20 ECTS abroad, incl. 2 advanced business courses. Electives may be business, culture & society, or foreign language (no English Foundations). No course duplication with MBS.
Deciding what university is best for you depends on many things such as your personal considerations, academic requirements, your study program at MBS, the numbers of spots available as well as the courses offered at the host university. This section will help you in this process by providing essential information as well as a link to the MBS Partner university online database.
Choosing a university to attend is an exciting part of the study abroad application process and we encourage you to discuss your choices with family, friends, an MBS study abroad advisor, etc. Below are some questions to help you begin thinking about which university would be a good fit:
Which languages do you speak? Which languages do you want to improve?
Do you feel comfortable taking courses in a foreign language other than German or English? Do you want to take courses in English, but practice another language with the locals?
Which international focus have you chosen at MBS? What are your concentrations (MA IB)?
All students: Your semester abroad can be a great way to experience the region you have been learning about in your classes.
What costs are involved?
There are different types of semester abroad options associated with different costs. Besides tuition, also make sure to factor in the cost of living in your host city, travel, visa fees etc. More information can be found .
What are your future career plans?
Do you want to work outside of Germany later on? If so, a semester abroad is a great way to build connections with potential future employers and professors who could write letters of recommendation.
Do you want to attend an MBS partner university or apply as a freemover?
MBS has partnership agreements with over 70 universities around the globe. Applying to a partner university can mean a reduced cost compared to other applicants and more resources and support from the International Center throughout the application process. If you are considering a non-partner university, please note that you will need to take the lead in managing the application process, as these institutions fall outside our partner network.
Before you narrow down your university choice, make sure you meet the criteria such as GPA (NC), language proficiency, courses offered etc. for both, the host university and MBS, and check the spot limitations.
Language Requirements
Most universities require either the TOEFL or the IELTS. Check out the partner university database for detailed information. Make sure your test scores are still valid (2 years from test date) and/or schedule a new test. For some universities, you may also need to show language proficiency if you want to take classes in the host language (e.g. Spanish).
Academic Requirements
For Bachelor students going abroad during their 4th semester, the 1st and the 2nd semester grades (GPA or NC) count. For Bachelor students going abroad during their 6th semester, the 1st though 4th semester grades count. For Master students the 1st semester grades count (there are exceptions for dual degrees).
Students with a high number of open MBS exams might not be able to go abroad.
Additionally, please note that certain partner universities require a minimum of ECTS, please check the partner university database: https://mbs.adv-pub.moveon4.de/partneruniversities/
Students pursuing a dual degree must have successfully completed ALL courses to qualify for the dual degree program.
Repeat Exams at MBS
If you have open MBS exams, you will need to repeat the exams during the following semester (May or December) in person at MBS. Please check at the host university’s academic calendar to ensure that their semester does not overlap with the MBS repeat exam time. Students must be prepared to travel back to Munich to take part in the exam.
Additional & Specific Requirements
Some universities may have additional requirements that your Study Abroad Advisor will inform you about. The additional requirements may include a certain amount of work or internship experience or completing certain courses at MBS (mostly for Dual Degrees) etc.
Spot Limitations at Host University
There are limited spaces at the host university and therefore space restrictions. However, since MBS has such a wide network of partners, students have many study options.
The International Center at MBS is responsible for the development and maintenance of the 70+ partnerships in its worldwide portfolio. It manages the various international exchange options, dual degrees, as well as the Erasmus program. Two outgoing Study Abroad Advisors assist MBS students during the entire study abroad process.
This section outlines the entire process step by step.
You will find detailed guidance on what needs to be done before going abroad – from initial information and registration to nomination and application.
The MBS International Center offers a comprehensive Study Abroad Info Session that explains the entire study abroad process. Dates and times of the sessions will be announced in advance. Registration in MoveOn is mandatory and constitutes the first step in the outgoing process.
After the Study Abroad Session, students have time to explore different study options, requirements, and limitations, and to browse the partner university online database. We highly recommend scheduling an individual advising session with one of the study abroad advisors. For further details, please refer to the section Finding Your University.
Partner university online database: https://mbs.adv-pub.moveon4.de/partneruniversities/
After grades are released in January and June respectively, students can submit their Top 5 preferred universities abroad via the MoveOn portal. Please note that only universities for which students meet the admission requirements should be selected.
Based on host university requirements, MBS grades, and the availability of spots, the spots will be assigned. Students accept their spot via the MoveOn portal, after which MBS officially nominates them to the host university.
