Incomings - DHBW Villingen-Schwenningen

Welcome!

International students are warmly welcome at the DHBW Villingen-Schwenningen. Erasmus and exchange students can either participate in the International Semester with lectures in English, or attend the study programme in German. Programmes are specially tailored to meet the needs of international students. It is also possible to complete work placement phases in a training company or institution. Please contact our International Office if you have any questions.

International Semester

The International Semester is designed for students from our partner universities, and these can choose from numerous lectures, courses and seminars conducted in English. Students gain an initial insight into German culture and student life on the campus in an introductory week. We offer a large variety of courses in Business, Economics and Social Studies as well as lectures on intercultural competences and German language courses. As an International Semester student, you can also take part in a varied cultural programme. This includes visits to companies and trips in the surrounding region to the Black Forest, Lake Constance and other destinations well worth a visit.

→ Flyer "International Semester: "Study in Germany!" (PDF)

Join us!

Nominations

Nominations must be submitted by the coordinator.
Please log in to the nomination form:

Academic Calendar

	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Semester Starts (including orientation)	1 September 2025	2 March 2026
Semester Ends (including exams)	23 December 2025	30 June 2026
Nomination Deadline	30 March 2025	30 September 2025
Application Deadline	30 April 2025	30 October 2025

Applying

All exchange students must be nominated by their home university on or before the nomination deadline. Please contact the coordinator at the International Office of your university. Applications will not be accepted without the submission of a completed nomination form.

How to apply?
After being nominated by the home university, the nominated students will need to fill in the online application form and upload the necessary attachments. Please, stick to deadlines!

Application Documents

Transcript of Records (grades) to date
Scanned copy of passport
Recent photo in passport format
Copy of health insurance
Official proof of English and/or German language skills
Accommodation form

Contact:
International Office
international.vs@dhbw.de
+49 7720-3906-111

Prerequisites

Exchange students can choose from a variety of courses taught in English within the International Semester Programme. Depending on their language proficiency and academic background, exchange students are welcome to study in German in various departments.

Language requirements:
An English test and personal student consultation is carried out at the beginning of the semester to avoid problems when selecting a course.

Required level of English:
CEFR B2 / IELTS 6.0

Other English language certifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you wish to study in German, a B2 level of German is required.

ECTS and Local Grades

Local Grading System
1,0-1,5	Very Good
1,6-2,5	Good
2,6-3,5	Satisfactory
3,6-4,0	Sufficient
4,1-5,0	Insufficient / Fail

The number of credits students receive depends on the assessment, the contact hours of each class and the amount of workload students have to invest. At the end of each study period, students will be provided with a Transcript of Records, stating all information of the kind of lecture, grades and number of ECTS.

Studies In German

Students from partner universities can also complete semesters in German at the DHBW VS. The prerequisite for this is a level of knowledge of German equivalent to at least B2. Learning agreements for this purpose must be concluded in compliance with courses on offer in the respective study programme. An overview of all study programmes in the Business School and School of Social Work can be consulted here.

If you are interested to study in German, please contact us at international.vs@dhbw.de for further information.

Accommodation

The International Office of DHBW VS supports international students in finding accommodation for their stay in Villingen-Schwenningen. During the application process, nominated students need to fill in an accommodation form indicating their preferences.

There are different options for accommodation available in Villingen-Schwenningen:

Own bedroom in student dormitory in a shared student apartment
Single apartment in student dormitory
Own bedroom in a shared student apartment from a private landlord
Single apartment from a private landlord

The International Office of DHBW VS will try to consider the students' preferences. However, all options for accommodation are only available on a limited basis, which is why we also ask for a second choice. Prices range from approximately 230 to 500€ per month, depending on the type of accommodation.

If you like to search for an accommodation on your own, you can have a look at the search portals WG-Gesucht or kleinanzeigen for example.

European Emergency Number

This campaign aims to raise awareness amongst European and international students of the European emergency number 112, which is available everywhere in the European Union (EU), free of charge, 24/7 for the police, the emergency medical services or the fire brigade. The majority of European citizens are not aware that they can dial 112 in case of an emergency anywhere in the EU. The Erasmus agencies can play an important role in raising awareness due to their close connection with the students and education institutions. For further information please visit http://www.eena.org/