Preparing for your stay abroad

It is very important that you plan your semester abroad well in advance and thoroughly (at least 1 year, preferably 1½ years in advance) and that you find out about the programmes and requirements of the respective partner university.

• Attend one of the Outgoing Team’s general information sessions on studying abroad.
• Find out as much as you can about the partner universities for your degree programme at the TUHH and their course programmes for incoming exchange students.
• Make use of the Outgoing Team’s open consultation hours (no appointment needed!) to get advice on funding opportunities and answers to your questions.
• Improve your English, French, Spanish and other language skills to prepare yourself as well as possible for your semester abroad. The TUHH offers free language courses in collaboration with VHS Hamburg, language cafés and language tandems.

The application and selection process requires a fair amount of preparation time. You can use the DAAD checklist to help you prepare.
Please note that you must provide proof of language proficiency to apply for a study place abroad or a scholarship. You must organise this in good time.

Once you have received your offer of admission from the host university, you should apply for a student visa in good time.
German students and students from EU member states do not usually require a visa for a stay within Europe or the Erasmus area. Students who will be studying outside the EU must arrange a visa themselves in good time before their stay abroad. Information on entry and residence requirements for German nationals can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
If you have been selected for a place at one of our partner universities, the university will also provide you with further information on applying for a visa.

Note for non-EU citizens:
Please check with the embassy of your destination country in good time to find out whether you need to apply for a visa. Under the Residence Act (Section 51(1)(7)), a German residence permit expires automatically “if the foreign national leaves Germany and does not return within six months or within a later grace period set by the Foreigners’ Registration Office”. It is your responsibility to apply for a visa for your study period abroad in good time.

If you are going to study in another country, you will need adequate health insurance that covers the entire duration of your stay in the destination country. Holiday health insurance is not sufficient! You should also check that you have adequate liability insurance.
The International Office does not prescribe a specific type of insurance, nor does it recommend particular insurance companies.
We leave it up to you to find the insurance that best suits your needs. However, there are some minimum requirements that you must meet.

However, there are some minimum requirements that you must meet.

Studying in Europe – European Health Insurance Card

Most participants will hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This card provides access to medically necessary public healthcare services in EU countries, as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, under the same conditions and at the same cost as for citizens of the respective country.
However, the European Health Insurance Card does not apply to all European countries and does not cover private healthcare providers. We therefore recommend taking out additional private insurance.

Insurance

• Compulsory: Health insurance covering your stay abroad (including medically necessary repatriation and pandemics)
• Recommended: Third-party liability insurance
• Recommended: Accident insurance

Studying outside Europe

Your European Health Insurance Card is definitely not valid outside Europe. Some universities offer insurance to their exchange students upon arrival. In some cases, this insurance is even compulsory for all exchange students. Please check in advance whether this applies to your host university. Please ensure that you are adequately insured before taking out insurance locally.

Students funded through programmes of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (e.g. Erasmus+, PROMOS) can take out additional private insurance through the DAAD (combined health, liability and accident insurance).

Find out about the current political and health situation in your host country. The Federal Foreign Office has a website with travel warnings and advice for countries worldwide, as well as a travel app. You should register with the German Embassy in your host country on a crisis prevention list.

As a rule, you will need to find a room or accommodation yourself if there are no places available in halls of residence for exchange students for which you can apply. 
You can find tips on finding accommodation in the testimonials from our former students who studied abroad.