Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication – Incoming Exchange Students

For your information: You will be enrolled at the Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication (ITMK) which is part of TH Köln´s Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies (Faculty 03). Specific information about the program of study and the course offerings at the ITMK can be found down on this website, following the information about enrollment at TH Köln.

PLEASE NOTE: TH Köln´s Department of International Affairs located at the Claudiusstrasse building at Südstadt Campus is in charge of the enrollment of all exchange students. Enrollment is completed entirely onilne via TH Köln's online portal Mobility Online.

By June 1st (winter term) / November 1st (summer term) incoming students must register in Mobility Online and upload their Learning Agreement "Before the Mobility"!

Detailled information on how to register/enrolling atTH Köln can be found online in Mobility Online. In case of any queries regarding the enrollment process, please contact our Department of International Relations.

All information about the ITMK study program  that you need for your Learning AGreement can be found on this website under "Course Catalogue / Study Plan for Incoming Students" and below.

Once you have completed the online registration, you can download your Letter of Admission (Zulassungsschreiben) via Mobility Online. The Letter of Admission serves as proof that TH Köln has accepted you as an exchange student. You can use it as proof for all authorities and also for a rental agreement with the Kölner Studierendenwerk. You will also receive your Cerificate of Arrival and Certificate of Departure via Mobility Online.

To complete your enrolment, you must transfer the semester fee to the TH Köln. Afterwards you will receive your:

CampusID, which gives you access to TH Köln`s online services. You will then also have access to the ILU-ILIAS learning platform of the TH Köln. In addition you will receive your TH student ID card, the "MultiCa", which you can pick up from the Department of International Affairs at the beginning of the semester.

The Department of International Affairs organizes virtual information sessions for exchange students before the lectures starts. You must attend one of these info sessions!

Please find the dates here.

The Department of International Affairs is also responsible for general information on preparing four your study stay at TH Köln, for example, regarding finding accommodation or health insurance (ee the website links in the informationbox at the top right).

Welcome to TH Köln´s ITMK!

We are delighted that you will be spending your semester or academic year aborad with us. At TH Köln you will study at the Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication (ITMK) which is part of the Faculty of Information Science and Communication Studies (Faculty 03). The ITMK is located at THK´s Südstadt Campus (Uberring 48 building).

At the ITMK you will be enrolled in the three-year Bachelor's degree program "Mehrsprachige Kommunikation (Multilingual Communication) and may take courses from all three years of study.
 

Classes generally begin in early October for the winter semester and in late March for the summer semester 

Courses at ITMK are primarily held in person, at the Ubierring 48 building on TH Köln’s Südstadt Campus.

The ITMK course catalog is published on the online platform UnivIS before the start of each semester (see the UnivIS guide further down in the information box “Information on Course Planning”).

Classes at ITMK begin at 8:00 a.m. A class session lasts 1.5 hours (= two academic hours of 45 minutes each). There is a 15-minute break between each class session, allowing students to move to their next class. Lunch break is from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Once your studies at ITMK begin, all exchange students will be supported by so-called Erasmus Coordinators. ITMK Erasmus Coordinators are generally faculty members who can assist you with academic questions and review and approve your DTM. Each of our partner universities has an assigned Erasmus Coordinator. You can find an overview in the information box “Studying at ITMK” at the top right (a CampusID is required to download the document).

IMPORTANT: By the end of the first week of classes, all incoming students must email their course lists to their respective Erasmus Coordinators. During the second week of classes, the Erasmus Coordinators will arrange a meeting with their incoming students.

But don’t worry-at the beginning of the semester, you will receive all the information you need during the “Learning Agreement During the Mobility” information session with Ms. Geppert. She will also send you the template for your course list afterward.

There are two exam periods at ITMK each year: one at the end of the winter semester and one at the end of the summer semester. To take an exam, you must register for it online in advance (for further information, see “Exams: Registration + Exam Schedule” at the very bottom of this page).

To help you prepare specifically for your studies at TH Köln, we recommend reading the “Startklar” brochure, which you can find on the right under “Studying at ITMK.” It provides all the essential information about how studies are organized at TH Köln and which IT services the university offers to support you. The same information box also contains a link to video tutorials, for example, on how to use your CampusID or validate your semester ticket on your MultiCa. TH Köln also uses the “ILU-ILIAS” learning platform; you will find a video tutorial on this as well. So it’s definitely worth taking a look ;-)

Important for all incoming students who will be studying at ITMK for more than one semester:

In Germany, students enroll at their respective university one semester at a time (unlike in some other countries, where enrollment is often for the entire academic year). Therefore, if you are studying for more than one semester, you must re-enroll for the following semester in good time. The re-enrollment deadlines for the following semester are: January 10 for the next summer semester / July 10 for the next winter semester. Information on how to do this and the applicable semester contribution can be found on this TH Köln Student Affairs Office webpage.

