Incoming Students
Welcome to the KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering!
Every year we welcome a large number of international students to Karlsruhe to study within the framework of an exchange programme. They are completely free to design their curriculum and choose their courses from the exceptionally broad and interdisciplinary range of courses on offer. A high number of the courses are taught in English.
Our unique selling points:
- versatility
- trend-setting research areas
- exciting study programs
- as well as the extensive range of courses in mechanical engineering, materials science and materials engineering, and mechatronics.
It is also worth taking a look at the university rankings.
Before Arrival
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1. Course Selection
In principle, you are completely free in your selection of courses. You may choose any courses from Bachelor's and Master's programs (Mechanical Engineering, Material Sciences and Mechatronics) that best fit with your studies. When choosing your courses, however, please note that there are courses such as exercises, (block) seminars or internships which only accept a limited number of participants. Furthermore, if you are enrolled in the KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, you should choose at least 70% of the courses from the course catalogues of the Mechanical Engineering Department. However, you are free to supplement your Learning Agreement with up to 30% of courses of other KIT faculties (e.g. economics, chemistry, electrical or civil engineering, computer science, etc.).
All our international exchange students have to take at least 20 - 30 ECTS per semester, including any language courses (German; all other languages) or any general education courses at the Center for Applied Cultural Studies and Studium Generale ZAK and House of Competences HOC.
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When searching for English taught courses, you can also consult the alphabetical listing of English course offerings. Please see new version here. Furthermore, it is advisable to take a look at the KIT Lecture Translator, since some courses in mechanical engineering are also translated simultaneously. |
Module Handbooks
An overview of all courses offered at the KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering can be found in our module handbooks. Bachelor and Master courses for exchange students: Module Handbook for Exchange Students (without degree).
Please focus first on this Module Handbook. The courses listed there are all available for exchange students via the Campus Management System. This simplifies internal administrative procedures, such as the online registration for exams or the independent printing of your transcripts of records
Furthermore, courses can be chosen from all other faculty programs: Bachelor and Master of Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor and Master of Materials Science and Bachelor and Master of Mechatronics. Students of Mechatronics can also attend the lectures of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering.
Information on our Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering:
Attention: The examination in some courses includes the material of the complete module (= teaching contents of the winter and summer semester) or builds on the knowledge of the previous course. Although it is possible to write the examination on the complete teaching content in each semester. However, exchange students who are only at KIT for one semester must either have previous knowledge of the subject matter or acquire the teaching contents of the missed semester on their own, which means a considerably increased learning effort. The following courses are concerned:
- Fluid Mechanics I (summer semester) and Fluid Mechanics II (winter semester)
- Materials Science I (winter semester) and Materials Science II (summer semester)
- Thermodynamics I (winter semester) and Thermodynamics II (summer semester)
In addition, some courses require preliminary work during the semester, which is a prerequisite for the examination and also takes place over two semesters. Therefore, these courses can only be attended by exchange students who spend a complete academic year at KIT. Essentially, the following courses in the Bachelor's program are affected:
- Machine Design I (winter semester) and Machine Design II (summer semester)
- Machine Design III (winter semester) and Machine Design IV (summer semester)
- Technical Mechanics III (winter semester) and Technical Mechanics IV (summer semester)
Language courses are offered by the KIT Language Center.
General education courses can be found at ZAK and HoC.
2. Learning Agreement
Please note the following when creating your Learning Agreement:
- Please only use the official form for the Learning Agreement.
- Insert the title as well as the ECTS credits and the semester of your chosen courses
- It is absolutely necessary and obligatory to insert the code number (=LV number or preferred T-MACH-xxx) of your chosen courses. We will not process Learning Agreements that do not have code numbers.
- Information on the number of ECTS points per course, the language of instruction and the semester in which the course takes place can be found at the top of the course description in our module handbooks. Please do not look in the course catalogue when searching for ECTS credits.
3. Language Requirements
We expect you to have sufficient language skills in order to pursue your studies at the KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.
- You need a B1 level in German if you want to attend courses that are taught in German.
- We expect a B2 level in English if you want to attend courses exclusively in English.
- We expect a B2 level in English if you intend to write your Bachelor's or Master's thesis during your exchange.
However, we strongly recommend that you acquire a good basic knowledge of German before you start your studies in Karlsruhe, which will make your daily life much easier, e.g. finding a room, shopping, social contacts.
