Dual / cooperative study: FAQ

In part, yes. However, the term “dual study program” is often used in very different ways.

At our institution, only the KIA program with integrated training is a dual study program that integrates vocational training—here, students earn a full vocational degree concurrently with their academic studies.

The _{KIAdirekt, KIA+}, and _KIApro models, on the other hand, are cooperative study models. They closely link academic study with practical experience in a company, but differ in the nature and intensity of the cooperation.

Regardless of the model, all KIA (sandwich-style) degree courses aim to optimally combine theory and practice.

Your application should first be submitted to a company. Please check the list of our partner companies.
You can apply to these companies, but also to any other company you know of, provided it is willing to participate in KIA and sign a cooperation agreement with the university.

Please note: Some (larger) companies explicitly require online applications. Be sure to check the website of the company you’re interested in beforehand.

• Applications to the company should be submitted between September and January at the latest.
  Please note: Larger companies, in particular, expect applications to be submitted as early as one year before the start of the apprenticeship. Of course , with a little luck, you may still be able to secure a spot even if you apply much later—for example, if a spot that had already been filled becomes available again.

• Applications to the university can be submitted from May through the end of September.

You can find more information on this under “Course of Study.”

To apply to the company, submit the standard application materials required for vocational training, making sure to mention KIA, of course.
Once you have signed a contract with the company (an apprenticeship or internship contract), the next step is to submit a formal application to the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences for a place at university in the corresponding KIA degree programme.

The following must be included with your application to the university:

• a standard application form for enrollment/admission at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences
  (information on the application process)
• a certified copy of your high school diploma
• A copy of the training or internship contract with the company
• resume in table format
• Color passport-size photo
• A5 stamped self-addressed envelope

KIA and_KIAdirekt:
You already have a university entrance qualification (a degree from a vocational high school or a technical upper-secondary school, a degree from a technical college, or a degree from a general high school). It’s also important that you enjoy solving technical problems as part of a team, are creative, and have an interest in the natural sciences.

_KIA+:
You need a good secondary school diploma—especially in the natural sciences—and should be able to demonstrate a particular interest in your desired degree programme (through a student internship, extracurricular club, etc.).

_KIApro:
You already have a vocational degree and should possess a valid university entrance qualification or equivalent.

You’ll complete your work placement semester at your KIA company; the same applies, of course, to your final dissertation.

During the work placement semester, you will work on a topic that is typically assigned by your training company and supervised by a professor at the university. You must write and defend an internship semester thesis (see the “Practical Module” in the module catalog). A minimum of 20 weeks is required for the work placement semester.

The Bachelor’s phase, or diploma semester, follows a similar structure. Here, too, you will be assigned a topic, preferably by your training company. You will then work on this topic at the company, and you are only required to attend individually scheduled consultation meetings with your university advisor.

Once you have successfully defended your thesis, the program is complete. You can find more detailed information about your degree programme in the module catalog.

Your statutory vacation entitlement during the first phase of your studies (skilled worker training + coursework during semesters 1 through 3.2) is specified in your training or qualification contract and amounts to at least 24 days per year.

These conditions are generally carried over into the subsequent student support agreement with your company. Vacation must be taken during periods when there are no classes.

Yes, all of our KIA bachelor’s degree programs have been accredited.

This external quality assurance is very important to us and our KIA partner companies. Accreditation is not required for the diplom degree courses, but their standards are consistent with those of the bachelor’s degree programs.