Your semester abroad
Students of the MA Applied Linguistics program have the possibility to spend one or two semesters of their studies abroad. In particular the third semester has been designed in a way that facilitates the transfer of the credit points.
There are different organizations and programs that can help you organize and finance your semester abroad:
The Erasmus programs
- Study at partner universities in Europe or worldwide
- A scholarship for one or two semesters
- Funding is between 490€ and 600€ per year depending on which country you want to study in
- Most of the partner universities offer lodging in halls of residence
- You will receive credits for your international study achievement
- Find an overview of our partner universities here
Start thinking about whether you want to study abroad at least one year in advance, i.e. at the start of your M.A. program. Have a look at possible partner universities you might want to go to.
After you have decided on your three favourite universities, fill out the application and hand it in before the end of the application deadline, which is usually in December.
In order to apply, you are required to fill out the following forms, comprise them into one single PDF file, and send them to outgoings.anglistik@uni-bonn.de before the end of the deadline:
- The application form
- A letter of motivation (including your motivation to study abroad, why you chose these 3 specific universities, your academic and non-academic qualifications, your previous experiences with foreign cultures and languages, etc.), preferably in English, should be about two to three pages long
- Your CV
- A recommendation letter (by any of your lecturers)
- Your transcript of records
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact one of our contact partners:
- Coordinator: Dr. Imke Lichterfeld, erasmus.anglistik[at]uni-bonn.de
- Learning Agreements: Dr. Nicole Meier, kustodin.anglistik[at]uni-bonn.de
- Contact (Outgoing students & applicants): Tabea Wiegand, outgoings.anglistik@uni-bonn.de
Global Exchange Program (GEP)
- Students can apply for global exchange for one or two semesters at partner universities in:
- North America: Canada, USA
- Africa: Ghana
- Asia: China/ Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan
- South America: Brazil, Chile, Mexico
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- Find an overview of our partner universities here
- Students will receive a partial Scholarship, i.e. an exemption from tuition fees.
- Usually, students receive a one-time grant funded by the means of the University. The sum of this grant is dependent on the means of the university which are available at the time. Information on the one-time funding can be found here
- Please note that you should inform yourself about other ways of financing even before applying for a direct exchange, since many deadlines are set even before the application deadline for the direct exchange.
- Some partner universities offer lodging in halls of residence.
- Contact: Laura Cornesse - globalexchange-outgoing@uni-bonn.de
Deadlines vary depending on whether you want to study in Asia, Australia, Canada/USA, or in South America/ Israel. Those for the USA/Canada and those for Asia usually end around November. Therefore, it is crucial that you start thinking about whether you want to study abroad already in the beginning of the M.A. program. Have a look at the exact deadlines here.
First of all, you need to apply in the Mobility-Online portal during the application period (Find a guide for the registration here).
Documents you will need to hand in include: (Important downloads can be found here)
You should be informed about the range of courses, the entry requirements and potential restrictions concerning your study area. You can find all this in the portraits of the corresponding partner universities.
You are applying for a specific region, not a specific university. However, you are strongly encouraged to choose three priorities in terms of partner universities. If you apply only for one single university and do not name any alternatives, this will limit your chances for a successful application.
- Good language skills in the language of instruction
- Good or excellent academic performance
- Personal motivation
- Profound knowledge of the chosen country and the universities of choice (all three of them)
- Extracurricular engagement
- Autonomy and initiative shown
- Engagement with your role as an "ambassador" of the University of Bonn and of Germany
- Potential specific requirements of your chosen university
PROMOS scholarship:
The level of funding available varies from host country to host country.
Please note: The one-time funding payment for GEP is already financed through PROMOS. A separate PROMOS scholarship application is therefore not possible.
Other financial aid (Information in German only):
- Scholarships by the DAAD
- BAfög for studies abroad
- Scholarships by the Fulbright commission for your studies in the USA
- More funding options can be found here
What our students say:
Read about the experiences that students from our M.A. program have made:
Carmen - University of Ottawa, Canada
"One of the aspects I value about the MA Applied Linguistics program is that the department encourages practical experiences, especially practical experiences abroad. For this reason, I spent a semester at the University of Ottawa, Canada where I took the courses Psycholinguistics, Second Language Acquisition, and Sociolinguistics. As the department has various labs, I could see e.g. eye-trackers and ERP equipment myself – and not just read about them in the papers. During my stay, I also held a tutorial for learners of German and could get an insight of L2 acquisition from another perspective."
Friederike - University of Singapore, Singapore
"I spent my third semester in one of the most exciting places in southeast Asia with a direct exchange placement at the National University of Singapore. Aside from being in a city that is exciting enough on its own, NUS prides itself on being the #1 university in Asia, promoting excellence in both education and research. The university has several faculties and offers a broad variety of courses. The linguistics program is in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). You might also consider broadening your horizon with classes offered by the New Media and Communications department. This not only gives you the chance to collaborate with local students but also makes you consider familiar issues from completely different perspectives.
Living on campus and taking part in a strictly guided student life definitely takes some getting used to at the beginning. By the end, however, it’s just another part of the experience and you might even miss the comfort of the dormitories after leaving! Depending on your interests and preferences, Singapore offers a unique experience for everyone. Feeling homesick? Head down to see the sights and mingle with tourists or have lunch with some expats. Embracing your new identity as Ang Mo? Pay a visit to Chinatown and learn how to order your favourite dumplings or take part in various Hindu festivities in Little India."
Anna Lena - York St. John University, England
"I spent one semester abroad in York, England, with Erasmus. York St. John University is much smaller than Bonn University, and everything is on one campus. I had classes on Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition; both of them were very interesting and taught by excellent lecturers. With the help of many events for international students, I was able to quickly find new friends. Together we went on trips to Scarborough and Edinburgh, or simply spent our Wednesday nights attending a local pub quiz. Going abroad was the best decision I ever made: it not only deepened my understanding of linguistic issues, but also helped me to get out of my comfort zone and collect amazing experiences!"
