Outgoings

You are interested in completing part of your studies abroad? Read here why we think this is a good idea, find out more about possible destinations and different programs.

Discover new places, meet new people and make memories: Studying abroad is worthwhile for many reasons. It combines making extraordinary experiences with learning useful soft-skills and subject-related knowledge.

Living in another country and mastering new situations will equip you with self-confidence and autonomy. You will deepen your language skills in next to no time as you will interact with locals on a daily basis. Meet new friends and get to know the culture.

By attending university abroad, you will meet professors who may teach different approaches and methods to study and research mathematics. As mathematics is a subject of global interest and is internationally researched, developing an international network is a huge advantage for your professional development.

Studying abroad broadens your personal and professional horizon. It does look great on your CV but above all, you will make awesome memories.

Within the framework of the Erasmus program of the European Union, students of the Ruhr-Universität Bochum can study for one or two semesters at one of the partner universities of the Faculty of Mathematics. At the moment we have the following Erasmus partners:

• Universitat de Barcelona (Spanien)
• University of Bergen (Norwegen)
• University of Durham ( Großbritannien)
• Université de Neuchâtel (Schweiz)
• Università degli Studi di Padova (Italien)
• Università di Pisa (Italien)
• Université de Rouen (Frankreich)
• University of Stockholm (Schweden)
• Nikolaus-Kopernikus University Torun (Polen)

A limited number of study places are available each year for each of these partner universities; usually there are two places. The length of the stay is typically at least one semester.

Finances

Students taking part in the ERASMUS program do not pay tuition fees at their host university and receive a financial allowance monthly. This allowance is based on the host country and ranges from 330 to 450 euro. This will not be enough to cover the additional cost of living; however, these vary quite considerably depending on the country and personal lifestyle. For Bafög recipients, there is the possibility of a study abroad supplement; other students must arrange for funding privately. Please keep in mind that the intellectual enrichment of studying abroad will amply compensate you for the financial outlay required.

Application

You are eligible to apply for ERASMUS from the third semester. You can submit your application by an informal e-mail to Prof. Dr. Alberto Abbondandolo. Please include a list of your previous academic achievements. In your e-mail, you should briefly explain your motives for studying abroad and for choosing the university to which you are applying. Please also state what specific language skills you have or how you intend to acquire them.

We will then notify the selected applicants directly to the partner university. You can then apply directly to the relevant university within certain deadlines, which are set individually by each partner university.

Application Deadlines

Please apply for an ERASMUS scholarship for the following academic year 2024/25 by December 15, 2023. You will then receive a notification with the decision on your application in early January 2024. Applications received after December 15 can still be considered if there are still places available at the university of your choice at that time. We can still submit proposals to our partner universities until the beginning of March.

Besides ERASMUS, there are plenty different scholarships from various organisations. You should apply approximately one year prior to your stay. The application needs to be well prepared, as scholarships are highly sought after. Also pay attention to the priorities (e.g. good grades, social commitment) of the scholarship-granting organization. You can find detailed information on different programs on the websites of the International Office, where you will also find a list of RUB cooperation universities that go beyond europe, and the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst).

It is possible to self-organize your stay abroad, if you do not want to take part in a program. Here, you should pay special attention to application processes at your desired university, finances and whether your study achievements abroad are recognized by the RUB. For further information concerning a self-organized stay abroad, please visit the webpage of the International Office.