Students enrolled at one of the UA Ruhr universities can attend lectures and seminars at all three institutions without having to pay a visiting student fee. Consequently, they have many options to specialize in and to explore their chosen disciplines in depth.

The process of approving credit points gained at one of the partner universities is very simple. The question if exam-relevant credit points will be approved is decided by the faculty that awards the degree.

International exchange students likewise benefit from the joint academic space, as they can choose from the full spectrum of lectures and seminars that are part of their curriculum within the UA Ruhr.

Students at UA Ruhr institutions benefit from the following unique features:

•     If you are enrolled in one of the UA Ruhr institution, you have the option to attend courses at all three universities and have unlimited access to free public transport to travel between the campuses.
•     You will become a member of an academic community comprised of more than 120,000 students, 19,000 of whom are international scholars.
•     Each of our institutions maintains close ties to local communities and businesses, promoting and nurturing an application-oriented, hands-on approach to academia that is unique among leading research universities in Germany.
•     More than 60 undergraduate and Master’s degree programs are taught entirely in English.
•     In addition, we provide German-language courses at all levels to help you navigate your new environment confidently and soon feel at home in Germany.

Costs

None of the UA Ruhr universities charges tuition fees, and the nominal semester fee includes a public transport ticket valid in the entire Ruhr Area (“Semesterticket”). As the living costs in the Ruhr Area rank among the lowest in Germany, even students living on a tight budget can maintain a comfortable lifestyle and take advantage of countless features and activities available in and outside the cities of the region. Moreover, students are offered considerable discounts at arts and culture venues and various events throughout Germany.

The three UA Ruhr universities work hand in hand to provide excellent teacher training. Students have the option to select their ideal combination of subjects by attending courses at several universities at the same time. The offers of split course of study for teachers and the additional studies are exemplary for the excellent cooperation.

Since the Winter Semester of 2015/16 the three universities offer a joint model for so-called additional studies. In this program students that currently study Teacher’s Education for Secondary Schools (Gymnasien/Gesamtschulen) or have already successfully completed their studies in this field, can acquire a third subject at one of the universities. The parameters and restrictions are equal in all three universities, therefore this additional course of study may also be structured in the form of a split study manner. The Universities of Duisburg-Essen and Dortmund also offer this option to students of Teacher’s Education (Berufskolleg).