4. Bachelor's or Master's Thesis
If you intend to write a bachelor's or master's thesis during your stay at KIT, you have to find a supervisor at the institute where you wish to write the thesis. Please note that you have to find both your topic and your supervisor independently and without support from ISIM or IStO. A list of all projects/work offered at Bachelor or Master level can be found here.
Please be aware: These pages are currently only available if you are already enrolled in the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and have access to the MACH-intranet. If this is not the case, please check the homepages of the institutes to see which projects/works are currently being offered. Please select the institute you are interested in and click through to the offer of "Studies and Teaching" up to the offer of "Studies/Theses".
If you find a suitable project, write an e-mail to the contact person, asking about the conditions such as content, language, ECTS credits ... Normally, the KIT Faculty of Mechanical Engineering awards 15 ECTS for Bachelor's theses and 30 ECTS for Master's theses. In exceptional cases, the assignment of tasks and the ECTS number can be adapted to the requirements of your home university. Please discuss this directly with your supervisor at the institute. In any case, both your supervisor at KIT and the responsible person at your home university must agree with the project you have chosen.
5. General Questions
For all general questions regarding application, admission, room search, enrolment, orientation week, intensive language courses etc. please visit the homepage of the International Students Office
During the stay
1. Timetable and Venue
You will find all information about where and when the lectures/courses etc. will take place in the current course catalogue or on the homepage of the institute offering the course.
For your first orientation on campus, please use the campus map.
2. Registration for the courses
Registration is not necessary for most courses or lectures. However, there are some tutorials, internships or block courses that require registration. These courses are announced by the lecturer during the first lecture. If you want to participate in one of these courses, you have to register online, either via ILIAS or via the Campus Management System.
ILIAS is an online learning platform that provides information about the courses, lecture notes or learning materials and offers discussion forums. ILIAS is also partly used to register for tutorials and workshops.
Please be aware that you can only use both portals once you are registered at KIT and have your student account.
3. Language courses
3.1 Pre-semester Intensive Language Courses
As an exchange student you have the possibility to participate in a three-week intensive German language course for beginners and advanced students (level A2 - B2). We strongly recommend that you take part in this course as it will refresh your language skills and facilitate your start in your studies.
Please note: these pre-semester courses do not replace the language certificates required for admission to the exchange programme.
The intensive courses always take place before or after the orientation week (O-Phase). Information about the exact dates as well as registration information can be found in the letter accompanying the letter of admission, which will be sent to you by the International Students Office.
The course lasts 3 weeks, includes 4 lessons per day and costs 75 €. After successful completion of the exam you will usually receive 4 ECTS, provided you have attended at least 80% of the lessons.
Please be aware, that these courses are not included in your final Transcript of Records.
3.2 German courses
The KIT Studienkolleg offers German courses during the semester. One German course per semester is free of charge, but unfortunately the number of places is limited - see more detailed information.
Please note that these courses are in great demand. Therefore, you should register early if you want to participate (preferably on the day the registration portal opens).
After having successfully passed the German courses during the semester you may insert them in your virtual record (Studienablaufplan) and finally in your Transcript of Records. To do so please ask for the support of Informationen und Serviceleistungen InSL in time.
3.3 All other languages
You can also register at the KIT Language Center for "foreign" language courses (e.g.: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Swedish, Spanish, Turkish). One course is also free of charge here.
Please keep in mind that these courses are also in great demand and you must therefore register early. Here you will find more detailed information about the registration process.
After having successfully passed these former language courses you may insert them in your virtual record (Studienablaufplan) and finally in your Transcript of Records. To do so please ask for the support of Informationen und Serviceleistungen InSL in time.
4. Modification of the Learning Agreements
Experience has shown that most Learning Agreements have to be changed again once you are on site. Please decide within the first 4 - 6 weeks after the start of the lecture period which courses you want to cancel from your original Learning Agreement and which courses you want to replace them with. The KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering does not oblige its incoming students to take a certain number of ECTS, but as a non-binding guideline we recommend to take between 20 - 30 ECTS, including language courses and key qualifications.
Please use Mobility Online, or, if not available to you yet, the official forms "During Mobility" for ERASMUS students and Overseas Departments for changes to the Learning Agreements. The official signature of the amended Learning Agreement can be obtained from ISIM, Geb. 10.23, Room 706. Don't forget to send the changes to your home university after ISIM has signed them.
As soon as you have completed your final Learning Agreement ("During the Mobility"), please register for the examinations of the courses listed therein. This registration must be carried out independently by the student.
