Requirements & Eligibility

Am I eligible?

As long as you are a degree-seeking undergraduate student at an accredited U.S. or Canadian university, you are eligible to apply. Nationality is not a limiting factor. Graduate and undergraduate students who meet these criteria may apply for the Internship Program (IP). Please consult the "Eligibility Requirements" for additional criteria of the specific program you are interested in. Students enrolled at UAS7 partner institutions in Brazil (UNISINOS, PUCRS) are also eligible for the SIP program.

I do not study in the U.S. or Canada. Can I still apply to study with UAS7?

The UAS7 Study & Internship Program is only open to students enrolled at accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. If you study at one of our partner institutions in Brazil, Unisinos and PUCRS, you are also able to apply. If you study anywhere else, you are unfortunately not able to apply to the SIP Program. However, you are welcome to apply as a degree-seeking student, free mover or through a bilateral agreement to one of our individual universities. Please visit our universities’ websites for further information. member universities

Additional information on exchange programs and scholarships for foreign students to Germany can be found in the German Academic Exchange Service’s scholarship database

Do I need to speak German?

Having some German language skills can certainly make you more competitive, but in most cases it's not required. If you're considering a program with a study component (Study Program and Study & Internship Program), you should make sure that you have the language skills to succeed in the courses you outline in your Study Plan. If you plan to take courses held in German language you must demonstrate B1-level skills in German. Courses in some majors are widely available in English; in other majors, German is a de facto necessity for academic success.

Study & Internship Program (SIP) applicants proposing to do a self-organized internship should demonstrate B1-level skills in German in the Language Evaluation. Some laboratory internships available to SIP applicants through the Internship Program may require some German skills; please consult the project descriptions you are interested in for details.

In order to navigate daily life in Germany, we highly recommend having at least a basic knowledge of German or taking an intensive German course at the beginning or during the program.

My college/university is partnered with (UAS7/one of UAS7's member Universities of Applied Sciences). Can I still apply?

Absolutely! We are always glad to see applications from partners' students, and this can often make it easier for you to integrate a UAS7 program into your degree plan. UAS7 partners include Drexel University, the University of New Orleans, the University of Pittsburgh, several SUNY campuses and Clemson University, which have agreements concluded or in progress with us. Also, our members have bilateral agreements with over 100 U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities. If you are unsure about whether your college or university is partnered with us, please contact us. Although you don't have to be from a partner institution to be eligible, if you are from a partner institution, that information can be helpful during the ranking process, since that can be an indicator of which UAS7 members have been pre-screened as good fits for students from your home campus.

My GPA is below 3.0. Am I still eligible?

In general, a GPA below 3.0 will not prevent you from being taken into account for the placements. For internship placements, your experience and motivation will be equally important. However, whenever there are more applications than available places, students with a higher GPA may be given preference. This also applies to the travel grant, which is only granted to the most competitive candidates.

Application Process

When and how do I have to submit my application?

There are two deadlines, but they don't apply to all programs. You may apply for all three programs (Study and Internship Program, Study Program, or Internship Program) by February 15 each year. You can apply for the Study Program (SP) and for the Internship Program (IP) by October 1 (extended to Oct. 15 in 2021) or February 15 each year. All application documents have to be submitted to apply@uas7.org as single pdf files

How do I apply for the travel scholarship?

All applicants will automatically be considered for scholarship support; no additional application is necessary. The UAS7 Scholarship will be awarded in both selection rounds.

How do I choose which UAS to study and/or intern at? Do I need a second choice?

UAS7 New York is happy to help! Please email or call us (at 1-212-758-3369) with the following information: major, year standing, home university, and whether you already have some German proficiency (and if so, how much).

Whenever possible, you should list two or three UAS7 Universities of Applied Sciences in your application. The more UAS you rank, the greater your chances that the selection committee will determine that you are a good fit for one. If you only list one UAS, you are competing for a smaller number of limited placements. If you choose a less commonly taught program, or if your language skills are not sufficient to allow you to study in German, it may not be possible to list two choices. We still encourage you to apply if your situation warrants only ranking one UAS (e.g. your major is only offered at one UAS, or courses in English in your major are only offered at one UAS). 

If your university is already partnered with a UAS7 member University of Applied Sciences, you should consider taking a close look at options there, since it's especially likely that your university is familiar with the curriculum at that UAS and that a good fit is possible.

You can learn about UAS7 members here 

Is the application process online or paper-based?

Generally, all application documents can be sent as pdf files to apply@uas7.org. Official transcripts should be submitted as paper versions, sent by your university registrar. However, pdf versions of transcripts will be accepted, if submitted by your study abroad advisor.

