German Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS7) Internship Program (IP)
Intern with a research team while living in one of the world's most livable cities! If you are a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) student, then make a semester in a German city your best decision yet! Whether you choose Bremen, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, Münster, or Osnabrück, you will find a welcoming urban community and a way forward in your chosen field. German Universities of Applied Sciences 7 offer various full-time internship placements within university laboratories and research institutes, many with ties to local corporations. This program's hallmarks, hands-on experience and mentorship from highly experienced faculty, who are integral to German scientific and business innovation, will be invaluable in your degree and future profession.
Check out this Recorded Information Session for a summary of the UAS7 program!
Application Deadline
Program Start
Program End
Program Details
Academic Program
UAS7 is a strategic alliance of seven leading German Universities of Applied Sciences committed to excellence in teaching and research. UAS7 offers a broad variety of 600+ degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. UAS7 is a world leader in Computer Science/Information Technology, all forms of Design and Engineering, and various Life Sciences, with unparalleled connections to German as well as global industries and innovations. UAS7 stands for well-established and future-oriented degree programs ‘made in Germany,’ professionally relevant programs and application-oriented courses, international perspectives from a distinctly European and German vantage point, small and effective learning communities, and close relationships to German industry.
Choose from the semester-long Internship Program (IP, fall, spring and summer) or the academic year Study-Internship Program (SIP, fall-spring) at 6 Hochschule (city-universities) in Bremen, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, Münster, and Osnabrück.
Note: This webpage features the IP. There are separate webpages for the SP and the SIP. Apply for only one.
The UAS7 Internship Program provides intermediate-advanced students in their respective fields with the unique opportunity to complete internships of 2 to 6 months duration in Germany, depending on the UAS7 supervising professor’s research project schedule. Internships are available at various periods of the year, in the fall, spring, and summer.
Research at UAS7 member campuses is application-oriented or project-based and is typically geared towards the needs of regional business and industry. Hands-on research opportunities are available in laboratories and research institutes run by faculty on UAS7 campuses. Internships offered by UAS7 faculty allow IP participants to work alongside research teams. UAS7 faculty integrate their research agendas into teaching and often offer undergraduates and graduate students training and hands-on experience in their laboratories and research institutes. Through the UAS7 Internship Program (IP), this invaluable opportunity is now available to visiting and exchange students from colleges and universities in North America.
This is a full-time internship, complete with a full-time credit load and full-time tuition, whether in the fall, spring, or summer semester. There is no non-credit/non-tuition option. In order to earn 12 SUNY credits, you should expect to spend at least 360 hours in your internship/research. These hours may not always be spent in the university lab or research institute but generally most will be. You may also have expeditions or excursions where you accompany your internship supervisor and fellow research team members, and you may sometimes work unsupervised. You can earn up to 15 SUNY credits by interning/researching for more hours (a total of 450+) and/or by submitting a capstone project that will be evaluated by your research supervisor.
Full information about the structure of the UAS7 Internship Program is located here, including project descriptions, schedule, and requirements. UAS7 also posts a useful Frequently Answered Questions guide.
Note: In most cases, SUNY students who wish to participate in the UAS7-SUNY bilateral consortium exchange must apply through UAlbany.
Course Descriptions and Syllabi
All internships are in research laboratories or institutes on the campuses of UAS7 member universities. Most internships are in the STEM fields, although internships are also available in Architecture, Design, and Logistics.
In your UAS7 application, you will identify your top 3 choices for internship plan, based on your best academic fit. These internship or research placements will be located within university facilities, with possible visits to affiliated corporations. The host university will make the final decision of your acceptance and placement, based on your qualifications. If accepted, you are very likely to be placed at your first preference, but you may be offered a placement at your second choice.
Review UAS7’s internship project descriptions for more information regarding current internship placements by field and university.
