Frequently Asked Questions
Can you sit exams here even when taking a semester off?
The answer is YES without exception and without restrictions! For questions specific to the application, please contact:
Tel:030- 2093 2184
What is the WWG travel grant, and how can I apply for it?
WWG (Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Gesellschaft e.V.) of the faculty awards travel grants for stays abroad. The amount of the scholarship depends on the length of the stay and the host country. The sooner the application is submitted, the greater the chances of being awarded a scholarship. The deadline for a given submission is two weeks before the start of the period of study abroad. All further information about the application can be found at: www.wiwi.hu-berlin.de/wwg/projekte. The contact person is
I have not yet received a second instalment of my Erasmus mobility grant. Why is that and who can I contact?
The Erasmus mobility grant is usually paid in two instalments: the first (usually much larger) instalment is paid out as soon as you send the "Confirmation of Registration" form to Ms. Marx and a copy of your signed Learning Agreement. For all outgoing Erasmus students, the second instalment will only be paid out in the summer of the academic year, regardless of whether you were abroad in the winter semester, the summer semester or for the entire academic year. Important: The second instalment will only be paid out if all documents are submitted in full. So before you ask for the money, you should check for yourself whether you have sent us all the documents (a list can be found under "Preparation and Implementation")!
Is it bad if I cannot reach the planned number of 30 ECTS per semester?
This is just a matter of Erasmus funding. All students studying in Switzerland for one semester must adhere to the requirements of the respective partner university. In Switzerland, you do not receive any Erasmus funding but are directly funded by the partner university in Switzerland.
In order to receive the Erasmus grant, you must successfully pass at least 24 ECTS credit points during your semester abroad. These 30 or 24 ECTS credit points also include language courses that you have taken while abroad. If you only study one trimester abroad, the minimum requirement will be reduced to 20 ECTS points. How many ECTS credit points you transfer at Humboldt-Universität after your semester abroad is completely up to you. However, for the Erasmus grant, at least 24 to 30 ECTS credit points must be on your foreign transcript of records.
Do I have to speak the national language fluently before starting my studies abroad?
Not fluently, because usually a stay abroad should also serve as an opportunity for you to improve your language skills. However, you should speak the language well enough for you to follow the lectures without major difficulties and also easily participate in (technical) conversations. Find out beforehand whether lectures and seminars are also offered in English, for example. Some scholarship programmes require more or less demanding language tests. As part of the admission requirements of the host universities, students are also usually asked to provide proof of language skills.
When / how far in advance should I start planning?
Periods of study abroad can start in the winter or summer semester and last one semester or an entire academic year (winter semester + summer semester). We recommend that you start planning for stays abroad at least one year in advance. The application deadline for an Erasmus place is 15 December of every year for the subsequent academic exchange year.
Who do I have to inform if I end my study abroad programme early?
You must immediately inform the Erasmus representative in the International Office as well as the host university that you have dropped out of the study abroad programme and explain why – this must be done in writing (by email)!
Do I have to repay the mobility grant I received if I end my studies abroad early?
According to the funding guidelines, only Erasmus stays of at least 3 months can be funded. If your stay is less than 3 months, you usually have to pay back the full amount.
If your stay is reduced from 9 to 5 months, 4 months' worth of the grant will be reclaimed. As soon as you have informed us that you have ended your stay early, you will receive an invoice for the reclaimed amount. Please transfer the money WITH the invoice number to the university account.
Change of bank details
Please inform Ms. Marx (cornelia.marx@uv.hu-berlin.de) immediately if your bank details change, even if you are already back from your stay abroad. This is the only way to ensure that money ends up in your account – for redistributions, for example.
Applying for Auslands-BAföG (federal grants for study/training abroad)
You CANNOT apply for AuslandsBAföG at the same place as domestic BAföG funding. The application for AuslandsBAföG must be submitted to the BAföG authorities responsible for the respective countries. The mobility grant is not deducted from the BAföG funding. Please note that, due to increased living costs, many students receive BAföG funding for their semester abroad, who do not receive any in Germany! To apply, you will need either a certificate from the International Office or a form approved by the International Office.
