Study exchange and traineeships abroad
Programmes and funding opportunities for students at College of Music Dresden
If you are interested in spending part of your studies abroad, you should start planning and preparing as early as possible - at least a year in advance. Study, internship, summer course or something completely different - there are many possibilities. Also find out about the exchange programmes and projects of the College of Music Dresden, such as the Erasmus+ programme.
Important points here are:
- What financial support options are available (scholarships, BAföG, student loans, foundations)?
- Are my language skills sufficient and how can I improve them if they are not? Do I have to take a language test to prove my language skills for acceptance to study or an internship?
- What are the entry and residence regulations? Do I need a visa? If so, how do I apply?
- What documents are needed for the application? (e.g. translation of certificates, certifications or expert opinions)
- What deadlines must I meet? (e.g. application deadlines, language test deadlines, deadlines for scholarships, foreign BAföG, etc.)
- What accommodation options are available?
- Do I need additional health insurance abroad?
- What travel medicine precautions (vaccinations, etc.) should I take and what medication do I need to take with me (doctor's appointment)?
Preparing to study abroad: Obtain information about the host institution:
- How is the study programme structured? (academic year, semester / trimester, courses, forms of examination, etc.)
- Are there any admission restrictions for the desired degree programme or do I have to take an aptitude test or entrance examination before starting my studies?
- What are the application and enrolment deadlines?
- Do I have to take a language test before starting my studies? (If necessary: dates, examination venue, requirements, period of validity)
- How is the recognition of study and examination achievements obtained abroad carried out?
- Are tuition fees payable at the host university? If so, how much?
- Two to twelve-month stay at a partner institution in another European country
- Waiver of tuition fees at the partner institution
- Academic recognition by the College of Music Dresden of the course work gained abroad
- Mobility allowance to compensate for part of the additional costs during the stay abroad
- Support for academic and linguistic preparation for the stay abroad and support from the host intitution with regard to accommodation, cultural offers, etc.
- Special grants for students with children
- Special grants for students with disabilities
- Regular enrolment at the College of Music Dresden
- Studying at a partner university with which the College of Music Dresden has concluded an Erasmus cooperation agreement (Inter-Institutional Agreement).
- The host institution has a valid Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE)
- Completion of the first year of the Bachelor's or State Examination programme at the time of the Erasmus stay
The application for an Erasmus study exchange takes place in a two-stage procedure:
1. application for participation in the Erasmus programme of the College of Music Dresden by the corresponding internal university application deadlines.
2. after nomination by the College of Music Dresden, the application for an exchange place at the desired partner instititution follows.
Please hand in your complete application with the following documents:
- Application form (in German only)
- Motivation letter
- CV
- Letter of Recommendation from main subject teacher
- current transcript of records
- declaration of concent GDPR (in German only)
In this context, please also note the information on data collection and processing. (in German only).
Application to the host institution
Once you have been nominated for an Erasmus study exchange, you need to apply to the partner universities of your choice. Please note the application deadlines and the required application documents, which differ from university to university.
Many universities of music use Mobility Online as an application platform. Here you must first create an application as a student of the HfM Dresden. After a successful check, the International Office of the HfM Dresden forwards your application to the partner universities.
The host university will once again check the suitability of the student for their respective study programme. The nomination by the HfM is therefore no guarantee of admission to the partner university.
If you need the recording studio of our university for video or audio recordings, please contact the staff as early as possible.
Learning Agreement for Studies
The Learning Agreement is the most important document for the Erasmus study exchange. It contains the agreement of the study programme for the Erasmus stay as well as the recognition of your study achievements at the HfM Dresden. It is signed by the student, the HfM Dresden as well as the partner university and thus all three parties are obliged to comply with all agreements made in the Learning Agreement.
Grant Agreement
Once you have been admitted by the partner institution and have signed the Learning Agreement, you will receive the Grant Agreement from the College of Music Dresden, which lists your rights and obligations as a participant in the Erasmus programme as well as the exact amount and payment modalities of the grant.
Online Language Support (OLS)
All participants in the Erasmus programme are required to take an online language test in the working language at the host university before starting their stay. In addition, the EU Academy platform offers the possibility to participate in as many language courses online as you wish and thus improve your language skills before and during your Erasmus stay.
Payment of the Erasmus grant
The payment of the 1st instalment of the Erasmus grant usually takes place as soon as the Grant Agreement and the Learning Agreement have been signed and the online language test has been taken. The first instalment is 80% of the total amount of the grant. The 2nd instalment of the grant is paid after the end of the stay, when all the necessary documents and reports have been submitted in full.
