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Fall, Spring, Academic Year, Summer
Lüneburg, Germany
Resident
• Clear Interest and Commitment
• Demonstrated Preparedness/Maturity
• Minimum 2.5 GPA
• Good academic and disciplinary standing
• No German language required
• Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing at the time the program begins
• Approval by UI and USAC
• Attendance at orientations
• 18 years of age
• September 24 for Spring
• February 24 for Fall and Academic Year
• March 1 for Summer
Check the 'Costs' section under the Application tab.
The USAC Lüneburg program is ideal for students interested in learning the German language and focusing on European Studies—specifically Germany's role within the European Union. Through formal coursework and personal interaction with the host culture, you will greatly expand your language skills and knowledge of German society. Lüneburg offers students the quality of life of a smaller community without sacrificing the cultural resources and activities of a large metropolitan city. Lüneburg is also only 30 minutes away from former East Germany, providing a unique vantage point from which to study the dynamics of reunification.
During the semester, the program offers three diverse academic areas: German Language, Literature, and European Studies. The intensive language approach allows you to complete up to two years of university language requirements in one semester. Additional courses in economics, history, culture, art history, literature, intercultural communication, and politics are taught in German or English to provide a well-rounded curriculum. You may choose to stay for one semester or a full year.
The summer Lüneburg program offers two separate 5-week sessions, or students can be combine the two sessions for one 10-week session. An intensive language approach allows you to complete up to one semester of language study in five weeks, or a year in ten weeks; you can choose courses from: Intensive German Language and German and European Studies. However, the academic courses are only a part of the intended value of a program abroad. Participation in cultural activities, festivals, field trips and an optional tour to Berlin also form an integral part of the program.
The list of the courses being offered during the upcoming sessions be found here: USAC Course Offerings
Unless UI Study Abroad has an approval on file for the courses you take abroad to be applied toward a specific major, minor, certificate, or general education requirement, you will receive general elective credit for your course.
If you plan to apply the credit you receive for your program course to a major, minor, certificate, or general education requirement, contact your UI study abroad advisor for details on the process.
You are encouraged to participate in the included program excursions and activities, in addition to the field trips built into some of your courses. Dates and exact locations are at the discretion of the Resident Director and they vary from session and session and semester to semester.
More information about excursions and activities can be found on the USAC website.
Program dates vary from year to year, but typically follow the University of Iowa’s academic calendar.
This program is offered for a semester, academic year, or during the summer session.
Two month-long sessions are offered each summer. Students can choose to study during either one or both of the summer sessions.
You can find the specific dates for the upcoming sessions on the USAC website
Study Abroad
1111 University Capitol Centre
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: 319-335-0353
Email: study-abroad@uiowa.edu
Lüneburg is a vibrant university town located in a beautiful medieval setting just 30 minutes away from Hamburg. With a population of nearly 75,000 people, Lüneburg offers an extraordinary opportunity to live in the beauty and history of a city dating back more than a thousand years.
The city was established as a resuly of the salt pits located nearby and in 1189 the town enjoyed rapid expansion under the protection of Henry the Lion. For several centuries, Lüneburg was one of the wealthiest towns in Germany and enjoyed many privileges and much prestige. Magnificent buildings, townhouses, and fortifications with triple ramparts were built, as well as a moat, watch towers, and town gates.
Today, Lüneburg is building upon its reputation as a resort destination. Besides a large salt water swimming pool with artificial waves, it offers excellent examples of northern German Gothic brick architecture, the thirteenth- to fourteenth-century church of St. John, a beautiful medieval and Renaissance main square, a monastery founded in 1172, and other historical treasures too numerous to mention.
Germany is the most populous member of the EU, has the world’s 4th largest economy, and boasts a high standard of living. It is famous for its contributions to the arts and sciences throughout history. You can learn more about Germany at Deutschland.de.
The US Department of State provides safety and security information for every country of the world to help you assess for yourself the risks of travel. Each country information page contains a Travel Advisory, Alerts, and other important details specific to that country that could affect you.
Pay close attention to the entry and exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, and other details to help decide whether traveling to any given country is right for you. Non-US citizen travelers may also wish to seek guidance from the embassy of their country of citizenship. The UI International Travel Policy for Students addresses restrictions on student travel to high-risk locations and engagement in high-risk activities abroad.
Accommodations are available in private apartments, and occasionally in homestays around the city. Accommodations are arranged by USAC in consultation with the student.
More information about housing can be found on the USAC website.
During the semester and academic year sessions, the housing fee is not included in the course fee. Students pay rent for their accommodations each month. You will need to have a plan and budget in place to withdraw the amount needed for monthly rent.
For summer programs, housing is included in the course fee.
All students need a valid passport to participate in this program. You can find details about applying for a passport on the UI Study Abroad Travel Documentation website.
Students will work with their program provider to make travel arrangements to their program site. The cost of travel is not included in the course fee. UI Study Abroad will not arrange a group flight to your study abroad destination.
Do not purchase plane tickets until you have received instructions on how to do so from your program provider.
Lüneburg's train station is a short walk from the center of the city, providing students with a link to other major German cities as well as the rest of Europe. Lüneburg also has excellent bus service, and is bike-friendly.
