Staying Abroad
During your studies at the FH Aachen or the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, you have various opportunities to stay abroad for different purposes. A distinction is made here between:
- Study abroad for one or two semesters as an
- Exchange student at one of the partner universities of the FH Aachen (often free of charge)
- In the Study Abroad Programme or as a self-organised "Free Mover" (usually associated with tuition fees)
- Carrying out a practical training/ practicalproject/ practical semester abroad
- Language courses or summer schools at other universities
- Final thesis abroad
In general, a stay abroad should be undertaken from the fourth subject-specific semester onwards; at Faculty 6 it is recommended to aim for a stay abroad in the fifth or sixth subject-specific semester.
Requirements and detailed information can be found in the following sections. If you have any further questions, you can find the appropriate contacts in the contact points section. The latest information can also be found on the website of the Department of International Affairs.
We ask you to contact the relevant offices as early as possible. A stay abroad usually requires one to two semesters' lead time for planning and organisation. In addition, please keep an eye on the current pandemic situation in your destination so that your plans can be adjusted if necessary so that your stay remains possible.
General information and procedure
- Sufficient language skills in the language of the destination country or at least in English (level B2).
- Contact the International Office, the International Officer (see contact points) and the Examination Office.
- Plan and organise funding opportunities/financing
- approx. 60 ECTS, 4th subject -specific semester at the earliest (5th/6th semester recommended at FB6)
- Exceptions possible with ERASMUS
- Grade point average preferably better than 3.0
- For stays abroad to be recognised:
- Checkrecognition (similarity of content) and availability of desired modules
- Coordinatelearning agreement at an early stage - this is the legal basis for recognition!
- If necessary, process organisational and bureaucratic procedures during and after the stay
Requirements and Details
Study abroad
- approx. 60 ECTS, 4th subject -specific semester at the earliest (5th/6th semester recommended at FB6)
- Exceptions possible with ERASMUS
- Grade point average preferably better than 3.0
- Check the start of the semester and the timetable of the university at your destination.
- Check accommodation, financing/subsidy possibilities
- Check recognition (similarity of content) and availability of the desired modules
- As at FB6, not all modules of a degree programme are offered every semester.
- Assign subjects by hand or by e-mail
- Subjects already taken cannot be taken again abroad!
- The recognition of compulsory subjects must be signed off by the person responsible for the module at FB6.
- In the EU, credits can be recognised on a one-to-one basis (depending on the teaching load); however, this often does not apply to universities outside the EU.
- Often the grading systems differ - conversion tables are available from the Department of International Affairs for this purpose
- Common goal: obtain >15 ECTS during a stay abroad
- In general: contact the target university
- Coordinate the learning agreement early on - this is the legal basis for recognition!
- The LA must be worked on in parts before, during and after the stay abroad
- Coordinate with the International Officer, the Department of International Affairs and the Examination Office.
Practical training/ practical project
- Check financing/subsidy possibilities
- Clarify organisational matters for the destination (e.g. practical training/employment contract, accommodation).
- In general, practical training abroad can be done at any time, but if it is done without recognition, progress in studies or leave of absence must be guaranteed!
- Recognition as a practical project is possible with a comparable workload and suitable tasks
- In this case, a learning agreement must also be concluded
- The LA has to be worked on in parts before, during and after the stay
- Coordination with the International Officer, the Department of International Affairs and the Examination Office
- In this case, the regulations and requirements of the normal practical project also apply.
- In this case, a learning agreement must also be concluded
Final theses
- First of all, the general requirements for final theses according to the Examination Regulations apply.
- Check financial viability/funding possibilities
- Check the pandemic situation
- Clarify the organisational aspects of the target red (e.g. practical training/employment contract, accommodation)
- Recognition by means of Learning Agreement
- The LA must be worked on in parts before, during and after the stay.
- Coordinate with the International Officer, the Department of International Affairs and the Examination Office.
Funding opportunities
Below you will find some funding opportunities for students of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering (FB06). For further opportunities and innovations, please refer to the 'Funding Opportunities' page of the Department of International Affairs.
ERASMUS+
- EU programme to promote student and faculty/staff mobility.
- Participants: EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, FYR Macedonia, Turkey
- Study visits or practical trainings eligible for funding
- Requirements
- Study visits: students of the FH Aachen from the 3rd subject-specific semester onwards
- Practical trainings: from the 1st subject-specific semester (multiple funding possible - once each in the Bachelor, Master and PhD)
- No further tuition fees
- On-site support
- Free or low-cost language courses
- Often fixed course offer for exchange students
- Special opportunities: Green Travel (additional funding), Short Term Mobility for students with children or people with disabilities.
- Application deadline for study visits: 30 March for winter semester, 30 September for summer semester
- Application deadline forpractical trainings: 2 months before start of practical training
USA (Magellan network)
- Funding via the Magellan network, more info on the website.
- Number of free places for FB6 very limited
Fulbright Commission (Travel Scholarship to USA)
- For Bachelor and Master students of all subject areas
- For 4-9 months of study at a partner university in the USA
- Travel and incidental expenses allowance
- Prerequisite: German citizenship, very good performance, commitment in addition to studies
- Application via the Department of International Affairs at FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences
Australia (RMIT)
- A number of free exchange places for FB6 students each winter semester.
- Selection by the Department of International Affairs
- Exchange possible via theDouble Degree
- RMIT offers exchange programme
- WiSe from July to November
- Summer semester from February to June
- Service/support for students
- Many presentations and assignments
HAWInternational
- For FH students of all subject areas, Bachelor's and Master's degrees
- Funding for study visits: 3-6 months
- Funding for final theses: 1-6 months
- Monthly full scholarships plus subsidy for travel costs and insurance
- Subsidy for tuition fees possible
- Application directly online to the DAAD (DAAD language certificate required!)
General, further funding
- BAföG abroad (payment of tuition fees up to 4600€)
- PROMOS scholarships from the FH Aachen (300€ per month, up to 6 months for practical trainings, studies, final thesis as well as language and specialised courses)
- DAAD annual scholarships
Helpful links
- ERASMUS+
- PROMOS scholarships of the FH Aachen
- German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
- www.MyStipendium.de
- www.fulbright.de
- Further funding via the Department of International Affairs
- Auslands-BAföG