Incoming Students

You want to study a complete Bachelor's or Master's program at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS) in order to attain a degree?

An overview of our degree programs as well as useful information to prepare your study stay in Germany are given on the central university page: Degree-seeking students. Our "Handbook for international students" can also provide you with helpful tips and advices (PDF for download top right of this website). Moreover, the offers mentioned under Service for international students are relevant for you.

Our faculty presently offers two degree programs which are run completely in English:

Bachelor: International Management (B.A.)
Master: International Business and Management (M.A.)

Details on the admission requirements and application procedures can be found on the homepages of the degree programs or at: Information for an application with foreign documents

Please note: You cannot apply for a study place on this website for incoming students. The online registration here is exclusively destined for the visiting students of our faculty.

Visiting students for us are exchange students from partner universities with which we have concluded a cooperation agreement.
Overview of the universities cooperating with us: Partner universities

Among these students are dual degree students who come within a special arrangement and aim to achieve a Bachelor's or Master's degree at our university. All other visiting students cannot attain a degree from us.

Exchange students can stay in general for a minimum of six months (one semester) or a maximum of one year (two semesters) to study or to do an internship or a combination of both. Dual degree students partly stay longer than two semesters. For an Erasmus study you must spend at least three months in Germany, for an Erasmus internship minimally two months.

An enrollment at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS) can however be enabled for a minimum of three months only. Students, who stay for a shorter term, cannot get a student ID card incl. a public transportation ticket from us, but we offer the following services instead (in Osnabrück only, not in other towns): access to student canteens, library and university computers, accommodation, authorization card for buying reduced bus tickets.

At the beginning of every semester, all incoming students must pay the semester fee.

To prepare your study or internship stay in Osnabrück in an optimal way, you will obtain further useful information inter alia on housing, visa, insurances, financing, costs, internship, summer and winter programs during the semester breaks on the central university pages for visiting students and in our "Handbook for international students" (PDF for download top right of this page).

Details on the admission requirements and application procedure: Online registration as visiting student

We also accept visiting students who come to us as freemover students and who are enrolled at a university outside Germany which does, however,  not have a cooperation agreement with Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS). You may study with us for one to two semesters but you cannot attain a degree. If you are interested in doing an internship in Germany, you can do so in your second term but you must organize it on your own.

Free movers must pay the full semester fee. You may deduct the administrative charge from this amount in case you receive a financial grant which is mainly financed by the German state, e. g. a scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (page in German only) or of the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ).

You can inform yourself about further offers, costs and financing options as well as on the single steps to prepare your stay in Osnabrück on the central university pages for visiting students and in our "Handbook for international students" (PDF for download top right of this page).

Details on the admission requirements and application procedure: Online registration as visiting student

Exchange students from partner universities and freemover students must meet the requirements as stated on this page to be admitted as visiting students at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS):

Registration as a full-time student at a university outside Germany

You must be enrolled at a university abroad during the whole period of the planned stay in Germany and you should have completed at least one semester at your home university before coming to us.

Prior nomination by your home university before submitting the online registration

Before you submit your online application, the International Faculty Office expects to receive a nomination e-mail from your university latest by April 30 for the winter semester and by October 15 for the summer semester. You can find the responsible contact for your country at: Contact International Faculty Office

We will need the following data on your study or internship stay: your full contact details, your study level (Bachelor/Master or other) and area, exchange period (winter and/or summer semester or period of planned internship), exchange purpose (study/internship semester or dual degree Bachelor/Master). Your university can best complete and return our nomination chart.

Payment of semester fee
At the beginning of every semester, all incoming students have to pay the semester fee.

Good command of English and/or German
Visiting students must prove to have the language proficiency for a study or internship semester resp. as demanded by our faculty: Language requirements

Dual degree students
Students, who want to attain a dual Bachelor's or Master's degree, must meet the requirements as stipulated in the dual degree agreement. Your eligibility is checked by your own university which must specifically select and nominate you for this program. Currently, we have such exchange agreements with the following universities:

• Ecole de Management de Normandie, Le Havre, France
• Université Paris-Est-Créteil Val de Marne (UPEC), France
• Haikou University of Economics, China
• Hefei University, China
• Kyung Hee University, College of International Studies, Seoul, South Korea
• Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
• Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
• Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Cundinamarca, Colombia

1. Language requirements for study semester

1.1 Exchange students (no dual degree)

• Bachelor modules:
  Language of instruction English: minimal B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), alternatively:
  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimal score 80 ibt (internet-based)
  TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication): minimal points 750
  IELTS (International English Language Testing System): minimal grade 5.5
  
  Visiting students with a B1 level are advised to choose also an English language course at our faculty to quickly deepen their English proficiency and to better cope with the Bachelor classes. In addition, you can apply for a language tutor at the start of the lecture period. Details are given on our website: Language modules and tutorials
  
  Language of instruction German: minimal B2 CEFR, comparable to language requirements for freemover students (see below)
   
• Master modules: minimal B2 CEFR in English or German, comparable to language requirements for freemover students (see below)

1.2 Dual degree students

You must meet the requirements fixed in your dual degree agreement. Your university will inform you about it.