The following is a general overview of fields in which internships are currently available to exchange students, grouped by UAS7 member:
Bremen: Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Biomedical and Bio-engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity/Digital Forensics/Information Security, Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering, Materials Science/Physics
Köln/Cologne: Aeronautical and Automotive Engineering, Architecture, Computer Science/Informatics (User Interface/Information Security), Electrical Engineering, Energy Engineering
Hamburg: Computer Science/Informatics (Information Science), Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physical Metrology/Applied Physics
Munich: Biomedical and Bio-engineering, Chemical Engineering, Ergonomics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanoscience
Münster: Chemical Engineering, Computer Science/Engineering/Informatics (User Interface), Electrical Engineering, Materials Science/Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanoscience, Physical Metrology/Applied Physics
Osnabrück: Biomedical and Bio-engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Science/Engineering/Informatics (Social Media), Electrical Engineering (connections to Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Robotics), Energy Engineering, Environmental Science, Landscape Architecture, Life Sciences (Biology/Ecology), Materials Science/Physics, Nanoscience, Physical Metrology/Applied Physics
Note: These offerings are subject to change, based on the scope and schedule of the researchers’ projects.
General Education Information for UAlbany Students
Credits earned on this program will automatically satisfy the International Perspectives requirement. Three credits of foreign language study will satisfy the Foreign Language requirement. No additional approval is required for you to earn these general elective credits.
Major/Minor Information for UAlbany Students
Courses may also satisfy major and minor requirements, upon approval by the department.
Transcript
All courses taken abroad count towards UAlbany General Elective credits. Credits and grades will appear on your UAlbany transcript. You may file a request to have additional courses approved for equivalency as necessary.
Your Instructors
UAS7’s 92,000 students, 2,500 full-time faculty members, as well as several thousand part-time lecturers from local industry, study, teach, and research in Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Hamburg, Munich, Münster, and Osnabrück. German and international faculty also supervise research and internships for both degree and exchange students. UAS7 faculty all bring extensive experience in their respective fields, and their research as faculty members often sustains private and public sector connections. Altogether, UAS7 members maintain cooperative relationships with over 1,000 companies, from multinational firms like Airbus to ‘hidden champions’ who are often global leaders in their market niches.
Housing
You will be prompted to apply for housing once accepted by UAS7. Accommodation in university dorms is provided on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed. You may choose to share an apartment with other students or to stay with a host family. Most international offices maintain an online inventory of student apartments and host families. A variety of neighborhoods are quite livable and convenient due to high-speed trains, buses, and bike-friendly streets. Your semester ticket fee entitles you to a student card and free access to city and even some regional transportation.
Meals
You can dine in university cafeterias and nearby cafes, restaurants, and brahaus (taverns). You can purchase food at local stores and cook in your shared apartment, if you choose that option. In home stays, host family members usually serve meals as part of your room and board.
Estimate of Costs
Germany UAS7 All Locations EXCHANGE 2019-20
More Information
Click for more information on Program Costs and Financial Aid.
Remember to speak with the Office of Financial Aid at your home campus to determine how your aid package could apply towards your program abroad.
Academic Requirements
This is an academic internship/research abroad program. You should be a sophomore or above and have a strong academic record in order to apply. A GPA of 3.0 or above is preferred. A keen interest and course preparation in your field are most important. Graduate applicants are also welcome.
In most cases German is not required, but a willingness to learn some basic German is always helpful.
Applicants must rank 3 projects that they are interested in being considered for. Choosing more than one project increases the chances of acceptance, but applicants should only select projects that they feel they meet the specified qualifications for.
Learn more about UAS7 IP eligibility requirements here.
Experiential Learning
Experiential or applied learning is at the heart of UAS7 education. Through the semester Internship Program (IP), you can intern in a university laboratory or research institute with close links to local industry and innovation. You may have the opportunity to visit other nearby facilities with your supervisor.
Student Clubs and Organizations
Depending on the timing of your internship (if classes are in session), you may participate in UAS7 student interest groups and join activities and excursions for visiting international students.
Funding Opportunities
Most financial aid and academic awards will apply to semester programs.
External scholarships, listed on our website, are a good way to partially fund your study abroad experience. In addition, the Center for International Education and Global Strategy offers two scholarship programs for UAlbany students studying abroad on UAlbany or 4-year SUNY programs.
More information on applying to these scholarships is located on the Scholarships web page.
