Semester stays as a free mover
Your stay as a free mover
Are you planning a stay abroad as a free mover or have you already completed a stay recently? Please click on the map above and leave us more details about your stay. In addition to statistical purposes, the main reason for this is so that your mobility can be assigned to your Institute and the latter can benefit from it for future internationalisation activities.
Semester stays as a free mover
If you would like to study abroad for one or two semesters at a university with which the University of Oldenburg does not have a cooperation agreement, you can apply individually as a so-called free mover. In this case, this means that you organise and finance your own studies (1-2 semesters) at the university of your choice.
However, the organisational effort is higher than when participating in a regular exchange programme of the International Office.
In principle, you should first contact the International Office of the international university to obtain information on the following aspects:
- Application procedure for free movers
- Costs for the study programme
- Course options for free movers
Make sure you make it clear that you only want to study at the university for one or two semesters, i.e. that you do not intend to complete a degree there.
If you have any general questions, the staff at the International Office at the University of Oldenburg will of course also be happy to help (see grey box on the left for contact details).
Some countries, such as Great Britain, Spain and France, also offer an official website with useful study information for international applicants. When searching for information, please note that the term free mover is sometimes referred to differently depending on the university region, for example exchange free mover, visiting student, non-degree student or occasional student.
Here is some basic information and tips for a stay abroad as a free mover
Recognition of credits from abroad
A study abroad programme as a free mover can be recognised at the University of Oldenburg in the same way as a regular exchange programme via the IO. The prerequisite is that you have discussed the choice of university and courses abroad with your School in advance. You can find more information on the recognition of credits earned abroad here.
Application / registration of your stay
On the basis of the Higher Education Statistics Act (HStatG) §4, the University of Oldenburg is obliged to record and document both organised and self-organised mobilities. Therefore, please fill out the form (see below) before the start of your self-organised stay and send it to us at . We collect data that is only used for statistical purposes and does not allow any conclusions to be drawn about individual mobilities in connection with specific names.
Important: The application procedures and deadlines vary greatly from country to country and university to university. You can obtain detailed information from the respective university. The German Abitur is recognised as a basic university entrance qualification in most countries without any problems. Depending on the degree programme and university, factors such as average grade, CV, previous credits, certificates or reports can play an important role in the selection of applicants.
You will also usually need to demonstrate a good knowledge of the national language or language of instruction. It can be helpful if you can find a lecturer at the university of your choice who can advise you or is willing to supervise your study project. This not only makes it easier to prepare for your studies, but can also be a decisive factor for your successful application to the university.
During and after mobility
It is advisable to conclude a Learning Agreement for the stay as a free mover. This makes it easier for credits earned abroad to be recognised after your stay. Please also have your stay abroad confirmed by the host university. As a rule, you will receive a certificate for your stay, which is sufficient proof.
Financing
Most foreign universities charge tuition fees, which can be very high depending on the country, degree programme and reputation of the university. As a free mover, it therefore makes sense to not only apply for a place at a university, but also for a scholarship, for example from the DAAD, a foundation or a scholarship organisation for gifted students. This application must be submitted at around the same time as the university place application, as the application deadlines for scholarship donors are usually very early. This means that you cannot wait for the university to confirm your place, especially as many foreign universities will only admit you to the programme if you can prove how you will finance your stay. You can find an overview of the various funding options here: