Key steps Bilateral Exchange Programs (incl. Switzerland)
Timeline of your Exchange Semester:
- After confirmation into the Exchange program
- Before going on an exchange semester
- Upon beginning of your exchange semester
- Before you leave your host institution
- After you have returned from your exchange semester
General information
You are dealing with a time span of 15-20 months therefore it is crucial to be able to keep track of the various key steps and key dates pertaining to your exchange semester.
Your scholarship (if applicable) comes with strings attached. We know from experience that you can sometimes get confused thus the outgoing team at WiWi will help you to navigate the administrative jungle. However, it is your responsibility to collect and submit all documents in relation to the exchange program and your exchange semester in due time. Please mind that if you fail at meeting the submission deadlines you will loose your rights to the scholarship you have received (if applicable) or you will not be able get credits for the courses you have taken abroad.
After confirmation into the Erasmus program
| Steps | Time | Notes |
| Take up on the offer | February / April ("Restplätze) | You will receive an email from the International Office, click on the link in order to accept the offer (or reject it). |
| Nomination |
March/April (Winter Semester) September (Spring Semester) |
The International Office wil submit the nomination of all Erasmus students to their respective institutions. |
| Application/registration at the host institution |
April-June (Winter Semester) Sept-Nov (Spring Semester) |
Once your host institution has accepted your nomination it will contact and instruct you how to process register yourself as an exchange student. |
In February the International Office will contact you via email and make an offer, which corresponds to your first/second/third choice (or possibly an alternative destination). Click on the link you have received in order to accept the offer within 7 days.
In March (in relation to the upcoming Fall Semester) and in September (in relation to the upcoming Spring Semester) we will submit the nomination of all outgoing exchange students to their respective partner institutions. The nomination deadlines can very much vary from one partner institution to the next. By the time the nomination process is over, your partner institution will contact you in order to instruct you how to further proceed with your application or registration as an upcoming exchange student.
Nevertheless, we ask you to get familiar with the registration process at your host institution even before you have been contacted. Inform yourself about the various deadlines and administrative steps to undertake over the coming weeks or months. Some institutions may require additional application documents such as an evidence of your language proficiency in English or in the local language. You host institution may for example ask for a TOEFL test or analog, which implies that you will need to register for the test a few weeks in advance (and prepare it).
Since we will be done with the selection process by early March at the latest (1. round of application), this leaves you enough time to tackle any administrative tasks over the coming months.
If your host institution still hasn´t contacted you by the end of April, we strongly recommend you to reach out to the incoming team. Students planned for the Spring Semester might have to wait until as late as October before they can proceed with registration at their host institutions. Let the outgoing team at WiWi know if you are unable to reach your host institution, we will step in.
Before your Exchange Semester
| Steps | Time | Notes |
| "Rückmeldung" (Enrollment at HU) | July |
Address your request to the "Immatrikulationsbüro" (enrollment office). |
| "Urlaubssemester" (Leave of absence) | Within six weeks after the beginning of the semester at the latest | Optional |
| "Auslandskrankenversicherung" (Health insurance coverage while abroad) |
Inform yourself as quickly as you can about any health insurance coverage during your stay abroad. |
Address your questions and requests to your current health insurance provider on the first place. |
| Residence permit and visa | Inform yourself as quickly as you can about any need for residence permit or visa during your stay abroad. | Such administrative requests take time and need to be handled as soon as possible. |
| Mobility Agreement SwissMobibility (For Switzerland only) | As soon as possible. Consult with your host institution. | You can use either the template of the host or home institution. |
|
Learning Agreement 1 (For all exchange students) - Before Mobility |
Before your the start of the lecture period at your host institution. | You can use either the template of the host or home institution. Send it to the outgoing team at WiWi. |
You are to remain enrolled as student at Humboldt during the entire duration of your exchange period. Hence you should make certain that you are enrolled at HU each semester until you have completed your exchange semester. Please adddress any questions or requests on this topic to the "Immatrikulationsbüro" (Enrollment Office).
