FAQ about the Stay

International Relations nominates students to their preferred partner universities over a period of two months. It then usually takes two to three weeks until the partner university contacts you by email with information about how to register.

• Outgoing students in the winter semester receive a reply from the partner university between mid-April and the end of June. If you have not heard from the partner university by the beginning of June, please contact us at international@soz.uni-frankfurt.de.
• Outgoing students in the summer semester will receive a reply from the partner university at the latest in November. If you have not received an email from the partner university by the beginning of November, please contact us at international@soz.uni-frankfurt.de.

Yes. The partner university will notify you by email of any deadlines. In addition, you will receive instructions on submitting documents by due date (e.g. your Learning Agreement) via your Mobility-Online participant account.

No. However, it might make sense for you to do so if you do not wish to increase your number of semesters. You can find more information about taking a semester off on the Global Office's website.

Please inform International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences, the partner university and Goethe University's Global Office immediately.

It is mandatory that you submit proof of language proficiency in digital form to International Relations before the start of your mobility. You must upload your Learning Agreement to your Mobility-Online participant account at the latest two weeks before your mobility.

Particularly in the summer semester, overlaps often occur between Goethe University's semester dates and those of its partner universities. Responsibility for this lies with the student. Consult with your lecturers in good time and find solutions with them for any examinations that might be affected.

From around mid-April, you can download the certificate from your Mobility-Online participant account. If you need proof before then, International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences can issue it for you.

There is no automatic insurance cover in connection with an Erasmus+ mobility. You are obliged to ensure that you have sufficient insurance cover yourself. Please check with your insurance company whether you are covered abroad and, if necessary, take out supplementary overseas insurance. If you have a European Health Insurance Card, your insurance cover is also valid in other EU countries. We nevertheless recommend that you take out additional overseas health insurance because health insurers sometimes do not cover certain services or do not pay for them in advance. If you are going to complete your mobility outside the EU, you must in any case take out overseas health insurance. You can find more information on the Global Office's website under Insurance Cover Abroad and Overseas Health Insurance.

EU citizens do not need visas to stay in other EU member states. Outside the EU, however, you usually need a visa for longer stays. Citizens of non-European countries require visas for mobility projects in EU countries too. Exempt from this regulation are students from non-EU countries who hold a German residence permit. However, Denmark, Ireland and Great Britain do not implement this regulation. In any case, please enquire in good time with the consulates responsible whether you need a visa and how to obtain one. You can also find further information on the Global Office's website.

No, and the result does not affect your application. To help you prepare, an additional online OLS language course is offered. This course is not compulsory, but it is recommended to participate in it. You can find more information on the Global Office's website.

Yes. You have to upload it to your Mobility-Online participant account at the latest two weeks before the start of your mobility. You can find more information about the Learning Agreement in our FAQs on Learning Agreements.

Yes. The partner universities often offer special language courses for Erasmus+ students. If ECTS credit points are awarded for these, you can enter them in your Learning Agreement. You will receive information about language courses when the partner university contacts you or you can find it online on its website.

First of all, talk to the local coordinator. If you finally decide to terminate your stay, inform the Global Office and the Department of International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences immediately. If you terminate your stay ahead of schedule and its duration is less than two months, you are obliged to repay the whole mobility grant received up to that point, as according to the Erasmus+ regulations a minimum stay of two months is obligatory. If the duration of your stay is longer than two months, only the exceeding timeframe not completed must be repaid. In total 4 months per semester can be funded.

First of all, ask the partner university for an extension. As soon as the partner university has given its consent, present this to International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences. They must then agree to the extension of your mobility. You can then apply for the extension informally in your Mobility-Online participant account. Please do this in good time to ensure that the extension can be funded. If you want to extend from the summer to the winter semester, you are additionally obliged to participate in the Erasmus+ application procedure again, as it is a new academic year. You can find further important information on extending your stay on the Global Office's website.

Yes. In most cases, however, the partner university will provide you with corresponding information and help you to find accommodation. You can often also find useful information in your fellow students' Experience Reports. Please also note that you must adhere to the deadlines for places in halls of residence, which you should enquire about in good time.

For problems at the partner university, the local Erasmus+ Coordinator is your first port of call. If you have any questions regarding the Learning Agreement, please contact International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences. For financial matters and problems with Mobility-Online, please get in touch with the Global Office.

Yes. However, you should please note that the funding period per study cycle (bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree) cannot exceed 12 months. You must apply for an Erasmus+ grant at the latest one month before starting the internship. In addition, the internship must be full-time and last at least 60 days. You can find more information on internships abroad on our website.

At the start of your mobility, you can submit the second part of the Learning Agreement (Changes to the Original Learning Agreement) in your Mobility-Online participant account if you want to make changes to your first Learning Agreement. You must do this at the latest five weeks after commencing your semester abroad. You can find more information in our FAQs on Learning Agreements.

You have to upload either the third part of your Learning Agreement or your Transcript of Records and your Record of Results via Mobility-Online to the Global Office. If you wish to upload the third part of the Learning Agreement, you require a signature from International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences. For this, please present your Learning Agreement and confirmation of recognition from the Examination Office of the Faculty of Social Sciences to International Relations. Please upload your Experience Report via Mobility-Online and submit it to International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences as well.

Yes. Please note our FAQs on Recognition of Learning Outcomes.

Yes. Please submit your Experience Report to International Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences and additionally upload it to your Mobility-Online participant account. You can find further information on the Global Office's website.

In addition to a description of the city, the university and the courses offered, the experience report should primarily contain your personal experiences of living and studying abroad. The following topics may be of interest to future Erasmus+ students: preparation and formalities, tips for packing, first weeks and possible administrative procedures, housing situation and tips for finding a place, studying at the host university and special opportunities for Erasmus+ students e.g. when taking courses, student benefits, everyday life and leisure (sights, restaurants, pubs, cinemas, student life), travel costs and recommendations, recognition procedure of academic achievements, financial expenses, helpful websites, as well as a personal conclusion.

We also encourage you to include your personal experiences and learnings in the field of sustainability in the experience report. Here are some questions you can answer for example: 

• How did you get to your Erasmus+ location if you did not fly? What costs should one expect?
• What easy-to-implement tips do you have regarding mobility, housing, consumption and non-academic commitment at your destination? For example, are there special tickets for local transport, recommendable second-hand shops, Zero Waste shops or online swap platforms?
• What opportunities were offered to you by the university? You can mention if there were any sustainability-related courses at the university or student initiatives that promote sustainability.
• How easy or difficult was it for you to integrate sustainability into your Erasmus+ stay (in the city, at the university)?
• If you applied for Green Erasmus+ travel funding: What was the process of applying and accounting for the €50 funding?

No, and the result does not affect your application. To help you prepare, an additional online OLS language course is offered. This course is not compulsory, but it is recommended to participate in it. You can find more information on the Global Office's website.