UAS7 Exchange Program Osnabruck, Germany

 

Overview: 

Have you always wanted to study in Germany and dreamed of staying longer than a few weeks?  This semester long exchange program is for you!  You can also think about doing an internship in the semester after studying.  

UAS7 is a strategic alliance of seven leading German Universities of Applied Sciences committed to excellence in teaching and research.  Courses are offered in English in Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Hamburg, Muenster, and Osnabrueck, Germany.

This program is university-wide, meaning any undergraduate Pitt student regardless of major may participate. You must apply to both the Pitt application on this page and to the applicable UAS7 program. Prior to application, please review the UAS7 website and the Osnabruck exchange website for application instructions, deadlines, course descriptions, academic calendar, etc.

To meet challenges of a rapidly changing professional world, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (UAS) has developed a comprehensive curriculum that is differentiated, interdisciplinary, and international. Our many areas of specialization allow students to develop an individualized profile of qualification. The combination of practice and academically oriented teaching allows our students to acquire a range of approaches and skills. 

The university is located in Osnabrück; Osnabruck's 1200 years of history are visible at every turn in its city center.  Meticulously restored buildings house shops, art galleries, bars and restaurants that preserve medieval charm in settings that Osnabrückers enjoy every day. At the same time, Osnabrück is a modern city with a technology-oriented future. Many innovative and widely known international companies in the high-tech, engineering, food and logistics sectors are located here.

Check out UAS7's travel scholarship too! http://www.uas7.org/scholarships/uas7-travel-scholarship.html

 

 

 

Learning Objectives: 

As an active and engaged participant on this program, you will have the opportunity to develop: 

  • the ability to succeed independently in a foreign education environment. 
  • non-US based perspectives on your field of study and/or future career path. 
  • a global network of peers in similar fields of study and connections with faculty in Germany.

 

Partner Information: 

UAS7 - Liaison Office NY

871 United Nations Plaza

New York, NY 10017 | U.S.A.
T: +1.212.758.3369

email:  info@uas7.org

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UAS7alliance/

Location Description: 

Osnabrück is a city in northwest Germany. The Town Hall is where the 1648 Peace of Westphalia was negotiated, bringing the 30 Years’ War to an end. It sits on the market square, along with gabled houses and St. Marien, a 13th-century Gothic church. The Felix Nussbaum House shows a large collection of works by the local surrealist painter. To the south, the grounds of Osnabrück Castle are a venue for summer concerts.

Housing Description: 

Visiting students as well as freemover students benefit from our services that contribute to a successful study visit:

They find you accommodation.

 

At the beginning of your stay and also later, a buddy at Osnabruck assists you. Your buddy is a student in a higher semester, which picks you up from the train station, helps your while moving into your dorm room and accompanies you, for example, when completing administrative procedures or doctor's visits.

As a guest student, you can not only take part in the university courses, but also in the courses and seminars offered by the Career Center and the Learning Center, the offerings of the university sports and the university school communities and much more

Academic Description: 

If you would like to come to Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences for one semester:
You can attend a number of courses taught in English at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture in agriculture/hortibusiness, food science, nutritional science, environmental science and landscape architecture.
The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science offers various sets of English-taught courses. Each set comprises 5 to 6 modules in a special discipline which make up 30 ECTS credit points in total: Quality Engineering and the International Design Project Semester are on offer each summer semester (from March to July), and the European Project Semester runs each winter semester (October to January). You can take the International Computer Science Program either in the summer or in the winter semester.
The Faculty of Business Management and Social Sciences offers a wide number of English-language courses in their Bachelor and Master degree programs.
 Of note: 

  • All courses must be approved by the Faculty Director of your department in the Swanson School of Engineering. A course approval form must be completed and submitted to SSoE’s Engineering International Initiatives Office. 
  • Additionally, for the purpose of full-time status here at Pitt, students should be prepared to take what is equivalent to at least 12 Pitt credit hours.   
  • Courses taken abroad will be treated as transfer credits and will be marked as pass/fail (S/NC) on a Pitt student's transcript. In other words, transfer credits will not affect your Pitt GPA. However, students must receive a C grade or higher in order for the credits to transfer. Actual grades earned will appear on the transcript from the exchange university. 

