Exchange semester Master
Here you can find all information needed for an exchange semester on master's level.
- Available exchange places
- Consulting services at the International Office
- Planning your stay abroad
- Partner universities
- Suitability of master’s programs for a semester abroad
- Application requirements
- Suitable partner universities according to master’s programs
- Application
- Nomination and registration
- Cancelling an exchange semester
- Preparing for your stay abroad
- During your stay at the partner university
- After your stay abroad
- Picking up documents in your absence
Available exchange places

Below, you will find excel sheets of our available exchange places. The sheets will tell you how many places are available for each application period. Please note that the number of available places may vary from semester to semester.
Application period special programs - available exchange places winter semester 2022/23
Application period Europe and overseas - available exchange places winter semester 2022/23
Apart from exchange semesters, students enrolled in the master’s programs in Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control or Marketing or Business Communication can also complete a double degree program organized jointly by WU and selected partner universities.
In addition, students of the master’s program Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control have the opportunity to apply for a special exchange semester with a focus on entrepreneurship at Copenhagen Business School.
Students enrolled in the master’s program Business Law have the opportunity to gain an additional qualification with the THEMIS program.
Consulting services at the International Office
The International Office (IO) is the main contact point for exchange programs at WU. Apart from the information provided on this website, we offer the following information sessions and consultation services which support you planning your semester abroad.
Go Global - Your Event to Internationalize Your Studies
(Annually in October)Personal consultations
(At the International Office or via telephone)Small group advisory meetings
(Hybrid meetings in winter semester 2022/23)Workshops
(In person sessions in winter semester 2022/23)
Planning your stay abroad
How do I find the right partner university?
The following considerations may be helpful for answering this question:
Which countries are of particular interest to me?
Which countries do I want to get to know or to which countries do I have a special connection? Are there WU partner universities in these countries?Which university suits me?
Universities, like students, have very different profiles and subject specializations. The size, location, and campus structure also play an important role for many students.Which universities offer courses related to my major field of study?
Financial aspects
Please don’t forget to consider financial aspects when choosing your partner universities (e.g. travel expenses and costs of living). Please note that some partner universities require an additional and possibly expensive health insurance. The exchange reports by former exchange students, as explained below, provide a good source of information on these issues.
For students with disabilities, chronic illnesses, care obligations and/or socio-economic need, there is the possibility to apply for additional funding. Depending on the destination, students can apply for special support under the WU mobility grant or apply for an Erasmus+ Top Up (depending on your status, you may also apply for Erasmus+ inclusion support).
Partner universities
On master’s level, WU offers an international network comprising about 130 partner universities worldwide. It is recommended to take your semester abroad in the third semester; in some exceptional cases, the fourth semester is also possible (Business Law and Business Education). Please note that applications must be submitted a year in advance. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for a semester abroad in your first semester in order to study at the partner university of your choice during your third semester.
The following sources of information may help you choose a partner university:
Info sheets and fact sheets
Info sheets are compiled by WU and provide you with information. They include, among other things, information on application requirements at the partner university, semester dates and more.
Fact sheets are provided by the respective partner universities and contain general information for exchange students. Info sheets and fact sheets can both be found on our map of partner universities.Websites of the partner universities
On the websites of our partner universities, potential incomings can familiarize themselves with the course catalog or housing possibilities. Corresponding links can be found in the info and fact sheets. Note that the information provided is only meant as support during the initial process of choosing a university. Partner universities can still make changes until the start of the exchange semester.Online credit transfer database
The online credit transfer database provides you with a list of courses which were, in the past, completed abroad by WU students and transferred to their WU degree. This database is meant as a means for orientation, but does not guarantee that those courses are offered each semester by the partner university or that they are open to WU students (e.g. course is already full, academic requirements are not fulfilled, etc.).Exchange reports by former exchange students
All students who complete a semester abroad through the International Office fill in an exchange report, which can be accessed by future exchange students online. These reports are a useful source of information for answering questions concerning arrival, accommodation, costs, course registration, and local tips.International experiences at WU and abroad
Here you will find detailed reports and interviews by students about their experiences in exchange formats of WU.
Not every partner university offers a course portfolio that is suitable for all students and every WU degree program. Our interactive map is a useful tool that helps you to find out which partner university has a course portfolio that fits your WU degree program. Please use the filter option to select your WU degree program. To view detailed information on the respective universities, click on the pins.
Suitability of master’s programs for a semester abroad
Master's programs at WU are diverse. For most programs, it is possible to go abroad for an exchange semester without delaying your academic progress. However, some programs have to be completed entirely at WU.
Suitability of master's programs
Application requirements
Which requirements do I have to meet in order to apply?
I plan to apply for universities that require proof of language proficiency. Until when do I need to provide such proof?
Suitable partner universities according to master’s programs
How many ECTS credits should I ideally complete abroad?
Why do exchange places have recommendations or reservations for individual master's programs?
Application
Within the application periods and provided you meet the requirements, you can apply online via this link. You can apply for up to seven universities per application period and rank them according to your preferences!
Application periods
Application process
Allocation for an exchange place
Announcement of the nominations
Nomination and registration
What happens after successful nomination for a stay abroad?
When do I receive information from the partner university?
Which data do I have to provide during the registration at the partner university?
Cancelling an exchange semester
What should I know about cancelling an exchange semester?
Preparing for your stay abroad
What points should I inform myself about in order to be best prepared?
Students with disabilities and/or need for psychological support
Visa
Travel/health insurance
During your stay at the partner university
Share photos of your stay on Instagtam using #WUInternational
Tag your Instagram posts during your semester abroad with #WUInternational or send us a photo directly. We will share the best pictures on our account @wuinternationaloffice.
Transcript
Erasmus+
Exchange fairs and WU Alumni Hubs
After your stay abroad
Participate in the Go Global - Your Event to Internationalize Your Studies
Transcript of records and credit transfer
Exchange report and grant formalities
Diploma Supplement
Picking up documents in your absence
If you are not able to pick up documents at the International Office in person, you can authorize a person of your trust to do it for you.
The authorized person has to bring the following documents: completed authorization form, photocopy of the student's ID as well as a photo ID of the authorized person.
