__________________________________________________________________________ ONTARIO / BADEN-WURTTEMBERG STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM __________________________________________________________________________ Information for Prospective Applicants 1999-2000 __________________________________________________________________________ Background and Eligibility Information: In 1994-1995 a number of Ontario students were selected to study at a university in the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg, with which the province of Ontario has a special relationship. Students chosen to participate in the program receive a free month-long intensive German course in Baden-Wurttemberg and $1500 to reimburse them for their international travel costs, medical insurance, and student activity fees. There are no tuition fees at Baden-Wurttemberg universities. Students retain eligibility for OSAP and OGS support. This program is made possible through a joint initiative of the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and universities and the Baden-Wurttemberg Ministry of Science and Research, in cooperation with the colleges and universities of these two jurisdictions. The program is open to students in all fields who, at the time they submit their application, are pursuing an undergraduate (in second year or higher) or postgraduate degree program at an Ontario university, and who will be registered in a degree program at an Ontario university while abroad. Students who are selected must enrol in a full-time course of study at a Baden-Wurttemberg university for the 1999-2000 academic year (mid-October to mid-July). Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Competence in German appropriate to the field and level of study is required. __________________________________________________________________________ Baden-Wurttemberg and its Universities: Baden-Wurttemberg is one of the sixteen states which make up the Federal Republic of Germany. Located in Germany's southwest corner, it borders on France and Switzerland. One of the most prosperous of the German states, Baden-Wurttemberg is famous for its combination of modern industry (including the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz) and beautiful scenery (the Black Forest). Baden-Wurttemberg and Ontario have developed a special relationship in the fields of education, government administration, and the arts. Baden- Wurttemberg's nine universities (Freiburg, Heidelberg, Hohenheim, Karlsruhe, Konstanz, Mannheim, Stuttgart, Tubingen, Ulm) participate in a partnership agreement with the Ontario university system. In addition to this regional partnership, a number of Ontario universities have institutional partnerships with Baden-Wurttemberg universities. ___________________________________________________________________________ Program Benefits: The program offers participating students significant benefits. For example, those chosen will: * receive $1500 to reimburse them for their travel costs, German health insurance premiums, and student activity fees * be invited to an orientation program (tentatively scheduled for a weekend in early May 1999) organized by the Ontario universities * receive an intensive German course from approximately Labour Day through the first week of October. This course includes free tuition, housing, and meals during the week, along with the opportunity to participate in field trips * be admitted to a Baden-Wurttemberg university through an expedited process; for example, they will be exempted from the German language test is usally required as a prerequisite to admission (the test may be administered later for course-placement purposes) * receive priority for residence space at their host university * continue to be eligible for OSAP and OGS support while in Germany. __________________________________________________________________________ Selection Procedures: The program is administered by a Program Committee with representation from all the Ontario universities. The Program Committee has agreed on selected procedures which ensure that spaces in the program are allocated equitably throughout the Ontario university system. Students will be selected on the basis of their academic record, their knowledge of German, and their ability to benefit academically and personally from studying and living in Baden- Wurttemberg. An interview is part of the selection process. Application forms are available from your home university (Distance Education) or the Program Office (address given below). Completed applications must be submitted to your home university by January 8, 1999 at the latest (but your university may set an earlier deadline). Applicants will be notified by mid -March whether or not they have been selected. __________________________________________________________________________ Placement: Universities in Baden-Wurttemberg, like those in Ontario, specialize in different teaching and research areas. Applicants should inform themselves about institutional strengths, preferences expressed by the universities in Ontario and Baden-Wurttemberg, and partnerships which exist between universities in Ontario and Baden-Wurttemberg, before deciding where to apply. A list of the programs of study offered at the Baden-Wurttemberg universities is available at your home university (at Lakehead University: Distance Education) or the Program Office can give you more detailed information. Applicants should indicate their first three choices of a host university. Every effort will be made to accommodate the preferences of those chosen to participate, but admission is at the discretion of the host university, and principles of equity and representative distribution may result in placement elsewhere. Applicants who have especially strong academic reasons for attending a particular Baden-Wurttemberg university should make these reasons clear in the study proposal they submit with their application. Undergraduates and graduate students who wish to take courses only (that is: who do not need access to specialized research centres or laboratory equipment) need not correspond with their prospective host university in advance. Graduate students who wish to work with a specific professor or who require specialized equipment must