You are free to opt for a so-called "Urlaubssemester" (leave of absence) while being on an exchange semester. You will still be enrolled as a student at HU but the "Urlaubssemester" does not count towards the overall amount of "Fachsemester" you took during your studies at Humboldt. While "on leave" you are still entitled to follow the courses of your own study program or register for exams at HU. Possibly you could also be exempted from paying (some) fees entailed by the Semesterticket. Mind the different academic schedules between Humboldt and your host institution though and you might want to stick to the Semesterticket after all. As already mentioned the "Urlaubssemester" is mostly about the number of "Fachsemesters" you will have spent at Humboldt during your studies. Therefore, you could maybe turn it to your advantage since some scholarship programs such as "Bafög" in Germany are directly linked to the number of "Fachsemesters". As an example: you could skip the Bafög stipend during your exchange semester while benefiting from the Erasmus scholarship and eventually extend the study time at HU. This way, you still can make use of your Bafög stipend on your last (Fach)semester(s) at HU.
Get yourself familiar with the advantages of taking a "leave of absence" and how to apply for it: leave of absence.
The Erasmus exchange program does not entail any health insurance coverage during your time abroad nor does it entail any other types of insurance´s scheme. Neither can Humboldt be held liable for any damages, health issues, body injuries, lost of items, accidents or death occuring during your exchange period. For thoses reasons we strongly encourage you to get this matter into your own hands as soon as possible. We suggest that you start inquiring whether you need an extension of services and coverage while studying abroad. German students who are under a public health provider in Germany ought to get a full health coverage while staying in the EU.
We strongly recommend you to actively inform yourself about the necessary visa application procedures even before your host institution has fully confirmed admission. Most application procedures are time consuming, sometimes the application process can stretch over several months. Therefore, we urge you to consult with the relevant ambassies or consulates of your country of destination. EU citizen do not require any type of visa or residence permits to travel within the EU and the Shengen area.
The "Learning Agreement" aims at facilitating the transfer of credits between Humboldt and your host institution. You will enter in your LA all the courses you plan on following at your host institution. Nevertheless, you must realize that the LA alone does not guarantee any automatic recognition of any of the courses you have done during your exchange semester. A board of examiners under the umbrella of the examination office at the School of Business and Economics will supervise the transfer of credits.
You need to obtain at least 24 ECTS per semester. However, you are free to decide which courses you wish to submit for approval after you have completed your exchange semester. Language courses or courses beyond the field of Business and Economics do not count towards the minimum requirement of 24 ECTS.
The LA must be validated within the deadline set by Humboldt and your host institution.
Die Vorlage des Learning Agreements für das SwissMobility-Programm als Download.
Exchange students in Swiss Universities are conducting their exchange semester within the framework of the "SwissMobility Program". You will need to fill out the so-called "Mobility Agreement". You will receive the SwissMobility Agreement from us. Please returen it signed via email to: outgoings-wiwi@hu-berlin.de.
Upon arrival at the host institution
| Steps | Time | Notes |
|
Confirmation of Registration (SwissMobility) |
Within 3 weeks upon arrival at the host institution | Email it to the International Office at HU |
| Online Learning Agreement 2 - During the Mobility | Within 3 weeks upon arrival at the host institution (consult with your host institution, you may have to finalize your LA at the very beginning of the academic period or even before) | You can drop or add courses to your LA any time within the deadline set by your host institution |
|
Request of extension of your exchange period (if applicable)
|
Oct-Nov |
Essentially the decision lies with your host institution. You can only extend your stay from Fall Semester to Spring Semester within the same academic year |
For exchange students in Switzerland only:
Upon arrival at your host institution you need to have the Erasmus department or your exchange coordinator signed the document "confirmation of registration". We also accept digital signatures. Please the send the document to Ms. Cornelia Marx from the Erasmus Office as soon as possible once it is signed.
You can download the template here: Confirmation of Registration Erasmus
Contact person Cornelia Marx: cornelia.marx@uv.hu-berlin.de
Exchange period:
- Beginning of your exchange period: it is the first day you will spend at your host institution in relation to your studies as an exchange student there. We will also take into account any language courses (in the national or local language of your Erasmus destination), which will take place before the start of the lecture period. Please do send a proof of enrollment to the Erasmus Office at HU.
