Free Mover

Outside of partnerships with the university, you can of course also study for a semester or two on your own at the university of your choice in the country of your dreams. Most universities offer the opportunity to apply as a so-called "free mover". Many scholarship offers are also not tied to university partnerships.

Before you decide on a self-organized semester or year abroad, you should note the following:

You can apply for the DAAD program PROMOS at the International Office of the TH Lübeck. In this program, stays abroad (study and internship) are funded under certain conditions with a travel allowance. The application deadline for the current year is February 15th.

Many universities abroad "live" on tuition fees, and education in many countries is a market in which money should also be earned from foreign students. As a "free mover" you have to be prepared to pay high tuition fees. This applies above all to non-European/English-speaking countries.

Please check whether the university of your choice is state-recognized (accredited). In addition to international university rankings (e.g. Times Higher Education Ranking, THE), this is the only way to assess whether quality standards are being observed and checked and whether your semester abroad or your degree abroad will ultimately be recognized in Germany. Information on the recognition of universities is provided by the German Conference of Ministers of Education via the anabin database.

The examination board of your department is responsible for this. We recommend that you arrange a learning agreement with the examination board before your stay abroad, in which the courses at the host university are listed that you want to have recognized for your studies after your return.

Research the courses offered at the university of your choice. In the Higher Education Compass you can search for international cooperations of German universities.

Inform yourself well about the living conditions and culture in your country of choice. It is also important for you to have information about the academic life and learning of the respective country. Helpful country information can be found on the DAAD website.

When organizing a stay abroad at a non-partner university of the TH Lübeck, you can also go through an intermediary organization. Please inform yourself in advance about the services offered and possible additional fees. Largely free placement organizations that offer many additional services and useful information are: IEC Online (study), College Contact (study), GOstralia!-GOmerica! (study), Institut Ranke-Heinemann, College Council (study, internships, work & travel) and Asia Exchange.