Partner Institution Information Sheet KPU. University of Applied Sciences Munich

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Updated February.2014

*This is not a legal document. Although we strive to keep these information sheets up to date as possible, information may be changed since our last update

Partner Institution Information Sheet KPU

University of Applied Sciences Munich

Established: 1971

Location: Munich, Germany

Number of Campuses: 1)Lothstraße campus – modern, technical and dynamic 2)Pasing campus – quietly situated amid the greenery 3)Karlstraße campus – in a charming 50s style

Number of Students: 14,000 Institution Information

Exchange Website:

http://hm.edu/en/your_stay_at_muas/students/exchange/index.en.html Institution Website: http://www.hm.edu/

Semester Dates

Semester 1 _{Early October to Mid February} Orientation:October

Semester 2 _{Mid March to Late July} Orientation:March

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Class Information

Language of instruction: German and English Class level and Credit system:

(You are expected to visit an academic advisor prior to your exchange to determine what courses you have left to complete your program. Academic Advisors cannot tell you how the courses from exchange will transfer but you can use the information about your degree requirements to guide your decisions. After being accepted for an exchange, you will work with the exchange coordinator to determine your course availability.)

Intensive Language Classes Available: Munich University of Applied Sciences offers Preparatory German language courses for incoming exchange students before the winter semester starts. The courses are free of charge! • Duration: 2 weeks, 20 hours/week.

• 20 – 25 students per course.

• Course level: A1 – B1. There will be an assessment test at the start of each course in order to determine the individual level.

• Students can earn 3 ECTS points after successfully completing the course. Students can sign-up for the preparatory language class in our online application form. Please note: Places are assigned on a first come/first served basis. Based on the entry date of the complete application documents.

Would you like to improve your German and get in touch with German students? Then you should participate in the Language Tandem programme! More information will be sent to you in your Welcome Package and the application will take place during the Orientation Days.

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Course Information: As a general rule, final course selection and registration do not take place until you have arrived in Munich. If you have to put together a Learning Agreement or Study Plan beforehand, please use the lecture timetables from the previous semester as a guide or ask your departmental co-ordinator at Munich University of Applied Sciences for advice. Courses from the various departments are open to all exchange students enrolled at Munich University of Applied Sciences irrespective of their own field of study and as long as prerequisites are fulfilled and/or places are available.

For Information on all Courses offered see website:

http://hm.edu/en/your_stay_at_muas/students/exchange/course_selection.en.ht ml

Timetable website for course information per semester: You can view the lecture timetables of the German-speaking specialised courses for your degree programme on the corresponding department pages.

Student Information

Information about health insurance:

Non-EU students have to obtain compulsory health insurance in Germany. We ask for your understanding that we cannot accept medical insurance from your home country. You will have approximately 30 compulsory health insurance funds to chose from. However, the monthly contribution for students is the same with each company. You will be given further information on how to obtain German insurance prior to your arrival. Questions can be posed to the representatives after the Welcome Meeting.

Visa Information: Every Non-EU student who stays in Germany for more than 3 months needs to get a prolongation for their visa. This process will be fully arranged for you by the International Office. Approximately 6 weeks after your arrival you will get an Email from the International Office which explains exactly what documents you have to provide for that. Please note that for a certain amount of time we will have to keep your passport in order to prolong your visa.

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the International Office do it for you, due to long waiting hours.

You need the following documents in order to prolong your visa on your own:

 Application form for residence permit (form available at the International Office)

 Proof of "Bürgeramt" registration

 Passport or Identity Card

 Student ID/ Certificate of Enrolment

 Medical Insurance Certificate

 Proof of financial funds for living in Germany

 2 Passport photos (no automat photos or colour copies)

Can students work while on exchange to the University of Applied Sciences Munich: Students from Bulgaria and Romania and from non-EU countries may work 120 full days or 240 half days per year. In addition, employment as a student assistant at the university is permitted and is not counted towards the 120 full or 240 half working days. For all employment activities that go beyond this scope, students must apply for an employment permit with the responsible authorities (immigration authorities and Federal Employment Agency). The employment permit is only granted if this does not have adverse effects on the applicant's studies.

Student Services / Activities available: The Munich University of Applied Sciences International Club is the international meeting place for students from Munich and of the entire world. It is organized by a group of students from different departments of Munich University of Applied Sciences and offers an ideal platform for intercultural exchange through a range of events and activities as well as a fortnightly Stammtisch.

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Accommodation Information

Dormitory available? Munich University of Applied Sciences does not own student residences. However, the Studentenwerk München (Munich Student Union) provides Munich University of Applied Sciences with a limited number of rooms for exchange students. For this so called Service packet (a room with a sleepingbag and a pillow) you can only apply on the online application form for exchange students at Munich University of Applied Sciences Please click “Yes” in the corresponding field of the application form if you would like to apply for a room in a student residence hall.

It is expected that in January respectively July we are able to inform you, whether your application for a Service packet has been successful. We will forward your contact details to the Studentenwerk who will, in turn, email you further information and send you an acceptance form for your room. You need to return this form by e-mail or fax immediately as your room will, otherwise, be allocated to the next person on the waiting list!

