Erasmus+ SMS and SEMP
To promote student mobility within Europe, the Erasmus+ Student Mobility for Studies (SMS) program and the Swiss-European Mobility Programme (SEMP) are available. These exchange programs are based on bilateral agreements between the respective departments.
The Erasmus+ program is aimed at partner universities in all EU member states, Turkey, and the countries of the European Economic Area (EEA). In Switzerland, the SEMP program offers comparable conditions and support for exchange students.
Both programs provide several benefits, including exemption from tuition fees at the host university, academic preparation through our school, preliminary evaluation of credit recognition, typical support from the host university, and additional services.
At TUM, all Erasmus+ scholarships are centrally coordinated by the TUM Global & Alumni Office. In contrast, SEMP scholarships are awarded directly by the respective Swiss universities to the selected students.
Erasmus students receive a mobility grant, the amount of which depends on the host country and the duration of the stay abroad. This grant can be received in addition to the German foreign-study BAföG and does not exclude it.
Special funding is also available in limited amounts for students who plan to complete their stay abroad together with their child(ren), as well as for students with physical or psychological disabilities or chronic illnesses (from a disability degree of 30). Detailed information can be found on the TUM Global & Alumni Office website.
Depending on the partner university, the stay can last one to two semesters. Within the Erasmus+ program, students can be funded up to three times—once during their Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD studies—for study and/or internship stays of up to 12 months each.
Due to the different semester schedules at our partner universities and potential overlaps with our examination periods, a stay abroad is often recommended during the winter semester. Careful planning of your stay, along with personal advising, can significantly expand your opportunities.
The TUM Erasmus+ program is open to all students enrolled at the TUM School of Natural Sciences.
Bachelor students must be enrolled in at least their 3rd semester.
- Applicants should have completed an average of 24 ECTS per semester (80% of the regular workload); the minimum requirement is 22.5 ECTS per semester (75%).
- If this is not the case, please submit a justification along with your transcript. The selection committee will decide, based on your explanation, whether your application can be considere
Master students with fewer than 24 ECTS: Please submit your diploma or bachelor’s degree certificate including your average final grade.
Students must be enrolled at the TUM School of Natural Sciences for the entire duration of their exchange.
Recommended exchange periods:
- Bachelor students: Apply in the 3rd semester for an exchange in the 5th or 6th semester.
- Master students: Apply in the 1st or 2nd semester for an exchange in the 3rd or 4th semester.
Please note:
- Participation in a TUM-organized exchange program is only possible once per study cycle (Bachelor: cycle 1, Master: cycle 2).
- If you have already accepted an exchange place through TUMexchange, you cannot apply for TUM Erasmus+ during the same application period.
For the application, you must submit all required documents through the TUM Global & Alumni Office online portal.
Applications are evaluated both formally and content-wise. Please ensure that you submit a complete application, as it is not possible to provide additional documents later.
TUM Application Form
Complete the TUM online application. Only one Erasmus application can be created per person.
You must log in to the online application portal using your TUM account (e.g., ga99xyz). Please register only once with this account and make sure to note your login details, as you will need them again later.
Motivation Letter
Write a motivation letter in English, explaining your choices for up to four preferred universities. The letter should be no longer than 2 pages and cover the following points:
- What attracts you to the selected universities and why you prioritized them in this order
- Your reasons for choosing the courses (including academic justification, especially important for Master’s students)
- Your motivation for studying in the chosen country
- Why the chosen language of instruction is suitable for you (if not English)
- What you personally bring to the exchange program and what motivates you
Study Plan
Provide a detailed list of the courses you wish to take at each of your preferred universities, including the module numbers and ECTS credits. Your exact course selection can, of course, be adjusted at a later stage.
Transcript of Records (downloaded from TUMonline)
Submit a transcript of all completed coursework (Bachelor and, if applicable, Master), e.g., TUMonline transcripts and/or transcripts from other universities.
For Master students with fewer than 24 ECTS: Please also submit your diploma or bachelor’s degree certificate, including your average final grade.
