This describes how going abroad in the Bachelors is structured, some of it is generally applicable, but if in doubt, ask Petra (pdiessel@uni-osnabrueck.de)
How it all starts!
First of all, going abroad is well organized in this study program, since (basically) everybody has to go abroad. If you are worried about anything concerning the semester abroad, email Petra (or visit her), she’s super nice and happy to answer all your questions (pdiessel@uni-osnabrueck.de).
Typically, people go abroad in their 5th Semester, but your journey towards your Auslandssemester (semester abroad) will start towards the end of 3rd Semester. You will then get an email inviting you to a “going abroad talk” and a “meet & greet” with people who have been abroad (always check your emails – and subscribe to the mailing list). There you will be told all that is to know about the process and the options. Most of the time, people do one of these things:
- Erasmus (organized by the uni)
- Semester abroad outside the Europe
- MITACS (internship program for research labs in Canada)
- RISE (research internship in the rest of the world)
If there is something else you would like to do for your “going abroad” just ask!
The during:
How do I pay for it? For most of the opportunities mentioned above, there are stipends available. For Erasmus, you get the Erasmus stipend, for RISE and MITACS you will get a stipend from the DAAD.
Internship or Semester abroad? That’s mostly up to personal preference.
Do you want to take courses that are not offered here? Do you want to meet people your age from all over the world? Do you need your semester break for semester-break-things? Do you want enough (free) time to explore the country or the culture? – then maybe a semester abroad is the right choice for you
Are you considering doing research for a living at some point? Do you want to learn how to practically apply the stuff they teach you here? Do you want to stay abroad for a shorter period of time? Do you want to (more easily) spent time abroad globally? Do you want to do some networking? Is the opportunity to (maybe) get published important to you? – then maybe you should consider doing an internship.
Also, if you can’t decide, you can do both. But that’s either fairly stressful or generally means you have to study more than 6 semesters.
How do I know where to go? For most of the programs and locations, Petra Diesel has reports from people who have “been there, done that”. There is an event where you can meet people who have done the different programs and ask them about their experience. Additionally (If you are pragmatic like that), you might consider: How much does it cost to live there? How far away do I want to be from home? How well can I communicate there (and am I comfortable with that)?
The after:
Coming back to Germany means getting all your papers in order! No matter whether you did an internship or a semester abroad, you will have to mail the Examination office (pacogsci@uni-osnabrueck.de) so they can recognize your hard-earned credits – there is a whole how to page on it! (Important – asking for credits to be counted towards compulsory and non-compulsory modules are two separate applications!)