Application process

We recommend informing yourself as early as possible about the exchange programs offered through the direct exchange programme, as well as about prerequisites and options for financing your exchange. To do so, you can either make use of ample information provided on our website or drop by for a personal consultation during office hours.

Usually, undergraduate students will apply at the beginning of their 3^rd semester to go abroad during their 5^th or 6^th semester of studying. Graduate students should prepare their application before the beginning of their 1^st semester, as many application deadlines will lie within the first few weeks of the semester.

After receiving all applications, the committee will decide on a preliminary selection of students. These applicants then receive an invitation to an interview, which lasts about 15 minutes and will partly be held in the language of the host country. Based on the written application as well as on the interview, the committee will decide about exchange places as well as potential scholarships. After the interview, applicants can expect an offer or a rejection via email within a week after the interview.

Should you receive a nomination for one of our partner universities, we will inform you about further steps of the process. Usually, we will need different kinds of documents such as a copy of your passport, forms from the partner institution, official transcript of records, proof of financial means etc.

The partner university makes the final decision to accept our nominated students. Please note that it is also entirely up to our partners to decide which study level exchange students may choose their courses from. It is therefore possible that graduate students are only allowed to select undergraduate courses at the partner university. Please check the partner universities’ websites for further information.

Acceptance letters will usually be sent in spring or early summer. You will then have enough time to organize international health insurance, visa, etc. Please note that these incur additional costs that you will need to account for.

For the time of your direct exchange, you may consider applying for an academic leave from Freie Universität. You can find further information here.