Master of Arts in German as a Foreign and Second Language in the Vietnamese-German Context Leipzig University

If you are keen to combine in-depth expertise in German as a foreign and second language with a specialisation in Vietnam and the Southeast Asian region, our Master’s programme offers you an excellent opportunity to do so. The programme is a joint offering of Leipzig University and Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi. You will study together with your Vietnamese fellow students in the second semester in Hanoi, and in the first, third, and fourth semesters in Leipzig. A wide array of internship opportunities is available to you in both Vietnam and Germany. Thanks to DAAD support for this degree course, we are currently able to offer full scholarships for your semester in Vietnam. You will combine theory and practice through project-related work focusing on the Vietnamese cultural and linguistic area, engage in intensive exchange with various stakeholders in the professional field, and immerse yourself in a new (academic) culture. You will complete the MA with a double degree from two internationally renowned institutions.

The German as a Foreign and Second Language in the Vietnamese-German Context binational Master's programme prepares you for a wide range of professional activities. In addition to research and teaching, these include media and publishing, cultural management, and international organisations. You will be qualified in particular for roles in language and cultural exchange, as well as in academic contexts, with a specialisation in German-speaking regions, Vietnam, and South-East Asia.

The courses are arranged in modules (lectures, seminars, tutorials). Students must complete a module from each of the three core areas of the field (methodology/didactics, linguistics/phonetics, and cultural studies).

University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS) at Vietnam National University, Hanoi (VNU) Vietnam

The Master’s programme includes a compulsory internship module for all students. Lasting at least five weeks, this internship should be completed at one of the cooperating organisations or institutions.

For detailed information about the admission procedure and requirements, please consult our website.

Mandatory registration fees allow students to use public transport free of charge and the university's refectories and cafeterias at reduced prices. The registration fee for the 2026 summer semester was approximately 312 EUR.

Compared with other German cities, the cost of living in Leipzig is relatively low. Students should budget around 750 to 800 EUR per month to cover their living expenses, including rent, food, and materials for their studies.

Students can apply for various part-time jobs or work as student assistants on campus.

For the obligatory stay abroad, students are provided with a monthly scholarship by DAAD that covers transport and living expenses in Hanoi.

International students enrolled at Leipzig University can choose between staying in a student residence hall ("Wohnheim") or private accommodation. There are about 5,200 students living in student residence halls (https://www.studentenwerk-leipzig.de/wohnen). Rent for a room varies between 215 and 435 EUR per month, depending on location and facilities. Students can choose single apartments with en-suite facilities or a shared flat with fellow students. Private furnished or unfurnished accommodation in Leipzig is also available and can be found in the local paper, on flyers around campus, or on the Internet (e.g. social media).