After nomination, the host university will contact you with further details for your application. Since each university has slightly different dates, your application will be due at a different time than your classmate‘s.
A few weeks after you submit the application, you should hear back from the host university. While each university reserves the right to accept a student, the acceptance is usually granted if students meet the requirements set forth by the host university. However, each university reserves the right to deny students. Once you are accepted, you may need to submit additional documents or pay a part or all of the tuition to the host university (study abroad or dual degree spots only) before you arrive on campus. Again, this varies by university.
While waiting to hear back from your host university, you can begin preparing for the visa and housing process. Check to see if you need a visa and if so what documents you will need for the application. Begin looking at housing options – is there on-campus housing? What off-campus housing options are available? You should not sign a contract or complete your visa application until you have the approval from the university, but it never hurts to look.
After you have been accepted at the university, you may need to apply for a visa or find housing. Read all documents from your university carefully so you do not miss any information. In general, treat all government documents with extra care.
If you choose not to live on campus or your university does not have an on campus housing option, check with students who have been abroad previously for tips and tricks. You can find their names in the online partner university database.
To receive credit for courses taken abroad, students must fulfill the course requirements for their MBS degree. At some universities you can enroll in courses prior to departure or you may have to wait until you are on campus to decide. Talk to your MBS advisor for course suggestions. Either way, you must get pre-approval from MBS for all courses before you enroll.
MBS will award ECTS credits for all pre-approved academic courses successfully completed abroad. Grades will not show up on the MBS transcripts and the grades achieved abroad will not impact your GPA at MBS. In the event that a student fails a course during the semester abroad, the student has to retake the exam in accordance with the regulations of the host university. Additional costs may apply and have to be paid by the student. If a student fails 50% or more of his courses abroad the whole semester has to be repeated.
Please order your official transcript from the host university and submit it to the International Center as soon as you receive it. If you studied abroad at a Freemover University, please submit with your transcript also the official conversion table from credits to ECTS. After checking, your ECTS from abroad will be transferred into your MBS transcript.
In the event that a student fails a course during the semester abroad, the student must retake the exam in accordance with the regulations of the host university. Additional costs may apply and have to be paid by the student.
Finances are an important topic in the decision process. This section provides detailed information on the various costs that may incur as well as funding opportunities such as Erasmus+ and Mühlfenzl.
Tuition for your study abroad term varies, depending on the type of study option(s) at the host university and often also on the study level (bachelor vs. master). Besides tuition, there might be some other fees (application fee, facility fees, technology fee) due at the host university. Please refer to the MBS partner university online database for details on each university.
To whom do I pay tuition to during my semester abroad?
Depending on the host university, there are two tuition scenarios:
| Student Level | Exchange / Erasmus spot (no extra tuition) | Fee-paying spots - additional tuition (tuition exceeds MBS tuition) |
| Bachelor | Regular tuition to MBS | Tuition to host + 25% to MBS |
| Master | Regular tuition to MBS | Tuition to host + 50% to MBS (25% & 25%)* |
*Fee-paying master students and dual degree:
Master students pay a reduced last tuition rate (50%) to MBS, which covers the organization of the term abroad (25%) and the thesis (25%).
Students who need to split the reduced rate for financial reasons can request this procedure in written form from MBS.
Below are details about financial support available to qualified students such as Erasmus+ and the Mühlfenzl scholarship. Deadlines are August 31 (for spring) and April 30 (for fall).
To find out what universities qualify for the scholarships listed below, please refer to the MBS online partner university database.
Mühlfenzl Scholarship (German citizens only)
This scholarship is awarded by the private Mühlfenzl Foundation and is currently for German citizens only. Students with an MBS GPA of 2.5 or better with social engagement during high school and financial need may apply. The amount varies from € 1.000-2.000 depending on the student. It is a one-time payment.
Deadline for the fall semester: end-April
Deadline for the spring semester: end-August
ERASMUS (All students)
For semesters abroad in Europe: MBS receives a certain amount from the DAAD each year which it distributes to those students attending an Erasmus+ partner university (see MBS online partner university database). The amount of grant each student receives depends on how much money MBS receives from the DAAD, the country of the host university and the situation of the student.
Deadline for the fall semester: end-April
Deadline for the spring semester: end-August
Scholarship Application form and additional information can be found in the Downloads section.
German citizens or permanent residents only. The German Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG) is independent of Inlands-BAföG. Students going on exchange will not be able to receive tuition from Auslands-BAföG. As an exchange student, each student pays to the home university and no tuition is paid to the host university.
Please read if you and/or the chosen university qualifies!
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