With TUMexchange you can study at one of our 130 partner universities in 30 countries. Image: Helena Steurer / TUM
Stays abroad let you experience unforgettable moments. Image: Sebastian Weiß / TUM
India is not only colorful during the Holi Festival: The campus of IIT Bombay is adorned with lots of vibrant graffiti. Image: Layla Eberle / TUM
TUMexchange offers Bachelor's and Master's students of all disciplines the opportunity for a study-related stay abroad at selected partner universities in non-EU countries. Applications for stays abroad for both the summer and winter semesters are possible once a year in October.
Application period for winter 2026/27 and summer 2027
October 21, 2025 (10 a.m.) to October 30, 2025 (10 a.m.)
Please submit your application through our online portal within this time frame.
Late submissions cannot be accepted.
You can review your submitted documents anytime. If you're offered a spot, you can confirm your acceptance directly through the portal.
Online advising for the winter 2026/27 and summer 2027 application round
Weekly sessions from September 16 to October 28, 2025
Africa, Latin America, Middle East, United Kingdom
Contact: Amanda Gesang
Tuesdays, 9–10 a.m.
The consultation on October 14 is rescheduled to October 13 at 9:00 AM.
Webinar: Your TUMexchange Online Application – Step by Step
October 15, 10 a.m. (in English)
The TUMexchange team will explain the application process and guide you through the online application form step by step.
Join the webinar Passcode: 014258
How it works
- Explore available destinations and partner universities. Get inspired by travel reports of former participants
- Submit the online application to the Global & Alumni Office through the online application portal within the application period
- Selection and place awarding by the Global & Alumni Office
- Students confirm the places offered
- Nomination process at the partner universities by the Global & Alumni Office
- The G&A Office nominates the students at the partner university
- The students apply to the partner university. After receiving the letter of admission the students have to organize their stay abroad
- Credit recognition: submit your transcript to your TUM School after your stay
- Diploma supplement: request a Confirmation of Stay from your partner university at the end of your stay and submit it along with an experience report in the TUMexchange application portal
Partner universities
Explore your selection of partner universities in the TUMexchange program using our database. Use the dropdown menus to filter by Program, Country, Institution, Subject Area, and Study Level.
Travel reports
In the database, you’ll also find experience reports from former participants – featuring valuable insider tips on studying, daily life, and travel. To access them, click on "More Details" and then open the "Travel Reports" tab.
To participate in the TUMexchange program, the following requirements must be met:
- You must be enrolled at TUM at the time of application and throughout your stay abroad.
- Your field of study and level (Bachelor or Master) must be listed as eligible for exchange via the TUMexchange program in our database.
- You must have successfully completed two years of study or passed the intermediate examination (Vordiplom) by the start of your exchange.
- You must have sufficient proficiency in the language of instruction at the chosen partner university.
- You should have good to very good academic performance.
The grade requirement (Numerus Clausus) depends on the popularity of the partner university and the TUM School or subject area, so a fixed requirement cannot be specified.
Please note that semester dates at partner universities may differ significantly from TUM’s academic calendar.
Important note on security clearance
If you are considering a career that requires a security clearance (e.g., in the public sector or in security-sensitive industries), spending time in certain countries may limit your future career opportunities. Please make sure to inform yourself in advance.
Detailed information (in German) can be found in the Handbuch des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie (Handbook of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy).
Candidates are selected by the TUM Global & Alumni Office based on the following criteria:
- Grade point average (GPA) from your bachelor's degree (Academic performance in a master's program is not considered)
- Language proficiency in the language of instruction at the host university
- Motivation letter with a focus on your academic goals
In recent selection rounds, approximately 50% of applicants were offered an exchange placement through TUMexchange. However, placement chances vary significantly depending on the popularity and availability of spots at each partner university. Please understand that we are unable to provide individual assessments regarding your chances of selection.
