Program Overview

Introduction to the Praxissemester im Ausland

The Praxissemester im Ausland (PSiA) offers international experiences in the field of school education, which are beneficial for the professional development of teachers. The ZLB (Zentrum für Lehrkräftebildung) has established the PSiA as an option for all teacher training students.

Requirements and Formalities

To participate in the PSiA, students must meet certain requirements and follow specific formalities:

• Participate in a mandatory group consultation at the ZLB about one year before the planned start of the PSiA.
• Submit a application for review by the ZLB after attending the group consultation.
• Meet the formal requirements for admission, including:
  • Enrollment in a teaching degree program (G, HRSGe, GyGe, or BK).
  • Compatibility of the chosen subjects with the PSiA.
  • Approval of the application by the ZLB.
  • Confirmation from the foreign school and the ZLB.
  • Enrollment in the master's program by the registration deadline for the PSiA.

Deadlines

The deadlines for the PSiA vary depending on the start date:

• For the semester starting in February 2026: No applications or school exams are possible.
• For the semester starting in September 2026:
  • Attend a group consultation: as soon as possible.
  • Submit the application to the ZLB: by December 14, 2025.
  • Receive confirmation from the school and the ZLB: on a first-come, first-served basis until March 8, 2026.
• For the semester starting in February 2027:
  • Attend a group consultation: between May 2025 and February 2026.
  • Submit the application to the ZLB: by April 1, 2026.
  • Receive confirmation from the school and the ZLB: on a first-come, first-served basis until August 15, 2026.
• For the semester starting in September 2027:
  • Attend a group consultation: starting immediately.
  • Submit the application to the ZLB: by December 1, 2026.
  • Receive confirmation from the school and the ZLB: on a first-come, first-served basis until March 8, 2027.

Application Portfolio

The application portfolio should be prepared in the same way as for other foreign internships. The ZLB must review the application before it is submitted to the school. It is mandatory to include 1-2 letters of reference from university lecturers with the application.

Compatible Subjects

The PSiA can be completed in many subjects in the teaching degree programs G, HRSGe, GyGe, and BK. However, not all foreign schools offer all subjects. The following subjects are compatible with the PSiA:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• German (only at German foreign schools that offer a corresponding official German degree)
• English
• Evangelical religious education
• Geography
• History
• Health sciences
  ursing (BK)
• Computer science (only in the February semester)
• Catholic religious education
• Mathematical basic education
• Natural and social sciences
• Linguistic basic education (only at German foreign schools)
• Mathematics
• Media design/design technology (BK)
• Music
• Dutch (only in the February semester)
• Philosophy
• Practical philosophy
• Physics
• Romance languages: French, Italian, Spanish
• Social sciences
• Economics/politics
• Sports

PSiA at a Cooperation School of the ZLB

The PSiA can be completed at the ZLB's cooperation schools or at German foreign schools. The cooperation schools have the advantage of offering an insight into the country-specific school system and have been working with the ZLB for a long time. The deployment takes place in the respective national language or in a German-speaking branch.

Cooperation Schools

The following cooperation schools are available:

• Deutsche Evangelische Oberschule Kairo (Cairo)
• Ludwig Andresen Schule (Tondern)
• Europa School UK (Oxfordshire)
• Norwich School (Norwich)
• Tallinna Saksia Gümnaasium (Tallinn)
• Collčge Épiscopal Saint Étienne (Strasbourg)
• Ensemble scolaire Ozanam (Rennes)
• Deutsche Abteilung Fontainebleau (Fontainebleau)
• Lycée Georges Clémenceau (Montpellier)
• Artemisia Gentileschi, Liceo linguistico (Milan)
• Liceo "Giosuč Carducci" (Bolzano)
• Helen Parkhurst (Almere)
• Deutsche Abteilung am Nikolaus-Lenau-Lyzeum (Timisoara)
• Colegio Alemán Zaragoza (Zaragoza)
• IES El Argar (Almería)

PSiA at a German Foreign School

In addition to the cooperation schools, the PSiA can also be completed at certain German foreign schools, provided they meet the requirements of the Münster model. The German foreign schools offer the advantage of working according to the German school system, and almost all subjects are taught in German.

German Foreign Schools

The following German foreign schools are available:

• Deutsche Schule Helsinki
• Deutsche Schule Athen
• Deutsche Schule Thessaloniki
• Deutsche Internationale Schule Toronto
• Deutsche Schule Lissabon
• Deutsche Schule Bukarest
• Deutsche Schule Bratislava
• Deutsche Schule Barcelona
• Deutsche Schule Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
• Deutsche Schule Madrid
• Deutsche Schule Málaga
• Eurocampus Deutsche Schule Mallorca
• Deutsche Schule Valencia

Procedure

After successfully submitting an application and receiving a binding confirmation from the ZLB for the completion of the PSiA at a ZLB cooperation school or a German foreign school, the procedure is as follows:

• A few weeks after the deadline, students receive an email with several attachments (information on deadlines and procedure, PSiA contract, regulations, and legal notices).
• The preparation for the PSiA takes place through the university and the ZfsL (Zentrum für schulpraktische Lehrerausbildung).
• The ZfsL preparation takes place in presence before the departure, and the university preparation takes place in presence before the departure.
• The accompaniment during the PSiA takes place through e-learning or blended learning and through a suitable media exchange.
• The final colloquium takes place after the PSiA in Germany at the responsible ZfsL.