How do I build a Study Plan? Do I need to submit one?

The Study Plan is required for all Study Program (SP) and Study & Internship Program (SIP) applicants. Please select 5-10 courses for each UAS you rank that would fit into your academic plan towards graduation. Please read through the information on how to choose your courses before you start to complete your Study Plan. Most SP applicants will be best served by the German summer term, which does not conflict with most American academic calendars. All SIP applicants should plan to take classes in the winter term.

Please note that the courses listed at our website and our members’ websites are typical of offerings in a given semester, but that official listings will not be available until shortly before the semester begins. You should therefore be prepared to make substitutions if necessary.

 

Can my professor email a letter of recommendation?

Yes---as long as they send it as a signed letter on university/college letterhead, in an attachment. The email account they use should be hosted by the university/college they work for. If they prefer, they can send it by regular mail, as long as it arrives at our office by the respective deadline.

Who can write a letter of recommendation?

Your recommenders should be a regular faculty member (assistant, associate or full professor) at your college/university. You should have taken at least one academic course with them, preferably in your major. Unless you are applying to study a language-oriented field (e.g. Translation and Interpretation) through the Study Program (SP) or Study & Internship Program (SIP), a professor in your major is a better choice than a German professor, since that person will also be filling out your Language Evaluation form.

I'm applying for the Internship Program (IP). How do I contact the supervising professor?

If the supervising professor has follow-up questions based on your application, they will contact you directly. Please understand that they cannot reply to questions during the application phase.

What is the selection process like? How will I know if I qualify for the position?

The decision is based on the documents you hand in, there is no personal interview. Students applying for lab internships will be selected by the supervising professors, students applying for study components will be selected by our selection committee, which consists of members of the UAS7 universities’ international offices.

When will I know whether my application has been successful?

All applicants will be informed about the application's result by UAS7 within 4-6 weeks after the application deadline. The results will be communicated via email and sent to the email address you provided with your application. Please make sure to check your spam folder!

I want to apply to the Internship Program. Can I transfer credits back to my home institution?

In general, you can receive credits (ECTS) for your lab internship and transfer them back to your home institution in accordance with your university's guidelines. However, how many credits can be awarded for an internship term depends on the duration and workload of your internship. In some cases, you may be required to take additional classes or write a project paper. Some members also provide an official certificate, proving the duration of the internships, tasks completed, etc., which can be used for recognition at your home university.  Please reach out to info@uas7.org for further information.

I want to apply to SIP-lab. Can I do my internship in the fall and take courses during spring term?

SIP participants usually take classes during winter term and then go on to do their internship in spring. In general, it is also possible to change the order. However, this will depend on the supervising professor of your IP project. If you are interested in doing your internship first, please reach out to info@uas7.org.We will help you figure out whether it is feasible. You may also apply to the Internship Program only for winter term (Feb 15 deadline) and then apply to the Study Program with the next deadline (Oct.1). In that case, however, we cannot guarantee that you will be successful in both application rounds, so you may have to leave after your internship term.

I have some questions regarding the application form....

… What is a Higher Education Entrance qualification (section 4a)? 

Your Higher Education Entrance Qualification is a secondary education certificate, which enables you to study at a university. This is usually a secondary school leaving certificate, i.e. a highschool diploma.

… Why do I have to insert a preferred start date (section 3b) and what should I put in? 

This section is only important for IP applicants. SP and SIP applicants will start their stay with the start of lecture period (March for summer term, September/October for winter term). Since lab internships can be between 2-6 months long and are not bound to lecture periods, start dates are more flexible and can be arranged individually with the supervising professor. Please put in your preferred start date and duration or just “flexible”. If there are any issues with your preferred time period, we will reach out.

… What should I put under section 4b for the “expected graduation date”? 

Please enter the month and year you expect to graduate from your current university studies. If you do not yet know when you will graduate, as your study abroad period may have an impact on your graduation date, please just enter the date you would expect to be graduating at under normal circumstances.

… If I have not yet left the country for more than a month, what should I put under section 5b “previous experiences abroad of at least a month”? 

If you do not have such experience, please leave this field blank. 

...Is section 5b referring to any work experience or work experience abroad? 

This section refers to any previous work experience you have, whether it is at home or abroad.

...Do I sign the document digitally or print it out and sign by hand at the end?

Printing it, signing it by hand, scanning it, and then sending it as a PDF is ideal, but you may also sign electronically.

What should I write about in my statement of motivation? How long should it be?

