Application and Preparation for your Stay in Tübingen

Applying is easy! Just follow these steps:

1. Check if the University of Tübingen is a partner university of your home university:
   • In Europe: your faculty needs to have a valid Erasmus agreement with the faculty in Tübingen or your university needs to be a CIVIS partner
   • Outside of Europe: your institution needs to have a valid exchange agreement with the University of Tübingen.
      
2. Check the course options as well as the language requirements below to see if you fulfill the necessary prerequisites to come to Tübingen as an exchange student
    
3. Contact the International Office at your home university. Your home university needs to nominate you during the nomination period via our online portal. The link to the online portal will be provided by us to all partner universities.
    
4. After your nomination has been accepted by us, you will receive an e-mail with the link for the online application portal. Then you need to complete your application online during the application period:
   • Application period for the Winter Semester 2023/24:
     April 1 to May 31, 2023 (nomination period ends on May 15, 2023)
   • Application period for the Summer Semester 2024:
     October 1 to November 30, 2023  (nomination period ends on November 15, 2023)
      
5. Fill out the online application and upload the following supporting documents: Scan of passport /ID card and Passport style photograph; it will be used for your student ID. Please do not upload a photo of your passport (!) Depending on what they wish to study, we require additional application materials:
   • Students who wish to study at the Faculty of Science (= Natural Sciences) or the Faculty of Medicine:
     • Transcript of Records
     • as well as a Learning Agreement (Erasmus / CIVIS) or Study Plan (Overseas) with the courses you want to attend. The Learning Agreement or Study Plan needs to be confirmed by your academic advisor by means of a signature, the Learning Agreement also needs your signature and the one of your home university. Once you have the applicable signature(s), the Learning Agrement / Study plan should be uploaded as part of the application process.
        
     • Students who wish to study at the Faculty of Medicine:
       • Proof of Measles Immunization Status
          
     • Students wishing to study Law or Ethnology on B. A. level: Proof of sufficient German language skills (at least B1-B2). 
        
6. Once we have received your complete application, we will check and process your application. After that you will receive the official letter of admission which can be downloaded in our database.
    
7. Apply for accomodation at a student dormitory (see below under "Accommodation"). You can start an application at the same time as you apply for your exchange at the University of Tübingen. To complete your dormitory application, hand in a copy of your official letter of admission after you have received it.
    
8. If you would like to improve your German before the beginning of the semester, you can apply for a place in one of the intensive preparation classes offered for exchange students at the Section for German as a Foreign Language and Intercultural Programs.
    
9. Check out courses in your field of studies and German classes you would like to register for as soon as you have arrived in Tübingen.

Recommended language skills: You should have a B2 level in the language of instruction of your classes (German or English). The level refers to the ‘Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)'. At least a B1 level in the language of instruction is mandatory for admission. Even if you attend only English taught courses, we recommend a basic knowledge of German for everyday life. You generally do not need to submit language certificates with your application - however, there are 3 exceptions:

• Law: you have to prove German language skills on B1-B2 level
• Ethnology on B. A. level: you have to prove German language skills on B1-B2 level
• Biology on B. Sc. level: if your are a student from an overseas partner university, you have to prove German language skills on B1-B2 level (no language proof needed for Erasmus or CIVS students)

The Department of German as a Foreign Language offers intensive preparatory courses before the semester begins. Also during the semester there is a wide range of courses on different language levels, usually starting from A2.

• The Department for German as a Foreign Language offers intensive preparatory courses before the beginning of term
• During term a great variety of courses are offered at different levels.

Student Dormitories

We recommend all exchange students to consider living in the student dormitories as their first option. The private housing market in Tübingen is not only wildly expensive. It is also highly competitive and it is very difficult to rent a room for a limited time, i.e. one or two semesters. Living in the student dormitories is a convenient cheap housing option. Also, all rooms for exchange students are single rooms with shared kitchen and usually shared bathrooms, and fully furnished.

The dormitories are administered by the Studierendenwerk Tübingen (Student Services Organization which is not affiliated with the University). Since the University does not own the dormitories, we cannot guarantee any rooms for exchange students. If, however, you apply in time for a room in the dormitories, the chances are relatively high that you will receive a spot in one of the dorms.

For an overview of the dormitories please see here.

Contracts will be available for the duration of the whole semester only (September to February and March to July/August). Monthly rents are between 230 and 350 Euros. There is a deposit of 600 Euros due upon arrival.

You can apply for a contingent room directly on the website of the 'Studierendenwerk'. This is also possible if you have not yet received a letter of admission. You can submit the letter od admission after you have been admitted. To apply online for a room in the student dormitories, please click here. 

The application deadlines are as follows: 

•    deadline for the winter semester: May 31
•    deadline for the summer semester: December 31

After these dates, we will inform the housing administration about the exchange students who need a room. Of course, you can also apply for a room at the Studierendenwerk after these dates. However, the chances with a late application are not as high as with a timely application.

If you have not received a room in the dormitories until 6 - 8 weeks before the lecture periods starts, please contact our housing team for support to find a room on the private housing market.

Private Housing Market

Since the private housing market in Tübingen is very tight and living in Tübingen is expensive, we generally recommend international exchange students to apply for a dormitory room. If you, however, do not a receive a room in the official dormitories or do not like to stay in the dormitories, you need to look for a room on the private housing market: Please contact our housing team for support and advice at housingspam prevention@zv.uni-tuebingen.de and have a look on their website.

Attention: On popular online housing platforms like www.wg-gesucht.de, www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de etc the number of scam offers is increasing. Please, never transfer money in advance and do not send scans of your ID cards if this is requested of you. Some offers are too good to be true!

If you are unsure about a room offer, please contact housingspam prevention@zv.uni-tuebingen.de: The housing team will help you to check suspicious offers. You can find more information about scam offers and fake ads here.

Visa exemption:

1. Students from the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland only need a valid identity card or comparable proof of identity to enter Germany. No visa is required.
    
2. Citizens of the following countries can enter Germany without a visa and apply for a residence permit for study purposes within 90 days after entering the EU in Tübingen:

• Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
   
• after your arrival you apply for the residence title at the Foreigner's Office of the City of Tübingen: Point 5 of the "Next Steps" after your arrival.

Visa requirement

All other nationalities must apply for a student visa prior to entry. Do not enter the country with a tourist visa under any circumstances!

More information about this can be found on the DAAD website.