Incoming

In general, all interested Bachelor and Master students can complete a semester or two as a visiting student. This is possible via two different routes. One way is through an exchange program with a partner university. If there is no partnership between your home university and the University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück, you still have the option of studying as a freemover at our university.

To consider your application for a semester as a visiting student, we must receive your completed application within the following timeframe:

Are you interested in completing a semester with us? If so, you can find more details on the website of the responsible International Faculty Offices and apply for a guest study program there (see contact list below). The entire application process is handled digitally via our Mobility Online application portal and you will receive the link for that portal from the International Faculty Office.

In order to complete a semester as a visiting student, you must meet various admission requirements.

First, you must remain enrolled at your home university during your entire study stay at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. If you participate in an exchange program, you must also be nominated by your home university.

Visiting students must have reached at least B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR ) in German or English, depending on the language of instruction for the courses they plan to take. In some cases, B2 level is required. For more details, please refer to the page of the responsible International Faculty Offices (see contact list below).
 

The Housing Service of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences offers housing in furnished rooms for visiting international students. These rooms are in the student dormitories of the Studentenwerk Osnabrück, which operates more than 20 student dorms throughout Osnabrück and one apartment complex in Lingen.

The Housing Service rooms vary in price depending on their size and the location and amenities of the dormitory. On average, rooms cost 210 to 400 Euros per month, and dorms closer to city center are generally more expensive. The dorms generally offer internet access and access to laundry facilities (operated with coins or your student ID / ‘campus card’).

Learn more about accommodation through our Housing Service, including the application process and deadlines, here.

Depending on your citizenship, you may need a visa to enter into Germany (list of visa requirements/exemptions by country).

Once you arrive, our team will help you register your address with city authorities and, if necessary, apply for a temporary residence permit: We organize a collective appointment with the Foreigners Office at the start of each semester and help students prepare their documents for this appointment.

To obtain a visa or a residence permit, you will need to submit:

• proof of financial resources* that shows that you have access to at least 934 Euro per month,
• proof sufficient health insurance (see next section),
• copies of all non-blank pages of your passport
• proof of acceptance or enrollment from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences,
• and any additional documents required by the German diplomatic mission in your home country or the local Foreigners Office

*You can check what kind of proof of financial resources you are required to present through the Proof of Financial Resources Checker. Students from some countries are require to prove their financial resources through a blocked account, in which they deposit a certain amount before leaving their home country. While in Germany, a monthly sum can be withdrawn from this account.

Third-country nationals who have a residence title of an EU member state due to the REST Directive and who are staying in the EU for study or research purposes can study or research in Germany for up to 360days without a German residence title. In order to obtain this mobility, the receiving institution, in this case the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences must send the following documents for a check to the BaMF (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees):

* BaMF registration form, copy of European residence permit, copy of current and valid passport, certificate of admission/of enrollment of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, proof of health insurance, proof of sufficiant funds (see info above)

Students from China need to have their visa applications approved by the  Akademischen Prüfstelle (APS) in China (link in Chinese).

Registration with the City of Osnabrück

All German and international students who move to Osnabrück have to register their address with the city authorities within one week of moving in. However, you can register your new address quickly and easily during the collective appointment with the Foreigners Office at the start of each semester.

To register a new address in Osnabrück, students need to submit:

• A copy of your ID or Passport
• A copy of your enrollment certificate from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences
• A confirmation form from our Housing Service or your landlord, if you are not living in a Housing Service room.

If you need to apply for a temporary residence permit, your address will be registered at the same time automatically.

And don't forget: When leaving Osnabrück after finishing your studies, you need to un-register, too!

Having sufficient health insurance coverage is a prerequisite for enrollment at a German university. A health insurance plan must also be presented in order to obtain a visa or a residence permit from the Foreigners Office.

We recommend non-EU students buy a German health insurance plan before entering the country. EU-students are covered in Germany if they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Here you can find important information on how to prove you have sufficient health insurance coverage.

The Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences offers more than 100 Bachelor's and Master's degree programs.

Courses in German

Students with knowledge of German at the B2 or B1 level can choose their subjects from a wide range of courses. The degree program navigator (only available in German) will help you find courses related to your degree program. Or, you can gain an overview using the list of all Bachelor's and Master's degree programs. However, your best resource is the International Faculty Officer (IFO) responsible for your study area (see list below). Our IFOs are happy to help you find and register for the right courses for your time in Osnabrück.

Courses in English

For visiting students who speak little or no German, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences offers a variety of attractive English-language study options, including English-taught modules, internships and semester programs.

For more information on the courses and programs offered, please contact the respective International Faculty Office (see list below). Our International Faculty Offices are happy to help you find the right courses to meet your needs.

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is a standardized system for counting academic credits, which facilitates credit recognition between universities in Europe.

ECTS credit points measure student workload, comprising both time spent in class and time spent studying outside the classroom including exams, papers, internships, etc. For 1 ECTS point, students are supposed to work for 30 hours inside and outside the classroom.

