International Studies at HdWM

Getting to know a new country, make new friends from all over the world, and bring your foreign language skills to perfection – studying abroad is a unique chance. The International Office answers all questions regarding your international studies at HdWM. 

Studying a semester abroad is not mandatory at HdWM. But we offer every possibility to add an exchange semester at a partner university or within the Erasmus+ programme. 

The International Office offers the following services:

• Developing the internationalisation strategy at HdWM
• Collaboration with other universities
• Coordinating all outgoing- and incoming students 
• Counselling exchange students
• Communication and coordination of Erasmus+ applications
• Contact for questions about the visa application, finding an apartment etc. 
• Establishing contacts to companies for an internship etc. 
• Preparation of the new paperless Erasmus
• Coordination and implementation of the “International Caring Strategy” 
• Welcome Week for Internationals
• German classes 
• Buddy programme 
• Tandem programme
• Mentoring programme 
• Cultural and social events for exchange, international, and local students 
• Cosmopolitan Club 
• Planning and supervising foreign delegations, or excursions with students

Exchange semester at a partner university – add international experience to your studies

Thanks to a constantly growing number of partner universities, HdWM is able to offer its students the option to do an exchange semester. The network is checked regularly for its quality so that you can expect HdWM quality also during your exchange semester. Furthermore, we consult with you to make sure your studies are not prolonged unnecessarily by your semester abroad. By thorough coordination with the partner institutions, we take care that the curricula of both institutions correspond. 

Beside the HdWM partner university network, you can also spend an exchange semester at the university of your choice. The International Office also assists the so-called ‘free-movers’ in finding the right programme, to make all necessary preparations, or arrange the credit transfer.

Study in Europe with Erasmus + 

If your desired destination is within the European Union, your credits can easily be transferred, thanks to the common bachelor’s and master’s system. Moreover, you have the chance to spend your exchange semester at a partner university within the Erasmus+ programe. It is one of the best known and most popular exchange programmes within the EU. The Erasmus+ programme is an initiative of the European Union to support education, youth, and sports, in which the previous EU programmes for live-long learning, youth, and sports as well as the European cooperation programmes in the university sector were combined.

The Erasmus+ programme supports the exchange of students in the European education area. It underlies the principle of reciprocity: If a foreign university sends out five students to HdWM, five HdWM students can likewise spend an exchange semester at the foreign university. 

There are various possibilities to add international elements to your studies at HdWM. You alone decide, to what extend you want to use this opportunity. 

For example, you can study in one of our English-track study courses BA Management in International Business and MA Business Management (EN). You will study with fellow students from all over the world, with an international focused curriculum, and lecturers with extensive international experience. 

If you want to gain international work experience, you can spend your internship in a company abroad. Which is very popular among our students, as it combines practical and international experience in only one semester.

Furthermore, you can have the chance to spend a semester abroad at one of our international partner universities  or within the Erasmus+ programme .

For even more international experience, the semester breaks can be used for voluntary stays abroad. 

You do not want to spend a whole semester outside of Germany? Then take part in one of our many international excursions. Every semester, we give our students the chance to participate in a project or competition in a foreign country.

Apart from your studies in English, you can learn other foreign languages, too. HdWM offers beginners’ German classes for international students. German is an important skill when trying to find employment in Germany and is highly recommended for all international students. In cooperation with the Studium Generale, you can learn further foreign languages or take German classes on a more advanced level. The advantage is, that these languages courses do not influence your grades at HdWM, as they are entirely voluntary.

In Mannheim, right in the centre of the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region, we offer students from around the globe the possibility to get to know the German – or rather ‘Kurpfälzer’ – culture as well as the German language simultaneously to their studies. HdWM provides two degree courses 100% in English: the BA Management in International Business  and the MA Business Management (EN) .

To make living in Germany easier as well as finding employment, HdWM offers German classes on beginners’ level every semester. Applicants with very good German skills (C1 according to the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) can apply for one of the German-track degree courses. 

Study programmes in small groups and a familiar atmosphere with high practical relevance await you!

At HdWM there are different ways to connect with international students. The most important program of our university is the Buddy program, where you will have the great possibility to participate and meet students from different countries and help them in their first steps in Germany. Of course, it brings the big opportunity to make new friends!

Another way is through the Tandem program. The international office, with the support of the Student Council and Buddies, will organize constantly meetings to promote language exchange and thus also the possibility of meeting international students and practicing and developing your language skills.

If you don't want to participate in any of the afore mentioned programs, there are other ways to help or connect with international students. For this option, the international office of the HdWM offers you the Cosmopolitan Club, which is a platform where you can, for example, donate or sell books that are no longer useful to new students, you can offer or see offers for practice sports together with other students, look for a Tandem Partner and make or receive invitations for social activities with internationals or even local students, participate in events organized by the IO, offer rooms, etc. Just visit the Cosmopolitan Club and find the way to connect you.

If you are interested in any of these activities and want more information about it, do not hesitate to contact your International Office at HdWM. International-office@hdwm.org