FAQ for SUD’s Candidates and Students

We compiled this FAQ to answer the questions most applicants to the SUD study program may ask themselves during the application process.

A Bachelor degree in the respective fields of Architecture, Urban Planning, Civil Engineering, Geography, Political or Social Sciences is a prerequisite for admission.

Applicants need to submit proof that they have a proficient level (C1) in English.

The list of the equivalent certifcates (IELTS, TOEFL…) and level accepted by the TU Darmstadt is available here. (opens in new tab)

We are interested in students from diverse educational backgrounds to increase participatory exchange among students. Initial work experience is certainly helpful in this regard, but is not a prerequisite for admission to the program. We expect you to want to deal with technical, economic and ecological issues. In any case, an interview determines the final result of the application.

Once the application period closed, the International Admission Office examines your documents. After a successful general examination of your documents your certificates are examined in the department from a subject-related point of view. A mandatory motivation letter explaining why you want to study the course helps to evaluate the suitability of the candidates.

Once the department has checked that you meet the requirements for the study program, you will be assigned a topic on which you should make a 2-3 minute short video to be sent to us.

Finally, a mandatory interview is conducted with the selected candidates. Once evaluated, the decision about admission is made.

You are advised to check the application account with which you applied. The status of your application is updated there. For further issues or technical difficulties please contact the office for international admissions at international.admission@zv.tu-darmstadt.de.

You will be informed about admission or rejection shortly after the interview. You will receive the official admission/rejection letter by post within 4-6 weeks afterwards.

You may contact the international admission office at: international.admission@pvw.tu-darmstadt.de.

The data is deleted from the system after one year for data protection reasons.

The language of instruction is English. It is therefore necessary to have a solid capacity to understand and use the English language, both in writing and speaking. An IELTS or TOEFL certificate is therefore required as a part of your admission documents.

We also recommend having a basic level of German for day-to-day use. Additionally, the university offers language courses, which students are welcome to join in addition to their study program.

Our program is a full-time program, with about 20 hours lecture time per week. An additional 20 hours per week should be invested by students on lecture content (e.g., preparing for and following up on classes). The lecture-free time should be used for explicit exam preparation. Therefore, it is advisable that students do not make any other firm commitments.

No internship is included in the study program. However, it is possible to pause the studies for an internship; e.g. after completion of the 3rd semester at the Vietnamese-German-University in Vietnam and before the start of the master's thesis. We do not provide internships but we can provide recommendation letters to support you in your search.

You can find a basic description of the lectures here . For more information, please consult the Course Catalog on TUCaN or the course's page in Moodle (TU Darmstadt's Learning Platform)

Information and tips about the Master's thesis can be found here.

The joint degree program of SUD is awarded by the two accredited academic institutions: TU Darmstadt and VGU. Students get one certificate with the name of both universities, which are internationally recognised.

There are plenty of job opportunities in Germany, but most require a strong level of German. The program is oriented internationally. Hence, the focus of the course content is not limited to the special conditions in Germany, but we focus on our student’s background and try to create transnational learning opportunities.

The first semester in Germany (winter term) begins towards mid-October until mid-February. From mid-February till mid-April examinations take place. The second semester (summer term) begins towards mid-April until mid-July. From mid-July till mid-October examinations take place. However, we take care to arrange all examinations before beginning of September to avoid overlapping with the semester in Vietnam. You can find more information about on the date of the academical year here

The modules to be completed at TU Darmstadt are offered as weekly courses during the whole semester, i.e. each module takes approximately 3 hours each week (+ about 3 hours of weekly self study per module), during 13-15 weeks. Toward the end of each term, some courses may ask the student to submit a study examination (Studienleistung) to check the competences acquired by the student, in addition or in remplacement to traditional exams.

Students need a computer and a stable internet connection to study during their first semester at the TU Darmstadt, as many courses of the first semester are offered online.

Some of the software that students will need to practice on during their studies (e.g. ArcGIS Pro) require a Windows operating system. Students with a different operating system can use the computers of the university's PC pool during their opening hours. Students not in Darmstadt are responsible for the organisation of their access to a computer with Windows operating system.

