There are many different options for studying abroad. From a semester abroad to a summer session or a short language course during the vacations to a complete bachelor's or master's degree abroad, everything is possible. To find out which type of study abroad is the best fit in each individual case, it is worth taking a closer look at the individual study options.
Semester and year abroad
The semester abroad or the year abroad is still the "classic" when it comes to studying abroad. This extremely popular form of study involves spending one or two semesters at a foreign university during your studies. A semester can last from three to six months, depending on the country and university. As a rule, semester students take three to five courses per semester, which ideally can be credited toward their studies at their home university. Those who rely on foreign study credits should definitely clarify in advance which courses are eligible. Good planning and consultation with the home and host universities help to avoid unnecessary stress and to keep the loss of time for studies in the home country to a minimum.
Those who do not depend on course credit are naturally somewhat freer in their choice. It is often possible during semesters abroad to choose courses from other than one's own degree program. This allows students to broaden their horizons and get a taste of other subjects. Students who miss certain topics in their studies at home may also find them abroad and be able to expand their profile accordingly.
Academic Gap Year
In countries such as the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain and Ireland, the so-called Academic Gap Year is becoming an increasingly popular study option. This is a special form of year abroad that is offered explicitly to high school graduates, and in some cases also to graduates of universities of applied sciences.
Gap year programs offer the opportunity to study abroad for one or two semesters at a university "on trial" and to get a taste of different subjects. The big advantage over a year abroad is that gap-year students do not have to be enrolled at a university in Germany. They can attend interdisciplinary courses abroad and decide after the Academic Gap Year which subject is right for them. Under certain circumstances, it may even be possible to have the work done at the foreign university recognized afterwards.
An Academic Gap Year is also a very good opportunity to bridge waiting semesters and to use the time to gain valuable experience abroad and improve your English skills.
Summer Sessions
Summer Sessions are especially common in the USA, Canada and Great Britain. However, this type of study abroad program is increasingly being offered in other countries as well.
It is a kind of compressed semester abroad that can be completed during the actual lecture-free period between May and September. With a duration of usually five to six weeks, a summer session can often be integrated into the German semester break between the summer and winter semesters. Occasionally, the duration can be up to ten weeks, but this is rather the exception. If you cannot spend a whole semester abroad for time or other reasons, a summer session is a good idea.
In a summer session, students take two to three courses from the university's regular course offerings. The courses are completed with the regular credit points. Thus, even with a summer session, it is usually possible to receive credit for foreign study achievements after prior consultation with the home university.
Full study abroad
Another type of study abroad is the full study abroad. Those who want to go abroad for longer than one year and spend their entire studies there can earn a bachelor's or master's degree at a foreign university or even do a doctorate.
Bachelor abroad
The Bachelor's degree is a common degree worldwide. Since the implementation of the Bologna reform, it has also been established throughout Germany and Europe. The bachelor's degree usually leads to a first academic degree. It can be taken up directly after acquiring the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur), the subject-related higher education entrance qualification (Fachabitur) or - depending on the country and type of higher education institution - also the advanced technical college entrance qualification.
The duration of a bachelor's degree usually varies between three and four years. In Europe, Australia or New Zealand, for example, it is usually three years, whereas in the USA four years are common. The American bachelor's degree also differs from bachelor's degree programs in other countries in terms of content: In the first two years of study, students here mainly attend general education courses from various scientific fields. It is not until the third year of study that students concentrate on their chosen field of study. Such a subject division does not generally exist in other countries.
With the Bachelor of Honours there is another special form of the Bachelor. It is widespread in Great Britain and other countries that follow the British study system, such as Australia, New Zealand or Canada. The concrete modalities can vary between the individual countries. However, in any case, very good study and examination results are required to obtain this degree.
If you decide to study for a bachelor's degree abroad, it is essential to find out in advance about the possibilities for recognition in Germany. If you stay in another European country, recognition is usually quite unproblematic thanks to the Bologna reform and EU-wide cooperation agreements. In the case of degrees from non-European countries, there are usually no corresponding agreements with Germany. In this case, it is advisable to do particularly good prior research on the possibilities for recognition.
Master's degree abroad
The Master's degree is also a globally widespread degree, which has also become predominant in Germany and Europe since the Bologna reform. A Master's degree is an advanced course of study for which a Bachelor's degree is usually the admission requirement.
The duration of a master's degree varies between one and two years. In English-speaking countries such as Great Britain, the USA and Australia, a distinction is made between two different types of master's degree: The Master by Coursework consists primarily of courses, while the Master by Research focuses on independent research work.
There is a very wide range of Master's specializations abroad. Not all of them are also offered in Germany, so that the step to this type of study abroad often opens up opportunities that are not available at home.
Particularly noteworthy are programs such as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) or the Master of Laws (LL.M.):
The MBA is a practice-oriented master's degree in the field of business management that qualifies students for leadership and management positions. Admission requirements are a bachelor's degree in any field, and professional experience may also be required.
