Exchange Students - Preparation for your stay
Our faculty of psychology offers 3 programs in Psychology and 2 interdisciplinary study programs in co-operation with other faculties:
- Psychology, B.Sc. (German, single courses in English) -> module handbook
- Psychology, M.Sc. (mainly German, single courses in English) -> module handbook
- Psychology: Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, M.Sc. (German) -> module handbook
- Humans and Environment: Psychology, Communication, Economy, B.Sc. (German) -> information about the program (website in German only)
- Environmental Challenges and Human Responses, M.Sc. (English) -> information about the program
To make it a bit easier for students with little knowledge of German to participate in our German programs, we offer some courses in English each semester. Check our course catalogue, where you find English courses in psychology and communication explicitly listed for each semester.
Your active contributions in class (participating in discussions, presenting, etc.) can be made in English in any course. Modalities for examination will be negotiated with the respective professor.
The specific planning for your course schedule must be clarified individually. Our faculty coordinator will be happy to discuss this with you.
Preparation for your semester abroad at RPTU
- Passport photo
- Letter of motivation
- Proof of language skills
- Transcript of records
- CV
You will be guided through the digital application procedure via the system Mobility Online and will be asked for the documents during the process.
- The semester contribution is not a fee but a social contribution, which every student who is enrolled at a university in Germany, has to pay. At RPTU in Landau, the semester contribution currently amounts to 316.40 € (+ 10€ deposit) and includes student services (subsidised meals for students, access to free sports facilities) and support of the work of the General Student Committee (Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss/AstA). The social contribution also includes the "Deutschland-Ticket", which allows you to use public transport within Germany.
- It is due every semester of your enrolment at the university.
- In Germany, health insurance is seen as the most important insurance and is mandatory by federal law for all employees in Germany and also all students as a pre-condition of enrolment.
- Private travel or emergency insurances will not be recognized as a student health insurance. They are indeed often required for the application for a visa, but do not fulfil the requirements of enrolment.
- RPTU in Landau recommends concluding a contract with the TK (Techniker Krankenkasse), which is present on campus one day a week.
- More overall information about the health insurance are gathered on this website.
- It is also highly recommended that you take out liability insurance to cover you in the event of damage caused by you.
The student halls are managed by the Studierendenwerk Vorderpfalz (LINK) (not by the University itself). The cost of living at student dorms amounts to approx. € 2482 per semester and includes basic equipment, heating, water, electricity, bathroom/shower and kitchenette. A deposit of € 650 and two months´ rent must be paid in advance.
The rooms can only be rented for the duration of an entire semester (6 months):
Winter term: 01. October till 31. March -- Summer term: 01. April till 30. September
Contracts for other rental periods are not possible!
The International Office has reserved a certain number of apartments per semester, which are allocated after receipt of the application. A place in student halls cannot be guaranteed.
You can also find an overview of the housing opportunities on this website: https://rptu.de/international/master/prospective-students-rptu-in-landau/travel-accommodation/accommodation/housing-in-landau
Please note that Manuela Roth is the contact person only for Master students.
Expected monthly costs:
- Accommodation approx.: € 400 - 500 (+ one-time deposit of € 650)
- Health insurance approx.: €120
- Personal expenses for food, books, leisure activities approx.: € 250-300
- Internet, Broadcast Services Fee & phone approx.: € 30
Those costs of living add up to approximately € 4.600 per semester.
You must transfer various amounts of money prior to your arrival and during your stay. If you transfer these from your home country, you can expect to incur high fees.
Therefore, it is recommended to open a German bank account in order to be able to pay the monthly fees for rent, health insurance and other expenses.
Option 1: Account with a (local) German bank
Can only be opened in Germany, as you will need your German National Identification Number, which you will receive automatically approx. 4-6 weeks after registering with the city.
Your Buddy will help you to open the account.
Option 2: Account with an international institution
International bank institutions, which provide bank accounts with German/European IBAN. Quickly set up from many locations and with low fees. A valid visa is sometimes a prerequisite.
We recommend that you set up these accounts before you arrive! Once you are in Germany, some of the providers fall under the German bureaucracy and it may take longer to activate such bank accounts.
To our knowledge, international students have had good experiences with the following institutions:
You will be assigned a buddy (=student mentor), who will assist you with your first steps / administrative formalities during your first days in Landau.
The IO will provide you the contact details of your buddy, whom you should contact as soon as possible.
At Campus Landau we offer German courses at different levels, which are customised to the needs of the participants as much as possible.
Before your arrival, you will be asked about your interest and your previous knowledge of German. For higher levels, you will need to complete an online placement test and inform us about the results, which we will use as a basis for planning the courses in the respective semester.
An overview of all language courses offered at Landau Campus you can find here.
The Welcome Weeks (beginning of April / October) are organised by the International Office. They are mandatory because during this time you will not only get to know the university, your relevant contact persons and each other but you will also be prepared for your study stay at RPTU:
- Enrolment
- UniCard
- University Account
- Course registration
- etc.
- Letter of Acceptance
- Proof of payment of the contribution fee
- Proof of formal contract with a health insurance
- a biometric passport photo (jpeg, max. 2MB, digital format) to request the UniCard
You have to be registered at the city hall (EU citizens) respectively the foreigner´s office (Non-EU citizens).
Required documents:
- Letter of Acceptance
- Rental contract or landlord´s certificate
Once you have enrolled, we will guide you on how to register your university ID. You can then request your UniCard by uploading a biometric photo.
The UniCard will be sent to the International Office within one to two weeks after you requested it. We will hand it out to you.
We recommend that you always carry it with you. The UniCard is a multi-purpose card fulfilling the following purposes:
- Proof of identity as a student
- "Deutschland Ticket" (public local transport all over Germany)
- Payment in the student canteen, cafeteria and student halls
- Access to the University Network (Internet access)
It is valid for one semester and needs to be re-validated every semester after you re-enrolled.