1.3 Freemover students

• Bachelor and Master modules: minimal B2 in English or German of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), to be proved by one of the following test certificates (a copy will do)

Internationally recognized German test certificates

Should you have no or only little knowledge of English and if German is not your mother tongue, you must prove your ability to study in German by one of the following test certificates. The test result must again not be older than three years at the beginning of studies at OS UAS:

• Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang: DSH 2
• TestDaF: TDN 4 (a minimum of 4 points per section, 4x4 points)
• Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz Stufe II: DSD II, with a result of C1 (CEFR) per section
• Goethe-Zertifikat: C2
• Telc: Deutsch C1 Hochschule
• Examination in "German" within the "Feststellungsprüfung" of a "Studienkolleg"
• Completed university degree in "Germanistik" (German Language and Literature Studies)
• Completed university degree fully taught in German (H+ in anabin)
• Deutsche Sprachprüfung II of Sprachen- und Dolmetscher-Institut, Munich
• Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung of Goethe-Institut
• Großes or Kleines Deutsches Sprachdiplom of Goethe Institut (GDS or KDS)
• Österreichisches Sprachdiplom (ÖSD): C2 Oberstufe Deutsch
• Foreign credentials from one of the schools listed in the KMK decree published on June 2, 1995, see knowledge of German

2. Language requirements for internship semester

For all internships, previous knowledge of German is required as you often have to communicate in German with the patients or customers in the practice institutions. Otherwise, the fields of activity during the internship would be very limited. More information on your options are given on our page titled internships and on the central pages for visiting students about the legal conditions for an internship in Germany.

2.1 Bachelor exchange students in the study area Nursing

• English: minimal B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• German: minimal B1 CEFR for the internship - B2 for studying the regular nursing modules at our faculty
• Participation in the International Language School German prior to the start of the internship (compulsory)
• Semester language course in German at our faculty (compulsory)

2.2 Bachelor exchange students in the study areas Midwifery, Social Work

• German: minimal B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
• An internship in English in these fields of activity cannot be arranged at the moment.
• Participation in the International Language School German prior to the start of the internship (compulsory)
• Semester language course in German at our faculty (compulsory)

For the admission as a visiting student, you must apply via the Mobility-Online application portal.

Mere e-mail applications will not be accepted. You do not have to submit the original application papers additionally by ordinary mail.

We cannot guarantee your admission or we may cancel it if your application reaches us after the closing date, if you submit invalid or forged documents or if you do not keep our conditions.
 

Application periods

Winter (September to February): March 1 to May 15 of the same year
Nomination by home university: latest by April 30

Summer (March to August): September 1 to November 1 of the preceding year
Nomination by home university: latest by October 15

Nomination and contact

Do you meet our admission requirements and can you prove the language proficiency? In that case, we would be pleased to receive your application!

First of all, your university should nominate you by e-mail with our nomination chart. Next we will send you the link to the application form and all relevant information. Freemover students, whose universities do not nominate, may contact us directly: Contact International Faculty Office

How to apply via the Mobility-Online application portal

Step 1:
Please fill in the online form and submit it. The system will send you a confirmation by e-mail with instructions for the next steps to complete the application.

Note:

• Special characters, upper and lower cases: Please enter your name and all other data in Latin letters without special characters (e. g. à, ç, ï, ñ) and observe upper and lower cases, i. e. don’t enter your data in upper or lower case letters only.
• E-mail address: Enter your university's e-mail address as first contact, other addresses (hotmail, gmail, outlook etc.) only as second contact, please! Otherwise, important information might not reach you. Your university's e-mail address will be used for the whole communication during the application process and your mobility.
• Faculty: Please only select our faculty "WiSo - Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences".
• Exchange activity: Interns click on "Study and internship semester", please.
• Study area: Visiting students shall only choose "WiSo: Free course selection", dual degree students the relevant Bachelor or Master program.
• It can take a bit at times until the portal saves your data or loads new pages.
• The automatic confirmation e-mails do not reach you? Please check your SPAM file!

Step 2:
Register in the Mobility-Online portal and compose a user name and a password for creating a personal user account. The system will send you a confirmation by e-mail.

Step 3:
Log into your user account via the links in the confirmation e-mail. Enter your personal details (address) as well as the data on previous studies and upload your application documents, all in the given order.