5. Registration of Theses
After having discussed the topic, time frame and extent of your thesis (Bachelor's or Master's) with the respective institute within the KIT-Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, please carry out the following steps.
6. Exams
6.1 Examination periods
Depending on the type of event, written or oral examinations must be taken at KIT. The examination periods extend from the end of the lecture period to the end of the current semester.
- Winter semester: mid-February to end of March
- Summer semester: mid-July to end of September
Each course has its own examination date, which will be announced bindingly only during the semester. Please make sure that you find out your examination dates in good time. You can get an initial, non-binding overview of the examination dates on the homepage of the student council. Binding and up-to-date information on the examination dates can be found on the homepages of the institutes. Examination dates must be observed without fail.
If you have to return to your home university before the official examination date, you should discuss the problem with your examiner in good time. In justified exceptional cases, the examiner will decide whether the exam can be brought forward. Such an exception is mainly granted for oral examinations.
In very special exceptional cases it may also be possible to take a written examination on return to the home university. However, this requires an agreement between the examiner at KIT and the responsible person at your home university. In any case, your home university must ensure that the exam is written at the same time and under the same conditions as at KIT.
6.2 Registration for examinations
In the Campus Management for Students you can register for examinations and prerequisites.
1. Courses included in the Module Handbook for Exchange Students you can insert into your virtual record (Studienablaufplan) yourself and then register for the examinations online. Please note the registration deadlines. When inserting a course (brick) into the virtual record, please note: First, the corresponding module must be inserted into the virtual record. Only then you can select the brick. The video tutorial „Prüfungsanmeldungen für Zeitstudierende /Erasmus“ (https://www.sle.kit.edu/imstudium/pruefungsanmeldung-erasmus.php) is also helpful here.
2. Courses that are not included in your Module Handbook but offered by the KIT-Department of Mechanical Engineering will be entered by InSL into your virtual record. Please write an email to InSL (insl∂mach.kit.edu) with the names and brick numbers of the relevant courses. The bricks will then be added into your virtual record (Studienablaufplan). After this step, you can register for the exams online on your own. Please note the registration deadlines.
3. For courses that are not included in your Module Handbook and offered by other departments you have to use the form „Approval of participation in the extraordinary examination” (one form per course). The “Approval of participation in the extraordinary examination” has to be signed by the lecturer. Please send the completed forms to InSL by e-mail. The bricks will then be added into your virtual record (Studienablaufplan) and you can then register for the exams online during the specified registration periods.
4. For language courses, please register directly at the „Sprachenzentrum“. As soon as your language course will be inserted in the „Not assigned grades“, please write an email to InSL. Then the course with your result can be included into your virtual record (Studienablaufplan).
Please respect the registration deadlines for examinations and prerequisites! If you have any further questions regarding the registration for examinations, please contact the InSL as soon as possible!
6.3 Deregistration from Exams
If you are unable to take the exam for any reason, you must cancel your registration in good time. This can be done online at Campus Management until the end of the registration period, provided you have registered online. However, you can usually cancel your registration in person at the institute a few days before the exam or on the day of the exam itself by informing the person responsible for examinations in the lecture hall directly before the exam.
At the end of the stay
1. Extension of the stay
You may extend your study stay at KIT by one semester if you intend to study here for a longer period of time or to write your final thesis. However, you have to prove that your home university agrees to this extension. Furthermore, you have to create a new Learning Agreement for the additional period. If you intend to write a final thesis, you will also need a confirmation from your supervisor for the extension.
Please note that since winter semester 2017/18, exchange students from third countries outside the EU/EEA have to pay tuition fees at KIT from the third semester on.
2. Re-registration
All students who want to stay for a full academic year at KIT or extend their stay must re-register with Campus Management. The following deadlines are provided for this purpose:
- 15.01. - 15.02. for the summer semester
- 01.07. - 15.08. for the winter semester
Please make sure to observe the mentioned deadlines for re-registration. In case of non-observance a fee of 15 € will be charged. Without re-registration you cannot register for examinations in the next semester.
3. Grade tables/Transcript of records
Your examination results will be entered into your student account promptly after the correction is completed. Please keep in mind, however, that the correction phase can take up to 8 weeks after the examination has been completed.
After that you can print out a (preliminary) grade table online in Campus Management at any time.
As soon as all notes are entered, you can print out your final Transcript of Records yourself. After exmatriculation, the transcript will be available online for a maximum of 6 months. As it is generated automatically, it does not bear a signature, but is instead provided with a verification code.