Welcome to HAWK!

Students from ERASMUS+ partner universities are invited to spend one or two semesters at HAWK. The same applies for students from non-European partner universities. After consultation, semesters outside of university partnerships (freemoving) can be facilitated as well. To inquire about existing partnerships between HAWK and your home university, please contact the International Office at your home university (HAWK ERASMUS+ Factsheet 2025/26).

HAWK's International Office supports international exchange students in finding accommodation, provides orientation during the start of your studies, advises on general academic matters, university facilities, health insurance and personal matters.

I think one of the biggest challenges here is to learn German. But it has been a great experience. Everyone is kind, the teachers and HAWK's staff are attentive all the time, and, last but not least, HAWK's program for exchange students is really comprehensive.
Ana Valeria Palacio Santiago, exchange student from Colombia

Finding Courses

Exchange students can choose their study programme from the regular study programmes of the partner faculties. As required by the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), the ECTS module catalogues of all HAWK courses can be found below. Based on this detailed information on the modules offered in the respective Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes exchange students will be able to create a learning agreement for their study period at HAWK.

Please note that while the module catalogues are translated into English, most of the courses are taught in German. Please find courses in English for exchange students in the section "English-taught courses".

Overview of Module Catalogues according to the Faculties and Degree Programmes

Bachelor Programmes:

BA Design (PDF)

Master Programmes:

MA Design (PDF)

Please find more information here: Faculty of Design, Hildesheim.

Bachelor Programmes:

BEng Electrical Engineering/Information Technology - Media and communication systems (PDF)
BEng Electrical Engineering/Information Technology - Measuring and automation technology (PDF)
BEng Physical Technologies (PDF)
BEng Mechanical Engineering/Precision Machining(PDF)

Master Programmes:

MEng Electrical Engineering/Information Technology
MEng Mechanical Engineering/Precision Machining
MSc Laser and Plasma Technology

Please find more information here: Faculty of Engineering and Health.

Bachelor Programmes:

BSc Arboriculture (PDF)
BSc Forestry (PDF)
BEng Business Administration and Engineering (PDF)

Master Programmes:

MEng Business Administration and Engineering  (PDF)
MEng Green Engineering - Sustainable Energy and Process Engineering for the Bioeconomy (PDF)
MA Regional Management and Business Development
MSc Urban Tree and Forest Management

Please find more information here: Faculty of Resource Management.

30 ECTS Courses in English

The HAWK faculties offer a variety of courses taught in English. These English-taught courses include a special 30 ECTS programme, designed to provide students with comprehensive and in-depth education in various disciplines. These courses are carefully tailored to meet the needs of international students and impart profound knowledge in the respective fields. The English-taught programme at HAWK is continuously updated and expanded to ensure it always meets the current scientific demands.

 

Faculty of Architecture, Engineering and Conservation (Hildesheim)

Faculty of Design (Hildesheim)

Faculty of Engineering and Health (Göttingen)

- to be announced -

Faculty of Management, Social Work and Construction (Holzminden)

Faculty of Resource Management (Göttingen)

Faculty of Social Work and Health (Hildesheim)

 

International exchange students are also welcome to participate in an intensive Intercultural Training (3 ECTS). Furthermore, HAWK plus offers interdisciplinary courses (with vayring numbers of ECTS), which are subject to change every semester. Some of these courses may be in English, please inquire with the International Office about the current programme for the respective semester.

Further Information on studying at HAWK as an Exchange Student

As an exchange student, it is required that you:

  • continue to be enrolled at your home university during your stay at HAWK
  • need to have studied for at least two semesters at your home university
  • must be nominated by your home institution

Deadlines for nominations by the home university (to be sent via Email) are:

  • June 1st (for the upcoming winter term)
  • November 1st (for the upcoming summer term)

Application process:

Exchange students will need to register first for the online application. After registration you are going to receive an Email with the access details and can continue with the online application.

The following documents need to be uploaded during the application process:

  1. Passport-sized photo (jpg-format)
  2. Transcript of Records in English (from your home university)
  3. Language certificate (if applicable)
  4. Copy of passport or ID-card
  5. Copy of proof of health insurance / EHIC (European Health Insurance Card)
  6. Portfolio (only for students of Design and Architecture)

Learning Agreement:

ERASMUS+ exchange students will initiate the Online Learning Agreement (OLA) once they have been accepted at HAWK. All other exchange students can use the following Learning Agreement template.

Application deadline:

  • June 15th (for the winter term)
  • November 15 (for the summer term)

Please find the list with responsible persons for Erasmus+ at the faculties of the HAWK here.

Important: The language of instruction in all HAWK degree programmes is German. Some selected subjects are taught in English.

