Exchange programmes
Your semester at Witten/Herdecke University as an exchange student
Are you interested in spending a semester abroad at Witten/Herdecke University? We will support you in your plans and make your semester abroad in Witten an unforgettable experience. Get ready for your adventure abroad!
How to become an exchange student at Witten/Herdecke University
Your home university will advise you on your options for your semester abroad. If you have any questions about studying at Witten/Herdecke University, please contact our International Office at international-incoming@uni-wh.de. Once all questions have been clarified, apply to your home university for a semester abroad in Witten.
You have been offered a place at UW/H and have been nominated by your university's International Office. To do this, we ask your home university to send us your completed application form for a stay abroad at UW/H. We accept nominations in the following periods:
- between 1 April and 30 June for the winter semester
- between 01 October and 31 December for the summer semester
After you have been nominated, we will send you some documents that you need to submit to us so that we can enrol you for one or two semesters at our university. The documents must be received by the following dates:
- by 01 September for the winter semester
- by 01 March for the summer semester
Please note: If you need a visa to enter Germany or if you fall under the so-called REST guidelines, this will take more time and you will need to prepare your documents further in advance.
After submitting all documents, you will receive your letter of admission from us. Together with your home university and us, you will also prepare your Learning Agreement, which sets out which courses you will take during your semester abroad.
Welcome to Witten/Herdecke University! We will provide you with all the information and tips you need about your stay in Witten. We will also invite you to our Welcome Day and assign you one of our students as a buddy who will support you throughout the semester.
What you should know before your semester as an exchange student at UW/H
Semester dates
- Winter semester: 01 October - 31 March
- Summer semester: 01 April - 30 September
Course programme
Before the start of the semester, we will send you a list of all the courses you can take with us. We will be happy to advise you on the options. You can also view the courses in our freely accessible campus management system UWE: Link and instructions for UWE
Grading scheme
Here you can find information about the grading scheme at the UW/H
Language requirements
Degree programmes in business and society
Many of our Business and Society courses are offered in English. International students must have English language skills at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Health degree programmes
Courses in the field of health are taught in German. Psychology students must have German language skills at C1 level. Students in the fields of medicine and dentistry must have at least B2 German language skills.
Language certificates
Exchange students from partner universities do not need to submit a language certificate to us. Freemovers, on the other hand, must submit a corresponding language certificate as part of their application.
German courses
Witten/Herdecke University offers weekly German courses for all international students (Exchange Students, Degree Seeking Students and PhD Students). The course programme includes general language courses at four different levels:
- German as a foreign language A1
- German as a foreign language A2
- German as a foreign language B1
- German as a foreign language B2
If you would like to take part in one of the German courses, you must send your course request to international-incoming@uni-wh.de by 1 September (winter semester) or 1 March (summer semester).
Health insurance
All international students enrolling at Witten/Herdecke University must provide proof of health insurance that covers their study stay in Germany. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that they have adequate health insurance cover. There are the following options for providing proof of health insurance:
Students from Europe who have health insurance in their home country:
Students from EEA/EU countries and students from countries with which Germany has a social security agreement (former Yugoslavian states, Switzerland, Turkey, Tunisia) must submit one of the following two documents:
- the form AT/11; E111; E128 (International Health Insurance Card for Abroad) issued by the health insurance company in the home country or
- a copy of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued by the health insurance company in the home country
Students from Europe with private health insurance in their home country and students from non-European countries:
These students must either take out insurance with a statutory health insurance company or take out private health insurance for the duration of their studies in Germany:
- Statutory health insurance: it covers all emergency medical and dental treatment and hospitalisation - no co-payments are required.
- Private health insurance: This must cover the entire period of study in Witten. Travel insurance is not sufficient.
Attention! Students with foreign/private health insurance for Germany must be exempted from the German health insurance obligation. For the enrolment procedure, it is extremely important to send us a scan of the proof of health insurance and the corresponding form for an exemption from the German health insurance obligation by 01 September (winter semester) or 01 March (summer semester).
Please note that this exemption from the insurance obligation cannot be revoked and is valid for the entire period of study in Germany. Please find out in advance exactly what insurance cover your private health insurance offers.
Visa & REST guidelines
Visa
Information on visa requirements can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office or at the local Foreigners' Registration Office. The International Office of the UW/H will be happy to help you with questions about visa applications at international-incoming@uni-wh.de.
REST guidelines
If you have a valid residence permit for the purpose of studying in another member state of the European Union (with the exception of Denmark and Ireland), you can study in Germany for up to 360 days without a visa. This applies to students who come to Germany as part of a university cooperation programme, such as Erasmus+.
Please note that the residence permit must be valid for the entire duration of your study stay in Germany.
Please submit the required documents to the UW/H International Office at least 40 days before your planned arrival in Germany. You can find a list of the documents to be submitted here: Documents REST guidelines
Students are considered to have sufficient means of subsistence if they have a monthly income of € 992. Proof of living expenses can be provided as follows:
- Scholarship
- Payment into a blocked account. The account will be blocked until your arrival in Germany and the monthly amount you can withdraw or transfer is limited. Further information on blocked accounts, including a list of blocked account providers, can be found here: Blocked account for international students
- Declaration of commitment, e.g. for presentation at a German embassy or consulate abroad
- Written confirmation from parents and a copy of the passport
- Bank statements that are not older than 3 months.
Room search
Whether you prefer to live alone or in a shared flat - you have various options in Witten. You can find tips and tricks about living in Witten here:
Diversity
Equality and diversity are top priorities at Witten/Herdecke University. Everyone is welcome here, regardless of their origin, nationality, religion, ideology or sexual orientation.
International students with special needs are welcome to contact the International Office prior to their arrival in Witten. With one exception, all UW/H buildings are barrier-free. You can find more information here:
Buddy programme
To make your start at our university a little easier, we would like to invite you to take part in our Buddy Programme. Each exchange student is assigned one of our Witten students as a buddy.
Your buddy will be on hand to answer any questions you may have about living and studying in Witten and we plan great events and excursions throughout the semester in which international and national students can take part to get in touch with each other and exchange ideas. In the best case scenario, the programme will lead to long-lasting friendships between the buddies.
Freemover
Freemovers are students who are planning a semester abroad at a university that is not part of their home university's partner network. If there is no agreement between your university and the UW/H, but you would still like to spend a semester abroad with us, please send us your completed application form by 30 June (winter semester) or 31 December (summer semester). We will check availability and get back to you as soon as possible.
Would you like to complete your entire degree programme with us?
We offer Master's degree programmes that you can study entirely in English. If you speak German, you can also take part in our bilingual or German-language programmes.
Studying and living in Germany
Here you can find more useful information about living and studying in Germany. Prepare for your experience abroad now!