As a rule, students acquire 30 ECTS points per semester. At Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, most modules have a workload of 5 ECTS, which equals 180 hours of study.

Grades in Germany range from 1.0 to 5.0. 1.0 is the best grade you can get.

The grading scheme at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences comprises 5 grade levels:

• Very Good      ≤ 1.50
• Good              > 1.50 and ≤ 2.50
• Satisfactory    > 2.50 and ≤ 3.50
• Sufficient        > 3.50 and ≤ 4.00
• Not Sufficient  > 4.00

In order to pass a class, you have to achieve a 4.0 or higher. In oral exams, the grading may vary from this standard.

The lecturers at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences use a variety of methods to assess the students' performances and achievements. The method chosen depends on the respective subject and study level. The different assessment categories can be divided up into three categories:

1.     written (e.g. a written exam of one or several hours at the end of the semester, a term paper)
2.     oral (e.g. a presentation)
3.     practical (e.g. a lab exercise with a written report)

Which assessment methods are used, must be specified in the module description.

In Germany, the education at universities is mainly financed by taxpayers. Therefore, the students usually do not have to pay tuition fees.

However, every student is obliged to pay a semester fee (not to be confused with tuition fees). Semester fees not only cover administrative costs (such as enrolment or re-registration fees), but also include a social contribution to the Studentenwerk (local student services organisation) for running the mensas, cafeterias, halls of residence, and advice services. The semester fees also contribute to the official body that represents students at the institution, such as the AStA (student union), and also go towards funding the semester ticket (Deutschlandsemesterticket) for public transport. After completing the enrolment process you can download the Deutschlandsemesterticket and use busses as well as the regional trains in the whole of Germany for free.

The semester fee is approx. 360 euros per semester but the exact amount varies from semester to semester. The part for the administrative fee is 75 euros and that part is waived for visiting students from partner universities who come to Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences on exchange. The administrative fee is also waived for students who receive a scholarship which is financed by German public funding (e.g. scholarships awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service).

International guest students who take part in online courses offered in the Osnabrück Global Classroom and who do not enter Germany are not required to pay semester fees.

Compared to many other cities in Germany, the cost of living is relatively low in Osnabrück, in part because of the more affordable cost of rent for rooms.

Our estimate is that students in and around Osnabrück need approximately 800 to 950 Euro per month to cover all costs. Of course, this also depends on individual needs and habits.

Please note that from January 2023, a proof of finance is necessary for your visa and residence permit in Germany. Currently, you need to demonstrate that you have 963 euros per month at your disposal. See the section on Visa, Residence Permit and Registration above for more information.

At the beginning of your stay, you should expect some extra expenses:

The Buddy Program matches visiting international students with a local student in a higher semester, who helps them find their way around Osnabrück and the university.

The International Faculty Offices match you with a buddy and send you his or her name and e-mail address before you leave home for Osnabrück. That way, your buddy can pick you up from the train station, help you move into your room and shows you the campus and the city. Your buddy can also help you open a bank account, buy a bicycle, or navigate other questions in the first days and weeks of your stay.

Contact the International Faculty Office (list below) for more details.

Our intensive International Language Schools offer visiting students a chance to get oriented to life in Osnabrück and Germany and to meet new friend directly before the start of each semester, all while learning German.

The theme of our International Summer and Winter Language Schools is “Society and Culture, Economy and Technology in Germany." Within these programs you can develop and train your communication skills, gain insights into the social and economic structures of Germany and get to know the country and its people.

Of course, the German lessons are of central importance: On average, over five hours of lessons are offered every weekday of the program. In addition, the programs include day trips, company visits, sport activities, and cultural and intercultural events. The course ends with a final trip to Berlin.

Learn more about our intensive language programs here:

International Winter Language School (before Summer Semester, begins in Feb.)

International Summer Language School (before Winter Semester, begins in Aug.)

We are the largest and most competitive University of Applied Sciences in Lower Saxony. In recent years, we have also grown strongly. With more than 14,000 students and around 100 courses of study at the bachelor's and master's levels, we have nevertheless been able to retain the character of a familiar and personal place of teaching and learning.

Students rate Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences as one of the most popular universities: We achieved 5th place out of 500 universities in Germany that were rated via the online portal StudyCHECK. Furthermore, our library is one of the five best in Germany.

These top rankings confirm our strategy of providing the high-quality, balanced and practice-oriented academic education that students need for their professional careers after graduation.

Our modern lecture halls make it easier to communicate current topics, and all of our campuses are very well equipped for the breaks between lectures. At each of our locations, there is a modern cafeteria. In addition, the good infrastructure in the city makes it very easy to reach our various locations throughout Osnabrück and Lingen.