Language certificate
Provide proof of language skills for the respective language of instruction—this does not necessarily have to be the local language. Examples include: a free DAAD certificate, a record of completion for a language course module at the TUM Language Center (via TUMonline), or enrollment in an international TUM degree program (100% English instruction). Paid language certificates are also accepted, even if their official validity date has expired.
If you do not yet have sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction, you may submit an individual language plan in addition to your current language proof.
Even if you grew up multilingual, you must demonstrate your language competence with a certificate; holding the nationality of the country of instruction does not automatically equate to a C2 level.
A detailed overview of accepted language certificates for internal applications via the TUM Global & Alumni Office can be found attached.
Information on language certificates
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Provide a tabular CV in English, including hobbies, a self-assessment of your language skills, internships, and extracurricular or community activities (e.g., fellowship programs), etc.
DAAD certificate B2 based on a German Abitur?
Details on this appear on the FAQ site of TUM Language Center under the question "I need a DAAD certificate, how do I get one?"
The submitted application documents are evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Personal motivation, knowledge of the country, and academic objectives
- Planning of the stay: chosen courses and integration of the exchange semester into the TUM study program (study plan)
- Grades (only from passed exams), especially for highly popular destinations or top partner universities
- Language skills in the local language or language of instruction – timely preparation can improve your chances; don’t forget that the TUM Language Center offers a variety of free language courses!
- Extracurricular engagement (e.g., fellowship programs)
Applications are assessed both formally and content-wise. A personal interview may also be part of the selection process.
For Bachelor students, it is expected that the Foundations and Orientation Exam (GOP) has been passed by the time the exchange place is allocated.
- The application deadline for participation in the program for the winter and/or summer semester of an academic year is in January of the previous academic year.
- At the end of February, you will receive an email regarding the allocation of places.
- The TUM NAT School International Office will nominate you at the respective partner institutions. After nomination by the School, students must apply or register directly at the partner university. After nomination, you will be informed either by us or by our colleagues at the partner universities abroad about all required application documents for the direct application at the host university. Please make sure to check the respective application deadlines yourself.
The registration procedure and application deadlines may vary depending on the university. Not all partner universities provide information automatically after nomination. In such cases, you must follow the individual instructions for the required documents and adhere to the respective deadlines.
Submitting your application on time is your own responsibility. Please also note that nomination deadlines differ depending on the partner university, so some students may receive the relevant information earlier than others.
- Information regarding the Erasmus grant will be sent to you by email from the TUM Global & Alumni Office.
For ERASMUS+ students, it is mandatory to complete an Online Learning Agreement (OLA) before the start of the exchange semester. At the TUM School of Natural Sciences (NAT), this is done in a two-step process:
Complete the Excel file “Preliminary Approval of the Learning Agreement for the Exchange” in full and submit it to the NAT School International office for approval by the examination board. Here you can find the instructions.
- After you receive the approved form from the NAT School International office, transfer the information into the Online Learning Agreement. Instructions are available here.
Submit your Preliminary Approval of the Learning Agreement for Exchange by email approximately 4 weeks before the semester starts at the host university at global.ch@nat.tum.de (Chemistry).
Recognition of academic achievements and examinations
The actual recognition of your achievements abroad takes place after your stay abroad and only upon request. The examination board of your degree program is responsible for this. Therefore, please contact the respective Programm Manager directly.
The following documents must be submitted:
- Official Transcript of Records from the host university (signed, stamped, or with a verification link), showing the completed courses.
- Module descriptions, if the Preliminary Approval of the Learning Agreement for the Exchange has not already been confirmed in advance. These should include information on learning outcomes, teaching methods, content, workload, and prerequisites.
- Information about the grading system.
The processing of your recognition request typically takes 3–4 months. Please note that only one recognition request can be submitted per exchange. The request must be submitted no later than the end of the semester following your exchange semester. Once processed, no changes can be made.
Good Deed – Room Ready for Incomings
To support international exchange students in finding accommodation, the Welcome Office of the TUM Global & Alumni Office has introduced a housing exchange platform. Here, regular TUM students who are going abroad for one or two semesters can offer their rooms or apartments for sublet or exchange without any administrative effort. More information can be found on the TUM Global & Alumni Office website.