Coming to TUM: Chemistry

International Bachelor's and Master's students from non-partner universities can join TUM for one or two semesters of research through our Practical Project Students program. This gives you the opportunity to either contribute to ongoing research projects or write your thesis at a TUM chair.

To find a supervisor, explore the exciting research opportunities within TUM Chemistry by reviewing the diverse projects led by our faculty and identifying researchers whose work aligns with your academic goals. Begin your search here: https://www.nat.tum.de/en/nat/research/main-research-areas/. Take time to learn about each group’s specific research focus, then contact your chosen supervisor with a thoughtful, personalized message that demonstrates genuine interest, outlines your availability, and includes your academic credentials (transcript and CV).

Students from our partner universities can take part in the Practical Research Experience Program (TUM PREP). This roughly eight-week summer program offers valuable insights into research at TUM. Participants work in small teams together with TUM researchers on a previously defined research project.

• The exchange process begins with your home university selecting and e-nominating you for a study period at TUM. Once you receive our acknowledgement email, you'll be able to submit your direct application to TUM within the specified deadlines: May 15 for winter semester or full academic year programs, and October 31 for summer semester. For comprehensive information about the application process, please visit the TUM Global & Alumni Office website.
• Course requirements: To participate in our chemistry exchange program, please ensure that at least 60% of your course workload consists of chemistry or chemistry-related courses with a direct connection to the field (e.g., biochemistry, chemical engineering, or food chemistry). We recommend carefully considering your module selection and field of study focus when planning your TUM application.
• Language requirements: Please be aware that German is the primary language of instruction at TUM. While Bachelor's programs, including lectures and laboratory courses, are conducted mainly in German, you'll find that several Master's level modules are available in English. Based on your chosen modules, you'll need to demonstrate adequate language proficiency in the respective languages of instruction as part of your application. We require German and/or English language certification at CEFR* level B1 or higher at the time of application. A confirmation from your home university's Language Center is sufficient for this requirement. We recommend achieving CEFR level B2 by the start of your exchange period to ensure a successful academic experience. (*CEFR stands for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
• The maximal length of your exchange studies at TUM is two semesters.
• Admission decisions are typically communicated around early July for the winter semester and early Decemberfor the summer semester. Once you receive your acceptance notification, you can begin preparing for your international study experience. The TUM Global & Alumni Office offers comprehensive resources and guidance to support you in preparing for your stay at TUM.
• You're almost there! To complete your TUM enrollment, you'll need to pay the semester fee (which includes student union membership and basic semester ticket) and show proof of health insurance at our Welcome Office. The deadlines are August 15 for winter semester and February 15 for summer semester. Submitting everything on time is key to securing your place in popular language courses (they fill up fast!) and getting your student card early enough to take full advantage of TUM's student services - including transportation, cafeteria access, library privileges, internet, sports facilities, and much more.

• To enroll in our Exchange Program in Chemistry, you need to choose at least 60% of your course workload consists of chemistry or chemistry-related courses with a direct connection to the field (e.g., biochemistry, chemical engineering, or food chemistry). 
• On your preliminary study plan for the application, you should list modules and not individual courses. A module can consist of one or more courses, so please reference the module number and title (e.g., CH4101 – “General and Inorganic Chemistry”).
• Browse through TUMonline and explore our course catalog to discover which subjects in NAT Chemistry and other areas might interest you. Important: TUMonline click the button “continue without login”! Based on this information, you can plan your study program in advance with the courses you prefer, and later adjust or change your selections once the finalized course list becomes available—usually before the previous lecture period ends.
• During your exchange at TUM, you can participate in lectures, tutorials, and seminars across both Bachelor's (B.Sc.) and Master's (M.Sc.) programs. For Master's students considering Bachelor's level courses, we suggest verifying with your home university beforehand to ensure these courses will be accepted for credit recognition.
• When selecting your courses, please be mindful of which TUM campus hosts each course. We recommend focusing on-side courses offered at our Garching campus. Due to the geographical distance, attending courses at the Straubing campus will be challenging/not feasible for exchange students.

• Laboratory courses: Due to capacity constraints, chemistry laboratory courses - particularly those offered in Bachelor programs - may have limited spots available for incoming exchange students. During the application process for such courses, prospective students will be required to participate in an interview with the lab coordinator (Praktikumsleiter) to evaluate their prerequisites, qualifications, and laboratory skills prior to admission. If you are interested in applying for a laboratory course, please contact global.ch@nat.tum.de  as your first step.
• Research Project During Your Semester Exchange: If you are considering completing a research project within the framework of your Erasmus+ or TUMexchange programs alongside your coursework during your exchange semester at TUM, please keep the following points in mind:
  • Finding the right supervisor is an important step in your research journey. We invite you to explore TUM's Chemistry research landscape and connect with faculty members whose work resonates with your academic goals. Start your search here: https://www.nat.tum.de/en/nat/research/main-research-areas/.
  • Please carefully review the research of each group and contact them individually, providing details about your specific interest in their work, your proposed time frame for the internship, and your academic qualifications (transcript and CV).
• Research projects are often time-intensive and require good planning to balance lab work with your regular courses. Start planning your research project early - ideally before your exchange period begins - rather than after arriving at TUM. 

