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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Short Term Programs

This FAQ summarizes relevant questions on Short Term Programs and is being regularly updated. Please carefully read through this overview before reaching out to the International Office at HdM or the contact person mentioned in the relevant Short Term Mobility you are interested in. This FAQ serves as an orientation guiding you through the most relevant questions and matters students come across when studying information on Short Term Programs.

Please feel free to send an email to application@hdm-stuttgart.de, when when you find information missing or want to share your feedback on the FAQ. We will be come back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.

 

How can I benefit from a Short Term Program?

Short Term Programs are a unique opportunity for you to earn credits within a short time in addition to your workload at HdM. This allows you to experience an international setting while still maintain the focus on your main study at HdM.

Moreover, Short Term Programs offer you a good “pre-taste” of an international (partnered) university of HdM and can path your way to studying a semester abroad later.

If you can’t or don’t want to spend a whole semester abroad (e.g. due to financial or personal reasons), a short-term mobility will help you to still fulfil your dream of experience an international study environment within a reasonable time.

Moreover, Short Term Programs offer you a good “pre-taste” of an international (partnered) university of HdM and can path your way to studying a semester abroad later.

Short Term Programs allow you to experience internationalisation at home. Throughout the the year, HdM students can participate in classes taught by international lecturers or join projects performed at HdM by visiting staff.  Learn more about international short-term activities at HdM here.

 

How long does a Short Term Program last?

In general, Short Term Programs may from one week to 10 weeks.

 

How do I find the right Short Term Program for me?

International universities abroad offer Short Term Programs for students on a Bachelor, Master or doctoral level as well as for university staff. You can find international offerings for all academic levels on our website Short Term Programs Abroad. For further research, please have a look at the platform shorttermprograms.com offering academic short-term mobilities to students and professionals around the globe.

You can contact HdM International Office in order to help you find adequate short-term mobilities that match your needs and interests.

You can also address the host university directly if you have more specific questions on courses offered or in case you do not find information on courses that may complement your study program.

 

How can I prepare best for the Short Term Program?

We advise you to read thoroughly general information on Short Term Programs given on HdM website General Information as well as detailed information on the respective short-term mobility given by the hosting institution. Furthermore, reports from former HdM exchange students and freemovers give useful information on students’ life (travel, accommodation, study, leisure activities etc) at the host university on the HdM website Erfahrungsberichte.

Additionally, please have a look at HdM websites Talks and Presentations to receive the latest information on forthcoming and current short term mobilities.

HdM International Office will be happy to support you in your preparations for your Short Term Program.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact the International Office: application@hdm-stuttgart.de.

If you have course-specific questions or questions related to your actual stay at the host university, you can also contact the host university directly.

 

Is the university abroad a partner university of HdM?

If the university of interest holds a mobility agreement with HdM, you may participate in the Short Term Program abroad as an exchange student of HdM and its cooperating partner institution.

If the university of interest does not maintain any mobility agreement with HdM, you need to apply as a non-exchange student (freemover) for the Short Term Program. In this case, participation fees may be higher than the fees paid by exchange students.

A list of HdM partner universities and institutions can be found here.

 

What documents do I need?

Beside the documents required by the hosting university, you may need to fill in a Learning Agreement if credits need to be earned during the Short-term Program. Please clarify the Learning Agreement with your dean of studies prior your application for participation in the Short Term Program.  After the end of your short-term mobility abroad, the credits earned can be recognized at HdM. The Learning Agreement can be downloaded on HdM website Short Term Programs Abroad.

 

I need a proof of my English skills. What do I do?

HdM students have taken an Oxford Online Placement Test (OOPT) upon enrolment at HdM. HdM and its partner universities have agreed on OOPT as to suffice the level of English skills required. Please note that OOPT is valid for two years and needs to be updated six months prior to invalidness. If you want to retake the OOPT, please contact the Language Center at HdM in advance. The retake of the second OOPT will cost approx. 30 € and last about two hours.

 

Where to send my application?

Please carefully read the instruction on the application for Short Term Programs given by the host university. Most hosting universities usually foresee students to submit their application directly to the given contact person. Some universities may ask the HdM International Office to additionally nominate the student by a certain deadline. In this case, please contact the International Office (application@hdm-stuttgart.de) well in advance. Upon your nomination to the host university by HdM International Office, you can apply for the Short Term Program.

 

What are the costs of my Short Term Program?

Depending on the format of the Short Term Program (face-to-face or virtual), you may have to cover incurring costs related to travel, accommodation, catering and social activities on your own expense. Some universities include boarding and other commodities (such as free use of gym) in their package. Please read the information on prices and booking conditions carefully in advance. Moreover, some universities demand a course fee and admission fee. If you participate in the Short Term Program as an exchange student (i.e. the host university is a partnered university of HdM), course/admission fees may be waived.

 

Can I get funding?

Students enrolled at HdM can apply for funding at HdM International Office if they want to participate as an exchange program or free mover in a Short Term Program abroad.

Unless specific information is given on the particular Short Term Program, you can apply for funding provided by the federal state Baden-Württemberg (“Landesmittel”) at HdM International Office. You can submit your application for this funding ("Antrag auf Landesmittel") throughout the year. Further information can be found here.

Please note that your application for funding “Landesmittel” needs to be submitted to HdM International Office prior to your application for participation in the Short Term Program abroad.

Please note that the funding by "Landesmittel" can’t be guaranteed. The sum of approved funding depends on the length of the Short Term Program applied for and merely grants a subsidy to the mobility planned. Please note that funding might be provided by HdM International Office retrospectively.

Some foreign universities offer scholarships for international participants from abroad. Please check with the respective university abroad at which you would like to spend your short-term mobility.

Other sources for fundings: Individual foundations also offer scholarships for certain courses. A databank for grants can be found on mystipendium.de.

 

What do I do when I return to HdM?

After your Short Term Program has come to an end, please consult your academic dean and the Studienbüro at HdM for recognition of the credits you earned in your short-term mobility and which have been documented in your Learning Agreement signed by the host institution.

At the end of your international short-term experience, the HdM International Office would also like to publish your testimonial on the website Erfahrungsberichte. Please send a brief summary of your short-term mobility (2 pages max.) to application@hdm-stuttgart.de within two weeks after the end of your short-term program. You may include a photo or picture in your feedback. Thank you. 

 

Can I also join a Short Term Program without earning credits?

If you are in the last phase of your study and do not require any more ECTS credits, you can also apply for a Short-term Program. Alternatively, if you are merely interest in the program of a specific Short Term Program and do not want or need to fulfil the academic merits, you can join a Short Term Program – given, the coordinating university agrees. 

 

The Short Term Program conflicts with my exams at my home university. What shall I do?

Possible solutions can be found if your dean or study coordinator know well in advance of your plan to participate in a Short Term Program. Thus, we recommend you to contact your academic supervisors to clarify this question at an early stage.