Here is the list of the remaining open exchange places for Summer semester 2024 (starting in spring) (also in xlsx).
The application period will be from 29 May - 16 July 2023. Go to "Application" and read how you can apply.
Online info sessions will be on Wed 24 May, Fri 09 June, Thu 22 June. Register now!
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PLEASE NOTE - OUR BUDGET FOR ERASMUS STAYS IN 2023/2024 IS UNSUALLY SMALL .
ERASMUS EXCHANGE PLACES WHICH ARE ON THE LIST OF REMAINING OPEN PLACES MAY BE WITHOUT A REGULAR ERASMUS STIPEND! WE WILL ALWAYS LET YOU KNOW WHEN THIS WILL BE THE CASE!
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Application for exchange stays in fall 2024 & spring 2025: Nov 2023 - Dec 2023.
New info sessions: Oct 2023.
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For all questions on studying abroad send us a mail, give us a call, drop by during the office hours on Campus or join the online-office hour.
Exchange places & bilateral agreements with partner universities
To study abroad for one or two semesters you can apply for exchange places that are available through bilateral agreements with partner universities abroad: either through exchange cooperations within the EU programme Erasmus+ student mobility for studies (SMS) or through exchange cooperations that TU Hamburg holds directly with partner universities in overseas countries or non-Erasmus countries (e.g. Switzerland, UK, ...).
The benefit of studying abroad within an established exchange cooperation is usually in simplified credit recognition, waived tuition fees at the partner university and easier organisation.
Funding & stipends
Exchange places usually come with the benefit of not having to pay tuition fees at the partner university, which can be significant.
Exchange places available through the programme Erasmus+ student mobility for studies (SMS) are usually combined with a mobility allowance (Mobilitätsbeihilfe). However, outgoing students nominated for an exchange place at one of TU Hamburgs's direct partner universities overseas can apply to additional funding programmes (Mind the different deadlines!). The allowance is not automatically included. This also applies to students who are planing and organising an individual study abroad period at a non-partner university (free mover).
Course programme abroad & tranfer of credits
Outgoing exchange students must discuss their prospective study programmes abroad and the subsequent recognition of credits at TU Hamburg with their respective study programme director (i.e. Studiengangsleitung) beforehand. The (digital) learning agreement is the document which records the abroad study programme and the recognition of the abroad credits (for details please see the information of the specific programme). Students should aim at a study programme abroad amounting to the recognition of 28-30 ECTS per semester.
An exchange place at a partner university is foremost for taking courses and gaining credits. Students planning to go abroad for a research project, a bachelor or master thesis are required to have a thesis supervisor at both the host university and TU Hamburg.
The school of Civil Engineering provides additional information for ALL outgoing and incoming exchange students on their website.
The school of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics provides additional information for ALL outgoing exchange students on their website.
The school of Management Sciences and Technology provides additional information for ALL outgoing exchange students on their website.
The school of Mechanical Engineering provides additional information for ALL outgoing and incoming exchange students on their website.
The school of Process and Chemical Engineering provides additional information for ALL outgoing and incoming exchange students on their website.
For AIW/GES/ES:
- selection criteria: corresponding to the criteria of the school (Dekanat) of the chosen specialization (Vertiefung)
- courses (gemeinsamer Kernbereich) of the semesters 1-3 should be taken at TUHH, preferably before the exchange
For Mechatronics:
- selection criteria corresponding to the criteria of the school Mechanical Engineering
For Green Technologies:
- selection criteria corresponding to the criteria of the school Process and Chemical Engineering
Contact details here
Within the Erasmus programme universities in EU member states and in third countries associated to the programme (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, North Macedonia, Republic of Turkey and Republic of Serbia) can draw up bilateral Erasmus+ agreements. Erasmus student exchanges are only possible at universities with which TU Hamburg has concluded an Erasmus+ agreement. A list of partner universities & bilateral agreements can be found on the Erasmus+ cooperations page.
Under this programme you will not be charged tuition fees by your host university and your academic performance abroad will be recognised by TU Hamburg.
