- Location: Germany - Cologne
- GPA Requirements: 2.75 GPA
- Program Structure: Structured - not direct enrollment
- Application Deadline: Fall: February 20 | Spring: September 20
- Program Term(s): Fall, Spring, academic year
- Official Website: University of Cologne Global Study Program (CGSP)
| Term | Start Date | End Date |
| Fall 2024 (called Winter Term in Germany) | October 9th, 2024 | February 2nd, 2024 |
| Spring 2025 (called Summer Term in Germany) | Early-April, 2025 | Mid-July, 2025 |
| Fall 2025 (called Winter Term in Germany) | Early-October, 2025 | Early-February, 2025 |
These dates are tentative. Confirm program dates before booking travel.
*CGSP students have the option to do an “early leaver” program for the winter semester, in order to return to Allegheny for the start of our spring semester. Instead of February, the program will end mid to late December.
Where: Cologne, Germany
Located on the Rhine River, Cologne is an ideal site for study in Germany. It is rich in art and culture, and although its history dates back to Roman times, it is a modern and vibrant center. Known as the broadcast center of Germany, Cologne is also one of the country’s most cosmopolitan cities, with large ethnic neighborhoods and international arts festivals. Cologne is considered a university city, with more than 100,00 students studying at more than 20 institutes of higher education.
Academics
The Cologne Global Study Program (CGSP) is an academic certification program designed for students of the University of Cologne’s partner universities. It combines classes on Contemporary European Studies (taught in English) and German language courses. The program’s main goal is to provide an academic environment for exchange students who do not speak German but wish to study at the University of Cologne. Core courses in Contemporary European Studies are clustered in three different subject areas: History & Culture, Economy & Society, and Politics & Law. The core course catalog is updated each semester. Students are also enrolled in German as a foreign language courses during the semester and have the option to attend a pre-semester language course. The program consists of German language classes for beginners or advanced German classes if you already studied German. Students may also choose to take European Studies electives in the wider University curriculum.
Courses
For a full list of course offerings and more information about the program, see CGSP’s brochure here and here.
Credits and Grades
The University of Cologne uses the European Credit Transfer System, ECTS for short, and you divide the ECTS credit value in half to get the US credit value. Most modules in the CGSP are 3 ECTS credits which converts to 1.5 credits at Allegheny. German language classes are typically 9 ECTS so they come back as credits at Allegheny. If students complete the entire CGSP and receive letter grades for all of their courses equivalent to a C or better, they will earn 30 ECTS credits or 15 credits at Allegheny for the entire program.
Eligibility
2.75 G.P.A. No German language requirement. Students must meet with the Allegheny German department before applying to the program.
Housing & Student Life
Allegheny students are guaranteed housing and are expected to live in one of the 84 dormitories managed by the Koelner Studentenwerk. All housing is located off-campus and is managed by the Koelner Studentenwerk and not the University.
With over 50 different student organizations to choose from and a variety of extracurricular activities to participate in, students will always find something to do in the vibrant city of Cologne.
Visa Information
U.S. citizens will apply for a residency permit upon arrival. Please coordinate with the university regarding your permit. Non-U.S. citizens should consult with the Global Education office regarding the visa application process.
Application Process
Allegheny students must apply for approval to study off-campus from the Global Education office AND apply directly to their chosen program. For this program, the program requires a nomination from Allegheny’s Global Education Office before students can apply directly to the program. So, students must complete the Allegheny approval application and then wait for further instructions to apply to their program. The Allegheny approval application deadline is February 20 for fall programs and September 20 for spring programs. Study away approval applications will be reviewed immediately following the appropriate semester deadline. After a student has been approved by Allegheny, the Global Education office will send the student’s nomination and/or application documents to the program abroad. Students will receive instructions directly from the host program’s visiting student office with their next steps. For more information about the study away application process, please visit the application steps page.
Fees & Costs
Below find information on estimated costs for a semester abroad. You will receive a bill from Allegheny College, as you normally would, for the amount shown under “Costs Paid to Allegheny College.” All other study away program costs will be paid directly to a non-Allegheny entity and are listed in part two below. These amounts are estimates and will vary depending on individual choices. A total estimated cost of attendance for this program is shown at the bottom.
All financial aid awards can be applied to study abroad costs with the exception of federal work-study awards and certain tuition exchange scholarships. For more information, visit our page about Financing Study Away.
Part One: Costs Paid to Allegheny College
| Tuition (12 to 20 credits) Students do not pay tuition directly to the University of Cologne. Instead, students continue to pay tuition to Allegheny College. This covers tuition at the University of Cologne. |
$27,930 |
| Study Away Fee | $800 |
| SUBTOTAL Paid to Allegheny College | $28,730 |
Part Two: Costs Paid to non-Allegheny Entity
| Housing – Paid directly to housing provider in Cologne; Cologne has a variety of housing options and costs at each facility vary. The cost quoted here is approximately $750/month. |
$3,000 |
| Estimated Costs for Meals – Students typically live in non-catered housing without a meal plan. Students grocery shop and cook on their own. Quoted here is approximately $20/day for independent meals. |
$2,000 |
| Estimated Airfare | $1,200 |
| Estimated Visa and Immigration Expenses | $70 |
| Estimated University of Cologne Semester Fee | $325 |
| Estimated Local Transportation | $300 |
| Estimated Personal Expenses Personal expenses include: the basic expenses for laundry, toiletries and other incidental expenses. It does not include an estimate for personal travel, entertainment or social outings. |
$250 |
| SUBTOTAL Paid to NON-Allegheny entity | $7,145 |
TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE
| Subtotal Part One: Fees paid to Allegheny College (in section 1. above) PLUS | $28,730 |
| Subtotal Part Two: Fees paid to non-Allegheny entity (in section 2. above) | $7,145 |
| TOTAL COST OF ATTENDANCE | $35,875 *** |
| ***Compare this to the cost of a semester at Allegheny in Meadville. |
NOTES:
Study Away Fee includes: administrative support, transcript translation and processing, pre-departure orientation, and emergency travel insurance.