Germany
Go to Germany via UNO's Exchange Program with Philipps-Universität Marburg
Philipps-Universität Marburg, also known as Marburg University, is the oldest Protestant university in the world. It is located in picturesque central Germany, close to Frankfurt. The university has 17 departments that offer a wide range of subjects in the natural sciences and liberal arts. Currently more than 12% of the 19,000 students are of foreign nationality.
The University is an integral part of the scenic town of Marburg situated on the Lahn River 60 miles north of Frankfurt.
The town with its 80,000 inhabitants is dominated by the castle on the hill.
This is a unique German university town; wherever you are in Marburg, you are part of a vibrant academic community.
There are three different programs to choose from:
UNO ISEP Exchange: The regular International Exchange students can go for one semester or for a full academic year. The exchange agreement between UNO and Philipps-Universität allows students to pay tuition at their home institution but they have pay for housing to Philipps-Universität. For the period of the stay, the university guarantees the student a single room in one of their residency halls (students pay Philipps-Universität for housing, whcih is approximately 200 Euros ). The deadline to apply is December 31 for the summer semester and June 30 for the winter semester. The 2008 summer semester starts March 31 and ends July 8.
Note: Students have to meet the minimum German language proficiency requirement. Fluency in German will increase the availability of courses. Without enough language skills students will be restricted to classes within special programs, or to a small number of courses offered in English. German language courses are offered in all levels and will be credited by the Philipps-Universität yet may not be included in the exchange program.
International Undergraduate Study Program (IUSP)
Students can also participate in IUSP, the International Undergraduate Study Program. This program is for students who speak little or no German at all. An intensive German language course with a total of 120 hours is an essential part of this program. Participants are encouraged to attend regular university lectures in German in order to become acquainted with their sound and structure, and to get to know German students. The intensive language courses, together with a course on German culture and history, will be held during the six weeks prior to the start of the regular semester at the University of Marburg.
In instances where the regular lecture is held in German, an English tutorial will be offered to aid the students in the material that was covered in class. Students will be able to be tested and attain credit for the English version of all lectures. The International Undergraduate Study Program (IUSP) takes courses from the university’s regular course catalogue. These lectures of two hours per week, generally held in German, are then being supported by tutorials in English with four hours per week, especially for IUSP students.
The IUSP program for the Spring 2008 will commence February 17, 2008 and end on May 23, 2008. IUSP participants can enroll for one or two semesters.
Orientation Program
International exchange students are welcome to attend the orientation program that is organized by foreign students as well as the university's staff members. During the orientation students are able to ask questions and get feedback on any kind of issue or concern they may have. Participating in this event also gives the newcomers a great opportunity to meet new people and make new friends.
Accommodation
UNO students participating in IUSP are guaranteed a room in one of the univeristy's residency halls. The cost, however, is not included in the exchange, therefore students have to pay for accommodation at the University of Marburg. The fee paid to Marburg (2500 Euros) covers not only housing, but also a transportation pass good for the entire state of Hessen (which includes Frankfurt), a meal subsidy, participation in cultural events, and more.
Those who wish to study at the University of Marburg but do not want to participate through IUSP are also guranteed a room at one of the dormitories, but are resonsible for living costs themselves. The estimated pay for this option is about 700 Euros per month.
More information on availability and the type of housing offered, as well as application forms, can be found here.
Hessen International Summer University (ISU)
Hessen International Summer University is a summer study abroad program with two options as focus of study. Students may choose lectures and seminars with a focus on European Perspectives, especially Germany and its role within the European Union, or they may choose to attend intensive German language courses, specifically designed for graduate and PhD credit.
This is a link to Marburg town's website: http://www.marburg.de/
Here you can read more about Philipps-Universität in English: http://cgi-host.uni-marburg.de/~cgiredak/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?/zv/seite1_e.html
