Academic Exchange students attend a lecture in at the University of Rostock in Germany prior to March 2020. An immersive experience An academic exchange is like Study Abroad, but at the whole next level. You assimilate into everyday student life at the partner university for a whole semester as part of the native student cohort, rather than a visiting group. Meals and outside travel are quite affordable. Our Partner Universities A new academic exchange in the vibrant city of Munich is generously funded and is geared to students of German and the arts or natural sciences. Students will study at one of the oldest universities in the world, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, founded in 1472. Generous new funding from a donor has created scholarships ranging from $4,000-$8,000. Students with an arts or art history focus especially are encouraged to apply for The Lewis Award. The University of Georgia offers undergraduate students the opportunity to study in Heidelberg or Zurich for one or two semesters. Opportunities at Rostock, Erlangen, and Bamberg exist as well, although graduate students are preferred for these programs. Information about these exchanges is linked in the Sidebar. Length of the exchange The academic year in Germany and Switzerland consists of the Wintersemester, from October to February, and Sommersemester, from April to July. For this reason, students wishing to go for one semester should apply for the "summer" term (our spring term). Cost Students pay tuition and fees administered through UGA's Office of Global Engagement (OGE) as an outgoing exchange student. You may use the HOPE scholarship or any other financial aid for which you are eligible. However, HOPE might not cover the entire tuition when you are studying abroad. OGE will advise you on this. Typically, the preparatory language course prior to the semester is paid for by the foreign institution. You are responsible for your own airfare to Germany or Switzerland. You may have to purchase student health insurance at the foreign institution, which are quite affordable and offer major medical. You don't need to purchase such a plan if you can provide proof of U.S. health insurance which covers you abroad. Meals at the student cafeterias (Mensa) are inexpensive. Public transportation within the city limits or within the federal state is also very affordable. Student housing is also quite reasonable (in comparison to typical costs in the US). Scholarships and Financial Aid German majors are strongly encouraged to apply for the departmental Kicklighter Travel Grant in February, as well as The Lewis Award if applying for the Munich Exchange. Our partner universities offer scholarships that cover some living expenses abroad (and which sometimes may be in the form of work-study arrangements). The number of scholarships is limited, which could mean that you may be admitted by the foreign institution but still not receive any monetary support. So far, the scholarships amounts were at least 400 Euro/month (or 4000 Euro for two semesters) or 500 Francs (5000 Francs total) in the case of Zurich university. Also consult UGA's Office of Global Engagement or search online for additional sources of funding. Eligibility Students must be in their 3rd year by the time of the exchange Minimum GPA of 2.5 Minimum language requirement: GRMN 3010/3015 or equivalent by the time of departure for all but Munich. No minimum language requirement for the Munich exchange. Contact You can contact Dr. Alex Sager, the UGA Study Abroad Coordinator, with questions. Dr. Sager can help you select the best program for you and discuss all your options, such as internships, exchanges and scholarships.
