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IO International Office
Last modified: Wednesday, 10 July 2024, 3:16 PM
International Office at klu
Our International Office is the contact point for everybody who is seeking information on KLU's exchange programs. We maintain a network with our partner universities and whether you are a KLU student, an incoming student from our partner network or a free mover, we have all the details you’ll require for your semester abroad. KLU was awarded the Erasmus University Charter of the European Union and participates in the ERASMUS+ program, which facilitates the exchange of students and staff in Europe.
Exchange programs at KLU
Here at KLU you have the free choice on how to spend your semester abroad. Either at a partner university within the European Union and the Erasmus+ exchange program or on one of our partner universities worldwide. And if you still haven't found what you're looking for: we will support you, if you want to do a Freemover mobility at any other university.
Erasmus+
The Erasmus+ program offers students the opportunity to study at a partner university during an exchange semester, short program or to complete an internship at an institution in one of the 33 member states.
It provides grants to help cover travel and living costs and additional funding for students with fewer opportunities or who choose a sustainable travel, providing opportunities to experience different cultures, improve language skills, and gain a global perspective.
The program aims to enhance personal development, academic performance, and employability by fostering international experience and intercultural understanding.
Currently KLU fosters the Erasmus+ exchange for bachelor and master students as well as PhDs.
Country Group 1 - 600 € per month
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Sweden
Country Group 2 & 3 - 540 € per month
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, North Macedonia, Turkey
Social Top-Up for students with fewer opportunities - 250€ per month
Working students, first-time academics, students with child, disability or chronic illness
Green Travel Top-Up -based on country of destination
for more info check out the Erasmus+ section
Receiving the Erasmus grant also comes with some duties students have to fulfill. This mainly means preparing and handing in important documents on time, such as the Digital Learning Agreement, the Honorary declaration on Top-Ups (if applicable), the signed Grant Agreement, the Copy of the Transcript of Records and the Confirmation of Stay and the online reports.
NON-EU
- General information
- PROMOS scholarship
- PROMOS selection criteria
- PROMOS necessary documents
- PROMOS dates
Studying abroad in a non-EU country allows students to experience academic life and culture outside of Europe. It offers opportunities for personal growth, gaining international experience, and learning about different educational systems.
Promos is a performance-based scholarship program designated to promote student mobility. Every year KLU awards the scholarship to 3-4 students in total.
The program aims to provide financial support to students whose destinations are ineligible for funding from one of the structured DAAD programs (Erasmus+) granting the opportunity of a stay abroad at a NON-EU country.
Scholarship holders receive a one-time payment, depending on the country of destination.
Interested students need a minimum GPA of 2.3 or better to be eligible and must prove their English language proficiency with an official certificate (even when studying in another language).
The individual criteria are weighted as follows:
1. Excellent academic achievements (GPA 2,3 or higher) 50%
2. Persuasive and realistic motivational video 30%
3. Expertise in teaching language 10%
4. Volunteering experience during studies 10%
Upon your return, you must upload the following documents to the portal right away without being prompted:
• Official Certificate of Stay from your host institution confirming the exact dates of your stay
• Proof of your coursework, such as a transcript of records or an internship certificate
• Experience report written by you
After submitting the documents listed above, you can request a PROMOS scholarship certificate.
Bachelor students
Info Mail: beginning of November
application deadline: beginning of December
Scholarship awarded: mid-December
Master students
Info Mail: beginning of April
application deadline: beginning of May
Scholarship awarded: mid May
Freemover
Freemover mobility allows students to pursue an international academic experience independently, outside of formal exchange programs. As a freemover, you can attend non-partner universities worldwide, selecting a destination that best fits your academic and career goals. Apply directly for an exchange place at a university of your choice, taking into account that you will need to pay the tuition fees required by the host institution. Be sure to submit essential documents, such as your study plan, to KLU for approval. When choosing a freemover mobility, you still internally apply to one of our exchange spots at partner universities; however, priority will be given to students in formal exchange programs. The International Office highly recommends scheduling a personal meeting with us to receive tailored guidance and ensure a smooth process. You may apply for the PROMOS scholarship.
There are several portals that may help you find a suitable spot abroad. The suggestions listed below are reliable sources that the International Office has worked with before.
Please keep in mind that KLU does not take any responsibility for the partner universities these portals collaborate with.
Always contact us first before arranging anything on your own!
Exchange period and recognition
Bachelor Standard Track
The mandatory semester abroad for Bachelor students at KLU takes place in their fourth semester.
