Application

Exchange programs at university level

• are based on partnerships between Leibniz University and other universities
• Students from all faculties can participate as long as the relevant subjects are also offered at the partner university (host university)

Faculty programs

•  exist between a faculty of Leibniz University and a partner university
•  Only students of the faculty can participate in a faculty program
• Different rules apply when applying for an exchange program at faculty level than at university level: The contact persons at your faculty will inform you about the procedure and everything else!

• Create an account: Create your own account with a user name and password under “My application”. This account is independent of your LUH ID or matriculation number.
   
• Interrupt your application: You can interrupt your application at any time and continue later. To do this, click on “finish” and the application will be saved automatically.
   
• Personal data: Enter all the necessary information about yourself. The “National Identification Number” is the number of your passport or identity card. Enter your semester address in Hanover under “Correspondence address” and your parents' address (if different) under “Home address”.
   
• Current studies: Fü/BA students enter their main subject. Teacher training students select the number “140” under “Subject”.
   
• Desired mobility: Indicate which program you would like to apply for.
   
• ISEP application: For an ISEP application, only enter your first choice under “Institution”. If this cannot be found in the system, select another university. This does not affect the priority of your ISEP university list.
   
• Subject of the exchange: Enter the subject that you would like to focus on studying abroad during the exchange.
   
• Multiple programs: If you would like to apply for several programs, use the “more” button to add further mobilities in order to apply for several programs at the same time with one application.
   
• Mobility grant (ERASMUS+): This section mainly concerns ERASMUS+ students. If you are not applying for a mobility grant, enter zeros in the fields.
   
• Submit application: Once all mandatory fields have been completed, the “send” button will appear. This will generate a .pdf which you can print out and attach to your application documents.

A letter of motivation for an exchange study or study abroad program should convincingly explain why you want to participate in the program, how it fits with your academic and personal goals, and what contribution you can make to academic life at the host institution. Good guiding questions for this could be:

1. personal motivation

•     Why do you want to complete an exchange semester or a stay abroad?
•     What attracts you to the country, the culture or the university?
•     Are there specific personal experiences that motivate you to go abroad?
•     What is important to you for your stay abroad?

2. academic reasons

•     How does the exchange program fit in with your field of study and academic goals?
•     Are there specific courses, professors or fields of research at the host university that are of particular interest to you?
•     What do you expect academically from your stay? How will your stay abroad influence your studies and your future career?

3. personal development

•     What do you personally hope/expect from the stay?
•     What new skills or perspectives would you like to develop during your stay?
•     How would you like to benefit from the intercultural experience?

4. contribution to the host university

•     Why did you choose this specific university or country (if you are applying for more than one country or university, mention them briefly)?
•     How can you actively contribute to the local university or community?
•     Do you have any special skills, perspectives or experiences that could be enriching for the host institution?

5 Long-term goals

•     How will your stay abroad support your long-term academic, professional or personal goals?
•     Is there a vision or goal you are striving for after the exchange?

6. experience and preparation

•     What previous experiences (e.g. language skills, cultural competencies, volunteering) have prepared you for your stay?
•     How did you prepare yourself for the challenges of a stay abroad (e.g. linguistically, organizationally or mentally)?

Using these guiding questions, you can craft a compelling and personal motivational letter that clearly conveys your enthusiasm and suitability for the program.

• Personal details: First name and surname, date and place of birth, address, telephone number and email address. Depending on the requirements, an application photo may also be necessary.
• Academic background: A-levels, training, course of study, specializations, degrees (if available)
• Secondary employment: Part-time jobs, internships, projects
• Skills: Languages (always with language level), certificates, further training
• Interests: leisure activities, voluntary work

• Letters of recommendation from lecturers or professors at LUH: These can be prepared by lecturers at Leibniz Universität Hannover on request. Professors are usually willing to provide support on request.
• Letters of recommendation from previous universities: If you have transferred to LUH from another university, for example for a Master's degree, lecturers or professors from your previous university can also write letters of recommendation for you.
• Ideally from lecturers who you got to know in a teaching context: You should know the authors of the letters of recommendation from an academic context. This enables a well-founded assessment of your abilities.
• Personal interview as a basis: If the professor does not know you personally, in many cases a personal interview can be arranged. A letter of recommendation can then be drawn up on the basis of this interview.
• Focus of the letter of recommendation: The letter evaluates your academic aptitude. It assesses the extent to which the stay abroad is useful for your academic career and whether you have the necessary aptitude to study abroad successfully.

• Course selection: Select the courses at the host university and discuss them with the international coordinator of your faculty.
• Signatures: The Learning Agreement is signed by the international coordinator of your faculty, the responsible university coordinator of the International Office and later during your stay by the host university.
• Preparation: The Learning Agreement is only prepared after a successful application. However, it is advisable to contact the program coordinator before you apply.
• Course list: You often have to submit a list of planned courses at the time of application, which serves as the basis for your course selection at the host university.
• Course changes: If there are any changes to courses during your stay, these must be discussed immediately with the international and degree program coordinator at your faculty.