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Study Abroad Portal: Information for Outgoing Students
Deciding what university is best for you depends on many things such as your personal considerations, academic requirements, your study program at MBS, the numbers of spots available as well as the courses offered at the host university. This section will help you in this process by providing essential information as well as a link to the MBS Partner university online database.
Choosing a university to attend is an exciting part of the study abroad application process and we encourage you to discuss your choices with family, friends, an MBS study abroad advisor, etc. Below are some questions to help you begin thinking about which university would be a good fit:
Which languages do you speak? Which languages do you want to improve?
Do you feel comfortable taking courses in a foreign language other than German or English? Do you want to take courses in English, but practice another language with the locals?
Which international focus have you chosen at MBS? What are your concentrations (MA IB)?
All students: Your semester abroad can be a great way to experience the region you have been learning about in your classes.
Master IB students: You will need to take courses in at least one of your concentrations. When searching for a university, check whether it offers classes in your concentrations.
What costs are involved?
There are different types of semester abroad options associated with different costs. Besides tuition, also make sure to factor in the cost of living in your host city, travel, visa fees etc. More information can be found in the section "Finances".
What are your future career plans?
Do you want to work outside of Germany later on? If so, a semester abroad is a great way to build connections with potential future employers and professors who could write letters of recommendation.
Do you want to attend an MBS partner university or apply as a freemover?
MBS has partnership agreements with over 60 universities around the globe. Applying to a partner university can mean a reduced cost compared to other applicants and more resources and support from the International Center throughout the application process. If you would like to attend a non-partner university, you must complete a request to attend a non-partner university form and be mindful that this will mean less support from the International Center team. The application to attend a non-partner university can be found in the section "Download".
Before you narrow down your university choice, make sure you meet the criteria such as GPA (NC), language proficiency, courses offered etc. for both, the host university and MBS, and check the spot limitations.
Requirements of the Host University
Language Requirements
Most universities require either the TOEFL or the IELTS. Check out the partner university database for detailed information. Make sure your test scores are still valid (2 years from test date) and/or schedule a new test. For some universities, you may also need to show language proficiency if you want to take classes in the host language (e.g. Spanish).
Academic Requirements
For Bachelor students going abroad during their 4th semester, the 1st and the 2nd semester grades (GPA or NC) count. For Bachelor students going abroad during their 6th semester, the 1st though 4th semester grades count. For Master students the 1st semester grades count (there are exceptions for dual degrees).
Students who have open MBS exams have limited choices for their semester abroad. Bachelor students with open exams which amount to more than 24 ECTS may not be able to go abroad (see examination rules for the program) or may have very limited choices. Students pursuing a dual degree must have successfully completed ALL courses to qualify for the dual degree program.
Repeat Exams at MBS
If you have open MBS exams, you will need to repeat the exams during the following semester (May or December) in person at MBS. Please check at the host university’s academic calendar to ensure that their semester does not overlap with the MBS repeat exam time. Students must be prepared to travel back to Munich to take part in the exam.
Additional & Specific Requirements
Some universities may have additional requirements that your Study Abroad Advisor will inform you about. The additional requirements may include a certain amount of work or internship experience or completing certain courses at MBS (mostly for Dual Degrees) etc.
Spot Limitations at Host University
There are limited spaces at the host university and therefore space restrictions. However, since MBS has such a wide network of partners, students have many study options and most likely get their first choice, provided they qualify and meet all requirements.
The International Center at MBS is responsible for the development and maintenance of the 60+ partnerships in its worldwide portfolio. It manages the various international exchange options, dual degrees, as well as the Erasmus program. Two outgoing Study Abroad Advisors assist MBS students during the entire study abroad process.
Before you go – Timeline
This section shows the timeline and explains in detail what students need to do before they go abroad. It covers information, registration, nomination and application.
Next to each step, you will find an approximate timeline for this process. Blue refers to deadline for the fall semester. Orange for students going abroad during the spring semester.
The MBS International Center delivers a comprehensive Study Abroad Info Session to explain the entire study abroad process. Dates and times of the sessions will be announced in advance. Prior to the session students will also have a chance to officially register for their term abroad via a portal called MoveOn. Registering in MoveOn is mandatory and the first step in the outgoing process.