The LL.M. is an international additional qualification for lawyers and is particularly interesting for those who would like to enter internationally operating large law firms or companies. The admission requirement for the LL.M. for German applicants is usually the successful completion of the first state law examination.
Interested parties should also inform themselves in advance about the possibilities of recognition in Germany for the Master's degree abroad. For employers in the private sector, formal recognition of the degree is usually less important than the experience gained abroad. However, recognition is essential for positions in the public sector or for taking up doctoral studies.
Doctorate abroad
Doctoral studies can also be completed entirely abroad. The doctorate usually follows a master's degree. In some countries, it is also possible to enter doctoral studies with a Bachelor of Honours degree. The core of the doctorate is the dissertation, an extensive research work that must provide new scientific knowledge in its discipline.
In English-speaking countries, the doctoral degree in most fields of study is called Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). The PhD program usually takes between three and four years to complete.
A PhD abroad is a suitable type of study abroad especially for those who wish to pursue an international career in research or business. The PhD title is much better known internationally than the German doctoral degree, and the experience gained abroad is another major plus for a career worldwide. In Germany, a PhD is generally recognized as a doctorate, only the regulations governing the use of the university degree must be observed: The PhD may be used as a name suffix, but it does not entitle the holder to use the German Dr. in every case.
Postgraduate studies abroad
In many countries, postgraduate courses are widely used as additional qualifications and shorter alternatives to the Master's degree. The admission requirement is a first degree, usually a bachelor's degree. Postgraduate courses are offered in almost all disciplines. They enable students to specialize or broaden their knowledge, or to reorient themselves toward a different field of study.
In English-speaking countries, postgraduate courses are often referred to as (Post-) Graduate Certificates or (Post-) Graduate Diplomas. The duration of study varies from several months to one year and is thus quite short.
Postgraduate studies abroad can be an alternative to the usually longer master's degree. However, (Post-) Graduate Certificates and (Post-) Graduate Diplomas are usually not recognized as academic degrees in Germany. However, if you simply want to acquire an additional qualification abroad to enhance your resume, you may be able to save time and money with a postgraduate degree.
Other types of study abroad
Aside from partial or full study abroad, there are other options for study abroad.
Continuing education
Continuing education abroad makes it possible to combine experience abroad and the improvement of foreign language skills with an additional professional qualification. This form of study abroad is particularly suitable for:
University graduates
Career starters
Professionals
A further education abroad usually lasts between several weeks and several months. It can be particularly useful if you have not yet been able to gain any experience abroad in your previous educational career and would like to make up for it.
Company training
Companies can book corporate training courses at foreign universities for their employees that are specially tailored to their needs. These can be language courses or professional development courses. Companies also have the choice of selecting courses from the university's normal range of events or putting together a seminar program tailored specifically to the company. Another option is to bring lecturers from a foreign university to the company and have the seminars held there. This is logistically more convenient, but the advantage of the physical experience abroad is then lost.
Language courses
A very common type of study abroad is language courses. Language courses at foreign universities allow students to acquire or improve their foreign language skills. The participants not only have to deal with the foreign language in the course itself, but also have to communicate with it in everyday life. This means that the learning effect is particularly great here. In addition, they can get a taste of campus life. The orientation of the language courses at a university is usually much more academic than elsewhere.
Language courses can serve as preparation for a subsequent study abroad, if one does not yet feel confident enough in the use of the foreign language. Programs are often offered that specifically prepare students for language tests such as the IELTS or TOEFL.
Study preparation
Study preparation courses are available at many universities abroad. They serve as linguistic and academic preparation for studying abroad: In addition to linguistic aspects, they also teach academic work techniques to facilitate the subsequent start of studies.
The duration varies from several weeks to several months. In Australia, there is also a year-round variant in the form of the Foundation Year.
Pre-study programs can be useful for closing language and academic gaps before beginning a course of study. Graduates of such a program usually also fulfill the admission requirements for the respective university, sometimes also for other universities in the respective country.
This form of preparation is particularly recommended for prospective students who do not yet have any study experience and are afraid of jumping straight into studying abroad.
Distance/Online Study
Some foreign universities offer distance or online study. This type of study abroad offers students who are particularly tied to a particular location the opportunity to at least complete a virtual study abroad program without having to change locations. For example, those who have children or dependents in need of care, or who cannot leave their place of residence for a longer period of time for other reasons, can still benefit from the study abroad program.
Those who have the opportunity to do so can often also spend attendance phases or an entire attendance semester at a foreign university.
The courses on offer range from short continuing education courses to full degree programs. In principle, such a distance learning program can also be completed alongside a job or a classroom study program and during parental/parental leave for children.
Since the studies usually take place in a foreign language, you can expand your foreign language skills in this way even without attendance phases. Those who can intersperse attendance phases are of course at an additional advantage with this special type of study abroad.