Please describe your reasons for applying to SIP/IP/SP. Describe your preparation for this program, including academic work, relevant extracurricular activities and other experiences, and German language preparation (if any). You should explain how this experience at a German university of applied sciences will further your academic and professional goals, and address any factors you think the selection committee should consider that are not covered elsewhere in the application. Please also include why you are applying to a certain university or internship project. The letter should be no more than 1-2 pages. You only have to write one motivation letter for all universities/internship projects you apply to. 

Organization & Administrative steps

How many classes should I take per semester?

This depends on how your home institution converts ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits into U.S. credits. The most common formula is 1 ECTS credit = 0.5 U.S. credit, so a typical SIP or SP student workload would be 30 ECTS per week, which amounts to 20-24 classroom hours per week.

What's most important is to discuss both the number of credits and types of courses you enroll in while abroad with your home institution advisors. They will help you determine what kinds of classes can be used for credit towards your degree. The Statement of Support in the application requires documentation of the advising process on this issue.

Do I need a work permit to do an internship in Germany?

If you’re doing an internship within the Study & Internship Program, you do usually not need a work permit, since you are part of an international exchange program. In some cases, interns cannot be enrolled as exchange students and need a work permit or different kind of visa. In this case, your host university will contact you directly.

Do I need a visa to study or intern in Germany?

Citizens of the United States, Canada and Brazil do not need a visa to enter the Federal Republic of Germany.  However, after arrival at your university town, you must apply at the local Office for Foreigners (Ausländeramt) for a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis). The International Office of your host university will explain how this works and which documents you will need to bring. If you participate in the Internship Program, however, you may be required to apply for a visa before traveling to Germany. Please contact the International Office of your host university about this. If you are not a citizen of the US, Canada or Brazil, please contact your nearest German consulate to find out whether you need a visa prior to your departure for Germany. If you need a visa, you will have to apply for a student visa. The process normally takes about two to three months.

How can I find accommodation in Germany?

Many UAS7 universities can arrange or offer help finding accommodation either in the university residences or in apartments off-campus. Prices differ from city to city, but you should expect an average of about € 300 for a room at a residence and about € 350 to € 500 for a room in a shared apartment.

A list of student residence halls, allowing you to search by city and university, is provided by "Study in Germany".

However, German students often live in shared flats, called "WG" in German. The most frequently used website to find rooms in WGs is www.wg-gesucht.de.

If you need support, please contact the International Office of the school you are planning to complete your program at and ask them about your choices of accommodation.

How much will my living expenses approximately be?

Item

Berlin

Bremen

Hamburg

Cologne

Munich

Münster

Osnabrück

Health Insurance

110

110

110

110

110

110

110

Visa (if applicable)*

60-110*

60-110*

60-110*

60-110*

60-110*

60-100*

60-110*

Food, leisure, clothing

300

300

300

300

300

300

300

Licence Fee (TV, radio)

17,50

17,50

17,50

17,50

17,50

17,50

17,50

Housing (private)

450-800

300-
400

450-800

400-600

300-800

350-550

250-350

Housing (residence hall)

250-310

250-400

280-350

250-350

220-350

240-350

210-400

Semester contribution*

300*

315*

335*

275*

130*

300*

360*

TOTAL

740-1,300

720-900

770-1,300

730-1,100

680-1,300

730-1,100

700-900

* price per semester (6 months), usually includes public transport in the city and/or federal state

How much is tuition?

UAS7 universities do not charge any tuition fees. However, a semester contribution of about 300€ has to be paid to cover administrative costs. It also includes access to all university facilities and public transport in the respective city or state. Please note, this fee is a one-time payment at the beginning of your stay for the full semester.

Can I get the credits earned in Germany transferred to my home university? How?

Talk to your academic advisor about transferring the credits you will earn before coming to Germany. If there are any questions, the UAS7 office in New York will gladly contact them and provide all necessary information and documentation to enable them to decide if and how many credits they will recognize for specific courses.

Where can I get financial aid?

UAS7 provides a travel scholarship of 1,000€ to cover transatlantic travel costs to the most competitive candidates.

In addition, there is a broad range of scholarships and grants available to American and Canadian students who want to complete their full degree or part of their degree in Germany. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) alone provides financial support for more than 50,000 students, faculty, and researchers every year. Other institutions are listed below:

 

DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)

www.daad.org

 

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

www.humboldt-foundation.de

 

The American Council on Germany (ACG)

www.acgusa.org

 

Cultural vistas

www.culturalvistas.org

 

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

www.dfg.de/en

 

German-American Fulbright Program

www.fulbright.de

 

Check the websites for further information on specific programs and eligibility requirements.

Where can I find information about Germany in general?

There are many online resources providing information and practical tips on life in Germany. 

study in germany

german academic exchange service (daad)

higher education compass