After the study abroad session, students have time to research and inform themselves about the various study option, requirements, limitations etc. and browse through the partner university online database. We strongly suggest making an appointment with one of the study abroad advisors for an individual advising session. Please read through the section ‘Finding Your University’.
After the grades are announced in January and June respectively, students can submit their Top 5 University Abroad choices via the MoveOn Portal. Students should only select universities which they qualify for and meet the admissions criteria.
Based on the host requirements, MBS grades, TOEFL scores and the availability of spots, a final university choice will be made. During this entire process, the MBS Advisors will communicate with the student to finalize the spot. Once all parties are in agreement, the student will accept the spot using the MoveOn portal. MBS will then nominate student to the host university.
The following four criteria are the initial factors for the spot assignment:
- Student meets academic requirements of host university (required GPA)
- Number of outstanding MBS exams at the time of the university choice
- Student fulfills the language requirement and has written proof of an acceptable current language proficiency test
- Student submitted the Top 3 university abroad form in time
In cases where applicants exceed available spots and all 4 conditions listed above are met, grades will be the determining factor. In case the first choice cannot be assigned, alternative choices will be considered.
After you accept the nomination decision in MoveOn, you will be sent an additional contract (Zusatzvereinbarung) which will detail your individual study abroad information
Should students request changes after the statutory 14-day withdrawal period, a written petition must be submitted via the International Center along with an officials doctor’s certificate and explanation. A fee of €600 may be charged upon approval.
Once you have accepted your study abroad contract, you will begin working with your MBS Study Abroad Advisor on the application. Since each university has slightly different dates, your application will be due at a different time than your classmate‘s.
A few weeks after you submit the application, you should hear back from the host university. While each university reserves the right to accept a student, the acceptance is usually granted if students meet the requirements set forth by the host university. However, each university reserves the right to deny students. Once you are accepted, you may need to submit additional documents or pay a part or all of the tuition to the host university (study abroad or dual degree spots only) before you arrive on campus. Again, this varies by university. So check with your Study Abroad Advisor on what you may need to do.
While waiting to hear back from your host university, you can begin preparing for the visa and housing process. Check to see if you need a visa and if so what documents you will need for the application. Begin looking at housing options – is there on-campus housing? What off-campus housing options are available? You should not sign a contract or complete your visa application until you have the approval from the university, but it never hurts to look.
After you have been accepted at the university and have confirmed your decision to attend, you may need to apply for a visa or find housing. Read all documents from your university carefully so you do not miss any information. In general, treat all government documents with extra care.
If you choose not to live on campus or your university does not have an on campus housing option, check with students who have been abroad previously for tips and tricks. You can find their names in the online partner university database.
Course Requirements and Course Credit
To receive credit for courses taken abroad, students must fulfill the course requirements for their MBS degree. At some universities you can enroll in courses prior to departure or you may have to wait until you are on campus to decide. Talk to your MBS advisor for course suggestions. Either way, you must get pre-approval from MBS for all courses before you enroll. After the courses are final and approved, you need to submit a Learning Agreement to MBS.Bachelor students must successfully complete 20 ECTS credits (or the equivalent at non-ECTS credit institutions) abroad. Required courses for students going abroad in their 4th semester or 6th semester are listed below.
Required courses
- Two (2) courses must be advanced business courses.
- Any additional courses (electives) can be either business-related courses, or culture & society courses or foreign language courses. The language course must be either an advanced language course related to the student’s regional studies at MBS or the language of the country (English Foundations courses cannot be accepted).
- Students cannot take courses they have already had at MBS!
MA IB students must complete a minimum of 15 ECTS master-level courses abroad.
- Two (2) courses must be graduate-level courses related to international business.
- If 15 ECTS cannot be obtained with the 2 business courses, students can take the following graduate-level elective courses: either business-related courses or culture & society courses or foreign language courses.
- Students cannot take courses they have already had at MBS!
MA SBC students must complete 15 ECTS graduate-level credits (or foreign credit equivalent) abroad. Of the 15 ECTS credits, 2 graduate courses are defined. Students must select 2 of these 3 course categories:
1. Business, 2. Media and Communication, or 3. Sports, Culture and Society. Additional courses must be related to the 3 course categories or can be foreign language courses.
