Studying abroad – Outgoing Master
Study Abroad Options & Financing optionsGoing Abroad- from Hamburg to the world
From Hamburg to the world
A stay abroad during your HSBA degree programme brings with it countless advantages, as well as a dose of adventure: you expand your foreign language skills, build up intercultural competencies, view study content from a different perspective, make contacts from all over the world, test your frustration levels and your ability to adapt. At the same time, of course, it quenches your wanderlust.
Most employers focus on key competencies such as the soft skills mentioned above, but they also look for international team work experience, a global network, personal growth, and the ability to communicate and critique across borders. Your career will certainly benefit from this experience.
HSBA promotes international exchange at all levels, for example in the form of Internationalisation@Home, i.e. exchanges with foreign lecturers and visiting exchange students. But also by supporting students who want to go abroad for a while with their employer (for example to work at a foreign branch), who want to participate in a summer school, or who want to spend a semester at a partner institution.
As a rule, a stay abroad does not prolong your studies at HSBA, but it does require early planning. The academic achievements from abroad can possibly count towards your HSBA degree. Find out more about HSBA's international partnerships and the various options for gaining experience abroad during your studies at HSBA on this page.
Unterkünfte (Zimmer oder Wohnung) für Incomings / Austauschstudierende gesucht!
Die HSBA nimmt regelmäßig Austauschstudierende von Partnerhochschulen aus dem Ausland auf, die zwischen 3 und 12 Monaten an der HSBA studieren. Die Suche nach einer geeigneten Unterkunft gestaltet sich oft als nervenaufreibend und schwierig. Falls Du ins Ausland gehst, prüfe doch bitte, ob ich Du Deine Wohnung / Dein Zimmer an eine_n Gaststudierenden untervermieten möchtest oder ob Du jemanden kennst, der jemanden kennt, der… und melde Dich in diesem Fall beim International Office.
Options for work or study periods abroad
Short term stays: Summer School or Winter School
You want to go abroad just for a short period of time? A full semester does not fit into your plans?
There are various options for you: You can visit a language school or take part in a Summer School or Winter School.
General Information about Summer Schools and Winter Schools
- Intensive study programmes lasting two to six weeks
- Study content: general studies or specific topics with additonal extra-curricular activities
- The application process and arrival and departure generally must be planned by you but accommodation is normally part of the deal
- Do check early on whether credits can be transferred to your HSBA degree. More info at “Step 4: Approving Credits from abroad” on the page "Organisation & Application Process"
- Not all higher education institute are recognised as such in Germany. More information available at the HSBA International Office
- Information on money matters is available at Financing Options
- Check out the experience reports in the Team Outgoings
Search for a suitable short term stay
- There is an updated list on options available in the Team Outgoings. Ask for access in the International Office
- More options can be found at Summer Schools in Europe
- Inform yourself at Studieren-Weltweit.de
Erasmus +
Spend a semester at a European partner institution
Erasmus+ is THE European Union's exchange programme and has been promoting European exchanges for students, professors, and university staff since 1987. The current programme generation runs from 2021-2027 and focuses on sustainability, digitalisation, and social participation.
HSBA participates in the programme track KA131 "Mobility of Individuals", which can be a semester abroad (SMS) or an internship abroad (SMP) for students.
The prerequisite is an existing partnership between HSBA and the university abroad. A semester abroad must last at least three months and an internship abroad at least two months for Erasmus+ funding to apply.
There are some advantages studying abroad at an Erasmus+ partner:
Financial advantages
- Tuition fee waiver, no admin fees, no language tests at the host institution
- Financial support (part scholoarship) when spending a minimum of three months studying abroad. The amount of funding depends on the destination country
- There are Top Ups for first generation university students
- Students with special needs or travelling with children will also receive Top Ups
- You use "green" travel for arrival and/or departure to your host? You will receive an additional Top Up funding
Advantages during the planning stage
- The International Offices at HSBA and the partner institution support the application process
- HSBA staff and staff at the host will advise and support during all stages
- There will be some support looking for accommodation, some partners reserve spaces in their housing for Erasmus+ students
- The experience reports of previous HSBA Outbound students may help you in your planning
- free of charge language course via the EU Academy
Networking
- You will be part of the Erasmus Student Network ESN even after your stay abroad
Semester at Partner Institution worldwide
Semester at Partner Institution worldwide
In addition to the European Erasmus+ partnerships, HSBA maintains partnerships with higher education institutions outside Europe. These include, for example, partners in Asia and North and South America. The network is regularly reviewed.
A semester at a university in the partnership network has the following advantages:
Planning and support structures
- Tuition fee waiver, no administration costs, no language tests needed
- Simplified application procedure. Students are supported in this process by the International Offices of the sending and receiving university
- Mostly support in the visa process by the host
- Testimonials from former HSBA outgoings can be found in the Outgoings Team.
- In most cases, no official language certificate such as TOEFL or similar is required. After successful acceptance of a place, a confirmation of language skills can be issued by the HSBA- International Office.
