Foreign nationals with a German university entrance qualification are admitted in the same way as German nationals.

German nationals with foreign certificates cannot apply until the certificate has been recognised as a higher education entrance qualification by:

Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart
Abteilung 7 Schule und Bildung
Postfach 10 36 42
70031 Stuttgart
Telephone +49 711 904-17170
www.rp-stuttgart.de

Foreign applicants with foreign certificates and stateless applicants must first submit a study application to:

HTWG Konstanz
Studienkolleg
Alfred-Wachtel-Straße 8
78462 Konstanz
Germany
External link opens in a new window:www.studienkolleg.htwg-konstanz.de

The Center for International Students of the Universities of Applied Sciences in Baden-Württemberg (Studienkolleg) will decide whether an assessment test or a German language proficiency test (DSH) must be taken or whether a direct university entrance qualification can be issued.

https://www.htwg-konstanz.de/en/academics/center-for-international-students-konstanz/recognition-of-certificates/procedure

Please allow processing time for the certificate recognition.

After certificate recognition, please also apply via the central application platform External link opens in a new window:www.hochschulstart.de

At HFU, we offer study programmes in both German and English. Our bachelor's programmes last seven semesters, our master's programmes three semesters. All bachelor's programmes and most master's programmes are free of tuition fees.
However, those who come to Baden-Württemberg from outside the EU for a full degree course are charged tuition fees of €1500 per semester. Internal link opens in the same window:More information on tuition fees for non-EU citizens and exemption regulations

Information about financial aid and scholarships can be found on our page Internal link opens in the same window:Study Planing.

If you are interested in completing your entire degree at HFU and want to improve your German skills, we offer HFU Prep, a preparatory semester that allows you to perfect your language skills before starting your actual studies.

Nomination:

If you wish to come to HFU as an exchange student from one of our partner universities, you must be nominated by your home university via email. The nomination deadlines are as follows: October 15th for an exchange semester in the summer semester, and April 15th for an exchange semester in the winter semester.

Application:

For your application, you must prove your language proficiency (German or English, depending on the study program): at least Level B1 CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). You will also need: your transcript, a motivation letter, a CV, proof of language proficiency, and a passport photo. The application deadlines are November 1st for the summer semester and May 1st for the winter semester.
Go to our application portal

Course Selection:

The normal workload is 30 ECTS per semester. 1 ECTS equals approximately 30 hours of work per semester (including lectures, preparation, and follow-up). The duration of one weekly contact hour (SWS) is 45 minutes. Guest students at the Furtwangen campus usually take courses from our International Semester - a cross-faculty selection of courses taught in English at the Furtwangen campus.

If you are studying at the Schwenningen campus, we recommend the following courses taught in English:

• Download file:HFU Business School.

Some programs are entirely taught in English. If your German language skills are sufficient, you can also attend German lectures. Here you can find all our study programs. 

If your home university does not have an exchange program with Hochschule Furtwangen and you would like to come to us as a freemover for one or two semesters, please send your application (motivation letter, transcript, CV) via email to incoming(at)hs-furtwangen.de.

Exchange students are supported by our International Center. You can find the contacts and responsibilities further down on this page.

When you study at Hochschule Furtwangen, it depends on which faculty your study program is associated with – you can study at the campus in Furtwangen, Schwenningen, or Tuttlingen! Information about the locations can be found on the program pages in the gray box.

The academic year at HFU consists of the winter semester and the summer semester. Winter semester lectures start at the beginning of October and run until mid-January. The subsequent exam period lasts until mid-February. Summer semester lectures begin in mid-March and end in late June. The subsequent exam period runs until mid/late July. Lecture-free periods are from mid-February to mid-March and from late July to the end of September. For exchange students and students in English-taught programs, an orientation program including an intensive German course starts two weeks before the lectures begin.

The cost of living in the Furtwangen and Schwenningen region is significantly lower than in large university cities, amounting to around 800 to 900 euros for accommodation, food, and health insurance. However, to obtain a visa, you need to prove a monthly income of 992 euros. The following examples give you an idea of the costs you should expect: A dorm room at our locations costs between 280 to 470 euros per month, a single apartment around 350 euros. A lunch in the cafeteria costs 3.35 euros. In Germany, a liter of milk costs about one euro.