Your studies at the host university may take different forms, and might – though not at all partner institutions - include project work, research papers and Master’s thesis. Completing a research paper abroad is only possible if you have a supervising professor at both TU Hamburg and at the host university.
Internships that are carried out immediately after an Erasmus student exchange stay at an Erasmus partner university, with the support of the partner university, can be counted as part of the Erasmus student exchange stay (SMS). For internships in Erasmus countries that are carried out independently of an Erasmus study exchange stay, students can apply for funding through Erasmus student mobility for traineeships.
Within Erasmus+, multiple stays abroad are possible. For each study cycle (Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctoral level), up to 12 months can be spent abroad with Erasmus. These study periods can be made up of study exchanges (SMS) and Erasmus traineeship funding (SMT) as desired.
To be eligible for the Erasmus student exchange programme, you must be enrolled at the TUHH, and the ERASMUS stay will start in your second year of the Bachelor at the earliest. You have completed at least 30 ECTS credits and fulfil the specific requirements set by your school of studies. For language requirements, please see below.
The application period is normally from beginning of November to 15 December. This period covers applications for the entirety of the following academic year (i.e. for both the winter semester and the summer semester).
The usual application process involves two stages. First, you apply to the TUHH between mid-November and mid-December for acceptance onto the programme. The online application process for the academic year will usualy commence in November. If you want to know more about the application process scroll down to "Online Application for TUHH student exchange programmes" on this page.
After being selected by the TUHH, you must apply to the partner university.
In the main, it is the Deputy Dean international in your school of study who reaches a decision on your application. The most important selection criteria are your marks so far, the duration of your studies and your language skills. Sometimes there are specific additional criteria that your school of study will be able to advise you on. You should also have sufficient incomplete course units left in your study plan to ensure you don’t lose time by studying abroad. Candidates who have few incomplete course units will be treated with lower priority. The feasibility of your study plan plays a role as do any extra-curricular activities, such as being a mentor in the Erasmus Student Network.
At the same time as applying for a place on the Erasmus programme, students also apply for an Erasmus+ grant.
The grant should be used to cover the additional costs associated with studying abroad.
For the monthly instalments, a distinction is made between three groups of countries (groups 1, 2 and 3)
Group | Countries | Funding per month |
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Group 1 | Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom | 600€ |
Group 2 | Belgium, Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus | 540€ |
Group 3 | Bulgaria, Estonia, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungaria | 490€ |
Internship | On-top funding for all countries | 150€ |
Probably there will be a maximum length of funding, which might be shorter than the actual stay abroad. There might also be students without funding, so called zero grant students.
The calculation is made to the day. Funding is only paid for days of ‘active study’, which is considered to be from the first day of lectures to the final examination.
Disabled students can apply for special funding, as can students who are single parents, first generation adacemics or working students. There is another top-up for "green" mobility (50 Euro + upto 4 travel days if applicable).
Criteria for additional financial support for Erasmus students with fewer opportunities in English here and in German here
For the ERASMUS application the same conditions apply as for any TUHH student exchange. For more information click here.
While an official language test is not always a requirement for acceptance onto the Erasmus+ exchange programme, many universities have given language level recommendations in the new Erasmus+ agreements and/or rely on the TUHH having checked language skills.
In any case: it is compulsory for every applicant to upload a proof of B level in the working language during the online application process at TUHH.
As of summer semester 2015, online tests in the working language are compulsory for all selected candidates both before and after your Erasmus stay. But as these tests will follow nomination they cannot be used for application purposes. For some students, the TUHH will also gain access to the EU’s online language courses for the most important working languages.
Ahead of the period spent abroad, a learning agreement is written up as part of the application to the Erasmus partner university. This governs recognition of your academic performance in advance of your time abroad. The learning agreement establishes both the study programme for the period abroad (course titles and content; generally, this includes the number of ECTS credits) and the educational components at the TUHH that are replaced by your studies abroad and no longer have to be completed at the TUHH. The learning agreement is signed by the student and the participating universities. At the TUHH, it is signed first by the study coordinator and then by the Deputy Dean International at the school of study. Applicants selected by the TUHH can find further information and form on the mobility portal.
