FAQ about university partnerships
What costs do I have to pay myself?
As part of the university partnerships, tuition fees at the partner universities are waived. Students must pay all others costs (flights, housing, liiving expenses, etc.). You can find information about the cost of living in various countries on the DAAD website.
To finance your studies at the partner university, you may also apply for various scholarships or for funding from the German government’s “Auslands-BAföG” program. (Link to financial assistance page).
Are there any subject-related restrictions at the partner universities?
In most cases, candidates can apply for all subjects available at the partner universities. Interested students can obtain information about the relevant offerings on the universities’ websites.
The following universities have restrictions:
- US partner institutions: all subjects except for law studies
- Duke University (US): the student exchange agreement only applies to the Duke Graduate School
Can I also apply for the summer semester?
There is only one application deadline for the entire year for each specific country or group of countries. You can apply for one or two semesters. The application deadlines are based on each country’s academic year.
Can I apply to different countries at the same time?
Yes, you can apply on any of the two application deadlines for all countries indicated (Dec 1: USA, Canada, Georgia, Israel, Palestine, South Korea; Jun 1: Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico, Australia).
Note: Please note that you must submit a separate application per country group. These groups consist of: 1. USA and Canada, 2. Israel and Palestine, 3. Latin America, 4. Georgia, 5. Australia, 6. South Korea.
Example: You want to apply for two universities in the USA, but also for one university in Israel. In this case you submit one application for the USA and a separate application for Israel.
Can I apply to different partner universities at the same time?
Yes, you can apply to a total of three universities in one country or group of countries at the same time. Only one application is necessary per group of country.
Do I need to write a statement of purpose for each university I would like to attend?
No, as far as the internal application process goes, one statement of purpose suffices for all three universities. However, you can go into greater detail in the statement of purpose for your top pick.
What should I include in the statement of purpose and and how long should it be?
The statement of purpose describes your reasons for applying for the specific country and the particular university/universities, as well as your goals during your stay abroad and the ways the stay will benefit you personally and academically. The document should be one to two pages long.
Who should write the letter of recommendation and what information should it contain?
The letter of recommendation should be written by a university lecturer (it does not necessarily have to be a professor). If possible, it shouldn’t be written by a language teacher.
The letter is above all a professional assessment. It should thus describe specialized qualifications, but also include a general evaluation of the student.
It should answer the following questions:
- How long has the writer known you and in what context?
- What is his or her assessment of your previous academic performance?
- What is his or her assessment of your study plans broad?
- What is his or her general impression of you (both academically and personally)?
What criteria are used to select students?
The following criteria form the basis of the selection:
- Subject-related expertise / academic performance
- Structure and plausibility of your study plans abroad
- Description of your reasons for selecting the host institution and country
- Knowledge of the host country
- Ideal fit between your study plans and the focuses of the selected university
- Language skills
Which language certificates are accepted?
The following language certificates are accepted for the application:
- DAAD certificate
- UNIcert certificate
- TOEFL
- IELTS
- Cambridge Certificate
If you have another language certificate, please contact the International Office to find out whether it is accepted. If at the time of application you are attending a UNIcert language course offered by Zessko at the University of Potsdam, you can submit an excerpt from the PULS course overview if participation in a corresponding UNIcert course is noted. Alternatively, you can ask your Zessko teacher to send a certificate of attendance to the International Office (insert e-mail address!).
If you are majoring in the language of your destination country, you can ask your department to confirm your current language proficiency level.
Can I take a leave of absence for the semester abroad?
Yes, you can take a leave of absence and, despite your semester on leave, get credit for your courses abroad. You must apply for a leave of absence in the re-registration period (June 15–July 15 for the winter semester and January 15–February 15 for the summer semester).
Information on applying for a leave of absence for a stay abroad is available here.
Does the University of Potsdam give credit for courses abroad?
Yes, you can get credit for courses taken abroad. An agreement must be reached with the Examination Board before your stay abroad.