance is a necessary condition for enrolment at TUHH.

-Students from EU member countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland should present their European health insurance card.

-Students from countries that have a social security agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany like Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, and Croatia should present their proof of the national health company (e.g. A/T 11).

Should you not be covered by any of these, you have to arrange the relevant insurance with a German health insurance company (examples of statutory health insurance companies are AOK, BARMER, DAK, HEK, KKH, IKK, TK)   You can make your application online before you enter Germany. The monthly fee for students up to the age of 30 is approx. EUR 110.

Please note, private health insurance is not accepted by the university. In case of sickness or an accident, it won't cover all the costs.

Arrival at TUHH

Arrival Procedure for Exchange Students

Enrollment and Re-registration

All students at TUHH must be enrolled in order to get the student status and semester documents. Exchange students enrollment takes place after their arrival at TUHH, during the orientation week, which is always in the last week of march + first week of April (summer term) or in the last week of September + first week of October. The special orientation program flyer , issued each semester by the International Office, lists the detailed dates and times.

In order to enroll,  exchange students must fill out the registration forms and pay the semester fees. This fee includes a semester ticket for public transport in Hamburg and support from the student services. Once the semester fee has been transferred to the University account, students will ― within 10 days ― automatically receive their student ID, their public transport semester ticket, their password for their TUHH account, and their university email address.

Please keep in mind to bring with you following documents for the enrollment:

  • a proof of your health insurance: European Health insurance Card if you are from a EU-member state or other proof of health insurance in Germany. Travel health insurances are not valid as student insurances)
  • a valid passport or ID card
  • The semester fee (currently 280,60€) has to be paid by bank transfer to TUHH right after the enrolment/registration in order to complete your enrolment and to receive the semester ticket. You will need the matriculation number, which you will receive at the enrolment.

TUHH enrolment is only valid for one semester and all students who will stay for the second semester have to renew this enrolment (re-register) before the next semester starts. Deadlines for TUHH registration renewal are: September 15 for the winter semester and March 15 for the summer semester.

For more information please check this page.

TUHH Account and Computing Facilities

All registered TUHH students need to set up the university account so that they can use the computers in the PC Pools. With the paying of the semester fees new students at TUHH are automatically granted their own account and an email address. The TUHH administration mostly communicates with you by using your TUHH account so that checking your account on regular basis ensures that you receive all important information regarding your studies.

New students receive their password and login string, as well as their other documents by postal mail.
For more information, as well as for the opening hours and location of the computer pools, please vitit the website of the TUHH computing center

Changes of your Learning Agreement

The changes of your original Learning Agreement can be made online on Mobility Online Portal. Read the instruction here

TUHH German Language Courses

TUHH Intensive German language courses for exchange students prior to begin of each winter semester

There are special preparatory courses for exchange students at the beginning of each winter semester. ( there is no course at the beginning of summer semester!) They usually start two weeks before the lecture period begins and are free of charge for exchange students from partner institutions. These courses are to prepare the students to their situation as a newcomer at TUHH, in Hamburg and in Germany. The course can already be a part of your TUHH study program/learning agreement and counts for 4 ECTS. The online application for the course is necessary in order to get a place. The appropriate  registration link will be send to you on time by the International Office. 

A proof of German language skills /level B1, as the admission requirement for TUHH exchange studies, cannot be obtained by attending this intensive course!

Regular German Language Classes at TUHH

Exchange students have the possibility to visit regular courses "German as a foreign language" which are offered for all international exchange students during each semester by our partner VHS. The regular German language courses starts in April and October and they are free of charge for exchange students (except €20 for the books). Further information can be found here.

Orientation and intercultural programs for new international students

Orientation program: Welcome Weeks

The International Office runs special Orientation Program for international students  at the beginning of each semester. During the program our tutors will assist you with the whole registration process, helping you to fill in the forms and instruct you about the regulations concerning the usage of university facilities. In t
he tutorials sessions you will be intruduced to the universiry system and learn how to schedule your program time table.  The cultural activities which rounds off the program- like campus rally, city tours and social events  will give you the opportunity to get to know your fellow students and to join different social networks. 

Intercultural semester program

The intercultural events and activities have the goal of promoting exchange and communication on TUHH campus and offer many activities such as international evenings, excursions and workshops. By atending them you will have the opportunity to get in touch with the fellow students, to get to know Hamburg and gain fluency in German and English. Throughout the academic year Welcome Tutors support international students in all questions about study organisation and social life on campus.

For detailed Information about the activities and ongoing offers please visit the Welcome Program website!

Do you have any further questions or issues to discuss? You can contact the Welcome Tutors directly at: welcome(at)tuhh(dot)de

Erasmus Student Network/ ESN TUHH

The Erasmus Student Network: ESN is a voluntary student network which supports new international students by organizing semester activities: sightseeing tours, game nights, parties, and other events. Erasmus buddies working in this network can pick you up from the airport or the main station, and give you useful hints on how to deal with the day-to- day challenges of living and studying abroad.
You can as well get a special ESNcard with discounts on events and parties all over the Europe.

As soon as you know the exact date of your arrival in Hamburg, please contact the ESN buddies at: hamburg(at)esn-germany(dot)de

Transcript of Records

Your final document: Transcript of Records, which lists all your TUHH academic records, will be issued by the examination office once all examinations results have been collected. Sometimes this procedure cannot be closed upon your departure back to your home country but you can print your transcript of records later on by using the self- service function at the TUHH web page! Once all the exchange students of one certain semester have completed their exams, the examination office is also going to upload the Transcript of Records to Mobility-Online, where exchange students will be able to download it as well.

Finishing your Exchange Stay at TUHH

Please go through the departure check list with important information at the end of your stay at TUHH!

Confirmation of TUHH exchange studies
Please visit the International Office duly to collect the necessary signatures at your departure documents. The blank departure document will be usually issued by your home institution. 
Extension of exchange studies at TUHH: please ask about the special form at the International Office.

Learning Agreement:
Make sure that you uploaded the changes to the original LA confirmed by the TUHH departmental coordinator in the mobility online system.

Transcript of Records: the Examinations office TUHH will prepare the document once all examinations results have been uploaded. You can print out the document using self-service functions.
In case of any technical problems or if you need help for reactivating your TUHH- password, please contact the TUHH user service center at: servicedesk@tuhh.de
De-registration at the TUHH:
Please update your home address using self-service function in case you get mails from TUHH after your departure.
If you need TUHH ex-matriculation certificate please contact internationaloffice(at)tuhh(dot)de

De-registration of Residence:
If you are staying in a student hall it is mandatory to inform- in person- the property manager one month ahead of your leaving.
For deregistration of residence you have to get in touch with "Meldeamt/ Kundenzentrum responsible for your district.
TU&YOU Network:
Stay TUned! - Do you want to keep in touch with TUHH? Then just register in our alumni network at www.TUandYOU.de
Find former fellow classmates, stay informed about our university and alumni events. Wherever you may be in the world, a part of the TUHH is always near. Join one of our alumni chapters and help to expand the TU & YOU network even further. You can also find us on Facebook and LinkedIn or contact us at TUandYOU(at)tuhh(dot)de.