Main Content
Location
Located in northwest Germany, Hochschule Bielefeld – University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSBI), serves over 10,000 students and values hands-on teaching and research. Due to HSBI’s close cooperation with regional and trans-regional businesses, like Miele, a manufacturer of domestic appliances, and Dr. Oetker, a food-processing company, students have the opportunity to participate actively in professional life. The HSBI campus includes several student cafeterias, fitness centers and study spaces. For more information, please take the virtual tour on HSBI’s website.
Bielefeld is a city of about 330,000 inhabitants with a large student population. It boasts several theaters and museums, as well as Sparrenberg Castle, a 16th century fortress located in the Teutoburg Forest. Bielefeld has a well-linked transportation system of buses, trams and trains that students can access to travel around Bielefeld as well as the surrounding area. Both the city and university are culturally diverse with a sizable population that has family roots in Turkey, Iraq, and Greece. Germany, a member of the European Union, is known for its economic strength, focus on sustainability and engineering expertise.
Application
DEADLINE: Applications are due March 7, 2025.
Academic Content
Students participating in this exchange program must be of sophomore standing or above at the time of departure and must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above.
Students will attend classes at HSBI for a semester or academic year. Instruction will take place in English, and students will have the opportunity to take a German language course as well. Students will take classes with German and international students and will pick from courses in Business and Engineering. Please review available courses in English on the HSBI website. HSBI courses are generally worth 5-6 ECTS, which is the equivalent of 2.5-3 UW credits. Students will typically earn 24 UW quarter credits per semester. Please reach out to uwtintl@uw.edu to learn which HSBI courses have been approved. Be sure to talk with your academic advisor about how these courses will fit into your academic schedule.
University exchanges are well suited for students who want to enroll in university courses in a variety of academic disciplines, seek full immersion in the student life and culture of a foreign university and society, and desire a high degree of personal independence.
Program Dates
Winter Semester: September 22, 2025 to February 6, 2026
**It is highly recommended that students participate in Freshers' Weeks, which begins September 1, 2025. This three-week orientation period, organized by the HSBI International Office, will help you manage all the necessary formalities after arrival, improve your German language skills and make new friends. The Freshers' Weeks includes a free and intensive German language course as well as free culture and extracurricular activities. The Financial Aid Budget sheet for this program includes the additional costs for Freshers' Weeks. For more information, review the Guide for International students here.**
Housing and Daily Life
Most students will live in on-campus student halls, or dormitories, while studying at HSBI. The International Office will assist students in their search for housing. Upon arrival in Bielefeld, you will meet your buddy - a more experienced student at HSBI - who will assist you with all steps through the official bureaucracy and into everyday life in Bielefeld and at the HSBI. You will be able to attend various trips and events with your buddy as well.
With your HSBI student ID you will have access to free public transport (trams, buses, local trains) in and around Bielefeld for the entirety of your stay. For more information about daily life at HSBI, please read the Guide for International Students and view this video.
Travel Documents
UW Tacoma Study Abroad is not responsible for obtaining visas for study abroad program participants. The cost and requirements for obtaining visas vary. It is your responsibility to determine visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad, including countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program. You can research visa requirements by contacting the consular offices of those countries. You can read more about this topic on the Passports and Visas page of the UW Study Abroad website.
Note: If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements. You can check the following the U.S. Department of State website to find contact information for the consulate of the country you will be visiting. For non-U.S. citizens, entry and exit procedures into a country may be different than those for U.S. citizens. It is important to investigate requirements as soon as possible in order to assemble documents and allow time for lengthy visa processing times (if applicable).
Program Cost 
Program Fee: $6,880
Included in the program fee:
- $470 Administrative Fee
- Classes at HSBI
- Field trips
- Company visits
- Cultural activities
- Local transportation pass
- Support from HSBI International Office
- Personal mentoring program
Not included in the program fee:
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Travel to/from Germany
- 320 Euro HSBI semester fee
- Health insurance
2025 Budget Sheet:
How to apply
Timeline
1. Apply via our online application system by March 7, 2025.
2. Upon your acceptance by UW Tacoma, you will be nominated to HSBI.
3. Upon your acceptance to HSBI, complete HSBI's student application. Then complete required documents.
4. Work with HSBI to secure housing, course registration, etc.
5. Complete UW Tacoma requirements, including pre-departure orientation.
6. Participate in exchange program.