Exception: SBC students who enroll at a university offering a sports program can freely elect business sports courses.
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Course in the area of Business
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Course in the area of Media & Communication
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Course in Sports, Culture and Society if 15 ECTS are not obtained with 2 courses then add
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… any additional graduate-level courses from the 3 categories above or foreign language courses.
= 15 ECTS in total
MA IE students must complete 15 ECTS graduate-level credits (or foreign credit equivalent) abroad. Of the 15 ECTS credits, 2 graduate courses are defined. Students must select 2 Innovation and Entrepreneurship courses. If 15 ECTS cannot be obtained with the 2 Innovation and Entrepreneurship courses, students can take the following graduate-level elective courses: either business-related courses or culture & society courses or foreign language courses.
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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course
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Innovation and Entrepreneurship Course
if 15 ECTS are not obtained with 1. and 2. then -
Business-related graduate-level courses or culture & society courses or foreign language courses
= 15 ECTS in total
MA IMBM students must complete 15 ECTS graduate-level credits (or foreign credit equivalent) abroad. Of the 15 ECTS credits, 2 graduate courses are defined. Students must select 2 Marketing and Brand Management courses. If 15 ECTS cannot be obtained with the 2 Marketing and Brand Management courses, students can take the following graduate-level elective courses: either business-related courses or culture & society courses or foreign language courses.
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Marketing and Brand Management Course
-
Marketing and Brand Management Course
if 15 ECTS are not obtained with 1. and 2. then -
Business-related graduate-level courses or culture & society courses or foreign language courses
= 15 ECTS in total
Course Credits
Recognition of Courses – Learning Agreement
After the courses you wish to take at the host university have been pre-approved by MBS, you must submit a Learning Agreement to the International Center. The Learning Agreement verifies that your courses are approved by MBS and that the credits can be transferred back to MBS. The due date changes based on your start date of your semester abroad.
Pass All Classes
MBS will award ECTS credits for all pre-approved academic courses successfully completed abroad. Grades will not show up on the MBS transcripts and the grades achieved abroad will not impact your GPA/NC at MBS. In the event that a student fails a course during the semester abroad, the student may retake the exam in accordance with the regulations of the host university. Additional costs may apply and have to be paid by the student. If a student fails 50% or more of his courses abroad the whole semester has to be repeated.
Submit Host University Transcript to MBS
Countries besides USA, Australia, New Zealand
The host university will submit your transcript to MBS. Once the transcript has been processed by the International Center and examination office, you will be notified and receive a pdf version and, depending on the host university, a hard copy version of the transcript.
Free-Movers & Students studying in the USA, Australia and New Zealand
Please note it is your responsibility to submit the transcripts to MBS as this is not an automated process. Many universities in the USA will only issue transcripts to students. Therefore, ask the host university to send a transcript to the International Center at MBS (hard-copy or pdf are fine) to get credit for your courses at MBS. The MBS examination office will compare the transcript with the learning agreement and award ECTS.
Receive Credits for your Courses Abroad
MBS will award ECTS credits for all pre-approved academic courses successfully completed abroad, as per your signed learning agreement. Grades will not show up on the MBS transcripts and the grades achieved abroad will not impact your GPA/NC at MBS.
Failing Courses Abroad
In the event that a student fails a course during the semester abroad, the student must retake the exam in accordance with the regulations of the host university. Additional costs may apply and have to be paid by the student.
Financing your semester abroad
Finances are an important topic in the decision process. This section provides detailed information on the various costs that may incur as well as funding opportunities such as Erasmus+ and Mühlfenzl. Use the cost calculator to compare the estimated total costs of your Top 3 University Choices.
Tuition for your study abroad term varies, depending on the type of study option(s) at the host university and often also on the study level (bachelor vs. master). Besides tuition, there might be some other fees (application fee, facility fees, technology fee) due at the host university. Please refer to the MBS partner university online database for details on each university.
To whom do I pay tuition to during my semester abroad?
Depending on the host university, there are two tuition scenarios:
- Students who receive an exchange or Erasmus spot at the host university pay regular tuition to MBS during their term abroad and no tuition to the host university.
