Baden-Wuerttemberg – Connecticut Partnership

The Baden-Wuerttemberg - Connecticut Exchange allows students to spend one semester or an academic year at one of the ten participating institutions of higher education in Baden-Wuerttemberg: Freiburg, Heidelberg, Hohenheim, Karlsruhe, Konstanz, Mannheim, Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts, Stuttgart, Tuebingen, and Ulm.

The Baden-Wuerttemberg - Connecticut Exchange was brought into being in 1991 as the result of a legislative partnership between the state of Connecticut and the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The program was administered by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education until July 2015, when program administration was transferred to the University of Connecticut. The exchange agreement invites all Connecticut students enrolled in participating four-year colleges and universities to study at any participating institution of higher learning in Baden-Wuerttemberg. With 10 institutions to choose from, including one University of Music and Performing Arts, students of all disciplines are welcome to apply.

The program is based on a reciprocal exchange, with the goal to send as many students from Connecticut out as students from Baden-Wuerttemberg are welcomed to higher education institutions in Connecticut.
The program offers many attractive features:

• A 4-week intensive (German) language course at the German host institution which not only helps to improve German language skills, but allows for interaction with people from all over the world
• A substantial language program during the semester to build on your German
• Dormitory housing (in single rooms) with Germans and other international students
• Access to peer advisors in more frequented locations who know the host university and the city very well and who will serve as invaluable local resource at the beginning of and throughout your stay
• A customized program that suits each students' personal needs as they ultimately decide which university and language program is the best fit for them
• A generous scholarship from the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts to contribute to your living expenses in Germany.

Whereas students will have an academically and personally more enriching experience when going to Germany for the academic year, studying for one semester only is certainly also an option. However, due to the differences in the academic calendars of American and German institutions of higher education, students wishing to spend only one semester in Baden-Wuerttemberg are advised to go during their spring semester.

 

Students will begin their year abroad with a 4-week intensive German language course at their host university. With few exceptions, this course generally runs through the month of September. It is designed to familiarize students with German culture and customs as well as jump-start their language abilities.

After the preparatory language course, students will enroll at their host universities and start studying in mid-October (if going for the fall/winter semester or academic year) or in April (if going for the spring/summer semester). Based on their language skills and the course requirements at their home university, students will register for a combination of "Deutsch als Fremdsprache" (German as a Second Language) and regular university courses. Depending on how many classes students take during each semester, they should receive about the same amount of credits for the semester/year in Germany as they would as full-time student at their Connecticut home institution.

Final credit evaluation is determined by the home university and students are strongly advised to consult with their academic advisor before their departure to ensure that the courses that they are planning to take in Germany transfer back as the credit they need to fulfill their requirements.

Summer School Option
Some of the German universities offer 4-6 week "Summer Universities" to students from partner institutions which include an intensive German language course and exposure to the "new" and "old" Germany through excursions and hands-on activities.

Located in the southwestern part of Germany, Baden-Wuerttemberg shares its borders with France, Switzerland and Austria.

The region is filled with picturesque beauty and historical landmarks such as Heidelberg Castle, the Black Forest and Lake Constance.

Baden-Wuerttemberg is also a powerful economic engine within Europe. Some of the world’s most successful companies are located here: Mercedes-Benz (Daimler-AG), Porsche, and the German computer software giant SAP are but a few.