Winter Semester 2026/27

Please find the academic calendar for ITMK´s exchange students above on the right in the Studying at the ITMK box.

Dear exchange students,
Your studies at the ITMK will begin with several compulsory Information Sessions via Zoom. Please find the dates below. Attendance is mandatory for all incoming exchange students!

→ In order to prepare you as well as possible for the start of your studies with us and to advise you on your study options, we organize the following obligatory information sessions:

• April, 24, 2026, 1 pm: Zoom Info Session// first information for your studies at the ITMK for ITMK Erasmus+ Incomings 
• August, 3, 2026 at 1 pm or August 6, 2026, at 6 pm: Zoom Info Session // Information on course selection for ITMK Erasmus+ Incomings. Previous registration is required: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfaQdNLCnuvdJ_pDeiNaO_TB0OQ8wBumvlR2GLf0oAWWlY-_w/viewform?usp=publish-editor)

Before classes begin, all students must register for their courses online through ITMK. You will learn how to do this during the following two in-person sessions held during orientation week. Attendance at these two sessions is also mandatory in order for you to be able to enroll in courses through ITMK.

REGARDING: Online Course registration in presence:

Before the start of lectures, all students must register online for their courses at ITMK. The course registration for the winter semester 2026/27 will take place IN PRESENCE at the ITMK at the beginning of October, 2026. Attendance is mandatory in order to take courses with us. Make sure you attend this event!

• October, 6, 2026, 10 am: course selection // we meet in presence at Ubierring 48, 50678 Köln
• October, 7, 2026, 2 pm: course selection part II // we meet in presence at Ubierring 48, 50678 Köln
• October, 9, 2026, 1 pm: Zoom Info Session // Learning Agreement During The Mobility
• November/December 2026, 1 pm: Zoom Info Session // Erasmus+ exams

→ Please note: To contact you we always use the email address you provided in Mobility Online.

Arrival recommendation:

We recommend that you arrive at least 2 to 3 weeks before the lectures starts. This will give you enough time to move into your appartment, pick up your MultiCa from the Department of International Affairs and take care of all other formalities in Cologne (e.g. registering your place of residence). If you rent a room in a hall of residence from the Kölner Studierendenwerk, please enquire when you can move into the room (the first day of the month is usually the start of rent for rooms/flats).

Good to know: October 3rd is a public holiday in Germany. All offices and shops are closed.

Summer Semester 2027

Please find the academic calendar for ITMK´s exchange students above on the right in the Studying at the ITMK box.

Dear exchange students,
Your studies at the ITMK begin even before classes start with several compulsory Information Sessions via Zoom. Attendance is mandatory for all incoming exchange students!

→ In order to prepare you as well as possible for the start of your studies with us and to advise you on your study options, we organize the following information sessions:

/// The summer semester dates will be published shortly ///

→ Please note: To contact you we always use the email address you provided in Mobility Online.

NOTE: Online Course Registration in Presence

Before the start of lectures, all students must register online for their courses at the ITMK. The course registration for the summer semester 2027 will take place ONLINE or IN PRESENCE at the ITMK on ..... 2027. Attendance is mandatory in order to take courses with us. Make sure you attend this event!

Lectures of the 2027 summer semester at the ITMK will begin on Wednesday, March 31, 2027.

Arrival recommendation:

We recommend that you arrive at least 2 to 3 weeks before the lectures starts. This will give you enough time to move into your appartment, pick up your MultiCa from the Department of International Affairs and take care of all other formalities in Cologne (e.g. registering your place of residence). If you rent a room in a hall of residence from the Kölner Studierendenwerk, please enquire when you can move into the room (the first day of the month is usually the start of rent for rooms/flats).

Good to know: Friday, 26 and Monday, March 29, 2027 are public holidays in Germany (Easter). All offices, shops and TH Köln are closed.