Note:

• Should you not have all documents on hand and the deadline is near, first upload other files for the missing documents in the online form so that you can submit your application and keep the deadline.
• You can e-mail the missing papers to the International Faculty Office once available.
• Admission e-mails or invitation letters for non-EU students will, however, only be sent once all documents are complete and correct, i. e. including signatures, stamps and all further data that is needed.
• The files of the application documents shall not be uploaded altogether as one file, but as several separate files: e. g. the CV under CV, the language certificate under language certificate.
• Name your files clearly: e. g. Passport_first name_ surname.
• If one document, e. g. your transcript, consists of more than one page, please first convert it into one file. But please do not scan several pages side by side on one page of the file as this impedes the readability.
   

The following documents will be required:

Step 4:
Mark your application as completed so that the International Faculty Office can check it. Your data and documents will be blocked temporarily. You will be notified by e-mail if any document needs to be replaced.

If we can accept your application, you will receive an admission e-mail from us. Please read it carefully since it contains important information and instructions for the further procedure as well a visa admission letter for students with a non-European nationality. Please immediately take the next steps for preparing your mobility, as far as appropriate: apply for an accommodation, a visa, the international winter/summer language school German, compose a first learning agreement, etc. - see also: Application and admission procedure for visiting students

Should you have not received an admission or rejection e-mail or any other notification from us within two weeks after you have submitted your online application, please check your SPAM file or contact our International Faculty Office!

Please first clear with your home university if you may extend your stay as a visiting student at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS) by an additional term. Afterwards we will need a new certificate of enrollment from your university by e-mail. It shall contain the dates of the upcoming semester and be signed and stamped by your coordinator.

PLEASE DO NOT APPLY AGAIN VIA MOBILITY-ONLINE! We will copy your profile from the preceding semester instead.

Application periods

Winter (September to February): March 1 to May 15 of the same year

Summer (March to August): September 1 to November 1 of the preceding year
 

Application and admission procedure for visiting students

Please e-mail the certificate to your IFO coordinator who can also answer further questions: Contact International Faculty Office
 

The academic year of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS) consists of two semesters.

The winter semester is the first part of the academic year. It begins on September 1 and ends on February 28. The lectures are held from mid-September to the beginning/middle of January. Subsequently, the three-week examination period lasts until the beginning of February.

The summer semester is the second part of the academic year and lasts from March 1 to August 31. The lectures are taught from the start of March until mid-June. The three-week examination period ends at the beginning of July.

During the semester break in February or from the beginning of July to mid-September, the international winter and summer programs take place at our university.

Important dates and deadlines at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS), of which you should keep track by all means, can be gathered from the following academic calendars:

Academic calendar - winter semester 2023/2024

Academic calendar - summer semester 2024

Academic calendar - winter semester 2024/2025

OS UAS fact sheet

First of all, we would advise you to ask your home university for any funding programs they offer for a mobility abroad, such as Erasmus+ in case of EU students.

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences can financially support exchange students from partner universities only to a limited extent. At present, we provide incoming scholarships for only a few number of students from Latin America, Asia, South Africa. Every semester, we inform our partners in these countries about the number and amount of available grants. Afterwards they select students who are eligible for this sponsorship and nominate them to us. Please inquire and apply for this option with your home university.

Students from the U.S.A, Canada and Brazil can apply for financial support within the UAS7 Study and Internship Program.

Further tips to finance your stay in Germany and on funding programs can be gathered from the website of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Study in Germany - Funding

Video of the German Student Services: Tips for international students - How do I finance my studies in Germany?

Advice and details on part-time jobs while studying in Germany can be found in our handbook for international students (for download from this page, top right).

Erasmus internships in the study areas Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work

Bachelor exchange students from our partner universities, with which we have concluded corresponding Erasmus agreements, can do an internship in the above-mentioned study areas in Osnabrück. The internship places are arranged by the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS) with the collaborating practice institutions. With the confirmation of your acceptance, the International Faculty Office will give you the contact details of the responsible coordinators to clarify the details and the further procedure of the internship. Besides the practical work, you can or in some cases must study one additional module at our faculty, e. g. a language course in German or English or a study-related subject.

Be aware that you can be enrolled as a visiting student and get a student ID card, which includes a free public transportation ticket, only if you stay in Germany for minimally three months. For this purpose, you must apply for the admission as a visiting student (see last item on this page). Please also have a look at the language requirements for an internship.

The minimum period for an Erasmus internship is two months. Under the heading “Short-term internships without enrollment”, you can read which services we offer to students who want to stay with us for less than three months. 

Internships in other study areas

All visiting students can plan a study and internship stay over two semesters in Germany: In the first semester of your one-year stay, you can study at our faculty, and in the second term, you can do an internship in a company, institution or organization. The enrollment for the first and second semester will be realized by the International Faculty Office after you have applied for a study place as a visiting student (see last item on this page).