When drafting the learning agreement, a 1:1 equivalence of individual courses is not expected. Instead, a full package of courses totalling around 30 ECTS credits per semester must be equivalent to the courses that you would have completed at the TUHH. The credits completed should be recognised in full. Deviations from this shall be justified by the study programme coordinator.
Necessary alterations to the learning agreement, which may first occur when at the host university, are to be instigated immediately by the student.
After the student’s return, all successfully completed study credits, for which recognition was agreed in the learning agreement, will be recorded by the examination office. For this, ‘Table D’ is filled out. This also gives reasons for any deviations from the original agreement that occurred, for example, because a course was not completed.
The conversion of marks is dependent on whether the host university has issued ECTS marks. If this is the case, there is a table for converting ECTS marks into TUHH marks.
In all other cases, the Bavarian formula is applied.
Until further notice, there won't be any ERASMUS Info sessions. Instead, take part in one of our going abroad info sessions. You will find all the details here.
For further information please check the International Office‘s ERASMUS+ brochure
TU Hamburg maintains a number of direct exchange cooperations with partner universities. These are usually partner universities in overseas countries or non-EU countries. (Exceptions: Norway, Iceland, Republic of Turkey are non-EU-countries, who are taking part in the Erasmus programme. Hence our agreement with them are always through the Erasmus programme.)
With some partner universities TU Hamburg holds bilateral agreements on university level. In most cases this means that students from all schools and courses of study can apply for the available exchange places. Exchange places through bilateral agreements on departmental level are open to students of one certain school of study or a certain course of study. Some exchange places are limited to Bachelor students, some to Master students.
Please, have a look at the list of cooperations
TU Hamburg's direct student exchange places offer a place free of tuition fees at the host university. However, since these direct cooperations are not established under the umbrella of a specific program, financial help is not automatically included. Once selected for such an exchange place, students will have to apply for funding seperately.
Information on the DAAD-sponsored exchange programme can be found on the website of the Institute of Marine Engineering and Mechanics
The application period is normally from beginning of November to 15 December. This period covers applications for the entirety of the following academic year (i.e. for both the winter semester and the summer semester).
The usual application process involves two stages. First, you apply to the TUHH between mid-November and mid-December for acceptance onto the program. The online application process for the academic year 2024/25 will commence in November. If you want to know more about the application process scroll down to "Online Application for TUHH student exchange programmes" on this page.
There is no officially recommended time period during your academic career for a study abroad semester. In general, however, it is completed during a Master’s program as the selection of courses within some study programs are more flexible. You should anticipate a 1 to 1.5-year preparatory period when planning your studies abroad. This time is needed for comprehensive research and to ensure you meet scholarship and application deadlines. It may also be the case that a study plan at a particular university is not feasible and that you have to reconsider your options. It is therefore advisible to start with colecting information on the academic year and application deadlines in your desired host country, as well as the deadline for the scholarship provider.
General information about studying abroad can be found on the website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the largest German scholarship provider. A DAAD brochure on all funding opportunities is available in the International Office.
You often have to apply for scholarships or programs a long time before applying for a study place. In particular, you have to apply for the year-long DAAD study scholarships up to 1.5 years in advance. Additionally, application documents for scholarships generally demand a recommendation letter from a professor and a language certificate; obtaining these can take some time. Applications for scholarships are usually made to the scholarship provider directly.
Recognition takes place through the examination board. You must apply to the examination office for this on returning to the TUHH.
The TUHH examination office is your first point of contact.
In principle, it is possible to complete research during your time studying abroad. It is important that a TUHH professor has already agreed to be your supervisor. A supervisor must also be found at the host university. If the research work is to be completed at a partner university of the TUHH, an application via the usual exchange program is sometimes necessary. Otherwise, research stays are not mandatorily tied to certain time periods or deadlines.