Student are expected to:

  • be able to finance their studies as well as their stays in Germany and Vietnam by their own means
  • be able to focus full-time on studying
  • be able to use the university systems (TUCaN, Moodle…) to read the information provided and to find information by themselves
  • be able to speak and write fluently English
  • be able to write scientific reports in English (or to learn how to)
  • be able to learn basic economic and scientific calculations
  • be able to adapt to cultural differences, both in teaching practices and societal environment

Examinations at the TU Darmstadt are always offered at the end of the lecture period in the following lecture-free period (mid-February to mid-April and mid-July to mid-October).

Yes: Since exams are offered in all modules during the lecture-free periods (i.e. twice a year), you can take the exam during the lecture-free period after the next semester.

Please note that once passed an exam cannot be re-taken to improve the grade.

The TU Darmstadt differentiates between technical examinations (Fachprüfung, commonly simply named “Prüfung”) and study examinations (Studienleistung). For technical examinations, a student has three attempts to pass the exam. In one single technical examination in the entire study program, a supplementary oral examination can be conducted at the student's request if the second retake examination is also not passed. In case the examination is passed in the oral examination, only the grade “sufficient (ausreichend)” can be awarded.

Study examinations (Studienleistungen) may be retaken an unlimited number of times until they are passed, but are only possible in the semester in which the course is offered (either winter or summer).

Registration for and deregistration from „Technical Examinations“ („Fachprüfungen“) and „Study Examinations“ („Studienleistungen“) is only possible via TUCaN. Students must register and deregister themselves for examinations in TUCaN (during the regular registration and deregistration period). Teaching staff do not have the system rights to register and deregister students.

If registration or deregistration is not possible due to technical problems, the study office must be contacted immediately. A reference to technical problems after the regular registration or deregistration deadline without contacting the Office of Student Affairs within the deregistration deadline will not be accepted. It is not necessary to deregister from a study performance, as study performances can be repeated indefinitely.

The registration period for examinations in the winter semester is usually from 15 November to 15 December. The registration period in the summer semester is usually the month of June.

Withdrawal from examinations without giving reasons is possible at Department 13 up to 8 days before the examination exclusively via TUCaN.

De-registration for an exam is usually allowed only up to 8 days before the exam (see previous question) at department 13.

Afterwards, withdrawal is only possible in case of illness, proved by a medical certificate. The medical certificate (“Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung”, Attest) must be submitted to the office for student affairs no later than three calendar days after the examination date via the Online-Form for sick notes (save the automatic reply!)

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Date of Examination -->Medical certificate must be submitted to the study office on the following…

  • Monday --> Thursday
  • Tuesday --> Friday
  • Wednesday --> Monday
  • Thursday --> Monday
  • Friday --> Monday
  • Saturday --> Tuesday

Public holidays can change the deadline for submitting certificates.

These regulations apply to all modules offered by TU, regardless of whether they are written in Germany or from Vietnam.

They apply to all SUD students, regardless of whether they had their first matriculation at TU or VGU.

An unexcused non-appearance at a “technical examination” is graded with a 5.0 and means you used one of your three attempts at the exam.

If you fail to appear for an examination at the third attempt without an excuse, you forfeit the right to take a supplementary oral examination. This means a final failure to pass the module and thus the unsuccessful completion of the degree programme.

In this case the rules of the General Examination Regulations of the Darmstadt University of Technology (APB), § 32 Supplementary oral examination (“Mündliche Ergänzungsprüfung”) apply. It states that (translation of the 2022 version for information purposes only, please check the current rules):

(1) Upon application, a supplementary oral examination may be taken once per degree programme in a written examination failed for the second time. (…) The application must be submitted to the relevant study office within one month of the announcement of the examination result (deadline). If no application is received within this period, the subject examination is definitively failed. The entitlement to a supplementary oral examination is forfeited if the candidates have not taken part in the written examination, have not worked on the tasks or the examination is declared insufficient due to attempted cheating. (…)

(2) (…) On the basis of the oral supplementary examination, the grade of the second resit examination is determined as “sufficient” (4.0) or “insufficient” (5.0) (…).

