We are a medium-sized university of applied sciences in one of the most active regions of Germany. International partnerships with foreign universities, exchange students from abroad, periods of study, and internships abroad by our students enable them to acquire international and intercultural competencies.
This also stimulates creativity and innovations in the region and helps to accomplish the university's mission in education and research. We are committed to the Code of Conduct for standards addressing international students and the "Charter for Diversity".
We are happy to study at Westfälische Hochschule, University of Applied Sciences Gelsenkirchen, Bocholt, Recklinghausen.
The university offers a significant number of study courses. Our programs put particular emphasis on job-related training.
One of the essential admission requirements for students who want to enroll at Westfälische Hochschule for the duration of their studies is advanced German language skills (DSH 2, TestDAF with at least 16 points, Goethe certificate C2: "Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom").
Your home university may request additional qualifications for the exchange places. However, you need a good knowledge of the German language in order to be able to follow the lectures. If our study program is taught in the German language, a certificate (B2) is needed. For example, if you intend to follow an individual research project in the English language, this can also be effected in accord with the supervisor. Some degree courses offer a limited number of English taught lectures (Journalism and Public Relations in Gelsenkirchen and International Management in Bocholt).
The more intensively you prepare for your studies in Germany, the less energy and time you will spend finding your way around at Westfälische Hochschule and in your studies. Therefore, you should use every opportunity to learn as much as possible to get a realistic picture of your time abroad. Please use our guides and read all information carefully.
The ECTS Learning Agreement has been developed for mobile students, spending a limited period at a university in another country, as is when studying in the Erasmus program. ECTS stands for "European Credit Transfer System". It is a system for converting course credits to offer greater transparency for the recognition of students' achievements gained at a European university within the framework of an exchange program.
The Learning Agreement contains the list of units that the student plans to take. For each unit, the title, the code number, and the ECTS credits are indicated. This has to be signed by all participating parties, i.e., the student, the sending, and the receiving institution. Of course, it may happen that a program of study must be modified after the arrival of the mobile student. In such cases, the Learning Agreement must be amended as soon as possible and signed again by the three parties. Only in this way can complete recognition of study results be guaranteed. Please contact your coordinator for the specific process in your university.
At the end of the stay, the students receive a Transcript of Records in which all passed exams, in addition to the agreed lectures in the Learning Agreement, are noted.
The Learning Agreement guarantees the transfer of credit for courses passed successfully by the student. The International Office of the home university carries out the recognition on the student's return. The student does not need to negotiate recognition with individual professors. The Learning Agreement, together with the Transcript of Records, is designed to guarantee wide recognition.
Exchange Students who study in Gelsenkirchen or Recklinghausen typically live in one of our student dormitories in Wodanstraße or Düppelstraße. Please apply for our accommodation form. If there are no rooms available we inform you in time. In this case, we pass you the contact dates of our students who spend a semester abroad to rent their dormitory or look for a private room.
The village is comprised of several houses, each containing 2, 3, or 4-room apartments. It is situated in the part of town Gelsenkirchen-Erle in a very central position with local amenities only approx. 300m away. You will get the keys to your room from your tutor. There are also washing machines and dryers within the student village. The rooms are furnished with a bed, cupboard, and a desk. All rooms have Internet access.
There are two double and five single rooms. There are several bathrooms and a big kitchen. The residence is 10 minutes away from the Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen.
Students from countries within the European Union only need their EU health insurance card. If you come from a country outside the European Union, you need travel insurance for the first 4 to 6 weeks of your travel to Germany. This travel insurance must have a cover amount of 30.000,00 €.
After you arrive in Germany, you have to take out a German student's health insurance. The insurance fee is approx. 90,00 € per month. You will obtain addresses of health insurance companies upon your enrolment.