Language Requirements: Non-native English speakers may be required to show evidence of English proficiency.    
Inquire at the IFO of the Institute of Music about whether you can receive instruction in an instrument even if you do not speak German.
 
Detailed information about English courses at the faculties can be found on the websites of the International Faculty Offices.
Of note: 

  • All courses must be approved by your school. A course approval form must be completed and submitted to your school’s study abroad staff.  
  • Additionally, for the purpose of full-time status here at Pitt, students should be prepared to take what is equivalent to at least 12 Pitt credit hours.   
  • Courses taken abroad will be treated as transfer credits and will be marked as pass/fail (S/NC) on a Pitt student's transcript. In other words, transfer credits will not affect your Pitt GPA. However, students must receive a C grade or higher in order for the credits to transfer. Actual grades earned will appear on the transcript from the exchange university. 
  • Language Requirements: Non-native English speakers may be required to show evidence of English proficiency.    
Students who have attended this program in the past have taken classes in the areas of:: 
Engineering
Computer Science
Business
Music
Grading: 

In order to gain Pitt credit, you must receive a C or higher for each course you will transfer back to Pitt for credit. 
Information about grading scales can be found on the UAS7 website. 
Transcripts: In order to gain Pitt credit, you must receive a C or higher for each course you will transfer back to Pitt for credit. Information about grading scales can be found on the UAS7 website. 
Please ensure you ask the UAS7 university to provide a mailed paper transcript to your Pitt's study abroad manager in your school. Exchange university transcripts typically do not arrive from the exchange university until 3 to 4 months after the end of exchange period. Therefore, Pitt students should be mindful of how this may affect their ability to graduate, especially when exchanging during one's senior year. Another consideration is how this may affect your financial aid package, as the S/NC grades are not posted until transcripts are received.
 

Program Fees: 
Items Billed by Pitt
 
 

Pitt students participating on an exchange program will pay regular Pitt tuition and fees, according to their in-state or out-of-state residency status. In addition to the Study Abroad Administrative Fee, this also includes all Mandatory Fees, such as the Student Activity Fee, Wellness Fee, Computing and Network Services Fee, and the Security, Safety, and Transportation Fee.

Pitt Students on financial aid and/or tuition scholarships will need to consult the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid or respective entity providing the funds to confirm coverage for study abroad. 

 
Items Billed by Pitt
 
Tuition and mandatory fees: Check Pitt's website to verify current costs: https://www.tuition.pitt.edu/undergraduate/tuition?campus=30 
 
 
Study Abroad Fee $400 
 
Total Billed by Pitt: Estimate your Pitt expenses based on current tuition and fees.
 
 
How Much To Budget: 

 

Program Dates: 

Pitt students enroll at Osnabruck for either a full semester (fall or spring) or a full academic year (two full semesters). Osnabruck’s calendar may differ from Pitt's normal fall (August through December) and spring (January through April) semesters, so Pitt students should check the academic calendar at the exchange university. Like Pitt, Osnabruck’s academic calendar follows a Fall-Spring progression, meaning Fall is the first semester followed by the Spring semester as the second. Typically, semesters in our ASU7 exchange schools are: Fall runs mid-September through mid-February and Spring runs mid- March through mid-July. The dates listed above are estimated and therefore subject to change according to the host university’s schedule.

Dr. Shawn Alfonso Wells

Greetings! I manage the Arts and Sciences and Exchange and am the Pitt in Spain Program Manger. I have a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Pittsburgh and am an Adjunct professor of Anthropology who has taught in the Anthropology, History, Sociology, and Africana Studies departments at Pitt and CMU. I did my fieldwork on Color Classification in Cuba and have led many ground breaking experiential student trips to Cuba. I love learning about different cultures and want to help facilitate students being able to travel abroad to learn about the world. I look forward to assisting you to achieve your goals of a global experience.

 

Schedule a Zoom appointment with me below or get in touch with me through email to discuss exchange options and your future global experience.