The winter semester in Vietnam begins towards the end of September (usually on the 3rd Monday in September) and ends in March/April.

Students require a reference letter from VGU which takes approximately 1 month to prepare by the VGU authorities, among other documents. Refer to the consulate you will be applying from.

Students can apply for the Visa at the Vietnam consulate in Frankfurt or Berlin with the reference letter and other documents. The Visa is only provided for the period of your semester in Vietnam which is approximately 7 months.

To complete the program, students must spend at least one semester at the Vietnamese-German-University. This is usually the 3rd semester. However, it is also possible to study at VGU in the 5th semester.

The modules to be completed at the VGU are offered as block courses, i.e. each module takes approximately 4 weeks. At the end of each module, the associated examination immediately takes place. In total there are 6 modules to be completed.

In addition to the exam at the end of each module, one additional exam is offered each year. This can be taken at the VGU or at the TU Darmstadt.

The course duration at VGU is from September to April. The students can only stay for the duration of the semester, VGU will be unable to support you after that. However, if you choose to write your thesis in Vietnam and continue to stay there, the university will provide you with further documents for the extension of your stay.

Yes, the master thesis can also be written at VGU. You only need a supervisor either at VGU or one from TU Darmstadt.

If there is a project and appropriate funding for recruitment, students can apply for a position as a student assistant in VGU.

Currently there is no information about any scholarships provided by VGU.

First, tap water is not drinking. Students are advised to buy bottled water.

Second, precaution towards mosquitoes are highly advised to our students as Dengue is of concern in the location where the campus is located. Students are advised to use mosquito repellents indoors and outdoors and speak to the doctor if any symptoms are noticed.

Third, it is advised to avoid walking alone when the sun sets and in more remote areas such as parks and empty streets at any time. This is especially the case for women. Besides, it is recommended to avoid wearing objects of high value.

There are no tuition fees for TU Darmstadt. However, students are required to pay a semester fee of about €295 per semester. For detailed information about semester fee and re-registration periods please check https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieren_von_a_bis_z/artikel_details_de_en_286144.en.jsp

After paying the semester fee, each student receives a student ID card. This student card entitles the holder to free use of public transport in Darmstadt and southern Hesse. For further information: https://www.asta.tu-darmstadt.de/de/angebote/semesterticket (text only in German).

Tuition fees at VGU are approximately €2,000 per semester for international students.

Further details of the tuition fees in VGU can be found at https://vgu.edu.vn/tuition-fees/for-master-programs

It is compulsory for students to have a valid and sufficient health insurance for enrolment at every German university. For further information: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studierende_tu/internationale_studierende_1/aufenthalt_international/artikel_details_de_en_77952.en.jsp

Payment for your Health Insurance is credited only after you land in Germany and open your German bank account. You must register yourself at your Health Insurance company and provide them with the details of your arrival in Germany (flight details etc.). Please contact your Health Insurance company for more details.

Monthly living cost in Darmstadt can be calculated by:

  • Accommodation in a student dormitory: 300€ – 450€
  • Accommodation in shared flat/flat: 350€ – 550€
  • Grocery/clothes/other: 300€ – 500€
  • Cell phone: 10€-15€
  • Public health insurance:110€
  • Additional private insurance (liability,travel etc): 30-40€

Please check which insurance is needed in your individual case: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studierende_tu/internationale_studierende_1/aufenthalt_international/artikel_details_de_en_77952.en.jsp

Total: 850€-1000€

Monthly living cost in Ho Chi Minh City can be calculated by:

  • Accommodation in a student dormitory:35€
  • Accommodation in flat:250€ (40km away from the campus)
  • Grocery/clothes/other: 120 – 200€
  • Cell phone:10€
  • Transport cost:120€ – 260€ (from Ho Chi Minh City to the campus; campus to dorms is free)
  • Taxi: 1€ for first kilometer, 0,50€ from the next
  • Miscellaneous (stationary, clothes etc.):110€ – 250€

Total: 400€-600€

*Please note, these costs depend on an individual’s lifestyle. It may vary from person to person.