Before entering Germany, you must apply for a student visa at the appropriate German consulate (this does not apply to citizens of EU and EEA countries). You will need a valid passport, admission from the German university, proof of sufficient financial means, and health insurance. In some countries, a blocked account with a deposited security amount is required; you can set this up with Deutschen Bank or through providers like Expatrio, Fintiba, Coracle. The German consulate can only issue the visa after the responsible immigration authority in Germany has given its approval. Please ensure that your visa is issued for the purpose of studying.

After your arrival, you must register at the local residents' registration office (also known as "Bürgerbüro" or "Bürgeramt") in your place of residence. You should do this in your first week; you will need an ID card or passport (possibly with a visa), a landlord confirmation (known as "Wohnungsgeberbestätigung"), and a completed registration form. After registration, you will receive a certificate of residence, which you will need for example to open a bank account or apply for a residence permit. Whether you have a visa or not, you must register in Germany!

For studying in Germany, you need health insurance. The insurance obligation lasts until the end of the 14th semester or until the age of 30. Without valid health insurance, you cannot be enrolled. Students from EU countries can present their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) upon enrollment. Students from non-EU countries must obtain health insurance from a German provider. Here you can find information about the statutory health insurance system in Germany. Usually, if you are under 30 and do not have an EHIC, you will choose statutory health insurance. Private health insurance from your home country must be recognized, and you will need a corresponding exemption certificate from a German health insurance company for enrollment. Contacts include Techniker Krankenkasse - TK (Mr. Tobias Hauser, email: tobias.hauser@tk.de) or AOK: www.aok-bw.de/sbh. For the period from your arrival in Germany until the start of the semester, it is best to take out travel insurance (e.g., through Expatrio, Fintiba, Coracle).

Study semester abroad

If you are studying at HFU and would like to study abroad, our International Center (IC) will advise and support you! More information on the IC can be found further down on this page.
Basically, you have two options:

• You apply for an exchange study place at an External link opens in a new window:HFU partner university
• You apply as a "freemover" directly to a non-partner university abroad

General information on higher education systems in other countries can be found in the DAAD country information.

Practical semester and/or thesis abroad

Not only can you spend a semester abroad, but you can also gain experience abroad during your internship semester. Almost all of our bachelor's degree programmes include a practical semester as a compulsory internship. The semester in which it takes place is regulated individually for each degree programme.

You can also write your thesis abroad – we will show you which options are available here. 

The IC offers HFU students information events on studying abroad every semester. There you can also find out everything about financial support options and funding programmes such as the Foreign BAföG or an ERASMUS+ supplement.

ERASMUS+ is a funding programme of the European Union. It aims to promote lifelong learning, enable sustainable growth, strengthen social cohesion and European identity and drive innovation. The programme focuses on the topics of inclusion and diversity, digitalisation, political education and sustainability.

Furtwangen University participates in the ERASMUS+ programme and enables students, teaching staff and employees to spend time abroad funded by ERASMUS+ via a broad network of European partner universities.
Scholarships are awarded by the Erasmus Consortium, a central institution of the state of Baden-Württemberg based at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences.

The International Center is the central point of contact for all foreign students and guests of Furtwangen University as well as for students and academics planning a stay abroad. The International Center is also responsible for the maintenance and further development of international university relations and is the point of contact for all questions relating to the internationalisation of studies, teaching and research.

Team - Responsibilities

Email application is started:Brigitte Minderlein: Head of IC, cooperation, finances, funding programmes, outgoings advice, Erasmus+ Coordinator
Email application is started:Anette Kohler: Deputy Head of IC, Moveon support, outgoings advice, Schwenningen Campus
Email application is started:Ulrike Waldvogel: scholarships, outgoings advice, Furtwangen Campus
Email application is started:Petra Balasta: visiting students, Schwenningen Campus
Email application is started:Julia Hennig: visiting students, Furtwangen Campus, contact for tuition fees for international students
Email application is started:Lucia Schwarz: outgoings advice Schwenningen Campus, nominations, projects
Email application is started:Indra Eckerlin: Academic Service Center, Tuttlingen Campus
Email application is started:HFU-cares-Team: international degree-seeking students

The School of Languages and Cultures (SLC) offers all members of Furtwangen University the opportunity to acquire, improve or deepen their foreign language and intercultural skills.

Over 40 qualified teachers, most of whom are native speakers, teach well over 75 courses per semester to both students and university staff in groups of no more than 23 people. Our aim is to make foreign language teaching modern and innovative by constantly expanding our range of courses and using online modules.

Our School of Languages and Cultures is also a test centre for internationally recognised language tests for German, English and Spanish.

Download file:Flyer School of Languages and Cultures