The ITMK offers degrees in applied foreign languages (English, French, Spanish). They are designed for students with German as their mother tongue, i.e. the basic language is German. The majority of the courses are held in German, and the administrative language at the ITMK is also German. 

All exchange students are therefore required to have a minimum level of B1 in German.

In addition, minimum levels in foreign languages apply for our BA programme "Mehrsprachige Kommunikation" (Multilingual Communication), namely:

Minimum level in Englisch = B2,
minimum level in French/Spanish = B1                                          

Please consider these levels as minimum prerequisites for the first year of study. For attending classes of higher years of study, higher language levels are logically required (especially for translation and interpreting classes). You should take this into consideration when choosing classes/creating your Learning Agreement and chose your project module.

If you do not have the entry levels, take advantage of the language learning opportunities offered by TH Köln´s Language Learning Centre (Sprachlernzentrum = SLZ). The SLZ specialises in language learning courses and offers courses in English, French, Spanish and Italian in addition to German. ATTENTION: Prerequisite for attending the SLZ courses is registration for a placement test before the start of the semester.

ITMK exchange students must take the online German placement test at TH Köln´s Language Learning Centre (SLZ) before the lectures start. Taking the German test is mandatory!

Register online the 14th of September for the test here! All Incoming students have to choose "Bearbeitungszeitraum 1" for their test.

You will receive your test result by e-mail. It will determine which BA courses you are allowed to take at the ITMK.

With the test result you will also receive the option to take a free German course at the SLZ. The course comprises 4 SWS (= semester hours per week of 2 x 90 minutes) per week. If you attend regularly and successfully pass the final examination, you will receive 5 ECTS credits per course. Please note: Exchange students can only take one German course per semester at their German level (exception B2+ language level). Do you have any questions about the German courses? Then please contact the SLZ directly!

Please note for your timetable: Most of the SLZ courses take place at THK´s Campus Deutz (IWZ). From the Campus Südstadt (ITMK) you will need about 30 minutes by bus and tram to get to the Campus Deutz.

→ IMPORTANT: You can only take the following BA courses if you have been admitted to B2+ courses according to the SLZ German test:

• Übersetzungskurse von/nach Deutsch (translation classes)
• Dolmetschkurse von/nach Deutsch (interpreting classes)
• Proseminare
• Sprachpraktische Übung für AEL-Austauschstudierende
• Deutsche Landeskunde für AEL-Austauschstudierende

Thank you for understanding that we can accept the SLZ test results only.

Exchange students who wish to take BA courses in English at the ITMK must take the online English placement test at TH Köln´s Language Learning Centre (SLZ) before the start of lectures.

If this applies to you, then register online for the English test. You will receive the result by mail.

→ NOTE: With an English test result below B2+, we strongly recommend to enrol for an English course at the SLZ instead of taking BA courses in "Kompetenzerweiterung Englisch" at the ITMK. The reason is that the entrace level for our BA course "English Competence I" (= semester one class) is English B2. The levels of courses II, III and IV are correspondingly higher. You can take one English course of your level at the SLZ per semester. Just like the German course, the SLZ English course comprises 4 SWS and 5 ECTS. All SLZ language courses are free of charge for TH Köln incomings. 

Moreover the SLZ offers language courses in French, Spanish and Italian.

Do you have any questions about the SLZ language courses? Then please contact the SLZ directly!

Please note for your timetable: Most of the SLZ courses take place at THK´s Campus Deutz (IWZ). From the Campus Südstadt (ITMK) you will need about 30 minutes by bus and tram to get to the Campus Deutz.

The ITMK offers four special classes for its incoming exchange students. There are two for students with a German level below B2+ and two for students with a B2+ level. NOTE: Registration is based on the results of the SLZ placement test!

For students with a German level below B2+:

a) Landeskundliche Texte für Austauschstudierende: Laufzeit 1 Semester (kann im WiSe ODER im SoSe belegt werden), 3 ECTS

b) Deutschland Aktuell - Wirtschaft, Umwelt und Soziales in Deutschland: Laufzeit 2 Semester (kann im WiSe und/oder im SoSe belegt werden), 3 ECTS pro Semester

For students with a B2+ German level:

c) Sprachpraktische Übungen Deutsch für Austauschstudierende (im Programm AEL): Laufzeit 2 Semester (kann im WiSe und/oder im SoSe belegt werden), 3 ECTS pro Semester

d) Deutsche Landeskunde für Austauschstudierende (im Programm AEL): Laufzeit 2 Semester (kann im WiSe und/oder im SoSe belegt werden), 3 ECTS pro Semester

For a module description please see the "Module Manual PO8" (German version only) pages 113 to 117 below on the right in the Study Information box.