Students of the standard track are required to gain 18 ECTS during their semester abroad - consisting of 12 ECTS in relevant fields and 6 ECTS in general studies. ECTS earned for language and culture courses will not be transferred.
The grades of your semester abroad will not count to your GPA - only pass/fail.
Bachelor Intensive Track
The mandatory semester abroad for Bachelor students at KLU takes place in their fourth semester.
Students of the intensive track are required to gain 24 ECTS during their semester abroad - consisting of 18 ECTS in relevant fields and 6 ECTS in general studies. ECTS earned for language and culture courses will not be transferred.
The grades of your semester abroad will not count to your GPA - only pass/fail.
Master Standard Track
Master students should check their Certificate of admission to identify whether they have a mandatory semester abroad. The third semester is reserved for the semester abroad.
As a key rule: If you haven’t been abroad before for at least one semester or your first degree is from Germany, a semester abroad is mandatory. Regardless of your nationality.
Students are required to gain 20 ECTS during their semester abroad. ECTS earned for language and culture courses will not be transferred.
MSc IMGT & MSc BADS:
15 ECTS will be graded, 5 ECTS will be transfered as pass/fail.
Partner universities
Studying at a partner university offers KLU students an enriching, globally connected academic experience. Through a network of over 60 partner institutions worldwide, KLU provides unique opportunities for students to participate in international exchanges. At these partner universities, students enjoy a variety of courses that align with KLU’s academic standards—all without paying additional tuition fees at the host institution. Additionally, since KLU uses the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), all credits earned abroad are fully transferable, ensuring a seamless integration of these experiences into students’ academic paths.
However, spaces at partner universities are limited, so it's essential to stay updated on available spots, which are shared in the Info Session presentation linked below or found on the Partner University page here on Moodle.
For a deeper look at each partner university, visit this Partner University page, explore experience reports on Mobility Online, or reach out to us directly.
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72Partner Universities worldwide
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35Partner Universities within Europe
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37Partner Universitites outside of Europe
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60Outgoing student mobilities per year
Selecting your host university
Choosing the right university for your semester abroad is a key step in creating a meaningful and enriching international experience. When selecting a host university, consider factors such as academic offerings, campus culture, and location. Think about which institutions provide courses that align with your academic and career goals, and look into the university’s reputation and teaching style. Cultural fit is also important—some students thrive in a bustling city environment, while others prefer a quieter campus setting. Additionally, be mindful of language requirements, costs, and support services for international students. Taking time to carefully evaluate your options will help ensure you make the most of your semester abroad. Below we stated some key questions you should answer for yourself to determine the best location for your semester abroad.
Location
What country or area of the world has always sparked your interest?
Which is close to your internship destination? Do you want to be in a big city, a university town, or a small town? Does campus size matter to you?
Language
Do you want to study exclusively in English or make use of the opportunity to
study, at least partly, in another language?
Costs
What is the cost of living? Does it fit your budget?
Academic benefits
What are your academic goals for an exchange?
Would studying in a specific location benefit your degree?
Would studying at a specific university benefit your degree? How does the semester dates align with your plan for the internship period?
Personal benefits
What are your personal goals for an exchange?
What do you want to get out of the experience?
Which culture and what kind of social life do you want to take part during your
semester abroad?
Which extracurricular activities do you want to have?
Application process
1
Internal Application at KLU
via Mobility Online
You will receive the application link via email on January 29, 2026.
The application must be submitted electronically through Mobility Online, where you will need to provide the following information:
- Personal data
- Choice of three partner universities, ranked by priority from 1st to 3rd
- Motivation video, max 3 minutes (you lose points if its longer)
- Social engagement (if applicable)
Additionally, you must include proof of language skills if you plan to study in a language other than English. This can be provided through a recognized language test, language school certification, or a university teacher’s endorsement.
You can reach the application portal via this link.
19th February 2026, 11:59 pm
If you miss the deadline, your application will be processed last, regardless of your grades and motivation video.
The International Office evaluates the applications, based on the average grade and the motivation video.
For this a maximum of 50 points can be achieved with max. 40 points for your average grade and 10 points for the motivation video.
You can find the overview for the GPA scoring in the Info session presentation below, as well as the criteria for the video. Given that students reach the same number of points, the student with the higher average grade is rated better.
The International Office strongly advices to talk about all three choices, otherwise you will lose points. The use of AI is prohibited and will result in 0 points.
Students will be informed about the results of the selection process in early march via e-mail.