A mere internship stay without a previous study semester at our university is not possible, only within a few stipulated exchange programs. Since we currently do not have any cooperation partners for e. g. business-related internships, these must be fully arranged by yourself without our support. That means you must find a company or institution that is willing to take you as an intern and clear all the required formalities for the internship on your own. OS UAS cannot give ECTS credits or issue certifications for these internships as they are not part of our syllabi and cannot be guided academically. We can only offer to enroll you. The internship does not necessarily have to be in our town, but definitely in Germany.

Schedule at least six months for your search and preparations and take into account that most firms want interns to have at least a basic or more likely a very good command of German.

Students who are already in Osnabrück can get advices for searching an internship place and for preparing the application documents from the Career Services (in German) within the Learning Center of OS UAS. They also run the Internship and Job Portal "Praxiko" (in German). Best first see over the portal together with your buddy before you arrange an appointment via learningcenter@hs-osnabrueck.de to clear any queries. Another good option to get in touch with regional companies is the business contract trade fair Chance (in German), held at our university every autumn.

Further tips on where to find internship places are given in our handbook for international students.
 

Short-term internships without enrollment

Bachelor exchange students from partner universities can also come to Germany to do an internship for less than three months. An internship place, academic guidance and a final certificate can be arranged by our university only with our cooperating practice institutions and within the stipulated exchange programs (e. g. Erasmus).

Even though you can neither be enrolled at our university nor obtain a student ID card, we can offer you the following services instead (in Osnabrück only, not in other towns): accommodation (subject to free rooms), access to student canteens, library and university computers, authorization card for buying reduced student bus tickets.

For this purpose, our International Faculty Office will need your full name, e-mail address and date of birth. Get in touch with our housing service (housing@hs-osnabrueck.de) not later than two months before your internship starts. You can also find yourself a private accommodation if you prefer that.

Maybe our short-term summer and winter programs could be of interest to you, too?

Combined study and internship semester for students from University of Florida (Warrington College of Business Administration) and University of Southern Indiana, U.S.A.

As a student of the above partner universities, you may do a combined study and internship semester in Osnabrück. That means you can gain practical experiences in a local company and study a few modules at our faculty, all in one semester. You must have a good command of German and will be selected and nominated for this special program by your home university. Afterwards you must apply at our faculty to become a visiting student (see last item of this page). The internship will be arranged and guided by the responsible academic coordinator of OS UAS. Further details on this exchange program can be given by your home university.

UAS7 Study and internship programs for students from the U.S.A., Canada and Brazil

Students from the U.S.A., Canada and Brazil can apply for the UAS7 Study and Internship Programs to be sponsored by a scholarship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or by a travel grant. After you have received the confirmation for one of these exchange programs, you must additionally apply for a study place as a visiting student at our faculty (see next item).

Registration as visiting student and legal conditions for internships in Germany

For nearly all of the above internship options, you must be enrolled at a university outside Germany during the whole period of your stay. And you must apply online for admission with our International Faculty Office: Online registration as visiting student

We cannot offer academic guidance or a written confirmation for any internship performances beyond the stated exchange programs. You are advised to ask your internship company for a final certification instead.

A minimum wage for your internship must be paid to you and you require a work permit from the Citizen Center Osnabrück when your internship shall last more than three months and if it is not an obligatory part of your degree program at your home university. Ask your home university if they can confirm a compulsory internship as this will increase your chances to find a place, even if you might not receive a remuneration in that case.

Moreover, please ask your health insurance company in what way your insurance cover might be affected by taking up a job/internship.

Further information:

Central pages for visiting students - legal conditions: Working / internships
Student Services of Germany (Deutsches Studentenwerk): Information for international students - Jobbing
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Work placements

English course catalog

If you want to come to Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS) for a study semester as visiting student to study mainly in English, you can choose among a good range of English Bachelor and Master subjects:

English course catalog

Bachelor modules: minimum level in English: CEFR B1

Master modules: Our International Faculty Office must first check if you meet the following requirements:

• minimum level in English: CEFR B2
• additionally min. 4 semesters (2 years) of previous studies
• plus min. 180 ECTS credits OR a first qualified university degree in Business Management or Economic Sciences resp.

You may select all basic and specialization modules. Please also have a look at: Module requirements

Should you wish to study also German modules or if you want to combine these with English and language courses, please consider as well the following information.
 

German course catalog

Visiting students, who want to study predominantly or additionally German subjects during their mobility, can choose almost among the whole course catalog offered at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS). You may select basic as well as specialization modules.

German course catalog (mostly frequented by visiting students)

Bachelor modules: minimum level in German: CEFR B1

Master modules: Our International Faculty Office must first check if you meet the following requirements:

• minimum level in German: CEFR B2
• additionally min. 4 semesters (2 years) of previous studies
• plus min. 180 ECTS credits OR a first qualified university degree in Business Management or Economic Sciences resp.

