International

The Faculty of Design has maintained an intensive exchange and lively cooperation with partner universities from all over the world for many years. Project weeks for the exchange of teaching staff and students take place regularly. Every semester, many of our students go to a university abroad and the Faculty of Design welcomes guest students from all over the world. In other words: Cosmopolitanism, interdisciplinarity and intercultural aspects are essential for our faculty.

ERASMUS+ Incomings

Students from our partner universities have the opportunity to apply to study abroad at our faculty for one semester or a maximum of one academic year. We also welcome prospective students from universities in the Cumulus and Eliasnetworks, as well as applications as freemovers, if they have a very good academic aptitude.

Each semester, we offer courses and project courses bilingually (German/English) or in English. A basic knowledge of German is generally recommended. English at level B2 must be proven with a certificate if German is not available (does not apply to native speakers of English).

A partnership agreement between the home and host institution is no guarantee of admission! Admission depends on the portfolio and the availability of places in our project courses.

The entire application process is managed by our “THWS International Team” in Würzburg! All further details on the application process as well as information on dates and deadlines for incoming students can be found here:

https://international.thws.de/thws-international/wege-an-die-thws/https://international.thws.de/fhws-international/wege-an-die-fhws/

Information about our degree programs here:
https://fg.thws.de/downloads/bereiche/information-for-incoming-students/

Semester abroad

Outgoing – General information

During your studies at the Faculty of Design Würzburg, you have the opportunity to study abroad for a semester . The faculty has partner universities worldwide where you can spend a semester abroad. The practical semester can also be used for a stay abroad.

Reasons for a semester abroad

Increasing globalization requires students to be able to move and work successfully in an international environment. Stays abroad increase your chances on the job market.

In addition to the direct professional contexts and associated opportunities of a stay abroad, the personal experiences are also important: getting to know new cultures, intercultural incentives and challenges, ways of studying and training in other countries, priorities and meanings of lifestyles, as well as increasing self-confidence ‘alone abroad’.

By spending time in a foreign country, you will also acquire key qualifications such as language and country knowledge and, ideally, you will be able to supplement your professional skills and broaden your (creative) horizons.

Of course, studying abroad cannot correspond 1:1 with the ‘plan’ at the Faculty of Design. There will be language barriers, different approaches, delays due to formalities in the first few weeks. So plan early and precisely.

To ensure that as many expectations of a stay abroad as possible are fulfilled and that the opportunities they offer are possible, it is essential that you take note of important information in advance: Become active yourself, take action, choose your university carefully, observe deadlines and requirements, make contact, a lot of personal initiative is required.

Information / Procedure & Planning / Tips

A semester abroad is deemed to have taken place if you have completed coursework abroad over a continuous period of at least three months and this has been recognized by the examination board.

As a rule, the coursework is completed at a partner university. At some of these, studying abroad is only possible from the 5th semester onwards.

Good advice and tips

Before you apply, take a look at the reports of fellow students who have already been abroad. Talk to the student so that you can obtain experience and detailed information, weigh up the pros and cons or change and improve your plans.
The experience reports can be requested from the International Affairs Officer Marcus Kaiser.

Procedure

Formal application – first step

Please submit your internal application, together with the completed declaration of acceptance and a portfolio (PDF/no larger than 20 MB) to the International Coordinators.

For the following winter semester by 8 January (cut-off deadline) and for the following summer semester by 18 June(cut-off deadline)!

Selection criteria: The allocation of study places at the partner universities is based on the following selection criteria. These criteria are also used for selection for Erasmus+ funding:

1. professional competences with regard to the focus and profile of the selected university: proven by submitting a portfolio of your creative work.
2. academic achievements: Proven by submitting a current transcript of grades.
3. personal motivation, other competences and personal commitment to the university and society: Proven by your letter of motivation and, if applicable, further evidence (especially language skills).

After you have been nominated by the faculty, you will receive the signed declaration of acceptance by email.

The rest of the application process will then be handled by the THWS-International service:
https://international.thws.de/thws-international/wege-ins-ausland/auslandsstudium/

You should then apply directly via MoveON with your declaration of acceptance and follow these checklists:

Checklist EU semester abroad

Non-EU semester abroad checklist

Observe deadlines!

Information link on requirements, opportunities and partners

Information on application requirements, funding opportunities and contacts for studying abroad or doing an internship abroad can be found on the THWS International website:

https://international.thws.de/

If you are interested in universities that are not partner universities of the Faculty of Design, you must contact the university of your choice yourself; please be sure to send a ‘cc’ to the international representatives! They can then support the application process.

Please note

It is not possible to convert a semester abroad into a semester of leave at a later date!

Credit for work completed abroad is only recognised in the following semester, i.e. the report and application for recognition must be submitted immediately upon return .

Recognition of the semester abroad

At least 15 ECTS (converted according to the semester maximum at the THWS with 30 ECTS per semester) must be brought along from the semester abroad, otherwise no credits can be recognised.

Up to 30 ECTS can be recognised from a semester abroad (converted according to the semester maximum at THWS with 30 ECTS per semester), but a maximum of 18 ECTS from project courses, minus courses/points/achievements from higher semesters already completed at THWS in advance.

The student must submit an application to the Examination Board of the Faculty of Design in writing, personally signed and with all necessary documents and grade lists from abroad, proposing the desired courses for recognition.

Another prerequisite for recognition is the submission of a written report on the semester abroad, including photos and a reflection of at least three DIN A4 pages, to the examination board and the international representatives (PDF). The report will be posted on the intranet for the information of all fellow students.

Partner