What you should bear in mind when creating your study program:

• All exchange students must take the mandatory German placement test at TH Köln´s  Language Learning Centre before the lectures start. The test is compulsory! (See above: "Mandatory German Test / German Classes at TH Köln's SLZ).
• Those who wish to take English courses at the ITMK must also take the English test at the SLZ before the lectures start (see above: "English Test / Language Classes at TH Köln's SLZ").
• Note: The prerequisite for attending a SLZ course is having taken the corresponding placement test. Exceptions are not granted by the SLZ.
• The minimum language proficiency requirements for studying at ITMK are: German B1 (for exchange students) /// B2 in English /// B1 in French and Spanish.
• Exchange students can only take courses from our BA program Multilingual Communication (exception: Master's agreement). However, they can choose courses from all three BA study years.
• Our three-year BA Multilingual Communication is structured into an General Part + three Specializations. The Spezialiszations are: A: Translation and Specialized Communication /// B: Transcultural Media Communications /// C: Applied Languages in International Business Contexts (see the study plan in the information box “Study Information" on the right).
• For some courses (e.g. interpreting and translation courses) we require the German level B2+ (see below: "Particularities of some classes").
• You can find descriptions of the content of the BA courses in the module handbook (see information box “Study Information" on the right).
• The current range of courses (course catalogue) is published online on the UnivIS platform shortly before the semester starts (see UnivIS guide in the information box “Study Information" on the right).
• In the winter semester, BA courses of the 1st and 3rd semesters are offered (our 5th semester is a semester abroad). In the summer semester we offer courses of the 2nd, 4th and 6th semester.
• The semester at the TH Köln is divided into four parts: 6 weeks of lectures /// project week /// 6 weeks of lectures /// 2 to 3 weeks of exams. Each semester exchange students must take a compulsory module and take part in the the project (see below: "Project week / Compulsory Modules").
• The ITMK offers 4 special courses for its exchange students: 2 courses for incoming students with German level below B2+ and 2 courses for incoming students with German level B2+. This course offer is optional.
• All exchange students compile their study plans individually and must register online for their courses before the start of lectures. You can find out how this works in the Info Sessions via Zoom (see above: "ITMK Info Sessions / Orientation Meetings").
• German as a foreign language classes at different levels are offered centrally by TH Köln´s Language Learning Centre (SLZ) of the TH Köln (see above: "Mandatory German Test / German Classes at TH Köln's SLZ").

Please note the following points while selecting your classes:

→ 1. Exchange students cannot attend the following classes:

• Kompetenzerweiterung (in your native language)
• Interkulturelle Wirtschaftskompetenz (in your native language)
• Zusatzsprache (in your native language)
• Integriertes Projekt Wirtschaft/Recht/Sprache 
• Vorbereitungskurs CPE

→ 2. For attending the following courses you need to be accepted for B2+ classes (= you German Language Level is B2) within the SLZ-German test result:

• Übersetzungskurse von/nach Deutsch (translation classes)
• Dolmetschkurse von/nach Deutsch (interpreting classes)
• Proseminare
• Sprachpraktische Übung für Austauschstudierende im BA AEL
• Deutsche Landeskunde für Austauschstudierende im BA AEL

→ 3. Some courses are rounded off with a practical examination (PP), which is not marked. The result ill be "passed" or "not passed", e.g.:

Projektmanagement mit Projekt “Sprache und Kultur“ (Project Management + Project , Language, Culture and Area Studies’)

→ 4. Some classes are organized as block classes (on one or several days). You can find all information on that on UnivIS.

→ 5. In order to choose English classes of the BA program at the ITMK you have to sit the English placement test at TH Köln's Sprachlernzentrum. Please make sure to register in time.

→ 6. Some classes are year-round classes and thus end with an exam at the end of the summerterm. Please consider that these classes require participation both in the winter and summerterm and can not be splitted. Only students that stay one semester at our institute will receive a special exam consisting of the content of the semester they study with us.

In the middle of the semester (both winter and summer semester), i.e. after six weeks of lecutres, the TH Köln conducts a university-wide project week. During this week, all ITMK students, including exchange students, must participate in a specific project from the module "Schlüsselqualifikationen" (Key Qualifications).