This program is open to University of Iowa students who fulfill the following requirements:
Program eligibility requirements may change per USAC policies. Before applying, it is important that you review the eligibility requirements listed on the USAC website for your program to ensure you meet all listed requirements.
Students will be responsible for paying many of their program costs through their University of Iowa U-Bill, while other costs will be out-of-pocket costs paid by the student directly to vendors before and after going abroad. Refer to the cost sheets below for details on the costs associated with this program.
The cost sheets outline the total estimated costs associated with participating in this program and can be used for financial aid purposes. They include fees charged on students’ U-Bill as well as out-of-pocket expenses. Actual out-of-pocket expenses will vary from individual to individual. Quoted estimates are conservatively high, yet realistic.
Costs for future sessions are usually similar to the current session, however students can expect a modest increase in overall costs each session. Final cost sheets for future sessions are typically available early in the semester before the session begins.
The cost sheets are based on the fees described below:
Cost sheets do not include the following optional costs:
These fees are all optional and are not included in the course fee for the program. The cost should be paid directly to USAC through the Gateway account. Failure to pay these fees will result in USAC withholding your transcript.
Optional fees vary by session, and will be available shortly before the upcoming session.
Costs for personal travel are not included in the cost estimates provided on the cost sheet. If you plan to travel outside of your host city or country during or after your study abroad program, you will need to budget for additional funds to cover the cost of your personal travel.
The cost of personal travel depends entirely on each student’s individual travel plans and spending habits. Estimates for personal travel costs provided by past students on this program vary significantly from $800 - $6,000 or more for the summer session, and $1,500 to as much as $9,000 or more per semester.
Students should budget additional funds to cover optional additional costs not described on the program cost sheet. Contact USAC for more information about these optional additional costs.
You can find information about options for funding your study abroad experience, including financial aid, scholarships, grants, etc, on UI Study Abroad’s Funding Website.
In addition, take a look at USAC’s Scholarship website for information about scholarships offered directly through your program provider.
For the Summer Term, this program has Summer I, Summer II, and Summer I & II options. When completing your UI online application, under the Offering section, you will be asked to choose between Codes A, B, or AB.
Ensure that you choose the session that corresponds to the dates you wish to study abroad. Contact your UI Study Abroad advisor with any questions.
Acceptance into your chosen study abroad program is made by USAC directly via an email to you, which will refer you to additional documents posted to a USAC Gateway account that will be created for you. You will receive log in credentials for Gateway at this point.
You will be working with both UI and USAC directly. Please follow instructions from both. Later in the semester, your UI Study Abroad advisor will contact you regarding orientation sessions, registration, and other required UI procedures and documentation.
You will need to provide scans of the picture page of your passport to both UI and USAC. If you do not have a valid passport at the time you apply to study abroad, provide the scans as soon as you receive your passport.
You will be billed on your U-Bill for your course fee, administrative fee, and Iowa Regents health insurance. Housing deposits and additional course fees will be paid directly to USAC. Depending on your housing situation, you may pay housing fees directly on-site.
Applications for the Fall and Academic Year sessions are due on February 24.
Applications for the Spring session are due on September 24.
Applications for the Summer session are due by March 4.
Space is limited on this program. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the preparation process and submit an application as soon as possible to ensure that they get a spot in their chosen program. Applying well ahead of the final application deadline is extremely helpful in ensuring a spot in your program.
Confirmation materials will be posted after the program application deadline.
All students preparing to study abroad should review the following:
Iowa Regents CISI Health Insurance Information
Students are also encouraged to complete the Health Preparation Guide for International Travelform with their medical practitioner. This document is intended to help you plan for your medical needs abroad. Please DO NOT turn this form in to UI Study Abroad.
All program participants are required to complete immigration requirements to enter and study in your host country. UI Study Abroad and your program provider/host institution abroad will provide you with immigration instructions prior to departure.
Note that permission to enter and study in your host country is provided exclusively by the host country’s government based on that country's immigration requirements. Your host country’s immigration requirements may include considerations related to specific national origin, national heritage, criminal background status, and similar issues that can make it impossible to receive permission to enter the country in some cases. Contact your UI study abroad advisor for more information.
It is essential that you thoroughly review all of your immigration materials before you leave for your host country to ensure that they are absolutely complete and accurate. It is entirely your responsibility to ensure that all of your immigration materials are in order and fully accurate before you leave for your host country. If any of your immigration materials contain inaccurate information of any kind, contact your UI study abroad advisor immediately to discuss your options.
Do not take steps to complete your host country’s immigration requirements until you receive more information from UI Study Abroad.
Review the UI Study Abroad Travel Documentation website for further guidance on the immigration/visa process.
In order to prepare for your time abroad, you are required by the University of Iowa to complete two orientations. These may be in addition to orientations provided by your on-site provider. See below for more information.
You are required to complete the International Programs ICON course "Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation" prior to departure. This orientation is mandatory for all students going abroad under the auspices of the University of Iowa. It covers many practical matters about living overseas, such as health and safety, communication, money, goals, and much more. You will be enrolled in this course by International Programs and an email will be sent to you once enrolled. If you have any questions, you can email safety-abroad@uiowa.edu.
This orientation will be facilitated by your study abroad advisor and will cover content specific to your program and host country. It could be conducted in a group setting or one-on-one depending on your type of planned activity abroad. Your study abroad advisor will send you more information about this mandatory in-person session.