Financial advantages
- Tuition fee waiver, no administration costs,
- Financing options are listed in the Financing section
Semester as a Free Mover student
Semester as Free Mover
You have not found what you're looking for in our partner institutions? Then there is the option of going abroad as a Free Mover and finding a suitable place of study yourself.
Please note:
- Usually, the universities charge tuition fees, which can vary in amount (as in the USA, for example).
- Some countries do not offer Free Mover options at all
- Possibly, the language confirmation for English from the HSBA International Office will not be recognised and an official language certificate (e.g. TOEFL or EILTS for English) must be submitted.
- The application deadline of 15.03. for places at partner universities does NOT apply here. The deadlines of the respective university apply.
- Have the possible credit transfer from abroad checked at an early stage. See "Step 4: Credit Transfer from abroad".
- Not every university/institution abroad is recognised as a university in Germany. Please contact the International Office if you have selected a university and are unsure about its recognition.
- Experience reports from former HSBA outgoings can be found in the Teams channel Outgoings
- Financing options are listed in the section "Financing".
The HSBA International Office will of course support you in planning and realising the mobility.
Work abroad at foreign branch
Work abroad at foreign branch
Would you like to know what your company's offices in Asia or the USA look like? You always wanted to test your foreign language skills and work in international teams abroad?
Talk to your company if there is an opportunity to work abroad for a while. You can plan your time abroad individually which makes this possibly an easier to manage option than a study stay abroad.
Other advantages for you could be that you combine vacation days with the assignment, make new international friends and receive a small grant through the Erasmus+ programme (if you work in a European country).
HSBA holds the ERASMUS+ Charter for Higher Education 2021-2027, enabling HSBA to take part in the Erasmus+ programme. Students find their rights and obligations in the ERASMUS+ Student Charter which is available following the link to the Erasmus+ page. More Information on Erasmus+ can be viewed here on the HSBA Erasmus+ website.
HSBA international partners
The HSBA partnership network
HSBA maintains a network of diverse partner institutions from around the world.
A current list of all partners is available and lists relevant links and documents which are needed to start planning a study period abroad. It should be noted here that not all foreign universities shown in the list accept HSBA students for a semester. The type of contract currently in place is marked in the list. Erasmus+ partnerships are marked.
Financing
There are numerous financing opportunities for the various options of a stay abroad. Usually, these are partial scholarships that do not cover the entire expenses for a stay abroad:
Erasmus+
The most well known programm of the EU Commission
The EU Commission supports stays abroad with financial means through the National Agency DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service e.V.).
Funding is possible for minimum stays of three months (study mobility) at a European partner institution and two months (internship mobility) in a European company.
The amount of financial support is based on the cost of living scaled according to three country categories published by the DAAD. Information on this and required documents to be filled out by students and hosts will be provided by the HSBA International Office in due time and are available from the Outgoings Team.
Promos
DAAD Scholarship
PROMOS is a scholarship programme of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The funds come from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Semesters abroad at non-European partner universities, free movers and short programs such as summer schools are eligible for funding. The funds are awarded on a calendar year basis. The HSBA- International Office sends out the call for applications with the current funding conditions towards the end of April/beginning of May each year.
Please note: PROMOS cannot be combined with Erasmus+ or other DAAD funding.
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst DAAD
Scholarship list
Various scholarships and funding opportunities are listed in the DAAD scholarship database. In general, applications for scholarships must be received at a very early stage.
Additional Options for Funding
It may be worthwhile researching options
Auslands-BAföG
An application may be worthwhile, even if you do not receive domestic BAföG.
GO EAST Summer Schools
The DAAD offers scholarships for summer schools in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe as well as the South Caucasus and Central Asia.
Institute Ranke Heinemann
This institute awards scholarships for Australia, New Zealand and Canada
GOstralia and GOzealand
This organisation awards scholarships for Australia and New Zealand
Fulbright Commission
Fulbright offers various scholarship programs for the USA (e.g. Summer Institutes for students of dual universities)
Please note:
In case of funding by e.g. Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes: Please clarify with the sponsors whether combinations with other scholarships are possible!
It is worthwhile to google the respective destination country or embassy to see if they offer incomer scholarships, for example.
Switzerland, for example, awards scholarships to visiting students, and so does the HSBA partner institution UNCC.
Preparation and Commitment
Information
Cannot see the trees for the information forest?
The International Office offers an info seesion, usually at the beginning of January where you will find a wealth of information on options to study abroad.
The International Office strongly recommends that all postgraduate students get in touch as early as possible to discuss options of a stay abraod. Each situation is individual, depending on the degree programme, the partner company and personal circumstances.
Language Skills
Language courses
- HSBA students receive discounted fees on language courses at our cooperation language school Colón
- Language tandems with current inbound exchange students from our partners can be set up. Contact the International Office for assitance.
International Committee
The HSBA International Committee is happy to provide support and organises various activities for incoming students at HSBA. These range from Christmas market strolls to harbour tours, climbing forest tours to barbecues on the Alster or international cooking evenings. Network with students from our partner universities and get valuable information.
The Buddy Programme is a great start-up aid for international students at HSBA. You can give an exchange student a helping hand and make it easier for them to arrive in Hamburg and at HSBA. If you are interested, please contact the International Committee.