The housing and university dorm situation is currently very tense in Darmstadt. It is advisable to apply for a spot at the student dorms and apartments well before arrival and in advance.

TU Darmstadt’s International Student Service offers a housing assistance. Please see https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studieninteressierte/internationale_studieninteressierte/organisation_des_aufenthalts_inbound/artikel_details_de_en_97920.en.jsp

Other options can be the website WG-Gesucht or online facebook pages which offer shared flat options. Students should apply for many shared flats, as the reply rate to requests for visit is usually less than 10% and some students visit up to 30 flats before finding one that accepts them!

In Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is 40km away from the main campus where the classes will be held. As traffic can be really congested in Vietnam, it can take up to 2 hours to reach the campus from HCMC. We therefore advise students to opt for dorm options. The list of dorm registration is always sent to the VGU Dorm Manager, who works to arrange the rooms for the students. VGU will ultimately have the final confirmation by the end of June. More detailed information about the stay in Vietnam will be personally shared with students after the confirmation.

Please note that our program is a full-time program, with about 20 hours lecture time per week and an additional 20 hours per week should be invested by students on lecture content (e.g., preparing for and following up on classes). The lecture-free time should be used for explicit exam preparation. Therefore, it is advisable that students do not make any other firm commitments.

A lot of information on scholarship searches can be found on https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/funding-and-career At TU Darmstadt, international students can apply for the Deutschlandstipendium and, in the final phase, for a graduation scholarship. Both are not full scholarships and are only paid out for a limited time. It is therefore advisable to apply to scholarship providers in your home country, e.g. the DAAD https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/scholarships/, or to look for other financing options.

There are several ways to receive a scholarship to fund one's stay at VGU:

You can apply for both the DAAD Travel Scholarship and the PROMOS Scholarship. Please note, however, that you can only receive one of the two.

About the PROMOS Scorlarship:

  • All important information regarding PROMOS can be found on this webpage.
  • SUD-students interested in a PROMOS scholarship are asked to contact promos@zv.tu-darmstadt.de early.
  • Application Deadlines:
    • October 15th – November 15th (for stays between January and July of the following year)
    • April 15th – June 15th (for stays between July and December of the same year)

This depends on the country you are applying from. Please consult the local embassy/consulate for updated regulations on issuing entry visas and residence permits. We suggest taking early precautions and applying as soon as possible.

Apart from your personal documents (IELTS, Degree certificates, proof of funds etc.) you will need the invitation/acceptance letter to study at TU Darmstadt as the primary proof for coming to Germany. Please be informed from the German embassy of the city you are applying from for further documents.

National entry visa to Germany is given for 3 or 6 months (this depends on the country you apply from and the German consulate in that country. Usually, it is for 3 months). This should be renewed after the students arrive in Germany. Upon arrival, they are required to apply for a residence permit for their entire period of study. The duration of the residence permit depends on the amount of money in your blocked account. In Darmstadt for example, the residence permit is extended only for one year maximum (depending upon the funds in your blocked account). Hence, students have to renew their visa once the existing visa expires.

If you were accepted, you can apply again for the next term and don’t have to attend the interview.

However, we are aware that it is a strenuous procedure for most students, hence we are offering the first semester online which gives you plenty of time to apply for the visa and arrive in Germany before the second semester begins.

For information on visa, please check: https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/studieren/studierende_tu/internationale_studierende_1/aufenthalt_international/artikel_details_de_en_269184.en.jsp

Contact at TU Darmstadt: International Student Service: iss@zv.tu-darmstadt.de

Please contact Mr. Tri (tri.hua@tu-darmstadt.de) for questions regarding the study programme, and the International Coordinator, Ms. Regine Sauerwein, (international@bauing.tu-darmstadt.de) for organizational questions.

You can also find below useful links to important support services for students and prospective students.