Direct applications

[Translate to Englisch:] Studentinnen im IT-Zentrum/International House

Of course, you can also organise your studies abroad independently - regardless of the existence of a university partnership with the University of Passau. If you would like to study at a university with which there is no exchange programme, you must apply directly to the foreign university = direct application.

Write directly to the higher education institution of your choice and ask for further information and application documents. Make it clear from the outset that you are only planning a temporary stay at the host university or are not aiming for a degree there. As a non-degree-seeking student you be charged lower tuition fees and/or go through a simplified application procedure.

A direct application can take a long time. It is therefore best to obtain information from the higher education institutions of your choice one year before the start of your planned stay abroad. In most cases, an e-mail to the International Office/International Relations Office of your chosen university is sufficient for the initial contact. However, you should have already informed yourself in detail about the university on its website.

Often a Transcript of Records/record of study is required as part of the application.

When applying, especially at US institutions, a Transcript of Records or Record of Study is usually required.
Official Transcripts are lists of all events attended by the student and the marks achieved officially issued by the higher education institution (which event with which professor, with how many hours per week and with what success).

In order for the host university to know the value of the grades, enclose a translation of the German grade scale with the transcript (page 5 of the information sheet). Do not convert the German grades!

Transcripts in English are already available for download in HISQIS for many courses of study. If your degree programme is not included, you can use the template in the Download Centre (Record of Study Form and cover page), create a Transcript of Records by translating the titles of your courses and entering them in the table (see the Record of Study for examples of course name translation').

The transcript will then be checked and certified by the International Office.

Please be sure to submit the original transcriptsor the HISQIS excerpt. Generally, you can submit the Transcripts one to two working days after delivery.

If you are unable to come by yourself, the International Office requires not only the original documents (or certified copies) but also a sufficiently stamped and addressed return envelope. Direct forwarding to the foreign higher education institution is also possible with a stamped and addressed envelope..

If you have any questions about the transcript of records, please contact hiwi.auslandsamt@uni-passau.de.

In some countries, you may have to reckon with tuition fees, some of which are not insignificant outside an exchange programme. However, you can apply for international student loans and grants. AuslandsBAföG (international student loans and grants) pays the tuition fees up to a fixed maximum rate, you must pay any difference yourself.

If you are planning a stay abroad of up to six months at a partner university (worldwide), you can also apply for a PROMOS scholarship. (Exception: an application to an ERASMUS partner university is not possible.)

We have put together some useful websites for you on which you can find information on tuition fees in various countries in the link tips.

Proof of financing / affidavit

Some foreign higher education institutions require a proof of financing or affidavit (mostly American or Canadian higher education institutions). With this, the host university wants to make sure that you actually have the full (!) You can bear the costs of your studies abroad yourself. This is especially required if you do not finance your studies abroad with a scholarship or international student loans and grants.

In addition to scholarship and international student loans and grants certificates, a written confirmation from the person financing your study abroad (usually the parents) is often also considered proof of financing. You will then have this letter confirmed by your parents’ bank.

In order to be recognised as a freemover, you must conclude Learning Agreements with the corresponding chairs at Passau University in advance. This allows you to have your academic achievements at the University of Passau credited to your credit.

In this case, please make sure that you are issued an original Transcript of Records (with stamp/signature) as otherwise you may run into problems when trying to have your credits transferred to the University of Passau.

One more request: If you are going abroad as a freemover, please register as such using our online application form.
This way we have your data in our database in case we need to contact you (for instance if the host university sends us your transcript of records for forwarding).

In order to make it easier for future students to apply directly, the International Office has set up an information room (Room NK 226, Innstrasse 40) for direct applicants.

Reports from students who have organised their own stay at a higher education institution abroad are collected there and made available to interested students.

The International Office asks for active support: if you have already successfully (or unsuccessfully) completed a direct application process, please send us the completed report form. These experience reports will serve as a source of information for all subsequent students and possibly also for yourself if you are planning a further stay abroad at a later date.

The International Office would like to thank you very much for your support!