Study Abroad
Application Process for Outgoing Students
If you want to apply for one of our partner universities, please follow the process advised by the International Office.
- Apply on time via our online application form, the application deadline (05.12.2024) is being announced during the Winter semester.
- After the application deadline, all applications will be reviewed and the selection will be made in January/February. You will be informed about the selection decision by e-mail.
- After successful selection and your acceptance of the place, you will be officially nominated by the International Office at the respective partner university.
- After the nomination, the application to your target university will follow. Please note that the final decision on admission rests with the partner universities.
- After receiving your admission letter from the partner university, you can take care of the further organization of your study stay (individual scholarships, leave of absence, learning agreements, etc.).
Please also contact the WiSo students currently staying there (e.g. via the Facebook group “Wege ins Ausland”). - You will also receive invitations to information events, and there you will also receive an information package as well as contacts to other outgoing students via StudOn.
Applications for remaining places will be possible from the beginning of March 2025 (preliminary information) , at which time the application portal will be reopened. All those who have received a definite rejection can reapply via the “last minute application” in the summer semester.
All the applications along with the required documents for the abroad semester have to be submitted at the International Office. Based on the preferred universities applications will get re-directed to the responsible chairs from the International office.
Please note that if you are applying for any of our partner universities, we would like to receive your letter of motivation (“Anschreiben”) in English.
Application documents
The following documents must be uploaded via the online portal in PDF format (max. 1MB per document):
- current certificate of enrollment
- Letter of motivation (in German or English, max. 1 A4 page)
- Curriculum vitae in table form (in German or English, max. 2 DinA4 pages)
- Grades documents:
for BA applicant’s grade transcript from MeinCampus,
for MA applicant’s German BA transcript or copy of the international BA transcript (official conversion is transferred internally according to the so-called Eignungsfeststellungsnote of the FAU admission office) - Language certificates (Different language level is required depending on the target university – see here)
- Proof of internships, social or volunteer work (maximum 2 proofs)
Further information
- Contact information for the International Relations Office at WiSo can be found here and for appointment of a complaints office here.
- Language courses can be found from the Language Center.
- The link for the acquisition of certificate of intercultural competence for students can be found here.
- More information on the Buddy Program can be found here.
Dates of the events:
- ERASMUS: in June/July
- OVERSEAS: around March
- International Day: on the 5th of November
Study Abroad Coordinator at Wi1: Joni Riihimäki
Credit Transfer (Leistungsanerkennung) for Outgoing Students
In general, we encourage the acceptance of passed exams/courses in the field of information systems with a focus on innovation and value creation either abroad or at other chairs in Germany. If you plan to spend one semester abroad, please contact us already in your planning phase so that we can help you identify courses at the foreign university that can be accepted at our department. As the exam/course taken abroad or at another chair in Germany replaces an exam/course taken at the FAU, it is important that this exam/course equals the courses at the FAU – see §8 of Studienordnung (Diplom/Bachelor).
Learning Agreements Coordinator at Wi1: Natalie Breutner
Process for Incoming Students
All the useful information for incoming student can be found from the International Relations Office.
In order to be admitted as an exchange student to the FAU you have to meet the following requirements:
- Your major must be in business administration, social sciences or another related subject.
- Your home university has to send an official nomination letter or email to us.
- You must have at least completed the equivalent of a first degree (2 to 3 years of education depending on the country of origin).
- You must have sufficient command of the German language (A2 or better in CEFR) to be able to follow the lectures and to ensure a succesful social and cultural integration.
Application
Once we are notified of your participation in the programme (by your home university), we’ll bring you in contact with the central office of international affairs (RIA) who handles the formal procedure of admission and accomodation for all faculties of the FAU.
After the applications have been processed, you’ll receive a notification containing information on enrolment that will be of assistance to you once you’re in Germany. Also, you’ll be informed about which student dormitories/residences have a vacancy. If you’ve got a room in a student dorm, please confirm it immediately at the central office of international affairs.
There are several documents you must bring with you in order to avoid any bureaucratic problems. We advise you to check your papers before you leave for Germany.
- The admission letter (Zulassungsbestätigung) sent to you by mail
- Your high school diploma (only for double degree students) in the original or a certified copy!!!
- Health insurance certificate (EU countries: EHIC-card, Turkey: T/A 11,) from your health service, which has to be valid for the whole duration of your stay in Germany
- An enrolment certificate from your university / entrance exam
- Non-EU-residents: Confirmation (in German or officially translated) from your parents or your university verifying minimum financial support of 550 EUR per month which you’re guaranteed to receive. In case of doubt, ask the German embassy for a certification of your parents’ guarantee.
- A photocopy of your passport or ID-card, in case they get lost.
- 2 passport photographs
- All ERASMUS/ECTS forms from your home university (they can be signed by us here in Nürnberg or Erlangen)
Studying at FAU
Our foreign students are invited to participate in ALL courses and seminars offered by our faculty, and also by the other faculties in Erlangen.
At the beginning of the semester, the students should contact the professors whose lectures and seminars they want to attend. The basis on which credits are awarded for courses taken varies between final exams at the end of the semester and written papers. Most of the Bachelor’s degree courses are held in German while Master’s degree courses are mostly held in English.
Registration for courses is not standardized. Students should follow course websites for the subjects they wish to study – courses offered by Wi1 can be found here. Most of the course registrations happen either during the first session of the course or via StudOn. Therefore, it is very important to establish a personal contact with the teacher. Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself – all international students are very welcome at our faculty!
Orientation and integration
The Central Office for International Affairs offers welcome weeks for international students at the beginning of each semester to help you with legal formalities as well as the general onboarding at FAU. The program is open to all international students. More information can be found here.
Buddy program can be useful for the incoming students to get support and help with everyday tasks.
Further important contacts can be found here.
IIS Program
Further information for IIS students can be found here.
Partner Universities
| University | Number of Places | Language Requirements |
| Karl-Franzens University of Graz (Austria) | 2 | B2 English & A2 German |
| Sarajevo School of Science and Technology (Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 2 | B2 English |
| University of Split (Croatia) | 1 | B1 English |
| Prague University of Economics and Business (Czech Republic) | 4 | B2 English |
| Lappeenranta University of Technology (Finland) | 2 | B2 English |
| Tampere University of Technology – Pori Campus (Finland) | 2 | B1 English |
| Paris Sciences et Lettres University (France) | 5 (Not for Bachelor students) | B2 English & A2 French |
| Corvinus University of Budapest (Hungary) | 4 | B2 English |
| Budapest University of Technology and Economics (Hungary) |
4 | B2 English |
| University of Rome Tor Vergata (Italy) | 2 (Not for Bachelor students) | B1 English & B1 Italian |
| SSE Riga – Stockholm School of Economics (Latvia) | 4 | B2 English |
| University of Latvia (Latvia) | 4 | B1 English |
| RTU Riga Technical University (Latvia) | 4 | B1 English |
| Warsaw School of Economics (Poland) | 6 | B2 English |
| National University of Science and Technology Bucharest (Romania) | 1 | B1 English |
| Technical University of Madrid (Spain) | 4 | B2 English |
| Feng Chia University (Taiwan) | 5 (Not for Bachelor students) | B2 English |