Final documents and final report
The final report on the Erasmus study exchange is completed online. For this purpose, the EUSurvey tool automatically sends participants an e-mail with their log-in data and the link to the report after the end of their stay. The report contains questions on the academic and linguistic development during the study visit, but also on the handling of administrative matters in the Erasmus programme. Furthermore, the transcript of records of the host institution (overview of the succesfully completed courses) as well as proof of the duration of the stay must be submitted. In addition, a second language test is required after the end of the stay.
An application for leave of absence for the period of study abroad must be submitted to the Student Secretariat. The application must be submitted by the end of the respective previous academic year at the latest.
At the same time, the re-registration for the following semester is required, as students remain enrolled during their studies abroad. The semester fee is then to be paid without the share for the semester ticket.
- Traineeships are possible for students as well as for graduates, provided that the traineeship takes place within one year after graduation from the College of Music Dresden and an application has been submitted in advance.
- The duration of the Erasmus traineeship is a minimum of 2 months and a maximum of 12 months.
- All EU countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Serbia and Turkey are eligible as destination countries.
- Erasmus trainees receive a mobility grant to compensate for part of the additional costs during their stay abroad.
- The traineeship place is organised by the students themselves, they only apply to the College of Music Dresden for financial support within the framework of the Erasmus programme
- Special grants for students with children
- Special grants for students with disabilities
The application for an Erasmus traineeship follows a two-step procedure:
- Application for a traineeship at the desired institution.
- Application for an Erasmus grant at the College of Music Dresden by the relevant internal application deadlines.
In exceptional cases, the application for an Erasmus grant is also possible without a confirmation of the traineeship place.
Please submit your complete application with the following documents:
- Application form (in German only)
- Motivation letter
- CV
- Letter of Recommendation from main subject teacher
- Current transcript of records
- Confirmation from the traineeship institution (also informal, e.g. by e-mail)
- declaration of concent GDPR (in German only)
In this context, please also note the information on data collection and processing. (in German only).
Learning Agreement for Training
The Learning Agreement is the basis for the Erasmus traineeship. It must be concluded by the student and the host institution before the start of the traineeship. Basically, the Learning Agreement regulates the content of the traineeship and the responsibilities. It is also important to clarify questions regarding insurance during the traineeship with the host institution and, if necessary, to take out appropriate insurance.
Grant Agreement
The Grant Agreement is the contract that regulates the amount of Erasmus funding, the payment modalities as well as the rights and obligations of participants in the Erasmus programme.
Online Language Support (OLS)
All participants in the Erasmus programme are required to take an online language test in the working language at the host university before starting their stay. In addition, the EU Academy platform offers the possibility to participate in as many language courses online as you wish and thus improve your language skills before and during your Erasmus stay.
Payment of the Erasmus grant
The payment of the 1st instalment of the Erasmus grant usually takes place as soon as the Grant Agreement and the Learning Agreement have been signed and the online language test has been taken. The first instalment is 80% of the total amount of the grant. The 2nd instalment of the grant is paid after the end of the stay, when all the necessary documents and reports have been submitted in full.
Final documents and final report
The final report on the Erasmus traineeship is completed online. The EUSurvey tool automatically sends participants an e-mail with their log-in details and a link to the report at the end of their stay. The report contains questions on the professional and linguistic development during the traineeship, but also on the handling of administrative matters in the Erasmus programme. Furthermore, proof of the internship must be submitted in the form of a Traineeship Certificate. In addition, a second language test is required after the end of the stay.
The financial support for Erasmus stays is based on the different costs of living in the destination countries ("programme countries") and is divided into three different country groups.
Please note that you will only be informed of the exact amount of funding for your stay once you have been approved for Erasmus+ funding. This depends on the availability of funds and the number of students who have been accepted for an Erasmus exchange
Funding rates for Erasmus study exchanges from winter semester 2024/2025:
Group 1 (higher cost of living):
Countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden
Erasmus funding rate per month (30 days): 600 Euro
Group 2 (medium cost of living):
Countries: Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Malta, Protugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Erasmus funding rate per month (30 days): 540 Euro
Group 3 (lower cost of living):
Countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Turkey
Erasmus funding rate per month (30 days): 540 Euro
For Erasmus traineeships, a top-up of 150,00 Euro per month will be paid additionally to the basis funding rate.
Inclusion and diversity - these are the priorities of the Erasmus+ programme generation 2021-2027. The programme aims to achieve the goal of more equal opportunities and inclusion in all areas of education through various measures and opportunities. An essential component in the higher education sector is the additional financial support for participants with fewer opportunities through top-up amounts and real cost support. Since the winter semester 2022/2023, students with disabilities or chronic illnesses, students with children, students from a non-academic home and students in employment can receive a top-up amount. Participants with a disability or chronic illness as well as participants with children can claim real costs.