If accepted by UAS7, you will receive a UAS7 Travel Scholarship in the amount of 1,000 Euros. The scholarship will be distributed by the university’s international office, after you arrive in Germany. In reciprocity, you will author an essay on your UAS7 experience at the end of your stay. In Germany, you can open a short-term bank account (for international students) to deposit these and other funds.
In Their Own Words
Hear from SUNY’s 1st UAS7 intern and other North American students in video testimonials, filmed on site, with views of beautiful German cities and the student-interns’ workplaces.
About the City
As the economic and innovation leader of Europe, Germany is the perfect location for your study abroad semester.
Bremen: Once the medieval maritime trade center of the northwest, now a bicycle haven, this Free Hanseatic City-State was dubbed Germany’s first ‘City of Science’ due its high concentration of tech industries and innovations.
Köln/Cologne: Heralded as Germany’s cultural capital as well as its oldest and most cheerful city, Cologne’s prime location along the picturesque Rhine has made it a natural center for creativity and productivity for centuries.
Hamburg: As Germany’s second largest city, with the second largest port in Europe, and thousands of bridges uniting ancient and new neighborhoods, Hamburg keeps evolving as a magnet for industry, science, arts, and nightlife.
Munich: Best known for Oktoberfest and BMW, Bavaria’s capital city is also home to world-class cuisine, museums, parks, architecture, and universities. Munich repetitively places in the top 10 cities in the world for quality of life.
Münster: The capital of Westphalia is celebrated as a cultural, green, bicycle friendly, and lively ‘student city,’ with ‘cosmopolitan internationality’ and ancient Germanic history equally apparent in nearly every neighborhood.
Osnabrück: The Saxons’ ‘City of Peace’ stands apart as a pioneer in innovation, production, and urban planning, open to new ideas and newcomers, while preserving its medieval architecture and distinctly German identity.
Travel Documents
A valid passport is required to participate in this program. If you are a U.S. citizen, you do not a visa in order to enter Germany. Soon after arriving in Germany, you must register your address at the local Rathaus (City Hall) in order to receive your Residence Permit. The Resident Permit entitles you to stay in Germany for a specified time period, whether for study, research, or internship, and to travel throughout the European Union (according to each E.U. member-nation’s rules). If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may need to apply for a visa once accepted into the program, as well as obtain a Residence Permit once in Germany. More information regarding visa and resident permit eligibility and application processes is available upon acceptance to the program.
Application Availability
Applications become available online one semester before the program start date, based on the following timeline:
- Spring/Winter/Spring Break programs: July
- Fall/Year/Summer programs: December
Program Dates
Fall 2018
08/01/2018 to 12/31/2018
Spring 2019
03/01/2019 to 08/15/2019
Summer 2019
05/15/2019 to 08/15/2019
Internships are available at various periods of the year, in the fall, spring, and summer. The length (2-6 months) and timing of your internship is determined by the professor offering the internship, but in many cases there is some room for flexibility. See the internship project descriptions for scheduling options at the internship(s) that you are most interested in.
About the Program
German Universities of Applied Sciences 7 is a consortium of independent collaborative universities, each a global leader in Design, International Business, and STEM. German UAS7 excels at experiential education and innovative research partnerships with German and multinational industries. The SUNY-UAS7 Exchange allows SUNY students to study or research/intern for a semester or a year at one of seven German city-universities, which offer rigorous courses and a vibrant student life. Take advantage of the UAS7 Travel Scholarship to come to Germany for this opportunity of a lifetime.
Check out this Recorded Information Session for a summary of the UAS7 program!
Program Orientations
Upon acceptance to the program, you will be required to attend a mandatory pre-departure orientation. During this time, you will have the opportunity to meet other program participants, discuss in-depth the details of your program, and prepare of the overall education abroad experience. The fall and summer semester pre-departure orientation will be conducted the week before the end of Spring UAlbany classes and in late November/early December for the spring term abroad.
Upon arrival at your host UAS, you will attend a mandatory program orientation. This is an important and informative set of sessions organized by International Office of your host university.
Support Services
UAlbany’s Office of Education Abroad staff assists you during the application process, in your preparation to travel abroad, and on-site if necessary. The UAS International Office staff serve as an experienced resource for resolving issues that you may encounter in while abroad.