The learning agreement is a very important part of the exchange stay. It sets out the recognition of academic achievements at the host university prior to your stay abroad:
It specifies both the study programme for the stay abroad (course and number of ECTS credits) and the educational components at TU Hamburg that are replaced by your study abroad and therefore no longer have to be completed at TU Hamburg.
It is stipulated between the student and TU Hamburg, and, for Erasmus, the host university. At TU Hamburg, the school of study, either by the program director (Studiengangsleitung) or the Deputy Dean International, are in charge of checking and signing it.
The learning agreement is a Digital Learning Agreement. It has 3 phases:
It is drawn up entirely in Mobility-Online, TU Hamburg’s mobility management tool. Applicants selected by TU Hamburg already have access to Mobility-Online and can find further information directly there. Leading up the compilation of the digital learning agreement, the TU Hamburg’s International Office and Examination Office will offer a joint info session for selected applicants on the digital learning agreement and recognition of credits. Invitations will be sent out by Email.
For Erasmus, a full package of courses totalling around 28-30 ECTS credits per semester must be equivalent to courses that you would have completed at TU Hamburg. The credits need to be recognised in full.
The same applies for overseas direct student exchange: If possible, 30 ECTS at the partner university should be reached.
After the exchange stay, the host university will issue a transcript of records. For the automatic recognition, students need to upload the Transcript of Records in Mobility-Online, together with the grading scale and a table listing translations of the titles in Transcript of Records in German and English.
TU Hamburgs examination office will subsequently record all successfully completed study credits, for which recognition was previously agreed in the digital learning agreement.
The conversion of marks is dependent on whether the host university has issued ECTS marks. If this is the case, there is a table for converting ECTS marks into TU Hamburg marks. In all other cases, the Bavarian formula is applied.
If you have studied abroad outside of an exchange programme at a university, which is not a partner university of TU Hamburg, the recognition of your credits gained abroad will be dealt with by an Audit Committee. Please turn to your examination officer to ask for the application form and submit the corresponding application for the recognition of foreign credits to the examination office after returning to TU Hamburg.
The conversion of marks is dependent on whether the host university has issued ECTS marks. If this is the case, there is a table for converting ECTS marks into TU Hamburg marks. In all other cases, the Bavarian formula is applied.
The largest scholarship holder for studying abroad is the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Each year the DAAD allots PROMOS grants to German universities. Students can apply for these PROMOS grants. PROMOS can be used to support students' stays abroad, which take place outside the ERASMUS area. (Funding for the EU area can be assessed if there is no bilateral ERASMUS student exchange agreement). Stays up to 6 months can be financed for study periods (course work) and research work overseas (Studienarbeiten or Abschlussarbeiten). The PROMOS scholarship consists of a travel expense allowance and monthly rates. Each year the DAAD determines the amount of the rates and travel expenses per country. Universities can not deviate from this amount. More information can be found here
Eligibility :
Students are eligible when
What are the criteria for granting scholarships?
Scholarship scope
Grants for stays between 1 - 6 months are given (internships can be funded from 6 weeks).
The monthly rate is usually around € 400. The travel expense and the rate allowance varies, depending on the destination country.
For internships in overseas countries you can apply only for the PROMOS travel expense allowance.
The payment of PROMOS grants is always subject to the apportionment of funds from the DAAD.
Application Periods
Applications are made through the Mobility-Online portal.
Further information on use the of Mobility-Online an found here
When you have already created an online application in Mobility-Online before, then you are already listed as a user with one application in Mobility-Online. Just create a new application with the link to the Onlineform above. However, after sending the Onlineform, re-login to your Mobility-Online account. Under "My Applications" in the menue on the left side, you'll be able to display all your applications and you'll be able to chose the new PROMOS application. Your new application has its own workflow, with its own workflow steps, which you'll need to complete. Just like before, your new PROMOS application will only be displayed to us, once you have completed all required workflow steps.