If you participate in TUMexchange to study outside the EU, you benefit from the following advantages:
- Study abroad outside the EU for one to a maximum of two semesters
- Exemption from tuition fees at the partner university
(Exceptions apply for some US partner universities – see database for details) - Individual advising on selecting a suitable partner university by the TUM Global & Alumni Office
- Possibility to take a leave of absence from your home university during your stay abroad
- Academic recognition of courses completed abroad
(subject to approval by the academic advisors in your department) - Inclusion of your study abroad period in your Diploma Supplement
Important note on financing
A TUMexchange placement does not include a scholarship from TUM.
Please ensure that you have secured financial means to cover your stay abroad before applying.
1. Registration
- Please register in our application portal (active only during the application period)
Make sure to note down your login details and keep them in a safe place – you will need them until the end of your study abroad period.
Important: Do not create multiple registrations in the portal and do not start parallel applications. Duplicate entries can lead to technical errors during data import and may result in disqualification from the application process.
2. Application form
- In the portal, select the form “Application Form for the TUMexchange Program 2026/27.”
- You may list up to two preferred partner universities in your application. These universities can be located in different countries.
- You will receive your admission decision (acceptance or rejection) by the end of December.
- Detailed application guidelines and the fact sheets of partner universities are available in our database.
Note: Direct applications to partner universities are not possible.
3. Required documents for your application
The following documents must be uploaded in the application portal:
Transcript of Records
- Students without a bachelor's degree: Upload your current transcript from TUMonline, including your grade point average (GPA). If your transcript does not show a GPA, please contact the TUMexchange Program Manager responsible for your destination country.
- Students who have completed a bachelor's degree: Upload your bachelor’s diploma including your final GPA.
- Students from the School of Medicine: You will be considered as M.A.-level students. Please upload your Physikum certificate (First Medical State Examination / Pre-clinical Examination) including the overall grade.
Note for applicants who obtained their bachelor's degree abroad
If you obtained your bachelor's degree from a university outside of Germany, you are required to convert your final grade using the modified Bavarian formula.
You can find detailed instructions for the grade conversion in the Downloads section.
Please submit a separate document with the converted grade in addition to your bachelor's transcript.
Unfortunately, we cannot consider your application without this document.
Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Please prepare a tabular CV in English, limited to one page.
- There is no template provided – you are expected to create your CV independently.
Motivation letter
- Please use only the official TUMexchange template, available in the Downloads & Safety information section.
- Your motivation letter must be written in English.
Language requirements
- Each partner university requires proof of proficiency in the language of instruction. The accepted language certificates and required proficiency levels are determined individually by each university.
- The TUM Global & Alumni Office does not require a language certificate as part of your application. However, it is your responsibility to provide proof of the required language skills by the partner university’s application deadline. In the application form, you confirm via a mandatory field that you will submit this proof on time.
- Language requirements and application deadlines for partner universities can be found in the fact sheets in our database.
- Please make sure to arrange for the required documentation independently and on time.
Important: Please realistically assess whether you can achieve the required language level in time.
If you do not meet the language requirements by the application deadline at the partner university, your application will be rejected and your exchange placement will be forfeited.
Second round of applications
- If you were rejected in the first application round despite submitting a qualified application, you have the opportunity to participate in a second round.
- You can apply for the remaining unfilled spots for the same exchange year.
- We will send an email at the end of November, outlining all necessary steps and providing information about the available partner institutions.
- You do not need to start a new application; simply upload your updated stay wishes and your motivation letter in the application portal .
- Those of you, who received and rejected an offer in the first round, will not be eligible to participate in the second round.
Scholarships from external providers
Besides the programs coordinated by TUM, there is also the opportunity to receive grants for a stay abroad from external providers.
TUM-internal selection process:
Language of Instruction for TUMexchange Partner Countries (PDF, 71 KB)
Motivation Letter Template (Word, 49 KB)
Bavarian Formula: Help for converting your average grade into the German grading system (PDF, 80 KB)
General information:
Safety first: Travel and safety information for your stay abroad (PDF, 133 KB)