International

If you are planning a stay outside the EU, you should contact the Foreign Office for information on entry and residence regulations. There you will also find further information about your host country.

Some universities require proof of sufficient language skills. Please contact the Language Centre for such proof. But even if you do not have to provide proof of language skills, you should take advantage of the services offered by the Language Centre to prepare for your stay with language courses or language tandems.

Das International Office bietet in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Fachsprachenzentrum im Sommersemester regelmäßig Infoveranstaltungen zu verschiedenen Ländern an. Dort bekommen Sie Informationen zum Studiensystem, zu Besonderheiten des Landes und nützliche Hinweise zum Leben dort.
Im eKVV finden Sie Veranstaltungen des IO hier und Veranstaltungen des Fachsprachenzentrums hier.
Weitere Hinweise finden Sie in der DAAD-Broschüre zur allgemeinen Sicherheitsvorsorge.

Before you begin your studies abroad, you must discuss the recognition of your academic achievements with the Programme Representative. Even if you are not going abroad as part of a Bielefeld University ERASMUS+ cooperation, you can still use the Learning Agreement form.

More information can be found in the brochure Studying Abroad und Recognition and here.

You can take a leave of absence for the duration of your stay. To do so, you need the "Application for Leave of Absence" form from the Student Office and confirmation that you will be going abroad for study-related purposes. Please note: Leave of absence is not possible if you want to take an exam at Bielefeld University or complete your studies in the semester in which you are abroad. You can obtain further information from the Student Office.

Whether you need health insurance and what sort you need in the host country varies from case to case. Please refer to the information brochures and ask your health insurance company how to proceed.

With the international student card you often get discounts abroad. You can apply for your international student card on the ISIC homepage.

Finding suitable accommodation is one of the major concerns when planning a stay abroad. Therefore, you should contact your host university in good time, read field reports and do research on the Internet to find out what accommodation options are available in your host country. The International Office's advisory team can offer you tips on relevant Internet sites.

If you do not want to give up your flat-share or apartment during your stay abroad, there is the possibility of renting out your room or apartment to international students studying abroad in Bielefeld whilst you are away.

You can find a form and further contact information here.

If you would like to "get a taste" of the international atmosphere, the International Mentoring Programme offers support for international students studying at Bielefeld University. Further information about the programme and registration can be found here.

Browsing through the field reports written by former outgoing students can help you prepare for your own stay abroad and often you will find useful tips and advice. Here you can find reports of experiences from recent semesters.