Further information: https://www.bafög.de/auslandsfoerderung
What are ECTS credit points?
To facilitate the recognition of study credits acquired abroad, the European Commission developed the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in cooperation with the universities. The system is based on the purely quantitative allocation of credit points for specific courses. In practice, this means that the workload of an average student (in terms of time) is equivalent to 60 credit points per year or 30 per semester. Based on this, each course is assigned a certain number of ECTS credit points, which serve as a benchmark for estimating the study workload at the host university and thus as the basis for the recognition of the course credits. This means that you should earn 30 credits points in one semester and 60 credit points per academic year.
Before leaving, you have to sign a Learning Agreement. This is used to record the courses you will take at the host university. The form must be signed by you, the Erasmus representatives and coordinators in Berlin and the host university. Information about the courses on offer at the host university, point distribution, etc., is usually sent by the host universities or available online. You should definitely clarify any question regarding the recognition of credits with the people responsible before your departure.
What does the abbreviation EILC mean?
Erasmus Intensive Language Course (for languages less widely used in Europe, i.e. not for English, French, Spanish, German). These are 3- to 4-week intensive courses (level: beginner, intermediate), which are offered by a central office of the host country before the start of your study abroad programme. Students who have obtained an ERASMUS study place in the respective country (and usually study there in English) are eligible to apply. The application documents are usually published online in March/April and forwarded to the students selected for the corresponding countries via the International Office.
Do I have to apply for an extension?
You should first clarify with the host university whether your stay can be extended. The application form for an extension can be found in our Moodle group "Erasmus Outgoings Wiwi". If you extend your stay by one semester, please submit another Learning Agreement to us and a Confirmation of Registration to Ms. Marx for the extension period. An extension is only possible from the winter to the summer semester.
Will I receive money for the extension period?
Erasmus funding cannot be guaranteed for the extension. If there is money left in the "funding pot", the funding will be extended.
When will I receive my transcript of records from the host university?
It is usually prepared at the end of your semester/year abroad and sent either to you or to the International Office. If it is sent to the International Office, we will inform you. If it is sent to you, please send us a copy.
Passing on your email address
Your email address will only be passed on to other interested students for the purposes of sharing experiences, e.g.:
- a student looking for fellow students who are going to the same partner university
- a student in the orientation phase who has specific questions regarding the study opportunities at a particular host university
- an outgoing student abroad would like to pass on his/her apartment
Do I have to re-register at Humboldt-Universität?
Yes! Even if you take a semester off, you have to re-register; in this case, the amount to be paid, if applicable, will change. If you stay for a whole year, do not forget to re-register for the summer semester!
Why am I only getting Erasmus funding for 4 (8) months even though I'm staying abroad longer?
For one semester, we can currently pay out the mobility grant for a maximum of 4 months, and a maximum of 8 months for two semesters. If you are abroad for one trimester, you will currently receive the Erasmus grant for 2.5 months.
Special needs
Additional funding can be requested from the DAAD via the International Office for students with severe disabilities or other exceptional needs (e.g. students with children).
What is a Learning Agreement?
The Learning Agreement is a study contract in which the courses you will be taking at the host university are recorded (at least 24 ECTS credit points). It is important to clarify questions regarding the recognition of foreign credits beforehand.
Where can I find the forms?
All forms are available in our Moodle group "Erasmus Outgoings Wiwi".
There have been changes to my first choice of course; I no longer want to take some of the courses, and I have added others. What do I do now?
If there are any changes to the Learning Agreement, the "change form" must be completed, signed and sent to the WiWi International Office within the first month.
There is a mistake on my transcript. Where can I have it corrected?
In this case, please contact the coordinator of your host university directly!