- End of the exchange period: last day spent at your host institution in relation to your studies as an exchange student there.
From our end we will accept any changes in your LA within 3 weeks upon your arrival at your host institution. However, your host institution may very well ask you to finalize your LA at the very beginning of the lecture period or even some time before that. Please inform yourself and contact the Erasmus department of your host institution on this matter.
Both your home and host institutions need to formally agree to any extension of your exchange period. It depends primarily on whether Humboldt has not already allocated all places for the given academic year you are conducting your exchange semester. Ultimately the decision lies with your host institution.
You will need to file a request for extension of your exchange period before December 15th. We can only extend your stay from the Fall Semester to the Spring Semester within the same academic year. Please mind any other deadline set by your host institution.
Once your request has been approved, you will set up a new Learning Agreement for the Spring Semester.
Before leaving your host institution
Just before leaving your host insitutiton you will have the Erasmus department or your exchange coordinator there review and sign the document "Confirmation of Stay Abroad". Please do not oversee this administrative step as it is linked to your scholarship (second payment). Send the document to the International Office at Humboldt.
Confirmation of stay SwissMobility als Download
Kontakt Cornelia Marx: cornelia.marx@uv.hu-berlin.de
After you have returned from your exchange semester
| Steps | Time | Notes |
| "Erfahrungsbericht" (Alumni report) |
Finalize and upload your report within weeks after you have returned from your exchange Semester |
Upload your report into the Moodle Group „Erasmus Outgoings WiWi“ |
| Transcript of Records | Forwad it the Erasmus Office as soon as you have it |
A/ Your host institution will issue it for you (or you can download it yourself via your student´s accoutn) or B/ your host institution will send it to the international Office at HU and we will forward it back to you |
| "Anerkennungsnachweis" (credit Transfer) | The deadline for submission is November 30th |
The examination Office at WiWi does handle the Transfer of credits. Once your request has been processed, you will forward a copy of the results to the Erasmus Office (Frau Cornelia Marx) |
Please do upload your report into the Moodle group „Erasmus Outgoings WiWi“. Information and insights are very valuable to future Erasmus participants when it comes to choose between different destinations for an exchange Semester.
Please Download the following form and tell us about your experience!
In order to request a Transfer of the credits (ECTS) you earned during your exchange Semester, you need to fill out the form "Anerkennungsnachweis" (as below) and forward it to the Examination Office ("Prüfungsamt") at the School of Business and Economics. You will enter in it all the courses you need to get approved, you are under no obligation to ask for credit transfer for all courses you did during your exchange Semester. The decision lies with you. You will also forward a copy of your transcript of records to the Examination Office. The transcript is the official document, which stipulates all the details about the courses you took at your host institution.
Please download and use the following form: Download Anerkennungsnachweis (nur für Erasmus-Studierende)
Ultimately the board of examiners under the umbrella of the Examination Office will reach a decision about for which courses you will get credits.
Please mind that the Examination Office will send you back the document "Anerkennungsnachweis" once it is processed. You will then need to forward a copy to Ms. Cornelia Marx of the Erasmus Office in order to close the "circle". It is the last requirement or administrative step in regards of the payment of your Erasmus scholarship.
The transcript of records displays the full list of courses you took during your exchange Semester. It also entails your grades and any other comments about the various courses and exams you took. It is an official document and it needs to be stamped by you host institution.
How do I obtain my transcript? There are three scenarios:
1/ You are able to generate your own transcript from your student´s Account.
2/ Your host institution will issue the document and send it to you (possibly you could also have to collect it in Person).
3/ Your host institution will issue the document and send it to Humboldt, which in return will forward it to you.
In either case please forward a copy to the International Office at Humboldt, it is part of the set of requirements in order to claim the Erasmus scholarship.
Important: you ought to achieve at least 24 ECTS. The transcript should therefore displays as much.
After you have returned from your exchange Semester, it will be up to you which courses you will request a Transfer of credits for, you do not need to seek approval for 24 credits.