After the application period has ended, each individual application will be reviewed by a committee of International Office staff members based on the previously mentioned criteria. This evaluation, along with the available exchange spots, determines which preferences students will be assigned to.
At the end of February/beginning of March, we will send out emails with information about the allocation and inform you about which of your three choices you have received a spot for.
As part of this process, we will also assign you to the respective exchange programs, Erasmus+ or NON-EU.
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Nomination to Partner University
Box content here.
After a successful application and allocation, the next step is for us to nominate you at the respective host university.
The nomination period for Master students begins around April.
Bachelor students will be nominated by us approximately between September and November.
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Application at Host University
Box content here.
Within reasonable time after your nomination, the inbound exchange coordinator of your host university will contact you with the necessary paperwork. They will inform you on how to proceed with the application, the visa process, the housing and everything else you need to know.
Keep yourself posted on the exchange program (housing, visa, etc.) on the homepage of the respective partner university as well as the courses.
Please read all the information carefully and pay attention to any deadlines. Only after successfully applying to the host institution (and, if applicable, receiving a Letter of Acceptance) you be officially considered accepted. This is your responsibility.
Mobility process
Students can access our Mobility Online platform via this link to manage their workflow and all upcoming steps.
Before the mobility
Letter of Acceptance
(not mandatory)
Course Choice & Learning Agreement
(mandatory for ALL)
Erasmus Application
(if applicable)
PROMOS Application
(if applicable)
Preparation of Stay
- Course Choice & Learning Agreement
- Erasmus+ Application
- PROMOS Application
- Preparation of Stay
- Housing info
An important part of your semester abroad is your Learning Agreement. It is an agreement between KLU, the student, and the host university, ensuring that the selected courses will be recognized by your home institution. We can only guarantee the recognition of your chosen courses if we receive the Learning Agreement on time.
It is recommended to start selecting courses at the host university early and to involve the International Office in this process to ensure that no courses are chosen that cannot be recognized. The general rule is that courses that are identical to KLU courses cannot be taken.
You can create your Learning Agreement in the Mobility Online workflow. Soon, you will also find a corresponding guide here for Erasmus and NON-EU students.
As not all partner universities use the ECTS system for credit points, you can lookup the conversion in our Credit Conversion table via this link or in the documents below.
We tried to make it as simple as possible for you - choose your host university on the start page, enter the credits you need to convert and boom you get the result as well as the conversion rate. ?
Note: Course selection at the host university does not usually replace the Learning Agreement.
Students who spend their semester abroad at a partner university within the EU are automatically assigned to the Erasmus+ program after their allocation. After allocation, there are further steps in the workflow in Mobility Online that must be completed before we can award the Erasmus+ scholarship. These include, for example, information on the possible eligibility for top-ups, the digital Learning Agreement or the signed Grant Agreement.
Students assigned to the NON-EU exchange track will receive information on the PROMOS scholarship via mail.
If needed: inform yourself at the embassy of your country of origin about the visa requirements. Also check on information with respect to funding and, if applicable, vaccination.
Flights, Visa, Insurances, additional fundings are your own responsibility.
Housing can be challenging, depending on your host city. Start your search as early as possible and get in touch with your coordinator at the host university.
Here is a valid source for studies within Europe.
If you would like to rent out your apartment to an incoming student while you are abroad, please contact Student Services. It will help us a lot, thank you!
During the mobility
Welcome at the host university
Many of our partner universities have some kind of Welcome Week before the start of the actual lecture period. Make sure to participate and get to know the universitiy, the surroundings and your future classmates.
Changes to the Learning Agreement
Within the first weeks of your arrival you have the opportunity to make changes to your Learning Agreement.
Enjoy your stay
Box content here.
Confirmation of Stay
Make sure you download the Confirmation of Stay template from Mobility Online and get it signed within 5 days prior to your departure.
Many of our partner universities have some kind of Welcome period before the start of the actual lecture period. Make sure to participate and get to know the university, the surroundings and your future classmates and get all the important information you may need for the next months.
In the first few weeks at the host university, you usually have the possibility to make changes to your Learning Agreement. This may be necessary, for example, if a course is no longer available or offered in a different language than expected.
You can enter these changes in your workflow in Mobility Online. A guide for this will be available here soon.
In your Mobility Online workflow, you will find the Confirmation of Stay template, which you should have signed by the International Office of your host university shortly before your departure. Whether it is signed digitally or traditionally is not important to us.
After the mobility
Experience report
To get a good insight into the experiences of our students stay abroad and their time at the host university we ask all of you to write an experience report. The best way is to do it soon after your arrival back in Hamburg when the memories are still fresh.