include with their application a letter of invitation from the institute, laboratory, or professor at which or with whom they wish to work. __________________________________________________________________________ Finances: Students participating in the program remain registered at their home university. There are no tuition fees at German universities. Each Ontario university has its won policy regarding the payment of tuition fees for students participating in the program. With the exception of the orientation weekend, travel and insurance reimbursement, and the free intensive language course, students participating in the program are expected to cover their living costs themselves. Cost vary by city, but university residences and cafeterias are heavily subsidized. As an example, the monthly cost at the University of Konstanz were estimated as follows for 1992-3; depending on university location and individual tastes and habits, actual costs may be higher or lower than this estimate: Estimated Montly Costs: Accommodation ...................... DM 350 Food, clothes, etc. ................... DM 500 Books and supplies ................. DM 60 Medical insurance, student activity fee ... DM 90 Total DM 1000 (approx. Cdn-$900.00) __________________________________________________________________________ Acadamic Year: The Academic year in Baden-Wurttemberg is divided into two semesters. The Winter Semester begins in mid-October; classes go until mid-February, with a short break for Christmas and New Year's. There is a reading and writing period until the start of the Summer Semester classes, which commence in mid-April and go until mid-July, followed again by a reading and writing period. Students living in residence may retain their rooms during the reading and writing periods. They may also be permitted to take jobs during these periods. __________________________________________________________________________ Courses: Except for a very small number of courses taught in English, the language of instruction at Baden-Wurttemberg universities is German. One of the primary goals of this Student Exchange is to allow students from both jurisdictions to participate, to the greatest extent possible, in the "reguar" academic activities of the host university. For these reasons, Ontario students interested in participating in the program must have competence in German appropriate to their field and level of study. In the humanities and social sciences, this will usually be equal to at least two (and preferable three) years of university instruction. Courses in "German as a Foreign Language" are offered by a number of Baden-Wurttemberg universities. Propective applicants with less than the recommended level of German are encouraged to contact the Program Office regarding the availability of suitable German courses in Ontario. Ontario students should coordinate their programs of study with their home university, which is solely responsible for the granting of credit for work done while on the program. Participlants must be registered in a degree program at their home university, and must engage in full-time study in Baden -Wurttemberg. Normally, Ontario students will attend at least six two-hour courses per semester, and should expect to receive credit for three or four courses per semester. Because of the different concept of "credit" which exists in Germany, the program will assist participating students in documenting the work done in Baden-Wurttemberg. __________________________________________________________________________ Advising in Baden-Wurttenberg: Each Baden-Wurttemberg university maintains an International Student Office which can advise and assist Ontario students who have questions relating to their studies. In addition, students at the host university who have studied in Ontario are eager to assist program participants. The two groups of students are introduced to each other at the orientation program held in Ontario in the spring. __________________________________________________________________________ Accommodation: Baden-Wurttemberg universities will do their best to obtain rooms in residence for Ontario participants. Living in residence is almost always less expensive and more convenient than trying to find private accommodation. At most universities, it is also a good way to meet German students. __________________________________________________________________________ Visa Requirements: Canadian citizens staying in the Federal Republic of Germany for longer than three months require a residence permit issued by a German consulate in Canada. For information on current regulations and procedures, please contact the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany: 77 Admiral Road Toronto, Ontario M5R 2L4 Tel: (416) 925-2813. __________________________________________________________________________ Further Information and Applications: Applications to the program are due no later than January 8, 1999 (but your university may set an earlier deadline). A complete application consists of the following: - a completed application form - a statement explaining (1) your reasons for applying and (2) your proposed course of study - a detailed curriculum vitae - a transcript from all post-secondary institutions you have attended, and a list of courses in which you are currently enrolled - an assessment of your competence in German, completed by a professor of German or a Goethe Insititue (please use the form supplied with the application) - two letters of reference from professors who know your work (preferably in the field(s) in which you wish to study in Germany - in the case of graduate students who wish to work with a specific professor or in a specific institute, an invitation from the host institute or professor Please submit your completed application with all documentation to the office at your home university from which you received this brochure. __________________________________________________________________________ For further information, please contact: Distance Education, Lakehead University Telephone (807) 343-8210 or: Ontario/Baden-Wurttemberg Student Exchange 105 Central Square York University 4700 Keele Street North York, Ontario M3J 1P3 Telephone: (416) 736-5927; fax: (416) 736-5461; Internet: otbw@vm2.yorku.ca