You may select all basic and specialization modules. Please also have a look at: Module requirements

For further German modules taught at our faculty, which are not included in the above excel list, please go to: Bachelor and Master degree programs

First click on "Program overview" on the homepages of the degree programs to find out under the item "Start of studies" if the program admits students in every semester. In that case, you can assume that the modules of all semesters listed on the German page under "Studienverlauf (program structure)" should be on offer in the upcoming term. If they admit students to winter semesters only, in most cases only subjects of the 1st, 3rd and 5th semester will be taught in winter terms and of the 2nd and 4th semester in summer terms.

In case of any question, please feel free to contact the coordinators of the degree programs or of the IFO: Contact International Faculty Office

Language course catalog

The foreign language courses at our faculty are free of charge and open to all students: Language course catalog

Language modules and language tutorials

Module requirements

Module descriptions

Block week events and academic writing seminars

These lectures and seminars are explained in the PDF: Special seminars

Online registration for modules on the Intranet of OS UAS

Students must register online for their courses within the Intranet of our university at the start of the semester. Detailed information and instructions will be e-mailed in due time by the International Faculty Office.

Exchange students and free movers will be enrolled in one of the regular degree programs at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS). You may however choose modules from different Bachelor/Master programs and semesters and combine these with language courses. Therefore, you will compose your individual timetable on your own at the beginnning of the semester. That means you will not get completed schedules from the International Faculty Office.

The final semester timetables with the modules of all degree programs offered at our faculty will only be published shortly before the semester starts. These contain detailed information on the single modules, e. g. the lecture venues and times as well as the names of the teachers.

Dual degree students

As for you other conditions are valid than for visiting students, you will clear your timetables and further study details with the coordinator of your degree program:

B. A. International Management / B. A. International Business and Management:
Anne-Christin Stockmeyer: a.stockmeyer@hs-osnabrueck.de, phone: +49 (0) 541 969-2020, room CN 0225

B. A. Economics:
Eva Brüggemann: e.brueggemann@hs-osnabrueck.de, phone: +49 (0) 541 969-2218, room CN 0207

M. A. International Business and Management:
Gita Lestari-Kötting: g.lestari-koetting@hs-osnabrueck.de, phone: +49 (0) 541 969-3569, room CN 0204

B. A. International Logistics Management (LOGinCHINA) - University of Hefei, China:
Olga Tautfest: olga.tautfest@hs-osnabrueck.de, phone: +49 (0) 541 969-2089, room CB 0008

Haikou University of Economics, China:
Lu Chen: l.chen.1@hs-osnabrueck.de, phone: +49 (0) 541 969-3756, room CB 0016

But you will have to use the Intranet during your study stay in Osnabrück, too, e. g. to sign up for your modules and examinations or to obtain the lecture material from the teachers.

Language modules

The Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS) offers a wide range of foreign language modules which may be attended by visiting students for free. The following languages are taught every semester: German (for international students), English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese.

The language course offer might be supplemented by Dutch, Polish or further languages in the winter and summer terms. 

The languages are divided into five levels and orient themselves towards the levels A1 to C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR):

• Level 1 (basic or compact course) - A1 CEFR: 5 ECTS
• Level 2 (advanced course) - A2 CEFR: 5 ECTS
• Level 3 (language for specific purposes) - B1/B2 CEFR: 5 ECTS
• Level 4 (language for specific purposes) - B2/C1 CEFR: 5 ECTS
• Level 5 (language for specific purposes) - C1/C2 CEFR: 5 ECTS

The above level classification can vary with some languages. Moreover, not all levels are offered in every semester which inter alia depends on the demand. At the beginning of the lecture period, you can gather from the Intranet which languages and levels will actually be taught. The basic and compact modules are destined for students having no or only little previous knowledge. The compact courses are usually held during the semester breaks before the semester starts and therefore are not appropriate for visiting students in most cases.

The English language courses start with level 2, courses for beginners are not on offer.

Students, who aim to attain a dual degree at OS UAS, should exclusively study the German semester courses from level 1 to 5 of our faculty, if they want them to be recognized and listed in their final degree certificates. Other semester courses in German, offered e. g. by the Center of International Students (CIS), may be attended to improve the knowledge of German, but these will be assessed as additional courses only.

Requirements for the language modules

The language modules require a minimum or maximum number of participants resp. Therefore you must be flexible enough to switch to alternative modules at the beginning of the semester. A regular attendance of the language modules is expected.

Students can generally get 5 ECTS credits for only one level of a language in one term and may not take the exams of two levels of the same language in one semester, e. g. German 3 AND 4  - exception: fast-track courses Spanish 1 + 2. You may attend the classes of two different levels only if the teachers give you this advice, e. g. when you are facing schedule conflicts with other courses or for other reasons. Please clear the details directly with the teachers.

