Study abroad

Your study abroad program can be an essential part of the B.A. European Studies or B.A. International Cultural and Business Studies programs. To ensure that your time abroad is well structured and that your credits are recognized as smoothly as possible, we recommend careful planning, which the program coordinators will be happy to assist you with. Further information on studying abroad, including the wide range of partner universities, is available from the International Office.

Before deciding on your course selection, please obtain a detailed overview of the exams you still need to take in your degree program. You can find the relevant information in your respective module catalog. There you will also find the names of the module coordinators whom you should contact. A list of exam numbers for your respective degree program can be found on the websites of the Examination Office.

Studying abroad, learning agreements, and accreditation of academic achievements

Learning Agreements Erasmus+

To study abroad as part of Erasmus+, you need individual learning agreements for each course you wish to take, as well as a framework learning agreement. The templates for these can be found in the Download Center of the International Office, along with the guidelines for completing Erasmus+ learning agreements, which will inform you about the further procedure. Please submit the completed Learning Agreements to the program coordinator.

Non-European countries/free movers

For studies abroad outside of Erasmus+, for example in non-European countries and/or as a free mover outside the network of partner universities of the University of Passau, it is strongly recommended that you conclude individual learning agreements to ensure subsequent recognition. You can use the Erasmus+ templates available in the Download Center of the International Office. A framework learning agreement is not necessary.

Recognition of examination results from abroad

If you have prepared well for your studies abroad, the subsequent recognition of equivalent examination results is usually unproblematic. For recognition, please come to the office hours of the program coordinator and bring the following documents with you:

the transcript of records (grade overview) from your host university (copy)
Guidelines for grade conversion (if provided by your host university, often found on the back of the transcript of records)
The learning agreements completed before the start of your studies abroad
The completed application for recognition of study periods, study and examination achievements (with examination numbers)

The program coordinator will take care of the binding conversion of your exam results and the final accreditation. Only in cases of doubt (missing or incomplete individual learning agreements) will you need to contact the module coordinators again to have your achievements checked and accredited. You can find the relevant information in your module catalog and the list of exam numbers. At the end of the process, the signed and stamped application must be submitted to the examination office so that the recognized examination results can be registered.

University places abroad

Your two-semester study abroad program is an integral part of the B.A. European Studies Major. In order to ensure that your stay is well-structured and that the subsequent recognition of your exam results proceeds as smoothly as possible, we recommend careful planning, which the program coordinator will be happy to assist you with. Further information on studying abroad is available from the International Office.The presentation on the year abroad for the European Studies Major can be found here.

You can apply to all partner universities. In Málaga (Spain), Aix-en-Provence (France), and Budapest (Hungary), there are three partner study places available for nine months, and in Växjö (Sweden) there are even five partner study places available, which are exclusively awarded to students in the B.A. European Studies Major.

Course selection

For your studies abroad, we recommend a European country that is relevant to both of your areas of specialization, especially your chosen philology. Your course selection is based on your interests, but is guided by the modules offered in the B.A. European Studies Major (module groups B and C), which you can find in the module catalog (FStuPO 2019) or module catalog (StuPO 2014) or module catalog (StuPO 2011), and thus relates to Europe. There is no dependency on the specializations you have already chosen. You can deepen your knowledge of certain topics or expand your personal profile in the field of European Studies to a minimum of 60 ECTS credits. Please refer to the ECTS credits awarded by the partner university.

Studying abroad, learning agreements, and credit transfer

Learning Agreement

Before you begin your studies abroad, the credits you wish to transfer to the B.A. European Studies Major will be recorded in an Erasmus+ framework learning agreement to ensure that they are transferred upon your return. The template for this can be found in the Download Center of the International Office, as well as the guidelines for completing Erasmus+ Learning Agreements, which will inform you about the further procedure. You can submit one separate document per semester abroad. Individual learning agreements are not necessary for the B.A. European Studies Major.

Credit transfer of examination results from abroad for the B.A. European Studies Major

In the B.A. European Studies Major, the examination results you have achieved abroad are not recognized, but rather credited, as they are an integral part of your studies. To do this, please come to the office hours of the program coordinator and bring the following documents with you:

the transcript of records (grade overview) from your host university (copy)
Guidelines for grade conversion (if provided by your host university, often found on the back of the transcript of records)
The completed application for recognition of foreign credits for the B.A.European Studies Major

In the field “Anerkennung wird beantragt als,” enter the exam number (see BM/PM foreign credits) with which you want to have the exam credits transferred. The exam numbers can be found in the list of exam numbers (FStuPO 2019) or list of exam numbers (StuPO 2014).

This allows you to determine in which area of the module offerings in the B.A. European Studies Major you want to transfer the credit and whether it should be accredited as a basic or exam module.

The credits are transferred by the program coordinator, who also converts your exam results into the German grading system, while the ECTS credits are transferred by the partner university.

At the end of the process, the signed and stamped application is submitted to the examination office so that the credited examination results can be recorded. Your studies abroad will be listed on your bachelor's degree certificate and in an appendix to the certificate.