Romance Studies / Romanistik / Español como Lengua Extranjera University of Bonn

The structured exchange programme between the Romance Studies Department in Bonn and the Departamento de Lengua Española at the University of Salamanca offers students the opportunity to obtain, within a two-year period, both the two-year Master’s degree in Romance Studies from Bonn and the one-year Master’s degree in Español como Lengua Extranjera (ELE) from Salamanca. In this way, the broad philological, literary, and linguistic profile of the Bonn programme is uniquely combined with the application-oriented and professionally relevant competencies developed in Salamanca, which are grounded at the highest level in linguistics and language pedagogy.

The prestigious and internationally oriented degree programme in Salamanca, which is subject to stringent admission requirements, reserves two places per academic year exclusively for students from Bonn. The exchange programme concludes with a linguistics Master’s thesis written in Spanish in accordance with Bonn’s academic regulations (30 ECTS credits), which is evaluated and recognised by both universities. Graduates are awarded two Master’s degrees.

As part of the structured exchange programme between the two Master’s degrees in “Romance Studies” and “Español como Lengua Extranjera,” students begin their studies at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, the tradition-rich “cradle of Romance philology,” which, since its founding figure Friedrich Diez, has been shaped by outstanding linguists and philologists such as Wilhelm Meyer-Lübke and Ernst Robert Curtius.

In the second semester or academic year, students continue their studies at the Universidad de Salamanca, founded in the thirteenth century and thus the oldest university in Spain, where the enduring humanistic tradition of linguistic scholarship was established by Antonio de Nebrija. In this beautiful and vibrant university city on the Río Tormes, students follow in the footsteps of Spain’s most renowned writers and scholars, from the two Siglos de Oro to contemporary Spain.

The Bonn curriculum is firmly rooted in Romance philology: linguistics, literary studies, and cultural studies can be pursued in the three major Romance languages—Spanish, French, and Italian. A disciplinary focus on linguistic modules is required in preparation for the period of study abroad in the professionally oriented field of “Spanish as a Foreign Language,” which is characterised by a systematic approach to content acquisition in line with the most up-to-date methodological standards.

Universidad de Salamanca

Please check the website below for application periods.

Applications are open to graduates of German and foreign universities who have obtained a first professional qualification in a Romance studies programme with Spanish as their first language, or who have completed Romance studies modules totalling at least 60 ECTS credits (with Spanish as their first language). Proof must be provided, in the form of credits earned, of modules in the Bachelor’s programme in the fields of literature, linguistics and cultural studies, as well as practical language skills in Spanish as a first language (CEFR level C1). Knowledge of English and Latin is also recommended.

Practical language skills in Spanish as a first language (CEFR level C1)

The University of Bonn is a public university, meaning that it does not charge tuition fees. However, all students must pay the semester fee of about 350 EUR per semester, which covers a Deutschlandsemesterticket (student transit pass for public transport) and statutory accident insurance, among other things.

Students in Bonn can expect to pay around 1,000 EUR a month, with rent accounting for the largest share of their living costs.

The University of Bonn has a central Career Service (www.uni-bonn.de/careerservice), which provides a range of advice and support about choosing a career and applying for jobs. International students can also join the iStart career programme (www.uni-bonn.de/istart), which teaches participants tangible knowledge and valuable skills that will enable them to write successful applications for jobs in Germany. The programme is geared toward giving students a successful career path both during and after their studies and thus making it easier for them to enter the job market.

Students at the University of Bonn can apply for a room in a dormitory owned by the Studierendenwerk Bonn (see www.studierendenwerk-bonn.de/en/accommodation for more details).

For further information on housing in Bonn, please visit our website at www.uni-bonn.de/living-in-bonn.