FAQ

Applications are submitted online:
Link to the ERASMUS online application
 

After submitting the application form, register on the “Mobility Online” portal, where your application will be processed further.

January 15 for the following winter semester
; June 15 for the following summer semester

• For the following winter semester: around mid-February
• For the following summer semester: around mid-July
   

You will receive notification of your placement via email.

As a general rule, studying abroad during the winter semester is always a better option than studying abroad during the summer semester, since there are fewer spots available during the summer semester, the academic calendars sometimes differ significantly from those in Germany, and many universities are not equipped to accommodate incoming students during the summer.

Please note: If you go abroad during the summer semester, you cannot extend your stay to include the winter semester at the partner university!

1) Erasmus+ Grant: Every student who has received an offer for an exchange position at a partner university within the EU and associated countries automatically receives an Erasmus+ grant. For more information, please visit the Erasmus funding pages.

2) Promos Grant: Students studying at a partner university outside the EU and associated countries or undertaking a self-organized study abroad project (a university they found on their own, an internship, a language course, etc.) can apply for a Promos grant.

3) Bafög for Study Abroad: Anyone eligible for domestic Bafög is also eligible for Bafög for study abroad. Since the approval process can take some time, you should submit your application as early as possible (after receiving written confirmation of your admission). Even if you do not receive domestic Bafög, it is sometimes still worth applying for Bafög for study abroad, as different guidelines apply here than for domestic Bafög.

4) You can find additional funding options—for both internships and semesters abroad—on the website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

Once you have been accepted for a study abroad program, you will often receive a registration form from the partner university. This form often asks for the University of Hildesheim’s ERASMUS code. It is: "D HILDESH01".

Information about courses at the partner university is available exclusively from the partner university. To obtain this information, please check the partner university’s website or contact the relevant academic coordinator at that university. 

The IO officially registers the students at the partner university.

The partner university will then contact you and ask the students to re-register or reapply at the partner university.

You will receive an email from the partner university regarding this. 

Please wait for the partner university to contact you. 

If the partner university does not contact you, please reach out to the staff at the International Office at the University of Hildesheim.

Semester dates vary among partner universities and are generally not the same as those at the University of Hildesheim.

Please check the website of the respective partner university for information on the academic calendar and semester dates.

Whether or not you are assigned a room abroad depends on the partner university: Some partner universities assign dorm rooms, while others provide information on finding housing. As a rule, you’ll need to arrange your own housing.

It is advisable to inquire about housing with the partner university as soon as possible after receiving an acceptance letter, or to look for housing on your own.

Language requirements vary depending on the university and sometimes even by department. Language requirements may also change for a specific semester. Please check the brief information portal or contact the partner university directly to find out the language requirements.

In recent years, partner universities have increasingly required proof of language proficiency from exchange students.

Since this is important for you and we must and want to ensure that you have the language skills necessary to pursue your studies at a partner university, as of the Winter Semester 2026/2027, you must provide proof of the language proficiency required by the partner universities when applying for a study period at one of them.

Please refer to the partner university lists for information on which languages and language proficiency levels are required by the partner universities.

Further information on supporting documents can be found on the application page.

Online Language Support is designed to help Erasmus+ participants improve the language skills they need for their study and work stays abroad, so they can get the most out of this experience.

Learn languages with Online Language Support.

A language tandem consists of two people with different native languages who help each other learn the other’s language. The goal is for both people to benefit from working together. The tandem partners decide for themselves what and how they want to learn. The tandem is not paid.

Through the tandem, you have the opportunity to communicate in the foreign language and learn a lot about the culture associated with that language.

How the meetings are structured is up to the tandem partners. You can use the meetings, for example,

• discuss selected topics (newspaper articles, etc.) to improve your oral expression
• practice grammar and vocabulary
• prepare for exams

 or even to

• watch a movie together in the foreign language, with or without subtitles
• help each other with homework
• cook traditional dishes from that country together
• listening to audiobooks or reading books and magazines together

If you need a certificate of participation for the tandem program to obtain the ZIKK certificate, we’ll be happy to issue one. For more information about ZIKK and the writing partnerships, please visit: www.uni-hildesheim.de/io/interkulturelle-workshops/

Language tandems at the University of Hildesheim are organized by the university’s Incoming Office. You can register for a tandem partnership here.

The goals of international writing partnerships are essentially the same as those of language tandems: they focus on improving language proficiency and fostering intercultural exchange.

The difference is that the ISPs consist of triads in which students in teacher education programs support the language and writing learning processes. The target group therefore includes full-time and program students who wish to improve their writing and cultural competence in a foreign language outside of classroom settings, as well as students in the German and English teacher education programs.

You can find more information about the International Writing Partnerships, which were awarded the European Language Label in 2011, here.

Register via LSF.

1. It is best to discuss with the relevant academic advisor or a faculty member—preferably before you leave—the courses you plan to take abroad and would like to have recognized by the University of Hildesheim.

    

2. Sign a Learning Agreement. 

   --> If you are going to a partner university as part of an Erasmus or PROMOS program, this will be completed automatically. 

   --> Are you going to a university that is not a partner of the University of Hildesheim? If so, please contact the International Office at the University of Hildesheim. The staff there will be happy to provide you with a template.

This is a personal decision that depends on various factors:

As a general rule: If you’ll be abroad for the entire semester and don’t need to or want to retake any exams (or complete other coursework) at the University of Hildesheim that semester, then taking a leave of absence is worth it.

If, on the other hand, you’re returning as early as December—for example, because your host institution uses a trimester system—and would like to take exams here, you cannot be on a leave of absence.

You can find information about leaves of absence and the application form on the I-Amt website.

In general, students are responsible for their own health, accident, and liability insurance. 

It is advisable to seek advice from your health insurance provider regarding this matter.

The International Office at the University of Hildesheim is always looking for housing for international students who are coming to the University of Hildesheim for an exchange semester.

If you would like to sublet your room, please contact Bettina Kroppach (incoming@uni-hildesheim.de)

The International Students Identity Card (ISIC) is available at the AStA Service Office (Room I 112, near H1). To apply, you will need: an ID card, a certificate of enrollment, and a photo. For more information, visit the AStA website.