Some levels of the language modules consist of two components which have to be taken both to get full 5 ECTS credits at the end of the semester. Which modules are concerned and what has to be considered in addition, can be learned from the teachers or from the PDF file: "Visiting students: Instructions to compose the timetable" which you can find in the intranet portal.

Placement tests or proof of language proficiency for language levels 2 to 5

For the advanced language modules from level 2 to 5, incl. the specialization “Advanced Business Conversation/Negotiation in English (English 5/CEFR C1/C2)”, you must first either

• submit an appropriate language certificate
• or take a placement test
• or you can attend the International Winter/Summer Language School prior to the start of the semester for German

Unless English is your mother tongue, you need to achieve a test result with the admission to English 5 for the above specialization course or pass the preceding module English 4 of our faculty or you must present a certificate with a completed CEFR C1 level.

If our university has not received an evidence from you yet for a language that you want to study, e. g. with your online registration, please e-mail the language certificate to your coordinator in the International Faculty Office (visiting students) or to your Bachelor's or Master's degree coordinator (dual degree students) before you compose your learning agreement or before you register for the respective course in OSCA.

Placement tests are held for English, German, French, Spanish and Russian. For finding the appropriate level for other languages, submit a corresponding language certificate, if available, to your coordinator. Alternatively, contact the responsible teachers immediately at the beginning of the lecture period or go to their first classes. The teachers' contact details can be gathered from the handbook for international students (top right of this page).

All relevant information on the placement test procedure will be e-mailed to you in due time by the International Faculty Office. Before you may take any of the placement tests, you must first register online for them on the website: Placement tests > Registration

You may only study the exact level confirmed by a placement test or by the International Winter/Summer Language School German or a lower level, or the next higher level according to your language certificate. Students who had already studied one semester at our university and passed a language course, may sign up for the next higher level.

If you take a placement test or attend the German Language School, their results will have top priority in the end, even if they confirm lower levels than the previously submitted language certificates.

The language teachers must not check your proficiency by a mere personal interview or in any other way. The only exception is made for the languages for which no placement test is offered.

Language level 1 and 2

For the language courses for beginners (level 1) in most cases neither previous knowledge nor a placement test nor a language certificate are required. These can be attended right away.

Level 1 and 2 of most of the foreign language classes deal with a large amount of grammar though which is usually explained in German, only sometimes in English, as the students’ command of the foreign language does normally not suffice at that stage. Unfortunately not all teachers have enough time in their classes or the qualification to give further explanations in English so that a basic command of German is recommended to understand their oral explanations and the lecture material.
 

Language tutorials

Every semester, our faculty is looking for native speakers who can give language lessons in the form of conversation classes or group tutorials for German and international students. If a tutor is found, the tutor and the students, who want to improve the language skills, will meet on a regular basis and practice the language together.

To learn for which languages tutors are needed and how you can apply, please contact: sprachtutorien-wiso@hs-osnabrueck.de

If you are searching a tutor for yourself to optimize your own language proficiency, you can write to the above e-mail address, too. Best apply right at the beginning of the semester for a language tutor.

On the central pages for visiting students, you will find further information on the regulations for working while studying.

When composing their individual timetables, visiting students at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS) are allowed to combine German and English Bachelor and Master subjects as well as language modules from the different semesters and degree programs.

The specialization modules may be selected by visiting students just the same as the basic subjects. These specialization classes are usually offered in the 3rd to 5th semester of our Bachelor programs and in the 1st to 3rd semester within our Master programs. In most cases, the standard duration of our Bachelor programs is six semesters, of our Master programs four semesters. In the last 6th (Bachelor) or 4th (Master) term, the students write their thesis so that no further modules are taught in these semesters.

In general, the modules must be open to visiting students and the following admission requirements must be met:

• Ability to study in the language of instruction:
  English Bachelor modules: minimum level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), alternatively:
  TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language): minimal score 80 ibt (internet-based)
  TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication): minimal points 750
  IELTS (International English Language Testing System): minimal grade 5.5
  German Bachelor modules: minimum level CEFR B2, comparable to the language requirements for freemover students
  English and German Master modules: minimum level CEFR B2, comparable to the language requirements for freemover students

• Master modules: Without the prior permission by the International Faculty Office, you may not choose any Master module or take any Master class or examination! You must meet the following requirements:
  - minimum level in English or German resp.: CEFR B2
  - additionally min. 4 semesters (2 years) of previous studies
  - plus min. 180 ECTS credits OR a first qualified university degree in Business Management or Economic Sciences resp.
   