Course registration: 

• All courses are listed at TUMonline (Important: click the button “continue without login!) OR explore course offerings, click on 'Degree programs,' scroll to the bottom, and select '98 Exchange programs.' Then click on 'Exchange Program Chemistry' or other relevant programs to view available courses. Alternatively, you can click on 'Courses' and browse offerings by subject area.
• Please note that the final course list and enrollment details become available only a few weeks before each semester begins (TUM dates and deadlines). For this reason, you can modify your study program after the finalized course list is released, or even after you arrive at TUM. We recommend checking with your home university regarding any deadlines and rules for study program changes to ensure a smooth transition.

• Please consider that course and exam registration are independent from each other. To participate in the examination of a module, exam registration is mandatory in all cases. You can register for exams via TUMonline. For courses run by other Schools, ask the respective professor how to register for the exam.
• Registering for examinations is compulsory and missing the registration period means that you will not be able to take the exams. Besides that, it is not allowed to repeat exams that have been already passed (i.e. improving your grade through a retake is not possible).
• Review our academic calendar details: TUM dates and deadlines: lecture periods, lecture-free days and holidays, semester fees deadlines, etc.

Exam Registration

• Winter semester: Approximately November 15 – January 15
• Summer semester: Approximately May 15 – June 30

Examination Period (First Attempt)

• Winter semester: Approximately early February – late February
• Summer semester: Approximately mid-July – mid-August

Examination Period (Retakes)

• Winter semester: Approximately late March – mid-April
• Summer semester: Approximately late September – mid-October

For detailed deadlines, please refer to TUMonline.

• As an exchange student, you'll take part in the same examination process as all TUM students. Should you have any time constraints related to your home university's schedule, please feel free to discuss these directly with your lecturers early in the semester - ideally within the first few weeks of classes.
• If you want to request for compensation of disadvantages during the exams, please contact: global.ch@nat.tum.de. 

• Exam results and all other information on (taken) courses are usually published on:

  TUM online or Moodle

• Examination schedules are available in each module's description. Please regularly check TUMonline for the most current information!

Exchange student enrollment covers one semester initially. For extended stays, re-registration is required by these important deadlines: 

August 15 (for winter semester continuation)
February 15 (for summer semester continuation)

Re-registration requirements:

• Your home university must have nominated you for multiple semesters
• Payment of the semester fee for continued enrollment

Important: Missing the re-registration deadline could lead to exmatriculation. 

Extending Your Stay Beyond Your Initial Nomination (Text öffnen)

If you're interested in extending your stay at TUM beyond your original nomination period, please note the following requirements:

• Extension within the same school/department only (transfers between schools/departments are not permitted)

• To extend your stay, TUM Global & Alumni requires approval from both your home university and our School to update your dates in MoveON - a simple email confirmation is sufficient. 

  Please ensure all approvals reach TUM Global & Alumni by:

August 15 for winter semester extensions 

February 15 for summer semester extensions

Please consider that after receiving confirmation from TUM Global & Alumni, you will need to make the payment of the semester fee for continued enrollment.

• If you received a housing offer from TUM Global & Alumni, this contract cannot be extended. You will need to look for accommodation on the private housing market for the time after your contract expires.
• You can be enrolled at TUM as an exchange semester for up to two semesters

The TUM Language Center provides various language courses that allow you to improve your German proficiency or other foreign languages. Course registration takes place through TUMonline

Please check with your home university to see if you need an official confirmation of your TUM stay. If required, your home university will provide you with the appropriate form. Simply complete the form and send it to Eliza Gemel. 

• Day of arrival: it is the date of your first academic activity at TUM, e.g. participating in the orientation weeks or taking a language course (see also TUM Welcome Office's website).
• Day of departure: it is the date of your final academic activity at TUM, e.g. end of courses, submission of thesis or last examination (see also TUM Welcome Office's website).

Your transcript is an official document that lists all the courses you completed during your TUM exchange, along with your ECTS credits and grades. You'll receive your complete academic transcript at the end of your stay, provided you registered for all exams within the required timeframes. Please note that exam registration outside the official periods is not available. 

Transcripts can be easily printed out from your TUMonline account, as soon as all examinations are completed and the grades validated in TUMonline. Log in and select "transcripts" in the "studies" column on your visit card. Select the option "print certificate" to generate an transcript of your academic records. It is an automatically generated document, valid without a signature.

Transcript availability: 

Winter semester: Ready by early May at the latest.

Summer semester: Ready by early November at the latest.

If you need a signed copy of the document, you can request it from our examinations office. Because students have different final examination dates, these documents are not sent automatically without your request. Please make sure that all your grades have been entered into the system and validated (i.e., no further changes to the grades are possible). Once these conditions are met, you can submit your request for the document. 

• Our grading system applies for most modules. However, student seminars and lab courses are only marked as passed or failed. If to transfer the credits at your home university you need to have grades, please talk at the beginning of the semester with the corresponding lecturers and discuss with them the possibility of getting a numerical grade.