Leipzig University and American Studies Leipzig in particular strongly encourage students from abroad to study in Leipzig.
Our programs in American Studies are of great interest to international students because they look at the United States from an interdisciplinary and global context, discussing the country's culture, literature, history, politics, and society. See the study programs page for more detailed information.
Generally, international students can apply to our BA or our MA program in American Studies. While the MA is taught completely in English, the BA requires knowledge of the German language because you have to pick courses in your minor that might be taught in German (there is an exception to this rule in the BA International Track, however). For more information on applying to our programs, please see:
- the BA American Studies application page
- the MA American Studies Application page
- as well as our frequently asked questions
Alternatively, if you plan on coming to Leipzig as an exchange student (e.g. as part of an Erasmus program), you can participate in individual modules or courses that we offer in our BA, MA, and teacher-training programs. All of our classes are generally open to exchange students, but sometimes, space might be limited or not available anymore if a course is in particularly great demand. As a general rule, you can participate in individual courses, so you do not have to attend an entire module (but can do so as well if you want). Unlike other students, you do not enroll in these courses via TOOL, but instead you should simply contact the course's instructor via email.
Accordingly, to learn more about places available in individual courses, please contact the instructor and describe your situation briefly (i.e., exchange student, international guest student, participating in an international degree program, etc.; and what kind of credit you are seeking). Please also make sure to consult with the instructor about credit-earning options and the corresponding requirements early on (see below). Generally, we will do our very best to include you in our courses.
For more information on our classes, please see:
- the course catalog for the current/upcoming semester's course listing
- the faculty page for information on how to contact individual instructors
Credits (ECTS) for exchange students
You can earn ECTS Credits for every course taken and completed at American Studies Leipzig, with the amount of credits being dependent on your program level (Bachelor or Master) and the extent of work completed in class. The basic requirements for earning any credit in a course are regular attendance (≥ 80% of total course hours) and active participation. For courses taken at the Bachelor level (Master level in parentheses), you have two earning options to chose from:
Reduced: Earn 2 (3) ECTS Credits by fulfilling the basic requirements outlined above and—depending on the individual course design—successfully completing a number of additional academic tasks the instructor of the course might assign specifically for this earning option.
Full: Earn 4 (5) ECTS-Credits by fulfilling the basic requirements outlined above, as well as successfully completing all assigned academic tasks(*) and passing the final exam.
If the credit transfer procedure of your home institution or exchange program should require it, you can individually obtain a Course Certificate from the instructor after successful completion of a course, documenting your participation and the amount of ECTS-Credits earned.
(* Bachelor-level courses only: This can include, but might not be limited to, multiple graded assignments over the course of the semester (PVLs), the passing of which being required to qualify for the final exam.)
Services for International Students
If you have general questions about studying in Leipzig, we recommend the following services and student organizations:
- The International Center is Leipzig University's central service for international students who seek information regarding various aspects of their study and life in Leipzig. For all official questions about studying in Leipzig and especially all matters related to applying to one of our programs, please contact the International Center.
- The Leipzig University International Students facebook group
- For specific questions about studying American Studies, feel free to contact us. We recommend a look at our frequently asked questions first, but if you cannot find answers there, please feel free to get in touch with us.