• Basic knowledge of German for the language modules in the levels 1 and 2 (except for German), to be able to understand the oral explanations of the teachers and the lecture material.
• Placement tests or language certificate resp. for the
  • advanced language modules, level 2 to 5 - please inform yourself on further details at: Language modules and language tutorials
  • specialization Advanced Business Conversation/Negotiation in English (English 5/CEFR C1/C2): Unless English is your mother tongue, you must achieve a minimum test result with the admission to English 5 or pass the preceding module English 4 of our faculty or present a language certificate with a completed CEFR C1 level.

A placement test or language certificate is not required for the language courses for beginners (level 1). In contrast to the regular degree-seeking Bachelor students of our faculty, visiting and dual degree students are exempt from the placement tests for the modules of the study areas Business Mathematics and Accounting/Controlling.

The International Faculty Office will inform you in detail by e-mail about the placement test procedure. For all placement tests you must first register online at: Placement tests > Registration

For visiting students the stated previous knowledge in our course catalogs and module descriptions mainly have informative character. You do not have to prove these and you can start with the lectures right away at the beginning of the semester. Exceptions are the language skills, the language courses and the Master modules.

The module prerequisites shall just give you an impression what knowledge our local students usually are required to have and if the module is appropriate for you. Our teachers are entitled to dismiss students from their classes after the start of the lecture period if they realize that the student's previous knowledge from their point of view does not suffice for their modules.

Modules can be altered, cancelled or otherwise amended on short notice. Schedule overlaps cannot be avoided at any time, either. Some modules require a minimum or maximum number of participants resp. Therefore you must be flexible enough to switch to alternative modules at the beginning of the semester. You are expected to attend all classes on a regular basis.

The descriptions of the contents of the Bachelor and Master modules, which are mostly frequented by visiting students at the Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences (BMSS), can be found under the following links:

Module descriptions in English

English Bachelor and Master modules (see second chart of Excel list): English course catalog

Language modules (see second chart of Excel list): Language course catalog

Module descriptions in German

The subjects, which are mainly taught in German, are described in German on the homepages of our Bachelor and Master degree programs under the item "Studienverlauf (structure)": Simply click on the module titles under the single semesters.
 

Any question can be answered by the respective coordinators of the degree programs or of the IFO: Contact International Faculty Office
 

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 the student workload, comprising time spent in class as well as studying outside the classroom (including examinations, groupwork, papers, internships, etc.) For 1 ECTS point, students are supposed to work for 30 hours.

As a rule, students acquire 30 ECTS per semester. At Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, most modules are awarded with 5 ECTS, which equals a workload of 150 hours.

Visiting students (no dual degree)

All visiting students are obliged to compose a learning agreement. This is a list of modules that you wish to study during your mobility and must be signed by you, your home university and Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (OS UAS). If you intend to do an internship which will be assessed by our university, the agreement shall also contain information on your planned practical activities.

Specimen of a learning agreement

Visiting students must agree the choice of their subjects or the details of their internship and the number of the ECTS credits to be achieved with their academic coordinators at their home university. The requirements set by them must be met and have priority.

After you have been admitted by the International Faculty Office (IFO), you will be asked to compose a first preliminary learning agreement. You will receive an e-mail from us with instructions before the below periods.

Periods for composing the learning agreement

First learning agreement before the mobility (first selection of modules)
Winter semester (September to February): June 1 to 15
Summer semester (March to August): November 15 to 30

Final learning agreement during the mobility (confirmation or change of first choice)
Winter semester: October 5 to 20
Summer semester: March 15 to 30

The following instructions explain what you must consider before making your choice - please read these carefully: Guidance for composing the learning agreement

Dual degree students

Students, who will study at our university to attain a dual degree, shall compose their learning agreements with the help of the coordinators of their degree program - contact details at: Course catalog

Please contact your coordinator as soon as possible after you have received the admission confirmation from the International Faculty Office.

Examinations and examination results

Students can find detailed information on the examinations and the examination results on the Intranet.

Retake of examinations

Failed examinations can be repeated at our faculty only during the examination period of the next semester. Even if a module is not held in the following term, there will be a retake examination.

Visiting students can possibly resit for failed examinations even if they have already returned to their home countries. In any case, the exam must be taken on the same day and at the same time, either in Osnabrück or at your home university. You must only come to the examinations at our faculty if the distance between Germany and your home country is not too far.

First please clarify with your university if a retake of examinations at OS UAS is really necessary, if our retake period is not too late for them or if there are alternative solutions at your school. If you decide for a resit of our exams, ask your international coordinators if they agree to exchange the examination papers by e-mail and if they can invigilate the examinations for us. The International Faculty Office needs this confirmation and the proctor's contact details from your university.

Afterwards, the International Faculty Office will ask the OS UAS teachers concerned for their permission that you may resit for the written parts of the examinations at your home university. Should the time difference be too big, for example, the teachers can refuse to give their consent. If they give their OK, we will inform you and clear the further steps with you and your university. We will obtain the examination papers from the teachers only shortly before the days of the examinations, but of course we will e-mail them to your proctor in due time.

