• Academic Excellence: custom-tailored courses in Contemporary European Studies and select complementary courses from the university’s course catalog
• English-taught Courses: no previous knowledge of German is necessary in order sign-up for the CGSP
• German Language Skills: intensive German classes are an essential part of the curriculum
• Certification: earn academic credits and receive a certificate and transcript upon successful completion of coursework
• Flexible Duration: choose how long you want to stay - one semester, a full academic year, or four months (“early-leaver” track)
• Free of charge: the program is free of additional charge for exchange students from official partner universities (semester fee does apply)
• Intercultural Learning Environment: classes are open to international and German students
• CGSP Support Services: all students receive special support and advising
• Excursions: enjoy study trips specifically designed for international students and an excursion only available to CGSP participants
• Campus Community: as full members of the university, exchange students have access to our libraries, sports and recreational facilities, state-wide public transportation, student restaurants, events, student groups, …

The Cologne Global Study Program is structured in two basic modules and one elective module.

1-SEMESTER-PROGRAM: THE CERTIFICATE OF CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN STUDIES

If you stay in Cologne for one semester, you can obtain the Certificate of Contemporary European Studies, consisting of 30 credit points (CP)*. All credit points will be documented in a Transcript of Records, as they may be transferred to your home university. You can start the 1-semester-program ahead of the semester (pre-semester arrival). This will provide you with more flexibility during the semester.

2-SEMESTER-PROGRAM: THE ADVANCED CERTIFICATE OF EUROPEAN STUDIES

If you are staying in Cologne for the entire academic year, you can obtain the Certificate of Advanced European Studies, worth another 30 CP. The structure of the second semester is identical with the first semester. Our counselling team will help you choose the classes that will complement best the knowledge that you have already gained.

Learn more details on the curriculum in our brochure.

*) One credit point represents the workload of 25 to 30 hours per semester as defined by the European credit transfer system.

The duration of the program is one or two semesters.

We highly recommend starting early by taking the pre-semester German language course.

The principle teaching language is English. Applicants to the program whose primary language is not English and who currently attend a university where the langua - ge of instruction and examination is not English must submit an official score report of English proficiency (at least Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)). Accepted are:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) with a minimum score of 80
• International English Language Testing Services (IELTS) (5,5) or equivalent tests.

Proficiency in German is not required.

1. Ask your International Office to be nominated as an exchange student for the University of Cologne.
2. Nominated students will receive an information package from the University of Cologne and a link to our official application form.
3. If you have decided to participate in the Cologne Global Study Program “Contemporary European Studies“ you must select the program on the online-application form.

Please note: Your application does not guarantee participation in the program.

Admissions officer:

Ms. Nicole Conde
+49 221 470 7946
n.condeverw.uni-koeln.de
Study in Cologne Website

The University of Cologne holds official partnerships with several universities throughout the world. If your university is not listed below, please check with your International Office if there is an exchange agreement with the University of Cologne.

AUSTRALIA

The University of Sydney
Monash University, Melbourne
Victoria University of Technology, Sydney

BRAZIL

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas, Belo Horizonte

CAMEROUN

Université de Yaoundé

CANADA

Simon Fraser University
Université de Montréal
University of British Columbia
University of New Brunswick 
Mount Royal University, Calgary

CHILE

Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiage de Chile

CHINA

Fudan University, Shanghai
Renmin University, Beijing
Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou
Tongji University, Shanghai
Lanzhou University

COLUMBIA

Universidad de Antioquia

CUBA

Universidad de la Habana

EGYPT

Cairo University, Giza

INDIA

Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi
Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune

JAPAN

Aichi Prefectural University, Nagoya
Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo
Josai University Educational Corporation, Tokyo
Kansai University, Osaka
Keio University, Tokyo
Kyoto Sangyo University
Kyoto University
Kyoto University of Foreign Languages
Ochanomizu University, Tokyo
Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto
Seinan Gakuin University, Fukuoka
Sophia University, Tokyo
Tenri University, Nara
The University of Tokyo
University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba
Waseda University, Tokyo

JORDAN

University of Jordan, Amman

KENYA

Kenyatta University
University of Nairobi

KOREA

Ewha Womans University, Seoul
Sungshin Women´s University, Seoul

MEXICO

Universidad de Guadalajara

NAMIBIA

University of Namibia

SOUTH AFRICA

University of Cape Town

TAIWAN

Tamkang University, Taipei

TURKEY

Istanbul University
Bogazici University, Istanbul
Turkish-German University, Istanbul
Ankara University
Middle-East Technical University, Ankara
Hacettepe University, Ankara
Bahecesehir University, Istanbul

USA

Allegheny College, Meadville (undergraduate
students only)
Duquesne University, Pittsburgh
University of California, Berkeley (graduate
students only)
University of Colorado, Boulder
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
University of Mississippi, Oxford
Northwestern University, Evanston and Chicago, Illinois

The CGSP itself is free of charge. The participation is only possible though, if you are a fully enrolled exchange-student at the UoC, which comes with a semester fee (280 Euros). The website for international exchange-students from partner universities provides more details. 

Please check with your International Office if they can nominate you as an exchange student for the University of Cologne.

Language courses: The program consists of German classes for beginners or advanced German classes if you already speak German.

Content courses: You can choose between various core and elective courses in Contemporary European Studies.

The CGSP is a certificate program and full participation is necessary. You may be able to not participate and select single core courses through the Studium Integrale (speak with your faculty´s international office, called ZIB, for more details). Please note that there are only a few spots open for the Studium Integrale, the majority of the spots will be given to participants of the program. 

You should check with your home university before leaving whether it is required for you to take courses in your major/minor.

You are welcome to take courses outside the CGSP-program, but you have to ask the CGSP-coordinators if they can be credited for the program.

If your university is not on the list above, please ask the International Office of your home university.

Please check our website Immigration and Residence for more information.

There is no extra tuition fee for students from partner universities, the enrollment as an exchange-student demands a semster fee of currently 280 Euros per semester. 

Please check with your home university, what kind of courses/credits can be transferred before you leave. Upon completing your course work and exams here, you will receive a certificate and a transcript of records from us that will indicate your classes, grades, and credit points.