Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig, located in northeastern Germany, is less than two hours from Berlin and the second largest city in the former East Germany. The peaceful revolution that brought an end to communist rule began here, in the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas), in October 1989.
While Leipzig is an industrial and commercial center, one-third of the city is covered by parks and woodlands that provide abundant recreational opportunities. Leipzig is also recognized as a cultural center, with an outstanding musical heritage; the composer Johann Sebastian Bach served as the city’s musical director for many years.
About the Program
Hobart and William Smith Colleges maintain an exchange program with the University of Leipzig, founded in 1409 and Germany’s second oldest university. This program provides HWS students the opportunity to develop German language skills while taking courses in English alongside German students as well as other international students.
In addition to German language and culture courses (offered at all levels, from beginning to advanced), students will be able to select from a variety of English-language courses in English/American Studies and the sciences (physics is a particular specialty). For a complete list of courses please visit:
- For English and American studies click here
- For physics classes in English click here
ACADEMIC FOCUS
This program can accommodate a variety of students and is designed for those who are interested in learning more about Germany and in developing German language skills. Students in American Studies, physics, European Studies, and German Area Studies will find the program of particular interest.
This program is open to all juniors and seniors (sophomores may be considered in exceptional cases) in good academic and social standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Advanced language students seeking a full immersion experience with all coursework in German must have completed the equivalent of four semesters of college-level German with a B average. Other students must have completed at least one semester of college-level German prior to the program and must take a German language course in Leipzig. Students are expected to be enrolled in a German language course at their appropriate level in the semester before departure. Exchange opportunities depend on the availability of slots at the host institution. Due to the challenging nature of study abroad, student academic and disciplinary records will be carefully screened.
Note: due to the timing of the academic calendar at the University of Leipzig, seniors participating in the spring semester will not be able to return in time for commencement on the HWS campus. The spring program runs from mid-March—July.
Students will reside in a residence hall administered by the University where they will live alongside German and international students. There are communal kitchen/cooking facilities so that students may prepare their own meals or they may purchase affordable meals in and around the university area.
The Leipzig program is not a “study abroad program” in the traditional sense in that HWS students will be directly enrolled at the university. While there will not be excursions designed specifically for HWS students, it is very easy for students to plan outings in and around Germany. There are also student travel agencies nearby to assist those planning their own travel.
Students will be charged standard HWS tuition and fees and a $600 administrative fee. This will cover tuition for a four-course semester, health insurance, and program orientation. Note that no room or board charge is included. Students will pay room fees directly to the host university and should plan to bring their board fee to cover meal expenses throughout the program. Room costs will vary depending upon the option chosen but should range from $2700—$3300. While meal expenses will vary according to individual tastes, we estimate that $2200—$2400 should be sufficient for students who prepare their own meals. (Full-year students will need to plan accordingly to cover two semesters).
Additional expenses not covered include airfare, books, residence permit, and personal expenses (laundry, entertainment, ground transportation, and independent travel). We estimate airfare for this program at $1000—$1200 from the East Coast, books at $250, and residence permit at $150. It is difficult to give an accurate estimate of personal expenses because student spending habits differ considerably. We would suggest a minimum of $1500 above and beyond meal and accommodation expenses. However, students on a tight budget should be able to manage with less. If you are concerned about finances, we strongly encourage you to talk to the CGE staff who can offer information and advice based on your specific situation.
Students applying to participate in the Leipzig, Germany program are encouraged to apply for a Julius G. Blocker ’53 Fellowship. Those selected as “Blocker Fellows” receive support to offset a variety of expenses related to their study abroad program, including accommodations, meals, airfare, books and course materials, local transportation, and residence permit. Further information about this funding opportunity is available HERE. You may complete the Blocker Fellowship application materials (including a Blocker-specific essay and related questions) as part of your online study abroad application, all of which must be submitted by the published application deadline.
HWS students must complete all components of the Global Education application in order to be considered for admission to this program.
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This program is offered every semester. Note that spring applicants will be abroad for one semester while fall applicants will be abroad for the full academic year.
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All components of the application must be submitted online by the published deadline. Specific deadline dates are set each semester and typically will be in late September/early October (for Fall programs) and late February/early March (for Spring programs).
Program Handbook
IMPORTANT: The handbook(s) below is/are the most recent handbook(s) published for this program. A new version, with updated information, will be made available each semester. Program participants will receive their updated handbook approximately 2-3 months prior to their program’s start date.
FALL HANDBOOK / SPRING HANDBOOK
Please DO NOT MAKE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS until you have received final confirmation of the program start/finish dates for the specific semester you are attending. Dates included in versions of the program handbook intended for previous semesters do not necessarily apply to future programs.
NOTE: The information above is subject to change. Please see the CGE for more information.
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