Studying in Munich: paths to the TUM

As the TUM does not accept applications from "freemovers", international exchange students (Erasmus, TUMexchange, bilateral partnerships etc.) must fulfill two requirements in order to participate in an exchange programm of the Faculty of Mathematics:

1st requirement: Exchange agreement

Your home university has an exchange agreement with the Technische Universität München. All our partner universities can be found in the Exchange-Database of the International Center.

2nd requirement: Nomination

Your home university has selected you for exchange studies at the TUM and e-nominated you.

Applications from Exchange Students

If both above requirements are fulfilled, then you can apply to the TUM.  Information on the application procedure is available from the TUM Global & Alumni Office.

As soon as your home university has selected you to study at the TUM for one or two terms, you must compile a learning agreement or study plan for your application to the TUM. Here are some things you need to know: 

Where do I find the courses and seminars available?

Generally, all courses and seminars which take place at the TUM can be found in the Campus-Management-System TUMonline. Without prior registration, you can filter out lists of courses in your chosen faculty and then view the module handbook for detailed information on the course content, structure, credits (ECTS), recommended prior knowledge, hours and frequency. 

How do I choose the courses for the Learning Agreement?

The courses at the Faculty of Mathematics which will actually take place during your exchange term are generally confirmed only 4-6 weeks prior to the beginning of the term. Therefore you should choose courses for your application, which are offered on a regular basis. Please make use of our Guidline for Choosing Courses, where we also provide a list of regularly offered courses (see right bar).

Please note, that only Masters courses and advanced Bachelor courses (third year) are held in English. The fundamental Bachelor courses (first and second year) and their practice groups are held solely in German. 

What do I need to observe when choosing my courses?

A minimum of 60 percent of subject courses must be mathematics courses (preceded by the code MA....). The other 40 percent of your courses can be chosen from the programmes of other faculties. Language courses do not count.

Can I change my choice of courses?

In agreement with your home university, you can change your course choice as soon as the actual course program for your exchange term is published, at the latest however two weeks after the lecture period of your exchange term has started

At the Faculty of Mathematics we differentiate between three types of teaching: lectures, practice units and seminars.   

Registering for lectures and practice units

It is sufficient to register at the beginning of the relevant lecture period. Registration is via TUMonline

Registering for seminars 

As the number of participants in seminars is often limited, registration generally takes place one semester in advance. Exchange students should therefore contact the relevant lecturer directly, and ask whether places are still available for the desired seminar. 

20 to 25 ECTS per semester

The German university system is very different to that of other countries and the teaching is on a very high subject-specific level. We therefore recommend exchange students to limit their work load to 20 - 25 ECTS per semester, language courses excluded.

Semester Dates

Compared to most other countries the semester dates in Germany are shifted:

• winter semester: October 1st - March 31st
• summer semester: April 1st - September 30th

Therefore we recommend our incoming exchange students to either come for both semesters or for the summer semester only.

Examination dates

At the Faculty of Mathematics, the regular examinations take place at the end of each lecture period. The exams from the winter semester lectures take place in February; for the summer term, the examinations are at the end of July or beginning of August. The exact semester dates can be found here.

We can only offer extra examination dates to exchange students in exceptional, founded situations.

Transcript of Records

A record of achievement, stating your successfully completed examinations at the TUM, can be downloaded from TUMonline, and printed for your home university. The Transcript of Records is valid without a signature.

In principle, it is possible for exchange students to write their Bachelor or Master's thesis during their stay at the Faculty of Mathematics. Whether this can be achieved depends on numerous factors. Therefore we cannot give a general guarantee, that the supervision of a thesis is possible for exchange students. 

Planing a research thesis and finding a supervisor

If you intend to write your Bachelor or Master's thesis during your exchange stay at the Faculty of Mathematics, please contact us well in advance. As with our regular students, you yourself must organise a suitable professor who is willing to supervise your thesis. Our experience is, that this is only possible with much advance planing, and only when you study at the TUM for at least two semesters.

International students, who do not come from the European Union or a few other selected countries need a student visa in order to enter the country and stay for studies. The issuing of a visa can often take many weeks or even months. Therefore it is essential, that you inform yourself about the process well in advance: please contact the German Embassy in your country regarding the application process and documents required.  

