Exchange Program

The OBW Student Exchange program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students at all of the participating universities in Ontario. It offers the opportunity to spend one or two semesters living and studying at one of the nine research universities in Baden-Württemberg. We recommend that students consider spending two semesters (in total 11 months), but we recognize that there are good reasons, be they academic or personal, why this may not be possible for everyone, so applications for either one or two semesters are equally welcome.

Students participating in the program can benefit from:

  • OBW scholarship support
  • an immersion German-language course and local orientation, with guaranteed additional scholarship support, at the host university prior to the beginning of the semester;
  • well-established support structures both in Ontario and BW

OBW’s role in the Exchange program is to help with your preparation and to assist you in your efforts to make your time overseas successful, productive, and enjoyable. Participating students, if undergraduates, must have completed two years of a recognized degree at their home university. No German language proficiency is required. All universities in Baden-Württemberg offer a wide range of courses taught in English, and some in English/German concurrently. However, the offer might be limited in certain departments. There is a greater selection of English language courses at the graduate level, but the overall number of courses taught in English at the undergraduate level is increasing as well. If in doubt, please contact us for advice about your most suitable options

Exchange students:

  • pay tuition fees their home university and are exempted from paying tuition fees at their host university (it is, however, normal for host universities to charge certain student fees);
  • are responsible for their expenses abroad, including travel, room and board, health and accident insurance, student service fees payable to the local Studierendenwerk, and other living expenses;
  • must satisfy the requirements in place at their host universities with regard to adequate and appropriate health/accident insurance;
  • are responsible for all aspects — academic, legal, medical, etc. — of their participation in the program; and
  • are responsible for arranging any transfer of academic credits to their home university.
How to Apply

Students must apply to their home university to be nominated, following that institution’s selection process and criteria, to the OBW program. Each Ontario university sets its own application deadline, so please check with the exchange/international office of your home university for details.

Please use the following OBW application materials in addition to any forms required by your home university: