Studying abroad Studying abroad

Application requirements:

a) At the time of the exchange you must be at least in the fourth semester of their Bachelor's studies or the third semester of their Master's studies.

b) You must have good grades at the time you apply (and afterwards):
- Average grade of at least 2.3
- Average grade of at least 2.7 for engineering students

c) You should study during the standard study period. If you still need to complete one or two exams, this is not necessarily a problem. Explain the reasons in your application.

d) You must have very strong English skills.

-> If you do not fulfil the above prerequisites, you cannot apply for the programme.

A high degree of personal engagement at HAW Hamburg is also desirable – for example, in the WeBuddy programme, or as a tutor during an orientation unit.

Requirements during your stay:

You are required to study full time. This generally means that you need to successfully complete four courses. You should choose courses in Australia that can be recognised as credit points towards your degree at HAW Hamburg.

HAW Down Under information sheet (in German only)

The exchange programme in Australia always takes place in the summer semester. Depending on the partner university, the semester times are slightly different (dates are approximate. For exact dates, please check the ‘Academic Calendar’ on the website of the university of your choice:

Curtin, Murdoch and Sydney: mid-February to mid-June

Deakin: early March to early July (you can only study one term)

Griffith: End of February to mid-June (you can only study one term)

University of New South Wales (UNSW) has a term system. You have the option of either Term 1 (February-mid May; three courses) or Term 1 + Term 2 (February-end August; four courses). Please indicate which option you would like to choose in your internal application to HAW Hamburg).

The exchange between the universities takes place on a reciprocal basis, i.e. students are exchanged on a one-to-one basis. A decision will be made by mid-May as to how many places will be offered and which departments will be considered in the next round. An overview of the places will then be published on this page.

We recommend that you speak with the student exchange coordinator (SEC) at your campus to prepare for this application.

The paperless application process takes place via the Mobility Online application portal.

Yes. You can only apply to attend those Australian universities where your faculty or degree course is listed.

Applicants for Australia must have very good English skills. Please use the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) language certificate as proof of your language skills for the internal application process. You should have a rating of at least *** in each area. English native speakers do not have to submit a language certificate (just a letter explaining the situation). 

Who can complete the DAAD language certificate:

You can complete a language test at the Hamburg School of English in Eppendorf. The test costs approximately €40 and can be completed at short notice (tel.: 040 480 2116). The language school then completes the DAAD certificate.

IMPORTANT: If you are selected, for the following universities you will need to submit the results of a TOEFL or IELTS test to the International Office or SEC before you can be nominated. The following scores are required:

- UNSW: TOEFL (min. 90 points) or IELTS (min. 6.5 - online or paper version) or min. one year in an English-language degree programme (Text for confirmation)
- Sydney: TOEFL (min. 90 points) or IELTS (min. 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each area)

The following universities accept the DAAD language certificate (min. B2 in each area):
- Curtin
- Deakin
- Griffith

You must study full-time. This means you must take four specialised courses. Exception: if you choose the UNSW “Term 1” option (February-mid May), UNSW stipulates that you can only take three courses. Please note that courses are not necessarily offered every semester/trimester. Please check in advance whether your preferred courses are offered in Semester 1 or Trimester 1.

The courses you take in Australia should be able to be credited to your degree programme at HAW Hamburg. As core courses or as compulsory elective modules.

It is not possible to apply if you have completed all credits at HAW Hamburg and only need to complete your Bachelor's or Master's thesis.

Unfortunately not. The places are in high demand, and we want to give as many students as possible the chance to participate in the programme.

Yes. You must have successfully completed at least one semester at HAW Hamburg by the time of the exchange.

The exchanges with the partner universities are reciprocal, which means that student exchanges take place on a one-to-one basis. This is because the Australian tuition fees need to be covered. In order for a German student not to have to pay tuition fees in Australia, an Australian student needs to do so. What this means is that an Australian student has to study in Hamburg and leave his or her place in Australia free for a semester, while still paying for it, so that the credits he or she completes in Hamburg can be recognised.

Because the partnerships are relatively new and Australian students are not as mobile as European students due to the high (tuition) costs, the spaces are limited (for the time being).

But for later job applications, there will also only be one job and many applicants. So, write an excellent application and try your luck!

Unfortunately, a semester abroad in Australia is not cheap. The cost of accommodation in particular is very high relative to Hamburg. Living expenses are also higher. It is not unusual that students need to plan to have €10,000 for one semester. Please read the reports from other students who have spent a semester abroad to get a better picture of what's involved, and apply well ahead of time for scholarships and BAföG for study abroad.

More information about scholarships and funding.