International Office
Girl in Class with Other Students
Girl in Class with Other Students

PROMOS study abroad

PROMOS can be used to support RUB students who are studying at a RUB partner university as part of an exchange program of the International Office or one of its faculties or institutes. (Erasmus studies abroad are not eligible for PROMOS funding).

Next application deadline:

June 1, 2024 (11:59 pm, before midnight)

For study abroad stays in the funding year 2024 (which are realized via a RUB exchange program at a partner university; funding of self-organized study abroad stays is not possible)

The first application deadline for the funding year 2025 ends on November 1, 2024. Multiple applications for PROMOS funding of the same stay within the same funding year are not possible. If you have any questions, please contact us as early as possible.

Important notes and restrictions

  • The admission letter from the host university can be handed in after the PROMOS deadline if it has not been issued by then. (All other documents must be submitted in due time.)

  • PROMOS funding for study stays at one of RUB's partner universities abroad that are completed as part of an RUB exchange programme is possible for up to a maximum of six months.

  • Self-organised study stays abroad that do not take place within the framework of an RUB exchange programme (e.g. "Free Mover") cannot be funded via PROMOS.

  • Additional PROMOS funding of Erasmus study stays or study stays in Switzerland funded by the Swiss-European Mobility Programme is not possible.

Required documents for the online application

Online portal

Please apply via our online portal and upload all the required documents.

To the online portal

Curriculum vitae

The CV should be about one to two pages; can be written in German or English.

Motivation letter

The motivation letter should be about one to max. three pages in length and can be written in German or English.

Transcript of records

This can be created automatically in eCampus or FlexNow and saved as a PDF. Medical students please upload your entrance examination (PJ-Reifeprüfung). A Transcript of records issued by the Examination Office is also accepted.

Current enrolment certificate

You can download your current enrolment certificate (Studienbescheinigung) yourself from eCampus.

Recommendation letter

The recommendation letter must be issued by an RUB academic staff member exclusively for your current PROMOS application. Please note that general reference letters or letters of recommendation issued for another purpose or programme cannot be accepted. (Exception: applicants who participate in an exchange programme of the International Office and who already had to submit a letter of recommendation for this application may submit this letter again.) The recommendation letter should be about one to two pages and can be written in German or English.

There is no template for the letter of recommendation required as part of the application for a PROMOS scholarship. The letter should recommend the candidate as particularly worthy of the scholarship. The lecturer can address the applicant's academic achievements as well as any (possibly non-academic) commitment, their personality and/or additional qualifications (e.g. knowledge of foreign languages). Curriculum vitae, references and the like can be helpful. Above all, the lecturer should emphasise the applicant's particular suitability for the PROMOS programme.

Usually the RUB academic staff member will send their recommendation letters directly to the International Office. In this case please upload a short note (as PDF) as part of your application, indicating that this is the case. If the letter of recommendation is handed or emailed to you, please upload a scan of the letter. PDF only, please. Please note that we cannot accept your application if the letter of recommendation is not available by the deadline.

Language certificate

Current and valid proof of sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction.

Please note that the language certificate is a mandatory part of the PROMOS application! Only selected certificates are accepted (see below). The language certificate cannot be submitted later and must not be older than two years at the application deadline. If you have any questions, please contact us in due time.

Accepted language certificates are:

  • DAAD language certificate issued by the RUB University Language Center (ZFA)
  • If you are enrolled in a language program, one of your lecturers can issue the DAAD language certificate; please get in touch with the PROMOS-Team at an early stage!
  • UniCert (further information on the ZFA website)
  • Bachelor degree in a philology
  • For English: TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC, CAE, Duolingo
  • For French and Spanish: DELF, DELE, SIELE
  • For Asian languages: JLPT, TOPIK, HSK

Language certificates that are not accepted:

  • DAAD language certificates that have not been issued by RUB (unless they are equivalent)
  • All above mentioned certificates, if they are older than two years at the application deadline
  • Language course certificates of participation
  • A-level (Abitur) certificate

Proof of an RUB exchange program

A confirmation that you have been selected either by the International Office or by your faculty or institute for either a term abroad or a full academic year abroad at an RUB partner university.

As proof of participation in an RUB exchange programme, the acceptance email or the official acceptance letter from the coordinator of the exchange programme can be accepted.

Admission letter from the host university

The official admission letter issued by the host university may be submitted later as a single document if admission has not been received at the PROMOS application deadline.

(If applicable) Copies of university diplomas

If you have already completed a university degree, please submit official proof (certificate and/or diploma) of this - including final grade (!).

Please note that the certificate of general higher education entrance qualification (allgemeine Hochschulreife) is not a university certificate.

(If applicable) Proof of other funding

If you receive other funding, please upload proof of the amount and purpose of the scholarship.

In case of doubt, the International Office must consult with DAAD whether parallel funding is possible. If you have any questions, please contact us in due time.

After the stay abroad

Documents for returning PROMOS fellows

Please send the following documents, no later than 30 days after the end of your stay (if you study abroad for a year, no later than 30 days after your second term), by email to promos@rub.de and complete the PROMOS questionnaire online:

The Transcript of records issued by the host university can be submitted later if necessary.

These could also be of interest to you

Need to gain some work experience alongside your studies? Why not do it abroad?

Already at the end of your studies and would like to write your thesis abroad?

To top