For the retakes, you must be re-enrolled at our university and pay the semester fee. Please submit a new certificate of enrollment to the International Faculty Office, latest by the end of the registration period for the examinations (see academic calendars): Certificate of enrollment as MS Word format

Moreover, the following points have to be taken into account:

• The teachers, the contents and the examination type of the modules, that you have initially attended and failed, can differ in the following semester.
   
• The teachers of the firstly attended modules do not offer retakes or extra examinations in the examination period of the next term if the modules are taught by other teachers during the following term.
  
  We suggest to ask your former teachers if they hold the lecture in the successional term again and thus offer a retake examination themselves. If they don't, contact the teachers of the next term and ask for the contents or lecture scripts or any other assistance so that you can compare the contents and best prepare for the resit. The contact details can be provided by the International Faculty Office.
  
  If an assignment, a presentation or a mid-term examination had been additional examination performances of the failed module, these must be repeated, too, even if you passed these already in your first attempt. The details need to be cleared with the teachers.
   
• The retake dates cannot be chosen by you. Day and time are fixed by our faculty. If you write the exam at your home university, you must take it on the same day and at the same time as in Osnabrück.
   
• The examination regulations of our faculty do not allow a retake of passed examinations to improve the grades.

Should anything be unclear, please contact your IFO coordinator: Contact International Faculty Office

Final certificates

The final certificates for visiting and dual degree students will be issued automatically by the Registrar's Office of our university and posted to your home university once all the examination results are on hand, at the earliest in

• March after the winter semester
• September after the summer semester

The International Faculty Office has no access to the examination results and cannot accelerate the transcript process.

Your final certificate will contain the grades and ECTS credit points for all passed and failed modules for which you have completed the required examinations. It is not possible to omit failed examinations in your final transcript. OS UAS can only certify performances for the modules that have been specified in the official course catalog of the respective semester, which have been stipulated in the learning agreement and for the exams of which you have duly registered.

Specimen of a study abroad certificate

The German grading system

In the certificates, OS UAS gives

• local grades or only a "pass" or "fail" for ungraded subjects
• ECTS credit points, except for a few preparatory/basic courses
• ECTS percentages

in accordance with the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). We do neither assign ECTS grades from A to F nor determine any other ranking of the examination results. Further explanations of the grades can be found on the central page for visiting students: The German grading system

For a better transfer of the grades you attained at OS UAS, the coordinators of your university can additionally have a look at the following PDF charts: Grading charts of OS UAS

Grades for ungraded subjects

A few subjects are not graded at our faculty and assessed with credits and "pass/fail" only. Should you definitely require grades for all your modules in your final transcript to get the full recognition through your home university, please ask your teachers if they can give you a grade for their usually ungraded class. Clear this immediately at the start of the lecture period, however by all means BEFORE the examinations begin. After the examination period has started, the Registrar's Office will not comply with your wish for an extra grade anymore, and only the regular assessments will be entered in your final transcript.

Grade reports for the recognition of your examination performances

If you need, besides the regular assessments at OS UAS, additional overviews of the examination results with average grades and failure rates for the recognition by your home university, you will find grade reports on the Intranet: click "eCampus > Study Service > Registrar’s Office > “Notenspiegel”.

German courses offered by CIM and CIS

The results of the International Winter/Summer Language School German offered by the Center for International Mobility (CIM) will be transmitted automatically to the Registrar's Office and, if possible, included in the final study abroad certificate.

Exception: You have studied a German course with the same level during the following semester. In this case, only one German course will be certified in the transcript.

Have you attended a German semester course offered by the Center for International Students (CIS), all courses from A1 to C2, for which 5 ECTS are granted, will be documented in the final certificate. All other courses, e. g. grammar courses or language cafés, will not be listed.

Students, who aim to attain a dual degree at OS UAS, should have studied exclusively the German semester courses from level 1 to 5 of our faculty to get these recognized and listed in their final degree certificates. Other semester courses in German, offered e. g. by the CIS, will be assessed as additional courses only.

Current status of the examination results and intermediate transcripts

To get the current status of your examination results and provided that you are still enrolled and have access, you can check these yourself on the Intranet: click "eCampus > Study Service > Registrar’s Office > “Notenspiegel”. Or directly address to:

Ina Müller-Schlicht
Registrar's Office
i.mueller-schlicht@hs-osnabrueck.de
Phone: (05 41) 9 69-31 42

Students, who study at OS UAS for more than one semester, will get an official final certificate only after their stay. In case an intermediate transcript is required, you can generate a PDF transcript by yourself from the Intranet: click "eCampus > Study Service > Selfservice documents > Performance list". Alternatively, contact the Registrar's Office.