Semester or Year Abroad: Bonn, Germany

Bonn is a vibrant university city, a cultural centre that hosts prestigious concerts and exhibitions, a centre for technologies of the future and the headquarters for several United Nations organizations. Located about 20 kilometers south of Cologne on the river Rhine, Bonn is a medium-sized city with a population of 300,000 that combines a cultural past with a strong involvement in the present. It was the capital of West Germany until unification in the 1990’s, and Bonn remains a center of politics and administration and is still called a Federal City (“Bundesstadt”). Since unification, Bonn has endeavored to redefine itself as a leader in national and international affairs. It has developed into a hub of international cooperation in the area of environment and sustainable development, and the number of UN agencies in Bonn, most of which are based at the newly established United Nations Campus in the city’s former parliamentary quarter on the banks of the Rhine, continues to grow.

The Universität Bonn

The "Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn" was founded in 1818 under Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia. Today the University of Bonn has more than 38,000 full-time students, including almost 5,000 foreign students from more than 130 countries. The University of Bonn is one of the largest in Germany, possessing extensive educational facilities and offering a wide range of courses in all departments. Its outstanding reputation in teaching and research rank the University of Bonn among the top universities in Germany.

Universität Bonn International Office (Program Handbook: Accepted Students see "Pre-Departure Information" for information needed)

On-Site Orientation

All programs include a five-week introductory course after arrival in Bonn. This course, worth three hours of language credit, is obligatory for every student participating in the program. The purpose is to prepare students for regular course work as well as academic life in Germany. The International Office arranges lectures and seminars, visits to places of interest, concerts, theater and a minimum of three hours of language instruction per day at all levels.

Academic Program

Students with German proficiency enroll in regular courses offered by the University of Bonn and may select classes for which they are qualified from all departments of the University. Courses are available in the full range of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and business and economics. German is the language of instruction and students must do all aspects of the course work in German.

Language and Humanities: English Language and Literature, Archeology; Non-European Languages and Cultures (Egyptology, Islamic Studies, Japanese Studies, Semitic Studies, Sinology, Central Asian Culture and Linguistics, Tibetan/Burmese Studies); Byzantine Studies; History; Art History; Comparative Literature; Philosophy; Psychology; Communications Science; Comparative Religions; Romance Languages and Literatures; Slavonic Languages and Literatures; Linguistics; Protestant, Catholic, Old Catholic Theology; Ethnology, Folklore and Popular Culture.

Law, Economics and Social Sciences: Political Science, Law, Sociology, Economics.

Mathematics and Natural Sciences:Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Geology/Paleontology, Computer Science, Food Chemistry, Mathematics, Meteorology, Mineralogy, Pharmacy, Physics and Astronomy.

KU course equivalencies for the University of Bonn

Intensive Language Program (ILP)

The ILP semester program is designed for students who have had a minimum of German language study. Students will be offered a minimum of 12 hours of intensive language per week during the semester. Tutorials are also available. They may also participate in two or three classes taught in English. Students attending the University of Bonn for an academic year may take the ILP first semester and if qualified take regular University courses the second semester.

Courses in English for ILP students:
Astronomy, Biology, Geography, Economy, History, Literature, Physics, and Political Science.

Internship Program: Germany Hands-On

Students may choose to participate in a semester-long internship program. Academic work is supplemented by work experience that aims to provide students with better insight into German society in its everyday functioning. Advanced German language skills required.

Accommodations

Students live in student residence halls with private bedrooms and shared kitchen and bath facilities. A stipend for meals and an in-city transportation pass are provided.

In addition to cultural activities during the semester, a one-week trip to Berlin or other major city in Germany is included in the program fee.

Program Dates

All dates are approximate.

Academic Year: September 1, 2009 - July 31, 2010
Spring 2010: March 1, 2010 - July 31, 2010

Eligibility

Open to KU students with sophomore status or higher and a 2.8 cumulative GPA who have completed four semesters of college-level German or the equivalent by the beginning of the program. Students may be accepted with less language on a case by case basis.

Students who wish to participate in the internship program are required to have a 3.0 GPA and must pass a German language examination.

Cost

Academic Year 2009-2010

Program fee: Approximately $8,270 for the Spring semester, or $14,730 for the academic year.

The program fee includes tuition and fees, room, monthly food stipend for the duration of the program, in-city transportation pass, KU orientation, five-week Bonn orientation, limited health insurance, one-week excursion to Berlin or other major city in Germany, field trips and cultural activities, and emergency medical evacuation and repatriation services.

Additional costs: Approximately $3,500 per semester (airfare, personal expenses, passport, books, optional internship fee).

Note

All dates, costs, and program information are subject to change as necessary due to fluctuations in the exchange rate or other reasons.

Financial Aid

KU students who qualify for financial aid in the form of Stafford and/or other loans, Pell or SEOG Grants, and scholarships may apply the aid to the cost of a Study Abroad Program.

Limited supplemental scholarships are available to KU undergraduates. Applications are available at the Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the scholarship application. The scholarship application deadline is March 1 for academic year and October 1 for Spring.

Application Procedures

Deadline for Academic Year: March 1
Deadline for Spring: October 1

Applications are available in the KU Office of Study Abroad. You can also download the application.

Applications submitted after the deadline will only be considered with prior approval of the program coordinator at the Office of Study Abroad.

(Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to download an application. If your computer does not have Acrobat Reader you can download it for FREE.)