Outgoings

As part of the Bachelor's program at the Institute for Insurance Studies, you have the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at an international university.

Within the framework of the Master's program, there is the possibility of doing an international internship or a language course abroad (of course, this is also possible within the Bachelor's program). For the "Risk and Insurance" Master's program, proof of an internship abroad or a study stay abroad of at least 2 months must be provided during the course of the program.

Students at the Institute for Insurance Studies gain work experience abroad in the form of internships, study at our Partner Universities or look for a place to study on their own initiative.

The semester abroad as part of the Bachelor's program is usually completed in the 5th semester from September to December.

Students in the dual studies program can - after consultation with their employer - plan a semester abroad immediately after the end of the 5th semester from mid-January to mid-May.

Internships and language courses can be planned flexibly during the semester break.

When choosing a host country or an appropriate program, it is a good idea to find out the language requirements at an early stage. In some cases, basic knowledge may be sufficient, in other cases, proof of language proficiency may be required. In general, however, you can assume that most of our partner universities with English courses expect a level of B1/B2 (European Framework of Reference for Languages).

The professors search with the students for solutions for the recognition of individual credits and grades, but not all credits and grades are recognised. The recognition of credits grades in functional subjects tends to be easier than in the insurance specific classes. It is also possible to have a credit earned abroad recognised for the seminar on management theory. In any case, the student must consult the professor in good time; the choice of suitable lectures at the partner university is a prerequisite for the recognition of credits and grades.

The costs depend strongly on the chosen location of study. As part of the Erasmus+ exchange, our partner universities waive tuition fees for students. Costs for travel, accommodation, living expenses, specialist literature, etc. are to be borne by the participant - for Ireland, for example, total costs of up to EUR 5,000 for 4 months are realistic. About one third of these costs can be financed by the Erasmus+ grant. In addition, there is the possibility of applying for the German government funded “Auslands-BAföG” (the hurdles are lower than with regular BAföG) or a financing via PROMOS. More details can be found under the following link https://www.th-koeln.de/internationales/stipendien_5395.php.

The Institute for Insurance Studies only has a limited number of Erasmus+-funded study places at partner universities abroad. A selection process for these places takes place once a year. Students must apply for one of the places at our partner universities by the beginning of their 4th semester at the latest. The application form can be accessed via the link below. The Institute's Coordinator for International Affairs will be happy to advise you in advance of your application.

Prerequisites for a successful application are:

• Proof of sufficient language skills at the level of B1/B2 (European Framework of Reference for Languages and Literatures).
• A regular study progress of 90 ECTS credits at the end of the 3rd semester
• A good grade average

If you are unsure whether you meet the criteria to a sufficient extent, the Institute's International Coordinator will be happy to advise you.