The eligibility criteria can be found here:
Info sheet "Additional financial support for participants with fewer opportunities" (in German)
The additional financial support is applied for and confirmed by means of a declaration on honour, which you must submit to the International Office before the start of your Erasmus stay (deadline 31 May):
Declaration on honour for participants with fewer opportunities (in German)
The focus of "Erasmus+ Green" is to raise awareness among Erasmus+ participants on the issues of sustainability, climate change and environmental protection, and in particular on the ecological footprint that participants create through mobility. Through awareness raising and financial incentives, the number of mobilities with more environmentally friendly means of transport should be increased and the ecological footprint of the Erasmus+ programme reduced.
Green travel during an Erasmus+ stay
You travel green if you organise more than 50% of your journey to and from the partner university or internship location using low-emission means of transport such as bus or train, cycling, walking or carpooling. If required, students receive up to 6 additional travel days as part of their Erasmus funding.
Funding for travel days for green travel is applied for via a declaration on your honour, which you must submit to the International Office before the start of your Erasmus stay (deadline 31 May each year).
Declaration on honour for Green travel (in German)
You can find more information and ways to make your journey sustainable at the student initiative Erasmus by train, for example.
Erasmus+ aims to promote equal opportunities and inclusion, which is why access to the programme is facilitated for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds and with special needs.
Special support for students with disabilities or chronic illnesses
Students and graduates with a GdB of at least 20 or a certified chronic illness who have been accepted for an Erasmus+ funded study or traineeship abroad can receive special funding. Depending on the financial need, either a flat-rate grant of 250 € per month can be awarded or - upon submission of an appropriate application - support for real additional costs incurred can be granted. In any case, the need for the special grant must be stated when applying for an Erasmus+ study or traineeship period.
You can find more information here (in German only).
Here you can find useful information on universities with disabilities from the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education.
Special support for students with children
Students who are funded for a stay abroad through Erasmus+ and travel abroad with their child/children can apply for a monthly flat-rate grant of 250 €, which will be paid in addition to the regular Erasmus+ funding rate. In any case, the need for the special grant must be indicated when applying for an Erasmus+ study or traineeship period.
BAföG-eligible students can also receive BAföG for the stay abroad funded by ERASMUS+. You can find more information here (in German only).
Participants in the Erasmus programme must have adequate insurance cover. No insurance cover is associated with the Erasmus mobility grant. Neither the European Commission, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) nor the home or host institutions are liable for any damage resulting from illness, death, accident, injury to persons, loss of or damage to property in connection with Erasmus stays (study, traineeship).
Please enquire in particular about the following insurances and take them out if necessary:
- Travel insurance (including repatriation from abroad)
- Liability insurance (professional and personal liability, if applicable)
- Insurance for accidents and serious illnesses (including full or partial incapacity for work)
- Life insurance (including repatriation from abroad).
All participants in the Erasmus programme (including graduates) have the opportunity to be included in the DAAD's group insurance, which offers comprehensive insurance cover. Further information is available here.
The PROMOS programme is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and administered by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). PROMOS enables German universities to set their own priorities for the international mobility of their students and to offer them suitable mobility measures from a bundle of different funding instruments.
The following projects abroad can be funded within the framework of the PROMOS programme:
- Study periods of 1 to 6 months outside the ERASMUS area
- Traineeships of 6 weeks to 6 months outside the ERASMUS area
- Specialised courses (master classes, workshops at universities or similar events) of up to 6 weeks worldwide
- Study trips of up to 12 days worldwide
- Competitive trips of up to 12 days worldwide.
Please hand in the following documents by the application deadlines listed below:
- PROMOS application form(in German only)
- Motivation letter including a description of the project abroad and the motivation for it (max. 2 DIN A4 pages)
- Letter of recommendation from a teacher regarding the academic achievements to date and the planned study abroad project
- Confirmation of acceptance for the study period / traineeship / specialised course
- Proof of the required language skills (language certificate or form "Language certificate self-assessment")
- declaration of concent GDPR (in German only)
In this context, please also note the information on data collection and processing in the PROMOS programme (in German only).
The application for a study exchange at partner institutions outside Europe takes place in a two-stage procedure:
1. application for participation in the exchange programme of the College of Music Dresden by the corresponding internal university application deadlines.
2. after nomination by the College of Music Dresden, the application for an exchange place at the desired partner instititution follows.
Please hand in your complete application with the following documents:
- Application form (in German only)
- Motivation letter
- CV
- Recommendation Letter from main subject teacher
- current transcript of records
- declaration of concent GDPR (in German only)
In this context, please also note the information on data collection and processing. (in German only).