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Location
  • Germany
Term
Summer
Subject Areas
Cultural Studies Design Engineering

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors Masters
Language
English
Oct 24, 2018
Apr 05, 2012
Wish List
4 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Come study abroad in Darmstadt, Germany with Virginia Tech's Germany Automotive Engineering Program held at Technische Universität Darmstadt. Participants in the program will be able to experience one of Germany's best Mechanical Engineering universities, cutting edge automotive research, and research projects alongside German students. In addition, the lure of global experience, the chance to travel throughout Europe, build upon German language skills, and learn about German culture, give students a complete experience. Check out all of the details today on VT's extensive website!

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Default avatar
rhowell
32
Female
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Automotive research in Germany

Apr 5, 2012

I spent a summer doing research at Technische Universitaet Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany. Darmstadt is a student town about thirty minutes south of Frankfurt. The program was through Virginia Tech and funded by the National Science Foundation.

Since I minored in German, the program was a great way to improve my German skills while also getting travel and professional experience. We were given individual research projects under German PhD students. I love working with the PhD students because we would also hang out together. Darmstadt is also a nice town to live in. Enough to do, a good location to get other places in Germany and Europe, and it has some beautiful trails for running and hiking.

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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Rachel Howell

Program
VT in Germany: Automotive Engineering at Darmstadt
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Why did you study abroad with VT's Automotive Engineering program in Germany?

I minored in German and it is very difficult to study abroad as an engineering major and actually get useful credits from it so i decided to spend a summer doing research in Germany. Virginia Tech has an exchange program with Technische Universitaet Darmstadt. My experience was a research experience for undergrads (REU) funded by the National Science Foundation (therefore I was paid in dollars not euros). Some students did their research at Virginia Tech and then eight of us worked in Germany.

What made your study abroad experience unique and special?

What I enjoyed about this experience was working closely with German PhD students. They were extremely friendly with us and took us out after work and on weekends. It also gave me insight into how research is done in Germany versus the US and I had the opportunity to hang out and meet other German students. My only complaint was that we lived in a house with all of the Americans participating in the program (8 of us). I would have preferred to stay in a German dorm or find our own housing so that I wasn't just spending time with fellow Americans. In addition to research, the department I worked with allowed us to attend workshops related to automotive engineering and as part of my research I drove TUD test vehicles (ie really nice BMWs). Unlike the US, there are less lawsuits and concern about liability so things were more flexible in getting to drive test vehicles.

How has this experience impacted your future?

Even though I only spent a summer in Germany it greatly improved my German language skills and definitely built up my resume. Since then I have strayed from engineering (I'm currently doing development work), but the experience still allowed me to travel all over Europe and I'm hoping to start graduate school in Germany this fall. Gaining international research experience I feel has also helped me as I apply for grad school because it's something many of my peers do not have. My summer in Germany also helped spark the desire for all of my many future travels. Since then I've spent a year in Korea, short term trips in central America, and now I'm completing an internship in international development in Uganda.

Location

Location:
Germany
Currency:
Euro
Weather:
Jan-Mar
52 F / 9 F
Apr-Jun
73 F / 14 F
Jul-Sep
79 F / 28 F
Oct-Dec
59 F / 10 F
Airports:
Frankfurt
( FRA )
Munich
( MUC )
Düsseldorf
( DUS )

Germany has attracted travelers for many years, with their abundance of festivals. Everywhere you go in Germany, you will see the confluence of nature and cityscapes; as well as, modern and traditional architecture. To get a true taste of Germany, you will need to experience all of these, from the bustling cities to the black forest, there is a lot to explore.

About Virginia Tech Study Abroad

Virginia Tech's Education Abroad offers students from all majors the chance to study abroad in a long list of locations all over the world. Education Abroad provides a comprehensive support system that helps students along the way from the very beginning, all the way through until after students return home. Get help with Choosing a program, the...

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