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Osnabrück is a large city with over 150,000 inhabitants, located in the northwest of Germany. The approximately 30,000 students at the University as well as the University of Applied Sciences make the city especially attractive for young people. The city itself offers an unmistakable atmosphere with its medieval town center and the carefully restored half-timbered houses. Nevertheless, modern passages and pedestrian zones invite you to take a walk and go shopping.

The colourful and diverse neighborhoods, a high-level and varied cultural program and the multitude of different events make the city liveable and lovable.

In addition, the city's proximity to the Teutoburg Forest and the Wiehengebirge mountains also offers nature lovers an opportunity to spend their free time in an adventurous way.

Osnabrück's location means that one can reach various large cities, such as Hamburg, Amsterdam, Berlin and Cologne, quickly and easily.

The CampusCard serves as a student identity card, which will accompany you throughout your studies at the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.

To create the CampusCard, you must submit a digital passport photo of yourself. Simply upload the photo in the designated area of the OSCA portal. As soon as your passport photo is accepted and your proof of health insurance has been submitted, you will receive an e-mail from the ServiceDesk. There you can pick up your CampusCard.

In addition to its function as a visual identity card, you can use the CampusCard as a ticket for buses and trains regionally, use it to pay for meals in the student dining halls and cafeterias and to borrow books from the library.

If you lose your CampusCard, you must contact the ServiceDesk and pay a fee of 15 euros for its replacement.

You can find more detailed information on the ServiceDesk website

Thanks to the good infrastructure in the region, you can easily reach Osnabrück by various means: by car, train or plane. You can find more details on the City of Osnabrück website

The CampusCard is also your semester ticket (page only available in German): With the semester fee, Osnabrück students automatically pay for a semester ticket which allows them to use all city buses. The buses run regularly and stop at all student residences, as well as each campus of the university. The semester ticket is also valid on the regional railways in Lower Saxony; the best prerequisite for, e.g. traveling all over the state on weekends.
To find train connections for all of Germany, visit the  Deutsche Bahn website and for bus routes and timetables for in Osnabrück, go to the Stadtwerke Osnabrück.
Osnabrück is a bicycle-friendly city: You can explore the city or cycle from the dorm to the school on cycle paths; used bicycles are also available for purchase.

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences offers a diverse range of sports and leisure activities. The city of Osnabrück and its surrounding area also offer a wide range of free-time opportunities to balance out your studies.

Center for University Sports

The Center for University Sports (Zentrum für Hochschulsport, ZfH) is a joint institution of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and the University of Osnabrück. Students, staff and lecturers of both universities can take advantage of the wide range of activities on offer. There are both free and fee-based courses.

The semester programs are published in mid-April and mid-October, and there are courses during the semester break.

Students of our Lingen campus can learn more about local sport and leisure activites here [Wo ist eigentlich Lingen].

Explore Germany

Explore Germany is a cultural program organized for international students an their buddies by the Center for International Mobility of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. This semester it will not only cover outdoor activities in compliance with the Corona regulations, but also a number of online sessions. That way, students can get to know eachother and learn about Germany and other interesting topics.

Friend Family

The Friend-Family-Program matches international students of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences with citizens of Osnabrück, enabling new insight into local life outside your studies and off campus.

Events organized by the student government

The events organized by the Fachschaften (the student councils of each faculty) are an integral part of the academic year: First semester parties and the annual Terrassenfest (Terrace Festival) provide an opportunity to celebrate. Check out the Facebook page of the AStA (General Student Committee) to make sure you don't miss anything!

Off Campus

Osnabrück and Lingen both have much to offer students: restaurants, bars and clubs, theaters, cinemas and museums, as well the lovely surrounding areas. We recommend that you ask your fellow students about their favorite places and have a look at the local calendars of events

Osnabrück:

https://www.os-kalender.de/os/

Lingen:

https://www.emslandarena.com

As a student in Germany, you have the opportunity to work alongside your studies or complete an internship. However, it is important that you do not neglect your studies (your studies are always the primary reason for your stay) and that you observe the legal framework (regarding the scope of employment, taxes, social security contributions and health insurance).

Different regulations apply to students from the EU than to students from non-EU countries. Especially for the latter, it is important to check in consultation with the immigration authority whether the residence permit allows work activity. If students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland take up a part-time job or complete a paid internship, they must insure themselves through a German health insurance company. Using the EHIC as proof of Health Insurance is not possible anymore in that case. There are only a few exceptions to this - be sure to check with your health insurance company!

The Deutsches Studentenwerk (Germany's Student Service Organition)  has compiled specific information for international students (EU and non-EU).

Consult the website of the German Academic Exchange Service for internships in Germany.

If you would like to apply for an internship or a job after graduation, the Career Center of the of Osnabrück will assist you. A great way to connect with over 100 companies in the region is to attend CHANCE, the business contact trade fair(page only available in German), which takes place once a year in th the fall at the Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.

In the  Praxiko-Datenbank of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, you will find offers from employers in the region for internships, theses, part-time jobs and also positions as a student assistant at our university (website only available in German).