FHDO helps

Pathways to university for refugees

Published

01/16/2023

Photo of an employee advising two students sitting opposite her at a table. She points to the flyer she is holding in her hand. The students are in focus,

The International Office at Fachhochschule Dortmund advises foreign students and supports them with German courses, for example, but also with scholarships for refugees.

In 2023, Fachhochschule Dortmund will once again be able to provide targeted support to students who have experienced flight and improve their chances of integration. To this end, it has successfully applied for 430,000 euros in funding from the "NRWege ins Studium" program of the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry of Culture and Science (MKW NRW).

One focus is on preparatory German courses for refugees and international prospective students with a university entrance qualification. The University of Applied Sciences currently offers two parallel courses at different language levels. Thanks to the funding, the German courses offered for the first time in 2015 continue to be an integral part of Fachhochschule Dortmund's integration work. They prepare students specifically for the required German exam (C1 Hochschule). In addition, further funding is available for advice and support to assist refugees with enrolment and during their studies.

Ten full and ten partial scholarships

An important part of the funds (almost 190,000 euros) is also available for scholarships for refugees. Fachhochschule Dortmund can thus finance ten full and ten partial scholarships. These measures are part of the future plan for studying and teaching and build on the successful programs offered by Fachhochschule Dortmund in recent years.

For Fachhochschule Dortmund, it is a matter of course to give people who have had to leave their home country for fear of war or persecution the opportunity to continue their education - for example, by starting, continuing or completing their studies here for the first time. For the University of Applied Sciences and the Ministry of Culture and Science, this is an investment in the future of the country. This applies regardless of whether the refugees make North Rhine-Westphalia their home or later take the opportunity to return to another country or their country of origin.

A good 1800 international students are currently enrolled at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. With around 15,000 students, Fachhochschule Dortmund is one of the largest universities of applied sciences in Germany.