How do you apply?

Before applying for exchange abroad, you must start by examining your options in MoveON's database. 

You can see the final selection of places to go when the application round opens, approximately one month before the application deadline. 

You submit your application via the application portal in MoveON.

Your application

The MoveON application portal will open about a month before the application deadline. Exchange opportunities will be listed as they become available, so there may be updates subsequently. By 1 November at the latest, all information about partner universities and positions available through the December application round will be updated. All information about positions available through the May application round will be updated by 1 April.  

It’s important that you read the descriptions of the universities you want to apply to very carefully. It’s also important that you make sure that your chosen universities offer courses that are relevant to you and your degree programme, so make sure to read about opportunities and restrictions in regards to course selection and ECTS credits in the MoveON database. And finally, remember to check whether any of your chosen universities require you to document language skills.

It’s worth keeping in mind that you increase your chances of being admitted to an exchange programme if you apply to a wide range of host universities. The more universities you apply to, the greater your chances of being accepted for an exchange. So we encourage you to apply to all of the universities that look interesting to you and which offer the right courses. It’s a good idea to search in several different countries and investigate whether there might be relevant universities in cities you aren’t familiar with or haven’t initially considered. 

The application to AU is for internal use only. If you are accepted for an exchange position, you will also need to apply to the host university. You will automatically receive more information about this by email.

Application deadlines

The deadline for applying to study abroad through AU's exchange agreements depends on when you want to go and your degree programme. There are two application rounds every year, but be aware that not all students are eligible to apply for both.

  • 1 December is the deadline for the upcoming academic year. For example, for an exchange in the autumn semester 2025 or the spring semester 2026, you should apply by the 2 December 2024 deadline. This application round opens on 1 November 2024. 
  • 1 May is the deadline for the following spring. For example, apply by the 1 May 2025 deadline for an exchange in the Spring semester 2026. This round of applications opens around 1 April 2025.

We recommend that you apply in the 1 December application round whenever possible. You can apply for exchange positions the following autumn and/or spring semester in the 1 December application round. Check your academic regulations for more information about your options for applying. 

If you’re on the BA programme in international business communication at Arts, you can only apply in the spring application round ends on 1 May.

Applying to the host university

If you are allocated an exchange position, you will automatically be nominated to the host university. You’ll receive information on how to apply to the host university by email, either from AU or directly from the host university. This means you should not take any further action until you receive an email about applying to the host university.

Please note that being nominated for an exchange position by AU is no guarantee of admission to your host university. During the process of applying to the host university, a situation may arise which AU was not in a position to foresee when you were offered an exchange position - eg. if you do not meet the admission criteria by the application deadline (GPA or similar). At the end of the day, the host university decides whether to admit you or not.

The application deadline depends on the host university, so you should always stay up to date.

Important

  • Response to your application: will be sent to you by email no later than eight weeks after the application deadline.
  • Confirmation of your exchange: If you are offered an exchange position, you must confirm it in the MoveON application portal. Keep an eye on your AU inbox: this is where you’ll receive an offer of an exchange position, and this is where you’ll receive information about the deadline for confirming it. If you do not accept the study abroad position within the deadline, the study abroad position is waived.
  • Note: You will only be offered one exchange position, so you won’t be offered a new one if you turn down the offer. You cannot apply for a (new) exchange position if you have already had an exchange position in the same semester by the start of the application period. 

Have you already been offered an exchange position?

All information about your host university is still available here

Under "Getting started with exchange" in the left side menu, you can find help to where and when you can go on exchange as well as an FAQ with the most frequently asked questions.