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Application to the Department

Applying to the department is the first step in the application process for your Erasmus semester. Applications are open in each winter semester for the coming academic year, i.e. the next winter and following summer semester. For the academic year 2026/27 you can apply from December 01, 2025, to January 15, 2026.

Early application periods for buddies:

Students who have participated in the departments Buddy Program or in that of the International Office can apply for a place as early as November 15, 2025. Please indicate in your application which program and in which semester you participated. Buddies from the current semester can also use this early application. Your applications will be reviewed in advance and given priority when allocating places.

Application procedure

Bachelor students who will be in their 3rd semester by the time they go abroad, and master students are eligible to apply. Please note that some of our partner universities only accept bachelor or master students, and in some cases only courses in English are offered for one of the two study levels.

In addition to the application via MoveON, your application should include the following documents:

  • Letter of motivation (English, 1 to max. 2 pages, including planning which courses you would like to take at your university of choice).
  • CV in tabular form in English
  • Current certificate of study
  • Academic transcripts (e.g. Abitur certificate, BOSS extract, BA certificate)
  • Language certificates (e.g. DAAD language certificate)
  • Proof of commitment alongside your studies

You can upload these documents as PDF files during your application via MoveON. You can find more information about the required documents in the FAQ on this page. If you have any further questions, please contact the Erasmus Coordination of the department by e-mail.

You will then receive feedback at the end of January to the beginning of February as to whether we can offer you a place. In order to accept this place, you must confirm it by mid-February so that you can apply for the Erasmus mobility grant by the end of March.

Application to the Host University

If your application is successful, the faculty will nominate you at the host university. They will then contact you and ask you to apply. The exact requirements and documents needed vary from university to university.

Examples of commonly requested documents are:

  • Application forms, or application via online form
  • Resume in English
  • Cover letter in the language in which you will be taking classes (usually English)
  • Language certificates
  • Overview of current achievements (transcript of records)
    This can be requested from the Registrar's Office. Please note that this may have a few weeks lead time.
  • Copy of your current identification card or passport
    Make sure that the ID or passport is valid for the duration of the planned stay
  • Passport photo

FAQ Regarding Applications

If you click on the link to Move-On , you must first register in order to be able to log in. The rest of the application process will then run via this platform.

You will then receive an offer of a place via this platform, which you can accept or decline. If you accept the place, you can also apply for the Erasmus+ scholarship via the platform in a second step.

The following documents are required for your Erasmus application:

1. Application via the MoveON portal

Please complete the application form in full via the MoveON portal. You can specify up to three preferred universities here; however, it is also possible to choose fewer universities.

2. Letter of motivation (English, 1 to max. 3 pages)

The letter of motivation is the central element of your application. It should clearly explain your motives and convincingly highlight the following aspects:

  • Your motivation for studying abroad: explain why you want to go abroad and what your personal and academic goals are.
  • Discuss the universities of your choice: Show that you have researched your chosen universities in depth. Explain precisely why these universities are the right choice for you.
  • Course selection and recognition: Name the courses you are particularly interested in and explain how you would like them to be recognized for your studies. You are welcome to attach an overview of the relevant courses. Further information on recognition can be found here.
  • Willingness to support the Erasmus program: We always appreciate your willingness to actively support the Erasmus program, for example by writing a short experience report after your stay abroad.

3. Tabular curriculum vitae (English)

Please submit a current, tabular curriculum vitae in English.

4. Current certificate of study

5. Academic transcripts:

Please attach the following certificates:

  • High school diploma
  • Current BOSS transcript: The courses you have passed are relevant here. Even if you are applying in your first semester and your BOSS extract does not yet show any courses, please attach it anyway.
  • Bachelor's certificate, if you are already in the Master's program.

6. Language certificates

Enclose your language certificates. For the application, we consider, among other things

  • DAAD language certificate: TU Dortmund University students can obtain this free of charge. Further information can be found here. Please note that the exam can only be taken once within 6 months.
  • Language subjects in the Abitur certificate: Attendance of the basic course up to the Abitur corresponds approximately to level B2, attendance of the advanced course to level C1.
    Please note: In most cases, the information in the Abitur certificate is not sufficient for the subsequent application to the host university. We strongly recommend that you obtain current and official proof, such as the DAAD language certificate, at an early stage.

7. Proof of commitment alongside your studies

Please provide evidence of relevant commitments that you are involved in alongside your studies. This includes, for example, activities in

  • Clubs or student committees (an informal letter/email/screenshot is sufficient here if you are listed on team pages or similar)
  • Intercultural programs (e.g. participation in your department's buddy program or offers from the International Office)

At most partner universities, we have two to four places per academic year (i.e. for the winter and summer semesters). In most cases, significantly more students apply than we have places at the respective universities. Universities in Portugal, Spain and Northern Europe are particularly popular. In these cases, we decide on the basis of the applications.

In order for your application to be considered at all, it is important that you submit your documents in full and on time.

The following criteria will then be used for further evaluation:

  • Letter of motivation - is it clear that the candidate has given thought to and considered the universities of choice? Is it clear how the stay abroad fits in with the studies?
  • Commitment during and alongside studies, intercultural commitment
  • Relevant language skills. As a rule, this concerns knowledge of English, but knowledge of the national language can also be an advantage.
  • Academic achievements
  • Study phase
  • Careful preparation of application documents

The language skills required by the host university can be found in the respective entries here. You must provide proof of this when applying to the host university. This is usually possible with a DAAD language certificate. When applying for an Erasmus place, you must provide credible proof of an appropriate language level, e.g. through your Abitur.

Basic knowledge of the local language is also useful. You do not have to prove this for the application. However, it will help you to find your bearings in the country. How important this is depends on the destination country. For example, host universities generally require knowledge of English. In countries where many people speak English well, such as the Netherlands or Scandinavian countries, you can usually get by with English. In countries where English language skills are less widespread, it is advisable to acquire at least a basic level (A1 - A2) in the local language through language courses before your stay.

After the application deadline, we will distribute the available places among the applications received. If there are still places available, we will announce this on our website. The available places are usually offered in February. You will then have another four weeks to apply for the available places.

If you apply after March 15 of each year, please contact the Erasmus Coordination Office first.

The allocation of places is usually announced two to a maximum of four weeks after the application deadline. You will then be contacted by us and receive a message via the MoveON portal. You have 14 days to accept or decline the offer of a place.

If we are unable to make you an offer at your preferred university, we will also contact you by email.

If you have not been offered a place at your preferred university but have been offered another place, you can request by e-mail to be placed on the waiting list for your preferred university. You must still accept or decline the place offered within 14 days. If the place at your preferred university becomes free because someone else has canceled, we will write to you again. This will be in the week after the 14-day period has expired. If you have accepted the place offered to you, we will allow you to transfer.


If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the department's Erasmus coordinator, Dr. Debra Hanning, or the International Office.