Europe: study periods after two semesters in Germany are funded at national rates for one exchange year and / or possibly until completion within the maximum funding period.
Outside the EU: support for a maximum of 1 year, in exceptional cases up to 2.5 years.
Additional payments (only outside the EU) for travel expenses, health insurance subsidies, tuition fees up to 4600, - € per year are possible
Applications should be send at least 6 months before arrival at the host country to the designated BaföG-Amt.
The Advice Center for Student Finance - BeST in the Studierendenwerk Hamburg also advises on this.
The Koch-Foundation supports study visits in the Scandinavian-Baltic region.
Since the number of annual scholarships is very limited, there is no open call. Suitable nominated student in exchange programmes of the TUHH are notified by the International Office. The application period might be before or after the deadline for exchange programmes at TUHH. For further enquiries, please contact the International Office.
Study periods at ERASMUS + parteruniversities
An ERASMUS+ grant will be awarded to students participating in the ERASMUS + program. The amount is depending on the host country. More information here
A traineeship lasting at least 60 days in a company based in an ERASMUS member state (EU incl. Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey) can be co-funded through the Erasmus+ progamme (Student Mobility for Traineeships). Depeding on the country category, the monthely rates are currently 520 €/ 460 € / 400 €.
Students with a German citizenship who have already sucessfully passed the exams of the of the first academic year, may apply for a low-interest educational loan for (partial) financing of a study abroad or internship.
Applications are submitted directly to the Federal Office of Administration.
The Advice Center for Student Finance - BeST in the Studierendenwerk Hamburg also advises on this.
The Walther Blohm Foundation promotes talented young people from the aerospace sector by granting subsidies
- for the further education of young engineers
- for doctoral students
- to carry out technical projects in the context of university groups.
- for stays abroad, study trips and comparable measures that undoubtedly serve the purpose of further technical education
More information can be found here
If you do not find the relevant information on the website of your host university, please contact us.
You will have to prove to the international office that you have level B2 in the language of instruction; this is mandatory!
Some universities ask for some basic knowledge in the official language of the country. Please make sure to provide us with a suitable language certificate.
Please be aware that partner Universities, that do not ask for a certain level in the application process expect the sending university (TUHH in this case) to nominate students with the necessary language proficiency.
Uploading a language certificate is compulsory. You need to upload the language certificate directly with your online application. Please make sure that you upload a certificate that clearly indicates your level.
A simple proof of participation at a language course is not enough - neither is an online self-assessment.
Check the different language proficiency levels here
For further questions on language requirements and language certificates, please join our information session here
The Volkshochschule Hamburg also offers the DAAD-language certificate test. We also provide information on other language tests and certificates and where to obtain them.
TUHH offers foreign language classes and German classes through a cooperation with the 'Volkshochschule Hamburg' (public adult education centre).
It is possible to hand in your Abiturzeugnis as a language reference, if the level is stated! Please be aware that this proof is only approved by TUHH.
If you have questions about this, please join our info session here.
Inform yourself about the current political and health crisis situation of your host country. The German foreign office has a website with travel warnings and advises for countries worldwide including a travel app. You should register with the German embassy in your host country to be on a crisis prevention list.
The International Office does not request a particular format of insurance, nor does it recommend specific insurance companies.
We leave it up to you to organize the most suitable insurance policy. There are, however, some minimum requirements that you will have to fulfill.
Studying within Europe
European health insurance card
Most Participants will own a European health insurance card. This card gives access to medically necessary services of public health care in the EU countries as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway under the same conditions and costs that apply to citizens of the respective country.
Click here for more information.
However, the European Health Insurance Card does not apply to all European countries nor does it include healthcare providers from the private sector. That’s why there is some additional insurance needed.
Compulsory insurances
- Health insurance, covering your stay abroad
(incl. medically necessary repatriation and return transport)
- Accident insurance (professional and personal)
- Liability insurance (professional and personal)
For internships compulsory. For Studying abroad highly recommended.