 

The grading system at the HAWK consists of five levels (intermediate grades may be given)

  • "Sehr gut" = 1 (Very Good)
  • "Gut" = 2 (Good)
  • "Befriedigend" = 3 (Satisfactory)
  • "Ausreichend" = 4 (Sufficient)
  • "Nicht ausreichend" = 5 (Non-Sufficient/Fail)

The minimum mark for passing an exam is "Sufficient" = 4.

Furthermore, there might be modules that are not marked but just assessed with “passed”/ “not passed”. In addition, distribution tables are used to indicate the relative distribution of grades within a reference group (e.g. within a programme).

Credits at HAWK:

  1. 1 full academic year (2 semesters) = 60 ECTS credits
  2. 1 semester = 30 ECTS credits

All HAWK students must have adequate health insurance. Without the proof of adequate health insurance, enrolment at the HAWK is not possible!

If you are insured in another EU country and have the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), medical treatment will be covered by this insurance and you do not need to get additional insurance with a German public health insurance company. Please enclose a copy of your EHIC with your application documents. Please make sure that your EHIC is valid for the entire duration of your stay in Germany.

Students from non-EU countries (under the age of 30) must insure themselves with a German public health insurance company. All public health insurance companies offer more or less the same tariffs for students with monthly fees of about €110,-. This insurance covers the costs for medical treatment and hospital stays plus most costs for prescription medicines.

The International Office can give you further information and help you to choose a health insurance that is accepted for enrolment.

HAWK supports students with special needs and promotes the implementation of structural and organisational measures that are necessary for appropriate study conditions.

The faculties in Göttingen are new buildings and have a high degree of access for students with walking disabilities or wheelchairs. A mobile workspace for visually handicapped and blind students is available in all libraries. At the locations in Holzminden and Hildesheim the accessibility of the buildings was improved by the installation of elevators / lifting platforms. The HAWK website is barrier-free.

There are mobile childcare facilities at all three study locations.

If you are an exchange student with special needs and would like to apply to the HAWK, please contact the International Office team in advance.

Citizens of the EU member states, as well as of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland do not need a visa in order to enter Germany for study purposes.

Citizens from the following countries can enter Germany without a visa, too, but need to apply for a residence permit at the responsible Immigration Office, if they are planning to stay longer than 90 days:

  • Andorra, Monaco, San Marino
  • Israel
  • USA and Canada
  • Great Britain
  • Brazil, Honduras, El Salvador
  • Australia and New Zealand
  • Japan and South Korea

For students from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Brazil, Honduras and El Salvador this is only possible if they do not want to work in Germany.

All other international students must apply for a visa for study purposes at the consular departments of the German Embassy in their home country. Information on visa regulations for Germany can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.  

Please do not enter Germany with a tourist visa or any other visa. Once you have entered Germany, the purpose of your stay/visa in Germany cannot be changed.

The Language Center of the HAWK offers an intensive language course for beginners, specifically for international exchange students, prior to the start of the semester (September for exchange studies in the winter semester / March for exchange studies during the summer semester). Furthermore, there are further German courses during the semester, depending on the needs of the respective group of exchange students.

If you want to register for one of these courses, please contact the International Office.

As an exchange student, you will be provided with one room offer by the International Office. If you decline this room offer, you have to find accommodation yourself. If you would like to have tips on how to find accommodation by yourself, please do not hesitate to contact the team of the International Office.

"Say Hi" Buddy Programme, Excursions and Events

The HAWK offers a buddy programme for exchange students to facilitate their arrival and adjustment to the new environment. Buddies are German students who meet incoming students upon their arrival and who help them during the first days to find their way around town and to settle in. If you would like to participate in the buddy programme, you can indicate this in your application for exchange studies at HAWK. In case you have any questions concerning the programme, please contact Christopher Machold.

In addtion, the International Office organises city tours, as well as excursions for incoming students throughout the semester, such as canoe tours, hiking in the Harz Mountains, a visit to the opera etc. For information about the current excursion program, please inquire at the International Office or check the group "Internationals@HAWK" in Stud.IP. To bring international students together, the International Office also organises regular country-themed evenings. If you would like to co-organise a country evening to introduce your country to the other exchange students and buddies during your stay at HAWK, kindly let us know. 

Furthermore, the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) is organising events for international exchange students in Hildesheim (ESN Hildesheim) and in Göttingen (ESN Göttingen).

Follow us on Social Media!

Whether it is testimonials from other students, information about scholarships or current announcements for international events at HAWK – follow the International Office on Instagram to stay up to date.

hawk.internationals

Important Note

Subsequent to the exchange study semester(s), exchange students can not continue studying in a degree programme at HAWK (as a "degree student"). For this, the fulfillment of further requirements (e.g. certified language and study qualifications) would be necessary.