Confirmation of Stay
You can upload the Confirmation of Stay into Mobility Online.
Transcript of Records
You can upload the Transcript of Records into Mobility Online. A scan or digital version is accepted.
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You've done it!
Make sure you download the Confirmation of Stay template from Mobility Online and get it signed within 5 days prior to your departure.
As you complete your time abroad, we kindly ask you to submit a student report to KLU. This report is an important way to document your international experience and offers valuable insights for both the university and future students.
If you received funding through an EU program, you will also need to complete and submit the EU participant report and notify us about this in Mobility Online. This step is essential to fulfilling the program’s requirements and ensuring continued support for future participants.
Both reports should reflect on your academic journey, personal growth, and any challenges or achievements you encountered during your time abroad. Your experiences will help improve the program and guide future students as they prepare for their own international adventures.
To ensure a smooth process, please submit both reports comprehensively and in a timely manner after your return as all the memories and impressions are still fresh. Your feedback is truly appreciated and contributes to the continued success of our exchange programs.
Note: we can only enter your grades into CAS, after we have received the report(s), your Transcript and the Confirmation of stay.
You can upload the Confirmation of stay into your workflow in Mobility Online.
Note: we can only enter your grades into CAS, after we have received the report(s), your Transcript and the Confirmation of stay.
As soon as you receive your Transcript of Records, please upload it to your Mobility Online workflow. We will then proceed with the grade conversion as soon as all necessary requirements are met and update your records accordingly.
The grade conversion is based on the official Grade Conversion Scheme, which you can find via this link or in the documents below.
Note: we can only enter your grades into CAS, after we have received the report(s), your Transcript and the Confirmation of stay.
Short Programs
Short-term academic programs, such as summer schools, exchange initiatives, and winter intensives, offer students unique opportunities to expand their knowledge and gain international experience. Hosted by partner universities worldwide, these programs are designed to enrich students' academic and cultural perspectives. Short term programs at universities within the EU member states that combine physical mobility with a virtual component may be available for Erasmus funding.
EM Strasbourg | Summer School
Strasbourg
FGV Sao Paulo School of Business Administration | Doing Business in Brazil
Sao Paulo
UADE Universidad Argentina de la Empresa | Digital Marketing & Communications
Buenos Aires
Audencia | Summer Term
Nantes
MCI | Summer Program
Innsbruck
Summer School French Language and Culture
Toulouse
BUEB | Intensive Week
Budapest
KEDGE | International Summer School
Marseille & Paris
WU Wien | International Summer University
Vienna
Important documents & presentations
For BSc Students
For MSc Students
Credit Conversion Scheme
Grade Conversion Scheme
FAQs
There are three different ways to go abroad: Erasmus+, Non-Erasmus, and Free mover.
Erasmus+: You may attend classes and take examinations at the KLU´s partner universities affiliated with the European Union “Erasmus+ mobility” program which includes most (not all!) of our European partner universities. Each student receives a monthly grant and is required by the EU to do some specific paperwork such as an online linguistic assessment and online report. You can learn more about the program on our Erasmus+ Moodle page.
Non-Erasmus: While you remain a matriculated student at KLU, you may also spend a semester studying at a university outside of Europe linked to KLU through a bilateral partnership agreement. For some of the non-EU partners, different funding options are available.
Free Mover: Where no agreement is in place, you may seek information about a university of your choice and contact it directly. Remember to inform KLU´s International Office about each step you take and respect the specific KLU deadlines that apply. In addition to the KLU tuition fee you also pay the host universities tuition fee.
KLU offers the performance-based PROMOS scholarship for students who want to spend their semester abroad at a partner university outside of europe.
Additionally there are different scholarship databases you can search for funding options like the DAAD database or the GOSTRALIA GOMERICA database. Unfortunately the International Office can't support you by finding an external funding option.
As the visa processes and requirements differ immensely from one country to another and we are not working together with any embassy, you must take care of the visa process yourself. However, we will provide you with a letter stating that you will spend your semester abroad at a partner university that will be useful for the visa process.
Your International Office team
You are welcome to reach out to the International Office at any time by sending an email to exchange@klu.org. Our team is always available to assist you with your queries and provide the support you need.
Additionally, you can visit us in person at the Student Info Point. The times for our in-person consultations are listed in the table below.
If these times are not convenient for you, we encourage you to make an appointment with us. This will ensure that we can dedicate sufficient time to address your problems and questions and provide personalized assistance.
Friederike Bölle-Kutscher
Head of International Office
