The course catalogue is published in PULS on September 15 for the winter term and on March 15 for the summer term. In PULS, you’ll also find an overview of all English-taught courses, as well as course catalogues from previous semesters, which can be helpful for planning your stay in advance (see also Learning Agreement). Detailed information on the number of ECTS credits is available in the Module Description section of each course in PULS.

You can determine the number of ECTS credits for a course by checking the module it belongs to, even if you are enrolling in an individual course rather than the entire module. Each course is assigned to one or more content-related modules.

As a general guideline: 

• Bachelor's programme courses usually award 6 ECTS
• Master’s programme courses usually award 9 ECTS

You can find detailed module information in PULS. To look up ECTS credits, follow these steps:

1. Log in to PULS.
2. Under Courses, select “Search for courses.”
3. Use the filters to display English-taught courses and choose the relevant institution (Economics or Social Sciences—depending on your degree program).
4. Open the course and view the structure tree to see the associated modules
5. Click on the book icon next to a module title to access the Module Description, where the ECTS information is listed.
6. The number of LP shown corresponds to the number of ECTS credits.

Please note: the ECTS credits listed in PULS serve as an orientation for your Learning Agreement. The final number of ECTS is confirmed in consultation with the course lecturer and will be recorded on the certificate of achievement you submit to the International Office at the end of the semester.

The University of Potsdam is committed to creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students. If you experience discrimination or harassment during your exchange semester, you do not have to deal with this situation on your own. You are warmly encouraged to reach out, confidentially and at your own pace, to the faculty’s exchange coordinator, Lisa van Hoof Maurer. She will guide you towards appropriate support and counseling services within your faculty and the wider university.

As a general rule, planning for a stay abroad takes about one year. This is necessary because you need to plan your course of study and acquire any necessary language skills. The application period for the following academic year begins annually on December 1 and ends on January 10 (e.g., the application period in January 2026 applies to the winter term 2026/27 and the summer term 2027). You can apply to up to three partner universities that meet your requirements (e.g., partnership in your subject area, suitable courses, and sufficient language skills). It is your responsibility to research these parameters. Direct any questions regarding the recognition of academic achievements to the relevant contact persons at the faculty (Ricarda Stremlow for Economics, Dr. Birgit Kletzin for Social Sciences). Students will be selected after the application period ends. This usually takes place by the beginning of February. Please refrain from making any interim inquiries. Once the exchange coordinator has finished selecting students in the faculty, you will receive an offer by email. You must accept the offer via email within one week; otherwise, the place will be forfeited. If you do not wish to accept the offer, please notify us as well. After the one-week response period ends, your stay will be confirmed by email, and you will receive confirmation of your place. 

At this point, the allocation process at the faculty level is completed. Information about the allocated places will be forwarded to the International Office. From this point onwards, the International Office will handle all communication. You will receive further information, including details about information events, by email in due time. The International Office will then forward your nomination to the respective partner university. Typically, you must submit documents to the host university yourself. Please check the host university's website for details. If you are unable to go abroad or want to withdraw from the process, please inform your host university, the International Office at UP, and the exchange coordinator in a timely manner. 

You can find detailed information on the about the process here.

No, a stay abroad does not necessarily affect the duration of your studies negatively. Please plan accordingly ahead and consult your Representative for Study & Examination Matters (Ricarda Stremlow or Dr. Birgit Kletzin), when in doubt. 

Your letter of motivation should be no longer than two pages. You are free to choose the content. You can provide information about (non-university) honorary positions, social and personal aspects, your general motivation for studying abroad, or specifically for your preferred university or universities. There is no right or wrong answer here. Like all other application documents, you can write your letter of motivation in German or English. Please note that the letter of motivation is an important part of your application, in addition to the formal requirements, so you should definitely invest time in writing it. 

To receive the Erasmus+ scholarship, you should complete 30 ECTS credits abroad. If you complete significantly fewer than 20 ECTS credits, you may have to repay the scholarship (as a rule, these are individual cases that must then be clarified).

You can also complete language courses abroad, for example. You do not necessarily have the completed ECTS credits recognized; the 30 ECTS credits are about the extent to which you have completed courses abroad. Nevertheless, it is advisable to complete an Erasmus+ stay abroad if you still have open modules that you could complete abroad and recognized at UP.

In principle, this is possible. Individual application means that you plan and organize your entire study abroad stay independently (as a so-called 'free mover'). You can apply to most universities worldwide.

Since you are responsible for finding out about the admission requirements and application deadlines of the respective university and for ensuring that all required documents (e.g., language certificates) are received by your desired university in good time, you should allow at least one year for preparation for your individual application. Specific dates and information on independent applications can usually be found on the websites of your desired university, usually under the heading “International.” Please note that you would not receive an Erasmus+ scholarship here. Information on this can also be found on the International Office website.

Please inform your host university, the International Office, and your faculty exchange coordinator about your cancellation so that you can be removed from the database.

The required language skills can be found in the list of Erasmus+ partnerships, as these vary depending on the country and host university. To apply for an Erasmus+ place in your department, UniCert certificates, the PULS certificate of achievement (if you have taken a language course), a copy of your high school diploma, or similar documents are usually sufficient. The certificate must clearly indicate your language level (e.g., your high school diploma must show your language level). Please submit the most recent proof you have for the specified level. As a rule, the proof should not be older than four years. It is advisable to assess your own level of knowledge realistically so that you do not encounter any problems due to a lack of language skills during your stay abroad.

It is possible that you will need different proof to apply to the host university. You can obtain this information from the host university on its Erasmus+ pages or by email. Research the required language certificates very carefully, as in some cases special language certificates are required (sometimes even the DAAD certificate is not sufficient). In countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy, knowledge of the respective national language is often mandatory.

No, please submit all required documents, including the necessary language certificates, by the application deadline. Proof of enrollment in a language course at the appropriate level, which you will complete in the near future, is also sufficient. As a rule, these are Unicert language courses at UP.

Please understand that we cannot give you a general answer to this question in advance, as it depends heavily on the application situation. During the selection process, we always do our best to ensure that you receive a place at one of your preferred universities.

Please contact the Erasmus+ coordinator, providing your date of birth and proof of language proficiency, so that a confirmation can be issued to you as soon as possible.

Yes, you can also spend time abroad through Erasmus+ as a non-EU citizen. Please find out in good time about any requirements you may have to meet (e.g., validity of your residence permit in Germany). Experience has shown that in some countries you will need to provide proof of financial security. This can vary greatly depending on the country and partner university.

The University of Potsdam strives to promote respectful, fair, and non-discriminatory interaction. We expect the same from our partner universities. However, if you experience discrimination or harassment during your semester abroad, please contact the faculty exchange coordinator, Lisa van Hoof Maurer, who will advise you confidentially on possible counseling services offered by the faculty and the University of Potsdam and, if you wish, will also seek to discuss the matter with the partner university.