Useful Information about Experiences Abroad

An important prerequisite for the success of a stay abroad is careful preparation, which largely depends on your personal motivation and which you should start at least one year in advance. Before you start your preparations, you should be clear about,

• when do I want to go abroad and for how long?
• what do I want to do there?
• are my language skills sufficient?
• do I want to go abroad individually as a so-called free mover or participate in an exchange programme?

We offer our own checklist to help and guide you:

Checklist as pdf file

A semester abroad during the Bachelor's degree programme should be started at the earliest after successful completion of the first two subject-specific semesters (at least 60 ECTS). In many faculties, the 5th or 6th subject-specific semester is particularly recommended for a stay abroad, as some study regulations have a so-called "mobility window" in these semesters.

Since we recommend that you start planning a planned stay abroad 1 year before you start, it makes sense for Bachelor's students to have an initial consultation in the 1st or 2nd subject-specific semester.

Students in Master's degree programmes can apply for a semester abroad from the 1st semester onwards.

You should coordinate the recognition of the work to be done in the study abroad or practical training with your faculty at an early stage (at least six months in advance).

In some degree programmes, it is possible to complete a stay abroad with simplified recognition within the framework of a semester abroad or practical training. However, there is also the alternative of replacing individual subjects with examinations taken abroad. In many degree programmes there is a so-called "mobility window" in the 5th semester. This must be closely coordinated with the respective professors.

The FH Aachen participates in the European programme for the recognition of academic achievements abroad (European Credit Transfer System).

In order to prepare the recognition of study or practical training achievements gained abroad, you should contact the ECTS Coordinator or Examination Board responsible for your faculty as early as possible. You will need the course descriptions, course scope and value (credit points) of the planned courses or information about the practical training. Discuss your course selection with the ECTS Coordinator and enter it in the Learning Agreement. After your return, submit the Learning Agreement and the transcript of records from your host university or information about the practical training you have completed to your Examination Office.

The ECTS Coordinator is also responsible for signing the necessary application forms for the study abroad or practical training, such as an English-language transcript of records for the application and for signing an agreement on the study programme to be completed abroad (Learning Agreement).

If you do not want to give up your room or flat in Aachen or Jülich, you may have the option of subletting it to other students for the duration of your stay abroad.

If you wish, you can offer your furnished room to the Department of International Affairs for subletting to exchange students from partner universities. This is especially interesting for rooms in shared flats, as it gives international guest students the opportunity to get in touch with other students quickly, and it is often an enrichment for the whole shared flat. Especially from 01.03. to 31.07. or 31.08. as well as from 01.09. to 15.02. or 28.02. we are looking for many furnished rooms for students of our partner universities every year - in individual cases also for a different or shorter period.

If you are interested, please fill out the subletting form, hand it in at the Department of International Affairs or send it scanned by email to aaa(at)fh-aachen.de. In case of a successful placement, the Department of International Affairs will assist you in signing a sublease agreement with your future subtenant (on condition that you have your landlord's consent to sublet).

Form Apartment Offer Subtenancy [pdf-Document]

Form Apartment Offer Sublet [Word-Document]

Students who study or do practical training abroad and are away for at least four months can apply to the Registrar's Office for a leave of absence. If the stay abroad falls into two semesters and the total length of stay is less than eight months, a leave of absence can only be applied for the semester in which the longer period falls.

Information and application

You must enclose a certificate of stay abroad with your application for leave of absence. You can obtain this from:

for study abroad:

• Students of economics at the IFO
• Students of all other degree programmes at the Department of International Affairs Aachen / Jülich.

for an internship abroad

• in your faculty (Dean, Examination Office, International Relations Officer or Internship Officer). This certificate is not bound to a specific form. The form provided here can be used.

for a Bachelor's or Master's thesis abroad:

• in your faculty (leave of absence is only possible if a stay abroad is prescribed by study regulations).

Overview of the regulations on leave of absence/exemption for stays abroad

Here is some information that may help you in your decision:

• Your academic achievements abroad can be recognised in agreement with your faculty once your leave of absence is over.
• Leave of absence is interesting for those who want to study "as quickly as possible", as the semester of leave is not counted towards the duration of the degree programme.
• Those who receive BAFöG or other funding should discuss a planned leave of absence with the funding body. If you are participating in the ERASMUS exchange programme of the FH Aachen, you can take a leave of absence for this period if there are no other aspects that speak against it.
• During the semester of leave you are not allowed to take any exams at the FH Aachen. Please clarify with your faculty whether you can participate in re-sit examinations.
• If you are on leave of absence, you may be exempt from paying the social contribution and the semester ticket fee. Please enquire at the Registrar's Office and the AStA.
• Your student status at the FH Aachen remains unchanged, as you are still registered.
• The leave of absence is interesting for all those who have to prove a certain progress in their studies within a fixed number of subject-specific semesters.
• As a rule, you cannot take a leave of absence if you are going abroad as part of a study-integrated stay abroad (e.g. practical semester or semester abroad).
• If you return before the end of the semester, you will not have a semester ticket.
• You should not deregister under any circumstances. You would then lose your student status in Germany. Most funding and exchange programmes require registration at your home university. In addition, it could happen that you can no longer be admitted to your previous degree programme and Examination Regulations.