As the Studentenwerk (Munich Student Union) only allocates a limited number of rooms for our exchange students, we, in turn, cannot place all ERASMUS exchange students in student residence halls so we are forced to allocate the rooms by drawing lots.

Please note that we are unable to take into account any incomplete or late applications. We are also not able to assign student accommodation to those students coming in addition to the yearly quota set by the existing bilateral agreement between MUAS and the respective partner university.

Finding Accommodation Yourself: Finding accommodation in Munich is difficult but not impossible. The majority of students in Munich rely on private accommodation. In our information leaflet Finding Accommodation in Munich we want to give you various tips and links to make your search a little easier. General Tips

Start looking for accommodation in time.

Try to arrive in Munich a couple of weeks before the semester starts! This enables you to introduce yourself in person to a possible landlord.

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takes place in late September and beginning of October, hotels and hostels are booked out and/or rates are very expensive during this time. Students without a room in a residence hall should therefore arrive at the beginning of September or at least one week before the Oktoberfest starts to find accommodation. If you find a Room offer call straight away. Do not wait for a reply via email. If your German is not good enough, ask for help or try to do it in English Beware of fake advertisements

Unfortunately there are a lot of fake advertisements (rip-offs) for rooms in the Internet.

Some useful German terms Zwischenmiete = short-term

lease = accommodation for only a couple of months Untermiete = sublease

ohne Provision = without estate agent fee mit Provision = with estate agent fee Kaution = deposit

Betriebskosten = overheads, running costs Nebenkosten = additional costs

Wohngemeinschaft (WG) = flat share

www.HousingAnywhere.com is a housing platform where students going abroad for an exchange semester or internship can sublet their rooms. Incoming exchange students coming to Munich can rent those rooms. Thus, HousingAnywhere is a student-to-student platform where demand & supply of short term accommodation can find each other. It is a very simple, but very effective tool to increase the amount of short term accommodation available to our incoming exchange students.

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City Information

Munich (German: München, Bavarian: Minga) is the capital city of Bavaria. Within the city limits, Munich has a population of more than 1.4 million, making it the third most populous city in Germany. Greater Munich including its suburbs has a population of 2.6 million. The Munich metropolitan region which extends to cities like Augsburg or Ingolstadt had a population of more than 5.6 million in 2008.

Munich, located at the river Isar in the south of Bavaria, is famous for its beautiful architecture, fine culture, and the annual Oktoberfest beer celebration. Munich's cultural scene is second to none in Germany, with the museums even considered by some to outrank Berlin in quality. Many travelers to Munich are absolutely stunned by the quality of the architecture.

Banking: After you have found housing or at least a temporary local address, the next thing to do is open a bank account. This is crucial because large payments in Germany are usually by bank transfer, called an überweisung, not check (cheque) or cash. You need the account early on to transfer your first rent payment, your security deposit (kaution) and your Studentenwerkbeitrag (student services fee) to register or re-register.

With your account you may also set up a dauerauftrag, an automatic monthly transfer agreement, to pay your rent. Most students do. For utilities and the telephone, on the other hand, you are likely to be asked to supply bank account information and sign an einzugsermächtigung, permission for the utility to automatically withdraw the amounts you're billed for. It's common and quite safe and, like the dauerauftrag, can save you a lot of headaches.

However, you will find in Germany that you can only use cash for most small transactions like grocery shopping and buying coffee.

A regular checking account is called a girokonto, a savings account a sparkonto. You can pick up your bank statement, called a kontoauszug, on a daily basis. They are usually mailed to you on a monthly basis as well. Most banks have both printers for statements and cash machines available in their entryways, accessible 24 hours a day. Nowadays they all offer on-line and telephone banking services as well

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Weather: The warm season lasts from May 29 to September 8 with an average daily high temperature above 20°C. The hottest day of the year is August 6, with an average high of 24°C and low of 13°C.

The cold season lasts from November 15 to March 3 with an average daily high temperature below 6°C. The coldest day of the year is January 22, with an average low of -4°C and high of 2°C.

Time zone: Central European Standard Time Cultural Facts:

The usual bustle of Munichs beer-gardens below, cool brew is served in the signature "Masskrug", the typical one-liter steins and the oompah band or "Blasmusik" is entertaining the crowd with jovial tunes. Munich is known for its pride in local customs and traditions as well as its distinctive Bavarian zest for life. It is a city where life is preferably enjoyed outdoors. The center of Munich offers pedestrians a network of car-free streets which are lined with interesting shops, restaurants, cafes, fountains, and historical buildings.

The residents are proud of their city, Bavarians are known throughout Germany as an opinionated folk. There have been numerous attempts by Bavaria to become an independent state from Germany since its annexation to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1871. Its proud roots have retained that distinctive Bavarian character, which gives this vibrant city its authentic character.

Tourist Information:

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Contact Information

Name of office for exchange

programs KPU Office of International Students and Scholars

Address Surrey Cedar Building 1145

Richmond Room 140

Email Internationalprograms@kpu.ca

Phone 604.599.2566

Office website https://www.kpu.ca/international