QUT has agreements with many universities that permit you to study relevant subjects overseas whilst remaining enrolled as a QUT student.
What comes first?
- Visit Student Exchange in the first instance for general information on exchange programs
- Seek advice on which program best suits your circumstances and potential QUT credit from either the Coordinator of German and/or the Exchange Officer at QUT International.
Exchange agreements
QUT has exchange agreements with a number of universities in Germany.
An agreement between QUT and the German state of Hessen, allows students to complete exchange studies at ANY of the Universitäten, Kunsthochschulen or Fachhochschulen in that state. Consult the Hessen - Queensland website for a list of participating institutions in Hessen.
When can I go?
The earliest that you can apply to do an exchange is in semester three for departure after completion of German 4. You can stay in Germany or Austria for one or two semesters and receive full credit for your studies provided prior approval is received from your Course Coordinator.
Scholarships
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) maintains a database of scholarship offerings from various German organisations. Of particular interest to students studying German at QUT are the Semesterstipendien für Studierende der Germanistik , and the 2 month long Deutschlandkundliche Winterkurse, which numerous QUT students have received.
Semesterstipendien für Studierende der Germanistik
- Bewerbungstermin: 31.08. eines jeden Jahres
- Es wird eine angemessene Reisekostenpauschale gezahlt.
- Die Semesterstipendien können zum 1. April (Sommersemester) oder zum 1. Oktober (Wintersemester) angetreten werden.
Hochschulsommerkurse für fortgeschrittene Studierende
- Für Australien werden keine Hochschulsommerkurse, sondern Deutschlandkundliche Winterkurse mit einer Laufzeit von ca. zwei Monaten angeboten, für die es eine gesonderte Ausschreibung geben wird, die im Mai an die Botschaft und die Leiter der Deutschabteilungen der australischen Hochschulen verschickt wird.
- Bewerbungstermin: 31.08. eines jeden Jahres
- Bewerbungssort: DAAD in Bonn
- Stipendienleistungen:
- Teilstipendium: EUR 1.080,-
- Reisekostenpauschale: EUR 770,-
Please consult the country-specific scholarship possibilities for Australia at for details on these and many further possibilities.
The Goethe-Institut also offers various scholarships, particularly for teachers or intending teachers of LOTE. Many students also benefit immensely from attendance at the Summer Schools organised by the Goethe Institute and held in Australia in January each year.
Credit
To be eligible for credit the overseas courses must be at a level which challenges you. The following general rules apply:
- You must provide the School's German staff with details of the level, duration and content of the intended course well before it commences to ensure credit will be granted on completion.
- You should keep proof of the level, duration and content of the courses completed overseas to assist staff in granting credit upon return.
- Ensure that you complete enough overseas units to get the amount of credit you want at QUT. (see Credit Equivalence)
Credit Equivalence
Most of the German exchange universities offer the Deutsch als Fremdsprache (DaF) language course for foreigners as well as the regular Faculty-based lectures and seminars that are open to all students. Many exchange students attend only the DaF offerings, which usually take place in a special institute set up for this purpose (eg. Internationale Sprachprogramme in Tübingen – look under ‘Semesterprogramm' on the page www.uni-tuebingen.de/isp/index.html) .
To obtain 48 credit points (one semester) you must undertake between 12 and 16 hours per week of face-to-face classes and pass all assessment items (ie. obtain ‘Scheine').
Normally 12 credit points will be granted for each successfully completed DaF course of 3-4 class hours per week.
Students with no prior in-country experience who have completed less than 6 units at QUT, ie. up to German 6, will generally find normal German university lectures too difficult. Furthermore, a prerequisite for attendance at these regular lectures is the university entrance exam - the Deutsche Sprachprüfung für Hochschulen (DSH). However, students deemed to have German skills advanced enough are advised to attend an intensive preparation course for the DSH, sit for the DSH exam, and then go on to take part in proper university lectures and seminars. Generally, the following levels of credit would normally be granted:
- DSH 6-week intensive preparation course and exam
- Participation and fail 12 cps
- Participation and pass 24 cps
- Any one (1) university course of lectures or seminars
- Participation and fail 36 cps
- Participation and pass 48 cps
'Participation' means obtaining a certificate from the lecturer in charge of the course indicating that you attended classes and made genuine attempts to pass all set items of assessment (Teilnahmeschein). You should advise lecturers at the start of the course that you will require a Teilnahmeschein and/or a Schein.
You are permitted to take a mixture of DaF courses, DSH preparation classes and proper university courses. However, no more than 48 credit points per exchange semester will be granted, regardless of the number of courses passed. If in doubt, sign up for a number of courses, then drop one or two to concentrate on areas in which you can see you will have most success.
There is very little restriction on choice of Faculty/subject for university courses at the German-speaking university. You may elect to participate in a ‘Vorlesung' or ‘Seminar' in the field of your major, or in something completely new. Provided it is not held in English, nor deals with some largely technical skill in which little language is used, it will probably be acceptable.
Due to the challenge of study in a foreign language, exchange students are advised to choose courses of high personal relevance and/or interest. Note that lectures at German universities often do not have examinations. In these cases you must ask the lecturer to set an exam.
Conditions of study in German-speaking Europe are, in many ways, radically different to those in Australia . Talking to staff about these differences will not only help you to get the right levels of credit, but will reduce the culture shock when you get there. In this regard you should consult returning students and the essays they have written on their experiences available at QUT International.
For more information on German exchanges, click here.