Applying for a Semester Abroad

All students regularly enrolled at HSBI can apply for exchange places at the partner universities of their respective faculties as well as for university-wide collaborations from the first semester onwards.

• Late November to 31 January for the coming winter semester and the subsequent summer semester
• Early May to 30 June for the coming summer semester

Students from Bielefeld School of Business can hand in their transcript of records and language certificates later (by 28 February at the latest). The only exception is the University of Alberta (see below).

Students of all faculties must submit their complete applications for the partner university University of Alberta (including transcript of records and language certificate) by 31 January. Only applications that specify the University of Alberta as first choice can be considered.

Up to three favourite universities can be specified in the application.

Please see the PDF documents in the download box for the exchange places advertised at our partner universities from late November (for the winter semester) and from early May (for the summer semester) onwards.

A general overview of our partner universities can be found on the website.

Please also see our video tutorials further below:

• Current transcript: Can be downloaded from the CAT portal, and you can obtain an English transcript from the administrative employee responsible for you in the Registrar’s and Examination Office.
• Motivation form including list of courses (template in the online portal): Write the motivation form in the host university ’s language of instruction. If you have specified two or more universities as favourites, please refer only to your first choice in the motivation form.
• CV in table format
• Proof of language skills
  • Current transcript (if you attended language courses at HSBI)
  • Abitur/university entrance certificate with indication of the CEFR level (except Bielefeld School of Business, instead transcript with language course)
  • DAAD language test (free of charge at Bielefeld University’s Language Centre)
  • TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge Certificate or similar tests (Bielefeld School of Business offers a TOEFL preparation course)

Note on language skills: As a rule, knowledge of the language of instruction at least at B1 level of the CEFR is recommended. A few universities, especially in English-speaking countries, explicitly require a certain level of language proficiency (e.g. C1 at MacEwan University) or a certain proof of language skills (e.g. Teesside University, University of Alberta for master’s students). Please find further information on this in the PDF documents in the download box with the exchange places.

A selection committee, consisting of representatives of the faculties and the International Office, assesses the applications according to:

• Academic achievements so far
• Motivation and planning of the project
• Knowledge of the language (language of instruction, plus national language if necessary)

If we are unable to allocate an exchange place at one of your top three universities, the International Office will contact you to discuss alternative exchange places.

Following the selection, the International Office will forward the applications to the partner universities who make the final decision on admission.

For the winter semester

The selection procedure takes place in February, so that applicants receive feedback about their application around mid-February; except in Bielefeld School of Business, where feedback takes place in mid-March.

For the summer semester

The selection procedure takes place in July, so that applicants receive feedback about their application around mid-July.