- New: International health insurance which also covers pandemic cases
Studying outside of Europe
Your EHIC is definitively not valid outside of Europe. Some Universities offer their exchange students insurance on arrival. In some cases, these insurances are even compulsory for all exchange students. Please check beforehand if this applies to your university. Please make sure you have sufficient insurance for traveling before receiving the insurance locally
You'll need to create a seperate application in Mobility-Online in order to apply for the ISAP programme exchange places. It is the same technical process and the application phase is at the same time. However, the deadline may be slightly later than for the TUHH/Erasmus student exchange places.
Use this link for the ISAP online application.
Go to the ISAP programme website for all other information deadlines of the ISAP program.
You will find an overview of all documents to be uploaded, directly in Mobility-Online.
Please, fill out the Onlineform and after receiving the login-link, login to see the workflow in Mobility-Online. It will give you the list of all documents you'll need to upload. (Upload-links will appear on the right side always when the previous upload has been done.)
Please note that you must upload a motivation letter for each requested partner university. Please, you use the motivation letter guide (Orientierungshilfe), we have made for you! A prerequisite for writing the motivation letter is to inform yourself about the desired partner university.
ISCED Codes for application here.
TUHH's International Office does not guarantee that your application at the partner university is successful! On rare occasions partner universities may change the terms of their exchange programms on short notice (e.g. amount of study fees (not applicable to Erasmus), place quotas, language requirements, and other acceptance criteria). If nominated exchange students are not accepted by the partner for any reason, the student must notify the International Office immediately.
TUHH cannot cover the costs of travel, health insurance, vaccinations and administration fees at the partner university.
The link to start your application in Mobility-Online can be found during the application period further up in the text on this website together with details about the online application.
After completing and submitting the online form, you will receive a short confirmation email. This email includes the link with which you can log on and off again and again during the ongoing the application period to Mobility-Online.
The data comes from the campus administration network of TUHH. If a wrong address is placed there, you can correct it via the student self-function. It may take some time until the correct data is displayed in Mobility-Online.
After submitting the online form, please log back into Mobility-Online and open your application by clicking on the link, which you then receive in the confirmation email. You will now see the workflow, in which you will be offered links to complete data, downloads of forms and upload links for uploading documents. If you do not see everything, you can expand the following upload steps using the small white crosses.
The application is expected to be open for TUHH students in November. The application period ends in December. Between November and December you can create your application with the link on the International Office website. Please check the exact dates online.
Your application will automatically be submitted as soon as you have completed all uploads. After the last upload, you will receive a confirmation mail with additional information on the course of the selection process.
Please remember to send the application form, uploaded and signed in the last step, to the office in a letter addressed to Ms Wilberg to one of the two letterboxes in Building E in the foyers or during Wilberg's office hours. You can find their contact details here.
As a rule the schools of study need 6-8 weeks to make the selection. Most of the selection decisions are made by the Deputy Deans International / International coordinators and their assigned assistant in each school. For some partnerships. there are own selection committees (for example, Berkeley / Waterloo), which make their decisions partly earlier or slightly later. The International Office then enter the selection decision in Mobility-Online. You will then receive an e- mail generated from the system with additional information for further administrative processing in the exchange process. Theses mails do not all go out the same day. Some students receive early notice, some a little later.
It is very likely that exchange places are strongly demanded. Therefore, if you do not initially receive any of your desired locations, it is possible that we will offer you a list of vacancies that are not requested or vacated at the moment (if you have selected this option in the online form). Final cancellations will therefore only be given later in time, after the allocation of all places.
The selection procedure is complex and time-intensive. Please, be patient and wait until you hear from us.
You may find information via our website or trough the Information Desk. Please send an inquiry to internationaloffice(at)tuhh(dot)de or contact Berit Illmann (Overseas Partnerships) or Elvira Wilberg (Erasmus Partnerships). You can find their contact details here.
Please contact Sarah Neumann: sarah.neumann@tuhh.de
Please contact Berit Illmann (Overseas Partnerships) or Elvira Wilberg (Erasmus Partnerships). You can find their contact details here.