Our tip: apply early!

Send your application documents for a study place at the TUM as early as possible within the relevant application period. The sooner you apply for a place at the Faculty of Mathematics, the sooner you will receive your acceptance letter and can start to apply for a student visa. 

Enrolling as a student at the TUM is only possible with proof that you possess valid health insurance cover. Whether the health insurance you have in your home country is sufficient to cover you in Germany, depends upon where you are from. 

Countries within the EU

Generally, if you are from a country within the European Union, your health insurance from your home country is sufficient. In this case, you only need to present a waiver certificate, which a German health insurance company issues. Ask the health insurance company for a  "Nachweis über die Versicherungsbescheinigung" or a "Befreiung von der Versicherungspflicht"!

Non-EU countries

If you come from a country outside the EU, you usually will have to take out health insurance with a Germany health insurance company. Information on compulsory health insurance for students can be found on the central website of the TUM - see the right-hand column.

Given Munich's reputation as one of Germany's most attractive cities, accommodations are becoming increasingly scarce and costly, and the search for an affordable place to live can be a genuine challenge. Munich has Germany's highest rental rates and the city's population is growing from year to year.  

Student residence halls or private accommodation?

Unlike in other countries, German universities do not operate residence halls. Most are run by the Student Unions. The TUM cannot provide any rooms for students, but we are trying to help with information, tipps and addresses.

Most students in Germany live in privately rented apartments, as there are no sufficient places in student residences. Their inexpensive rooms are popular and the waiting lists correspondingly long. Waiting times are between one and four semesters. Should you nonetheless wish to apply for a room in a student residence, you must contact the Studentenwerk München (Munich Student Union). Unfortunately, exchange students are not eligible to apply for these rooms.

We encourage you to look into private and church-run residence halls also. The private ones are usually more expensive but easy to organize from abroad, the church-run quite often consider social commitment and denominational aspects.

Tips for finding accommodation in Munich and surrounds

Please be aware, that your search for accommodation may take several weeks. Information on which areas of Munich are reasonably priced, and which are more expensive, as well as how to understand accommodation adverts in Germany can be found in the TUM-Guide for finding accommodation. We also have the following tips:

1. Plan plenty of time for your search

Apply to the Studentenwerk and at the same time to private student residences for a room, as soon as you have been accepted as a student.  Don't only look in Munich, but also in the neighbouring towns: Garching, Neufahrn, Eching, Oberschleißheim and Unterschleißheim.

2. Start your studies if possible in the summer term

Many more students begin their studies in the autumn, for the winter term, so it is much more difficult to find accommodation from September to December than in spring for the summer term.

3. Be active in your search 

Use all available options: websites, facebook groups, word-of-mouth, newspapers, posters in the university canteen etc. Try publishing well-formulated searches as well. 

4. Make contact as soon as possible!

Make contact with the landlord as soon as you see an appropriate offer. The sooner you make contact, the more likely you are to be successful. Don't be afraid to call the landlord directly - e-mails often remain unanswered. 

5. Make a good impression

Take a CV and proof of your income / ability to pay the bill to any viewing appointment. If possible, take a letter of recommendation along too. 

6. Beware of tricksters! 

Never transfer money from abroad for rent/deposits for accommodation if you have not seen the accommodation in person beforehand, and only once you have a valid rental contract!

The Faculty for Mathematics is located on the TUM-Campus Garching north of Munich. With Bus, U- or S-Bahn tubes you can reach the campus in about 25 minutes from Munich city center. The Faculty for Informatics is in the same building.  

Orientation events at the Faculty for Mathematics

Before both the winter and summer terms the faculty offers orientation weeks  in the week before lectures start. As well as semester-introduction-days for all new students, which are offered by the student association, there are also special introductory events for international Master's students and exchange students. Details on these events will be sent to you by email. Please take account for this week when planning your arrival in Munich!

Central orientation events

Centrally organized orientation events for international freshmen are offered every semester (September and March). Furthermore, there's International Campus Life, an orientation and support programme that helps to facilitate the transition process to a new university environment.