Study Abroad

The Department of German, Slavic, and Eurasian Studies offers a wide variety of study abroad opportunities to meet student needs. Options include semester- or year-long study at two German universities, our own 6-week Summer Berlin Programs and independent study at intensive language institutes in Germany or Austria. Your financial aid will transfer for study during the academic year and ample funding is available to to support undergraduates pursuing language courses, internships, research projects, or service projects in the German-speaking countries.

Students can also benefit from the Department’s Innsbruck Memorial Fund, which was endowed by graduates of Notre Dame’s oldest study abroad program — the exchange with the University of Innsbruck, which ran from 1964 to 2011. All participants in semester- or year-long programs in either Berlin or Heidelberg are eligible for $1,000 in cultural enrichment funds per semester that they study abroad. The Innsbruck Fund also supports short-term language study over the summer, especially for students with demonstrated financial need or who are on unconventional trajectories that would render them ineligible for University funding. Please speak to the Director of Undergraduate Studies in German for details.

 

Summer in Berlin Summer Study Abroad Semester/Year in Heidelberg Semester/Year in Berlin 

Summer Programs

ND Summer in Berlin

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Berlin Summer

This 6-week, 6-credit, faculty-led intensive program is an opportunity to spend part of the summer in Berlin, Germany’s capital and cultural center. You will learn about Germany’s history as well as Germany today. Content courses taught in English in ECON, POLS, HIST, Fine Arts and Literature. Full range of German language courses available. Academic excursions and on-sight classes enrich the learning experience and introduce you to this amazing city. Open to students from across the university majoring in all disciplines. All applicants are automatically considered for funding ($1000-$3000 + flight subsidy) based upon need. Students who take a language course are considered for additional funding regardless of need.

Learn more about the Summer in Berlin Program

International Economics Abroad

This 6-week, 6-credit faculty-led, European-centered program based in Berlin concentrates on the economics of competition policy from a transnational perspective. The two complementary courses, Competition Policy in the European Union (ECON 34582) and European History, Politics, and Society (GE 34241), bring together the areas of economics, history, politics, and culture. Both courses are taught in English. Excursions to various European economic research institutes, policy centers, and museums complement and enrich the coursework. Open to students from across the university majoring in all disciplines. All applicants are automatically considered for funding ($1000-$3000 + flight subsidy) based upon need.

Learn more about the International Economics Abroad Program

German Engineering Program

This Berlin-based 6-week, 6-credit, faculty-led program connects Notre Dame engineering students with Germany’s multifaceted engineering landscape. You will take one engineering elective course and European History, Society, and Politics (GE 34241), both taught in English. In addition to classes and field trips in Berlin, students will go on academic excursions to other German cities, where they will interact with engineering experts from different fields. Open to students from across the university majoring in all disciplines. All applicants are automatically considered for funding ($1000-$3000 + flight subsidy) based upon need.

Learn more about the Berlin Engineering Program

Summer Language Study

Students who study one of the languages offered in our department are eligible for a Summer Language Abroad (SLA) grant administered through the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures (CSLC). Students at the Beginning and Intermediate levels receive priority.

Thanks to the generosity of alumni donors who endowed the “Innsbruck Memorial Fund,” the department also has supplementary funds for students with financial needs, as well as those who are pursuing language acquisition projects that the CSLC might not cover. Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Study in German to apply for this funding.

Learn more about the SLA program

Academic Semester/Year Programs

Berlin

Through the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, students enroll at the Freie Universität Berlin, where they experience cultural immersion and elite academic training in one of the world's most exciting, breathtaking cities. Highlights of the program include:

• Students live with a host family for the first month, to enhance language and cultural competency outside of the classroom.
• Cultural field trips within Berlin, as well as 3- to 4-day excursions to nearby cities such as Dresden, Hamburg, and Weimar.
• Support with volunteer and service opportunities.
• Courses include specific study abroad topics, like German Discourse and Culture, as well as university courses alongside German students in areas as varied as art history, economics, philosophy, and music. 
• 24/7 on-site support with Resident Director and staff.

The first time I visited Berlin in 2015 it seemed gray upon arrival, and it was somewhat disorienting. Well, that's the thing: Berlin is not love at first sight, but reveals countless charms once you give it some time. Now a resident of the city for three years, I have enjoyed the rich startup scene and the vast professional network, the first-hand exposure to European politics, and the young, multi-cultural & cosmopolitan environment Berlin offers.

Heidelberg

The Heidelberg University American Junior Year program offers students the chance to grow as German speakers and young academics at the Universität Heidelberg, Germany's oldest and consistently ranked among the top two German academic institutions. Highlights of the program include:

• AJY’s Study Center (computer room with free printing, student lounge, and small kitchen), located in the heart of the city. 
• Internship placement support.
• German Rail Pass for use during Fall or Spring break (Interrail Pass for second semester Full Year students).
• Study trips and excursions
• Culture coupons for concerts, museums, sporting events, etc.
• 24/7 on-site support with resident director and staff.

“Spending an entire year in Heidelberg not only improved my German in an academic context, but also in a practical, social way; you never realize how much you don’t know in a language until you’re trying to use it all the time. Being surrounded by native speakers in a variety of contexts taught me how to use German in different situations, whether that’s writing an essay, speaking casually to friends, or asking for help finding something at the grocery store. I was able to have some of the most interesting and most everyday experiences in German while living abroad and being able to have both is something I am incredibly grateful for.”