The Program

The Hessen-Wisconsin exchange offers the opportunity to become an exchange student at one of the ten universities in Hessen. If you are an independent student with strong German language skills, this exchange gives you the opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the life of a German university student.

The University of Wisconsin System and the ten universities in the German state of Hessen are partnered in a unique, state-to-state exchange program.  Through this program, UW-Eau Claire students may attend universities and/or Fachhochschulen (universities of applied science) in:

Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Fulda, Giessen, Kassel, Marburg or Wiesbaden

More information on each institution is available at: http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/Hessen/gallery/htm

Location

Housing options vary somewhat by campus, but in general, you will live in a single room in a University residence hall.  There are bathrooms, showers, and a kitchen on each floor.  Inexpensive meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) are available in the university cafeteria ("Mensa"), or you can shop and cook for yourself in the residence hall.  The kitchen tends to be a general gathering place for everyone on the floor, so if you cook for yourself, you'll have the chance to meet other students in a small setting.

Courses

Course offerings vary by campus.  Some campuses offer German as a Foreign Language program for non-native speakers.  At others, you will have a total immersion experience, taking all of your classes in German, in the regular German university setting. 

Because German universities publish class schedules only weeks before the semester begins, you will need to be flexible with your course schedule. A brief overview of subjects, areas, and majors offered at participating universities is available at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CIE/Hessen/subject.htm. Links are provided where possible to the English language site.

Classes may or may not be available in English and even the listed translations are only approximations. Disciplines offered at German institutions that have the same name may be structured quite differently from U.S. departments.

Please contact your German faculty adviser about course selections .


Academic Calendar

The German academic calendar runs from October through July. First semester (Wintersemester) runs October through February; second semester (Sommersemester) is March through July. Exact dates vary by campus.

The University of Marburg offers an international program that runs on a calendar compatible with US universities. Details are at http://web.uni-marburg.de/iusp/. Apart from this option, Hessen exchanges are generally for the full academic year.

Expenses

The estimated Wisconsin resident fee for one semester is $3,875. This includes full-time UW-Eau Claire tuition, CISI insurance, and administrative fees. Minnesota residents add reciprocity; non-residents add non-resident fees.

Additional costs to expect: passport, international and local transportation, housing, food, books, and personal expenses. You should estimate another $7,000-$7,500 for these expenses.  Total Wisconsin resident cost estimate: $10,875-$11,375. Cost estimates are based on current exchange rates and may change at any time.

Financial Aid/Scholarships

If you qualify for financial aid, you can apply your aid to program costs.  Your financial aid package will be based on actual costs in Germany, including round-trip airfare.  You can learn about additional options, including a study abroad grant through UW-Eau Claire Foundation; a Wisconsin Grant for Study Abroad and scholarships for specific majors and national study abroad scholarships at http://uwec.edu/CIE/sac/finaid.htm.

Eligibility

To apply, you must be a currently-enrolled, degree-seeking undergraduate UW-Eau Claire student. You must be in good academic standing, and have a minimum resident GPA of 3.0. By the time of departure, you need to have completed two years of university-level German and have at least sophomore standing. Some campuses require junior standing.



Application Deadline

Applications for Fall 2009/Academic Year 2009-2010 are accepted beginning September 2, 2008.  The priority application deadline for Fall 2009/Academic Year 2009-2010 is November 17, 2008. 

Applications for Spring 2010 are accepted beginning January 15, 2009. The priority application deadline for Spring 2010 is April 1, 2009.

Complete applications will be reviewed after this date. Late applications will be considered if space is still available. Please contact the CIE to find out if spaces are available before submitting a late application. No applications will be accepted after January 30, 2009 for Fall 2009/Academic Year 2009-2010 or after May 1, 2009 for Spring 2010.

You can download an application at online applications, or stop by to pick up an application in the Center for International Education.

Comments

"Coming into Marburg is like entering a fairy tale: narrow streets, ancient buildings, a castle are just a few things that add to this environment. The University has great professors and offered me the chance to study with German students. What I’ve learned here will benefit my German and business majors, and I also know that I have life-long friends in Germany."
John (past-participant)

"Experience of a lifetime.  All of the positive and negative experiences flowed together and made me a much stronger person.  It was amazing, and I will never regret or forget my time here.  Definitely worth it.
-Jennifer (past-participant)

"It was an experience that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else.  I'm very glad to have had this first-hand opportunity to learn and take part in a whole different culture.
-Kerri (past-participant)



Additional Information

For more information and an application, contact:

Center for International Education
Schofield 111
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI   54702-4004

Phone: (715) 836-4411
Fax: (715) 836-4948
Email: studyabroad@uwec.edu