 

Schedule an appointment

Schedule an appointment with me using Pathways!

Appointment Link: https://pathways.campus.eab.com/pal/mT8JxcvuBG

 
 
Don't see a time that works for you? Just send me an email!

Alicia JF Olalde, M.A.

Hello! Konnichiwa! I am the Director for Global Experiences and Engagement in the Swanson School of Engineering.  After working for the JET program in Japan for just over two years, I decided to pursue a career in international education. I returned to the US via a few months of travel -slowing making my way west with many stops in stunning locations and with amazing people. Whenever possible, I continue  explore new countries and cultures and have had the good fortune to work, study and travel all over the world. I have been fortunate to work both as an administrator and as a classroom educator in higher education; my areas of interest are international, adult and comparative education.  I enjoy assisting engineering students seize global opportunities! 

Schedule an appointment

SSOE students: schedule an appointment with me using Pathways via this link!

non-SSOE students-- send me an email and we'll set up a time to meet!

 

Application Instructions: 
A limited number of students are sent each semester through the UAS7 exchange program.  In addition to the Pitt GEO application (at the right), be sure to review the UAS7 application instructions and the host institution information.  A formal nomination from Pitt GEO is required for Pitt students to be recognized as a study abroad student at Osnabrück. Therefore, students must complete all necessary Pitt steps in addition to Osnabrück requirements. In other words, acceptance by Pitt GEO does not guarantee acceptance by the exchange university.  
 
If you are an engineering student, you must meet with the program manager to complete your application. Make an appointment with Alicia here.
 
Prior to being accepted, please visit the UAS7 website and read the application instructions and application deadlines.
 
Minimum Requirements: 
 In good academic standing
Minimum 3.0 GPA 
Currently enrolled as sophomores or juniors in a field represented on UAS7 campuses - engineering, science, life sciences, business, management, economics, architecture, art, design, journalism, social work.
 

 

Additional Information: 

Questions about scholarships?

UAS7 offers a travel scholarship  to some applicants!

Here is more information:

Successful applicants for the Study & Internship Program (SIP), Internship Program (IP), and Study Program (SP) are eligible for a UAS7 Travel Scholarship of 1000€ to cover or defray transatlantic travel expenses for program participation. Applicants will be notified about program and scholarship acceptance simultaneously. 

 

No additional application materials are necessary; the program application is used by the selection committee to evaluate candidates for scholarships as well as program admission. Applicants in the October and February selection rounds will be considered for the UAS7 Travel Scholarship. 

 

UAS7 Travel Scholarship recipients will receive their award from their host UAS after arriving in Germany. 

 

Also be sure to check out our funding pages and note that SSoE has funding specifically for engineering students! There are many other national funding sources you can review. One place to search is the Institute of International Education website. 

 

Insurance Requirements: 

 The University of Pittsburgh automatically provides international health and accident insurance for students participating in study abroad during the official program dates.  More information about the type of insurance and coverage will be provided to you by the GEO office.  However, you may need to purchase additional insurance if the school you will attend requires you to purchase a specific health insurance per their regulations. It is your responsibility to ensure you know the cost of that insurance prior to committing to the program.

 

Visa Requirements: 
In order to study as a student in specific countries, a visa is required. A visa is formal endorsement by the host country to grant permission for an individual to enter, live or stay in that country for a specific purpose and period. In addition to a visa, some host countries may require a residency permit upon arrival. 
 
Your host institution will provide general directions after formal admission on how to apply for either the visa and/or residency permit. Pitt students should also research the visa and/or permit process through the specified country consulate website. In general visa and/or permit application requirements include but are not limited to the following requirements:  
  • Visa application 
  • Valid Passport 
  • Verification of acceptance from sponsoring university (exchange university) 
  • Financial Documents, such as bank statements, tax documents or pay statements.   
  • Passport photos 
  • Application fee 
  • Medical/physical examination (likely to require a doctor's appointment so plan accordingly)
 
Failure to follow the visa/permit instructions fully may result in additional costs beyond the visa application fee or visa denial.