Application requirements
LMU cooperates with universities around the world within the framework of Erasmus+, SEMP and LMUexchange. If you are interested in becoming a visiting student here, your university must be an LMU partner university. Your home university is responsible for nominating students for exchange at LMU. As soon as your home university nominates you, the International Office will send you the information you need to make your application.
The application process
Online application for the academic year 2020/21
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Your university has nominated you, and you want to study at LMU next semester? Great! Then you should submit your application by the following deadlines:
- 15 May for the winter semester
- 15 November for the summer semester
An application is considered complete when it includes the following documents:
All application documents need to be sent by post to the Incoming Exchange Office:
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
International Office, Incomings
Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1
80539 Munich
Any applications for accommodation in student housing that are received after the application deadline will not be considered.
Learning Agreement
All Erasmus+ and SEMP applicants must submit a Learning Agreement with their application. We also ask LMUexchange applicants to submit a Learning Agreement, so that we can better assess your study goals at LMU.
- Erasmus+ students (EU and EU-associated countries) receive the Learning Agreement from their home university. Your Learning Agreement must be signed by both you and the relevant representative from your university. We will forward it to the responsible department at LMU and then send it back to you—with the details of your contact person here.
- LMUexchange students (Erasmus+ with partner countries) may use the LMU Learning Agreement (PDF, 639 KB).
In the Learning Agreement, list the courses you wish to attend at LMU (usually 30 ECTS/ credit transfer points per semester). Then be sure to ask your home university how many credits you will be expected to gain during your stay at LMU.
Erasmus+ students who do not wish to take all their courses in one single subject area at LMU must take at least 50% of their courses in the subject area named in the Erasmus+ exchange agreement.
LMUexchange students must take at least 50% of their courses in a single subject area.
Language skills
Good German language skills are important to study at LMU. Even though some departments offer modules in English, most courses at bachelor's level are offered in German. For this reason you should have the level B1 in German when applying for the program and level B2 when commencing your studies (according to the Common European Framework of Reference), unless otherwise stated in the table below. The same requirement (CEFR level B2) applies if you plan to take courses in English. If you only attend courses in English, you do not need to prove your German language skills. A list of departments that offer English language courses can be found under choosing courses.
Students are required to have language skills at level B2 in the language of tuition. The faculty will review your application on an individual basis. The following institutes require a higher language level:
The following language tests are accepted:
*Your language certificates must not be more than two years old. If your language certificate is more than two years old or if your language skills were tested during the application process at your home university, please ask the exchange coordinator to fill out the Confirmation of Language Skills (PDF, 80 KB) form.
Choosing courses
- Erasmus+ students must take at least 50% of their courses in the subject area named in the Erasmus+ exchange agreement.
- LMUexchange students must take at least 50% of their courses in a single subject area.
- Erasmus+ and LMUexchange students can take the other 50% of their courses in no more than two further subject areas (example: 50% of courses in German Philology, 25% of courses in History and 25% in Political Science).
- If you have no previous knowledge in a given subject area, you may only attend introductory courses in that subject area.
- If you are in a bachelor's program, you are generally not allowed to take master's courses (LMU will discuss exceptions to this rule internally).
You can find a list of all the courses offered at LMU at LSF (you do not need to be logged in for this), including seminars and lectures taught in English. Courses for the summer semester are listed from the end of February/beginning of March, and courses for the winter semester from the end of July/beginning of August. Click here for instructions (PDF, 302 KB) on using the course catalog.
If the course catalog is not available by the application deadline, please refer to the courses from the previous year's course catalog. It is still possible to update your Learning Agreement after you arrive in Munich. ECTS credit transfer points are not disclosed in the online course catalog. You can find this information on the various department websites or you can get it from the program representatives.
Registration for courses
Please note that by submitting your Learning Agreement you are not automatically registered for the courses you have selected.
The registration procedure varies from one department to another (partly online, partly in person). Please refer to your department's website or contact the departmental coordinator directly. Exchange students cannot register for the courses via the course catalog LSF.