- Students who select a fee-paying spot or who pursue a dual degree (except for Skema, NTSU, and NTNU), pay tuition directly to the host university PLUS a reduced MBS tuition rate to MBS during the term abroad.
Student Level | Exchange/Erasmus spot | Fee-paying spots – additional tuition |
Bachelor | Regular tuition to MBS | Tuition to host + 25% to MBS |
Master | Regular tuition to MBS | Tuition to host + 50% to MBS (25% & 25%)* |
*Fee-paying master students and dual degree:
Master students pay a reduced last tuition rate (50%) to MBS which covers the organization of the term abroad (25%) and the thesis (25%).
Students who need to split the reduced rate for financial reasons can request this procedure in written form from MBS.
Below are details about financial support available to qualified students such as Erasmus+ and the Mühlfenzl scholarship. Deadlines are August 31 (for spring) and April 30 (for fall).
To find out what universities qualify for the scholarships listed below, please refer to the MBS online partner university database.
Privately Funded Scholarship
Mühlfenzl Scholarship (German citizens only)
This scholarship is awarded by the private Mühlfenzl Foundation and is currently for German citizens only. Students with an MBS NC (GPA) of 2.5 or better with social engagement and financial need may apply. The amount varies from € 1.000-2.000 depending on the student. It is a one-time payment.
Deadline for the fall semester: end-April
Deadline for the spring semester: end-August
Government Funded Programs
ERASMUS (All students)
For semesters abroad in Europe: MBS receives a certain amount from the DAAD each year which it distributes to those students attending universities with bi-lateral agreements (see MBS online partner university database). The amount of grant each students receives depends on how much money MBS receives from the DAAD. Typically students can expect about €1000 for one semester.
For internships in Europe: Students with internships of at least 8 weeks can also apply for Erasmus grants via MBS. The internship can be done in any company in Europe (but not in Germany).
Deadline for the fall semester: end-April
Deadline for the spring semester: end-August
Download Application for Eligibility
You can obtain more information about Erasmus+ from the International Center.
Auslands-BAföG
German citizens or permanent residents only. The German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) is independent of Inlands-BAföG. Students going on exchange will not be able to receive tuition from Auslands-BAföG. As an exchange student, each student pays to the home university and no tuition is paid to the host university.
Costs for each study option can vary significantly. Use this cost calculator spreadsheet to get a quick estimate on the total estimated cost for your Top 3 University choices abroad.
Step 1: Open the Cost Calculator to see what information is needed.
Step2: Check the tuition & fees for your university choices in the MBS online partner university database
Step 3: Utilize websites that let you compare the cost of living worldwide:
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp
For all students going abroad it is mandatory to register for their term abroad via the portal MoveOn. Registering is the first step in the outgoing process. MBS students may access the MoveOn Portal using their regular MBS Virtual Campus login. After the MBS grades are announced, students will be able to make their Top 3 university abroad choices in the MoveOn Portal. The process is explained in detail in the outgoing process. During the entire outgoing process, students will be asked to submit various documents via the MoveOn Portal.
Choosing a university to attend is an exciting part of the study abroad application process. You can discuss your choices with family, friends, an MBS study abroad advisor. Accompanying you should browse through the partner universities database where you get detailed information on the 60+ partner universities and the various study options they offer including dual degrees.
- General information about the study abroad and dual-degree options
- Detailed information on each MBS international partner university, including range of courses, admission requirements, number of spots, tuition fees etc.
- Names of MBS students who have previously studied at the university
- Student feedback reports of MBS students
Scholarships (Mühlfenzl & Erasmus)
Please read if you and/or the chosen university qualifies!
Application for the Mühlfenzl Stipendium
German citizens only
Application for Eligibiliy of Erasmus Plus Grants -
All students applying to Erasmus universities located in Europe
Application for Freemovers
Application to attend a non-partner university
Please note: If you apply to a non-partner university, you are not eligible for funding via the Erasmus+ or Mühlfenzl scholarships.
Learning Agreements
Bachelor International Business
Master Sports Business & Communication
Master Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Master International Marketing and Brand Management
Other Documents
Request for Substitute Study Abroad Assessment Credit at MBS – Form (courses abroad not passed)