Overview
The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat Bonn (University of Bonn) was founded in 1818. With a student body of about 37,000, the University is one of Germany's largest academic institutions and with about 4,800 foreign students from all over the world also one of the most internationally oriented. A wide range of course offerings, an outstanding reputation in teaching and research and a unique location make the University an especially attractive place to study and considered to be one of Germany's and indeed Europe's most important institutes of higher education.
About 70 years of tradition and experience going into the University of Bonn's immersion study abroad program. Students may expect to be supported by the full range of student services included academic guidance, intercultural experience, counseling, and registration assistance. The university language proficiency requirement for foreign students is waived for program students and they can take advantage of the program's flexible structure by choosing from language and focused classes for international students as well as the full course catalog of the University of Bonn. The International Office also offers extensive cultural programing as well as various other programs to ensure cultural immersion during the semester.
Exchange Dates:
- Academic Year: September - July
- Fall Term: September - February
- Spring Term: March - July
Students interested in studying at the University of Bonn are encouraged to either attend for a full academic year OR the spring term.
Fall semester only exchanges are not advised as they will continue into the WSU spring term.
Exchange Eligibility Requirements:
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the time of application.
- Be 18 years or older at the time of the exchange.
- Be in good academic standing at WSU.
- Be in good standing with the Office of Student Conduct.
- Be a current WSU student (matriculating or non-degree seeking).
- Have completed 1 year of university study.
- Some German language background recommended, preferably the 204 level.
Please Note: a maximum number of nominations may be available for this exchange.
Cost Information
Exchange Cost Estimates:
Exchange costs are categorized as those billed by WSU (Fixed Expenses) and those not billed by WSU (Estimated Additional Expenses). A breakdown of these costs can be found below. To determine the cost estimate for your desired term click the button below to jump to this specific cost estimate. Please keep in mind that while every attempt is made to ensure all costs identified below are accurate some variability does exist and exact numbers may not be possible for all expenses.
Academic Year
Spring or Fall Semester
Refund Policy:
Participants are responsible for fees associated with the program once they have committed to the exchange application and the application deadline has passed.
Financial Aid Disbursement Alert:
Participants eligible for financial aid can use aid toward this exchange. Please note that per federal regulations, financial aid is released on the first day of the regular WSU semester, or ten days prior to the participant’s program start date, whichever is LATER. Some expenses will be due before aid is released, participants must budget accordingly.
Tuition Rates:
Tuition will vary depending upon the participant's residence status, term selected, and number of credits listed on the host institution transcript at the end of an exchange. Tuition listed for Academic/Calendar Year and Fall/Spring term exchanges represent 12-18 credits. During the Summer term tuition is calculated at the same rate for In-State and Out-of-State resident students based on the number of credits earned. Information regarding tuition for each term and resident status can be found on the WSU Student Financial Services website for Cost of Attendance.
Cost Estimate for Academic Year Exchange
| Fixed Expenses Billed By WSU |
|
Estimated Additional Expenses* |
|
| WSU Tuition (In-State) |
$10,510 |
Room & Board |
$6,766 |
| WSU Tuition (Out-of-State) |
$25,088 |
Personal Expenses |
$2,600 |
| Global Learning Application Fee |
$200 |
International Airfare |
$1,865 |
| International Insurance Fee |
$548 |
Books and Supplies |
$1,025 |
| |
|
U.S. Passport** |
$140 |
| |
|
Visa** |
$85 |
| Total Expenses Billed By WSU (In-State) |
$11,212 |
Total Estimated Cost of Exchange |
$12,481 |
| Total Expenses Billed By WSU (Out-of-State) |
$25,590 |
|
|
| Total Estimated Cost of Academic Year Exchange (In-State): $23,693 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Academic Year Exchange (Out-of-State): $38,071 |
Cost Estimate for a Single Semester Exchange
| Fixed Expenses Billed By WSU |
|
Estimated Additional Expenses* |
|
| WSU Tuition (In-State) |
$5,255 |
Room & Board |
$3,383 |
| WSU Tuition (Out-of-State) |
$12,544 |
Personal Expenses |
$1,300 |
| Global Learning Application Fee |
$200 |
International Airfare |
$1,865 |
| International Insurance Fee |
$246 |
Books and Supplies |
$512 |
| |
|
U.S. Passport** |
$140 |
| |
|
Visa** |
$85 |
| Total Expenses Billed By WSU (In-State) |
$5,621 |
Total Estimated Cost of Exchange |
$7,285 |
| Total Expenses Billed By WSU (Out-of-State) |
$12,910 |
|
|
| Total Estimated Cost of Single Semester Exchange (In-State): $12,906 |
| Total Estimated Cost of Single Semester Exchange (Out-of-State): $20,195 |
*All additional costs are ESTIMATED and may vary. These costs are not billed by WSU and are the sole responsibility of the participant.
**Please see the "Destination" tab for additional passport and visa information as these costs and country-specific insurance (if applicable) will vary.
Academics
University Course Catalog:
University of Bonn Course Catalog
When searching for courses the term WiSe indicates Winter and is considered the WSU Fall term, and SoSe is Summer and matches with the WSU Spring term. Students looking for courses taught in English should be sure to select 'englisch' for the language of instruction.
It is recommended students have some German language background in order to be successful while studying at the University of Bonn.
Academic Offerings:
Agriculture, Art History, Biology, Celtic Studies, Chemistry, Comparative Literature, Computer Science, Economics, English, Folklore Studies, Food & Home Economics, Food Technology, Geodesy, Geography, German, History, Language Studies, Linguistics, Math, Media Science, Meteorology, Mineralogy, Musicology, Philosophy, Physics, Politics, Psychology, Scandinavian Studies, Slavic Languages, Literature and more.
Restrictions:
Restrictions listed here (if applicable)
Grades and GPA:
The University of Bonn uses the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), below is an approximate conversion for credits using the ECTS system:
5 ECTS = 2.5 WSU Credits (rounded up to 3)
Grades and credits function differently at institutions around the world. Ensure you are taking at least 12 WSU credits worth of coursework per semester or 6 WSU credits for a summer exchange.
Factors to keep in mind:
- Grades will not calculate into student’s cumulative WSU GPA, but will factor into Major and Minor GPA’s.
- Courses and grades will appear on MyWSU and WSU transcript.
- These have a non WSU transcript provided. Participants should anticipate transcripts taking two to four months to arrive at WSU.
Orientations
All exchange participants are required to attend the orientation sessions listed below prior to departure. Participants will be notified regarding the date and times for those orientations which are not noted as being online after participation has been confirmed.
- Global Learning Pre-Departure Orientation: There is an online session that participants will have access to in the final stages of their Global Learning application. Additionally, there is an in person country specific component.
Additional orientations may also be required upon arrival and will be provided by the host institution.
Host Institution Orientation: You will receive additional information and instructions regarding your orientation from the host institution. Orientations and the relevant processes will be unique to the institution.