Attendance of module 06 3 "Key Qualifications" in the project week is mandatory for all exchange students.

In the winter semester, the module is connected to a semester course during the first six lecture weeks called "Vortrags- und Präsentationstechniken". Thus, students have to attend this course in combination with the project class during the project week. This is not the case in the summer semester. In the SuSe the course takes place only during the project week. As a conclusion, exchange students must take the following courses and list it in their Learning Agreement:

• Winter term "Projekt Vortrags-/Präsentationstechniken" (2,5 ECTS) (Presentation Skills and Public Speaking)
• Summer term: Projektmanagement mit Projekt “Sprache und Kultur (2,5 ECTS) (Project Management + Project , Language, Culture and Area Studies’) - attention: you will not get a mark for this summer term class!

All ITMK exchange students choose their classes individually on the basis of the current Erasmus+ lecture timetable and UnivIs and make up their individual timetable.

NOTE: You are obliged to submitt your Learning Agreement 1. before and 2. shortly after the lecures started at the ITMK. Because we as your host university have to check and sign your Learning Agreement (LA). These are the submission deadlines:

• 1st Learning Agreement part: Before the Mobility (BTM) = your provisional study plan/course selection. You are required to fill it in and upload it to Mobility Online by:

BTM deadline: WiSe June, 1 / SoSe November, 1.

• 2nd Learning Agreement part: During the Mobility (DTM) = your final study plan/course selection. You are required to fill in the classes you finally attend into your DTM part of the Learning Agreement in Mobility Online.
• Please make an appointment with your Erasmus tutor before finalizing your LA DTM in Mobility Online.
• He/She is the one to check and -when everything is correct- sign it.
•  The deadline for the LA DTM is:

DTM deadline winter semester 2026/27: October 25th, 2026

DTM deadline summer semester 2027: April, 2027

Your Erasmus advisor will then approve your DTM in Mobility Online. Please note: Corrections or changes to your course selection will no longer be possible after that. It is therefore important that you carefully finalize your schedule by the end of the second week of classes.

An info session on the Learning Agreement During the Mobility will take place in October (winter semester) and in March/April (summer semester) via Zoom.

The 25 th of May 2026 we will hold our Zoom info session at 1 pm, giving "Instructions on exams for exchange students". There you will be provided with detailed information on:

• How (and when) to register for the exams
• How to receive your grades
• How to retake an exam (if failed the first one)

You will receive your Zoom log-in credentials via the email address you provided in Mobility Online.

Exams at the ITMK take place at the end of the lecture period during the official exam period, which lasts about three weeks. All exchange students take their exams together with the ITMK students during the official exam period. Unfortunately, no exceptions can be granted. There are two official exam periods at the ITMK:

• At the end of the winter term (approx. mid-January to early February)
• At the end of the summer term (approx. late June to mid-July)

Exam dates are published in the exam schedule (called "Prüfungsplan"), which is posted on the ITMK website in November (WiSe) and April (SoSe) (see the website link in the info box “Exam Information”). All students then use the ITMK exam schedule to create their own individual exam schedules.

All exam results are entered into PSSO, where you can access your transcript of records online. After completing your studies at TH Köln, you will have access to PSSO until the end of the following semester. Be sure to download your exam results in a timely manner.

Exams and coursework are graded on a scale from 1 (highest grade) to 5 (fail). A grade of 4.0 is the minimum required to pass an exam. The grading scale at ITMK is as follows:

• 1,0 / 1,3 = sehr gut / excellent (an outstanding achievement)
• 1,7 / 2,0 / 2,3 = gut / good (an achievement substantially above average requirements)

• 2,7 / 3,0 / 3,3 = befriedigend / satisfactory (an achievement which corresponds to average requirements)

• 3,7 / 4,0 = ausreichend / sufficient (an achievement which barely meets the requirements)

• 5,0 = nicht ausreichend / not sufficient / fail (an achievement which does not meet the requirements)

Exams that are not passed may be retaken up to two times. Retake exams are held during the official exam period of the following semester and can only be taken on campus along with all other ITMK students (with the exception of online exams, which can be taken from any location with internet access after prior remote registration).

Good luck with your exams!

Insight into Exams

All exams will be archived at the ITMK. Students have the opportunity to review their exam after it has been graded. For this, fixed times are appointed, for which students have to register in advance. You can find the dates and the procedure here on ITMK's website.