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 60 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 would like to attend a non-partner university, you must complete a request to attend a non-partner university form and be mindful that this will mean less support from the International Center team. The application to attend a non-partner university can be found .
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 who have open MBS exams have limited choices for their semester abroad. Bachelor students with open exams which amount to more than 24 ECTS may not be able to go abroad (see examination rules for the program) or may have very limited choices. 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.
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 and most likely get their first choice, provided they qualify and meet all requirements.
The International Center at MBS is responsible for the development and maintenance of the 60+ 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, always explained in the context of either the fall or the spring semester.
You will find detailed guidance on what needs to be done before going abroad – from initial information and registration to nomination and application.
For each step, we indicate whether it applies to the fall or the spring semester, so you always know exactly what to do and when.
In the following, all eight steps are explained in detail.
Fall Semester: October
Spring Semester: February
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. Prior to the session, students will have the opportunity to officially register for their term abroad through the MoveOn portal. Registration in MoveOn is mandatory and constitutes the first step in the outgoing process.
Fall Semester: November – January
Spring Semester: March – May
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.
Fall Semester: End of January
Spring Semester: End of June
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.
Fall Semester: July
Spring Semester: End of February
Based on host university requirements, MBS grades, TOEFL scores, and the availability of spots, a final placement will be determined. Throughout this process, MBS advisors will stay in close contact with students to finalize the assignment. Once confirmed, students accept their spot via the MoveOn portal, after which MBS officially nominates them to the host university.
The following four criteria are the main factors for placement:
If more applicants than spots are available and all four conditions are met, grades will be the deciding factor. Should a first choice not be possible, alternative choices will be considered.
Fall Semester: March
Spring Semester: July–August
After you accept the nomination decision in MoveOn, you will be sent an additional contract (Zusatzvereinbarung) which will detail your individual study abroad information
Should students request changes after the statutory 14-day withdrawal period, a written petition must be submitted via the International Center along with an officials doctor’s certificate and explanation. A fee of €600 may be charged upon approval.
Fall Semester: April–June
Spring Semester: August–October
Once you have accepted your study abroad contract, you will begin working with your MBS Study Abroad Advisor on the application. Since each university has slightly different dates, your application will be due at a different time than your classmate‘s.
Fall Semester: June–August
Spring Semester: October–November
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. So check with your Study Abroad Advisor on what you may need to do.
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.
Fall Semester: June–July
Spring Semester: November–December
After you have been accepted at the university and have confirmed your decision to attend, 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. After the courses are final and approved, you need to submit a Learning Agreement to MBS.
After the courses you wish to take at the host university have been pre-approved by MBS, you must submit a Learning Agreement to the International Center. The Learning Agreement verifies that your courses are approved by MBS and that the credits can be transferred back to MBS. The due date changes based on your start date of your semester abroad.
The Learning Agreements can be found down below, in the Download Section.
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/NC at MBS. In the event that a student fails a course during the semester abroad, the student may 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.
Countries besides USA, Australia, New Zealand
The host university will submit your transcript to MBS. Once the transcript has been processed by the International Center and examination office, you will be notified and receive a pdf version and, depending on the host university, a hard copy version of the transcript.
Free-Movers & Students studying in the USA, Australia and New Zealand
Please note it is your responsibility to submit the transcripts to MBS as this is not an automated process. Many universities in the USA will only issue transcripts to students. Therefore, ask the host university to send a transcript to the International Center at MBS (hard-copy or pdf are fine) to get credit for your courses at MBS. The MBS examination office will compare the transcript with the learning agreement and award ECTS.
Receive Credits for your Courses Abroad
MBS will award ECTS credits for all pre-approved academic courses successfully completed abroad, as per your signed learning agreement. Grades will not show up on the MBS transcripts and the grades achieved abroad will not impact your GPA/NC at MBS.
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. Use the cost calculator to compare the estimated total costs of your Top 5 University Choices.
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 - additioal tuition (tuitio 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 NC (GPA) of 2.5 or better with social engagement 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 universities with bi-lateral agreements (see MBS online partner university database). The amount of grant each students receives depends on how much money MBS receives from the DAAD. Typically students can expect about €1000 for one semester.
For internships in Europe: Students with internships of at least 8 weeks can also apply for Erasmus grants via MBS. The internship can be done in any company in Europe (but not in Germany).
Deadline for the fall semester: end-April
Deadline for the spring semester: end-August
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.
Costs for each study option can vary significantly. Use this cost calculator spreadsheet to get a quick estimate on the total estimated cost for your Top 3 University choices abroad.
Step 1: Open the Cost Calculator to see what information is needed.
Step2: Check the tuition & fees for your university choices in the MBS online partner university database
Step 3: Utilize websites that let you compare the cost of living worldwide:
Please read if you and/or the chosen university qualifies!
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