Transcultural European Studies (TES): Languages, Cultures, Interactions (Bachelor of Arts, B. A.)

Being trinational means that the TES program is studied in three countries:

• Germany – at Europa-Universität Flensburg (EUF)
• France – at Université de Strasbourg (Unistra)
• Spain – at Universidad de Málaga (UMA)

• How your studies unfold depends on where you start.
• The graphic above shows the schedule if you begin at EUF.
• Check our website for details and, if you have questions, the program coordinator is happy to help.

• During the first three years of the TES degree program, you’ll spend one year (two semesters) in each of the three countries.
• Your first year (the first two semesters) is always at your home university – the one where you applied and got accepted.
• After that, you go abroad; for EUF students, to Spain and France.
• As an EUF student, the order in which you stay in Spain and France is decided during your first semester together with the TES coordinator. Your language skills will be taken into account to make sure you’ll be able to follow the courses at the partner university.

• During the first three years, the focus is on:
  • learning French, Spanish, and German
  • Europe (historical and current topics)
  • European culture, language, literature, and media (the function and significance of language, media, and other forms of cultural expression)
• In the fourth year (your last two semesters), you’ll study again in one of the three countries – you can choose where.
  • You will complete an internship of at least 8 weeks in one of the two partner countries, organizing an academic conference with other students.
  • You will also write your bachelor’s thesis in the fourth year.

No, don't worry! From the first year, you’ll meet the other TES students in an online module and stay connected digitally throughout your studies. At each university, you’ll get excellent support – the program coordinators are always there to guide and advise you.

A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is a first academic degree. It is primarily awarded in the humanities and social sciences, for subjects such as cultural studies, linguistics, and economics. The word “arts” does not refer to art, but to the humanities and social sciences. A Bachelor of Arts qualifies you for a graduate career or entry to a master’s degree program.

During your studies (and on this website), you’ll come across a few program-specific abbreviations:

• Partner universities:
  • EUF: Europa-Universität Flensburg
  • Unistra: Université de Strasbourg
  • UMA: Universidad de Málaga
• Other institutions:
  • DFH: Deutsch-Französische Hochschule
  • UFA: French abbreviation for Université franco-allemande
• The different names for the degree program:
  • Transkulturelle Europastudien: Sprachen, Kulturen, Interaktionen / Transcultural European Studies: Languages, Cultures, Interactions (TES)
  • Estudios transculturales europeos: lenguas, culturas, interacciones / Études transculturelles européennes: langues, cultures, interactions (ETE)

• With TES, you’ll obtain a trinational bachelor’s degree (German, Spanish, and French) plus a degree from Deutsch-Französische Hochschule. Not many degree programs offer that.
• During your studies abroad, you will gain in-depth cultural and language skills, and makes international contacts. You’ll study about Europe firsthand.
• To prepare you for your career, there’s an eight-week internship that will give you practical experience and networking opportunities. You’ll be closely supported and learn in small teams. TES is perfect for you if you’re passionate about languages and culture.

Yes – it’s mandatory. Not just one: you’ll spend two years abroad plus the internship, with the option to study your entire fourth year abroad. TES isn’t for you if you can’t imagine living abroad. If you can, we’ll guide you every step of the way and provide information on funding. The order in which you spend your semesters abroad will be tailored to your language level, so you won’t end up somewhere where the language is too challenging.

Funding for your time abroad comes from mobility grants from Deutsch-Französische Hochschule and the Erasmus program. In other words, you get a scholarship to support your studies. Even though you’ll be enrolled at three universities, you only pay tuition or semester fees at the university you’re currently attending. For example, in Flensburg, there are no tuition fees, just a semester fee. The EUF International Center also has tips for funding your studies, including student jobs.

• The degree program is selective, with a limited number of places. Your high school grades play a big role in whether you’re admitted. To apply, you need either a general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur), or a subject-based university entrance qualification (fachgebundene Hochschulreife) in the fields of economics and administration, design, or health and social work. You also need to demonstrate language skills in German, French, and Spanish at the required levels.
• You can check the full admission requirements on the program’s application page.

• To start the TES program at EUF, you must have German at C1 level, plus French and Spanish (one at A1 and the other at B1). Certificates must be submitted with your application. English is also important for communication between students, but no certificate is required.
• You can check the full language requirements on the program’s application page.

EUF has a rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Studycheck. 93 percent of students recommend EUF to others.

With the trinational Bachelor Plus degree in TES, you’re ready for the international job market. Since you are familiar with Europe’s cultural and linguistic diversity and speak Spanish, French, German, and English fluently, you’ll be well-prepared for positions in cultural institutions, the media, tourism, or education – both in Germany and abroad.

Yes. After obtaining your bachelor’s degree, you can pursue a master’s either at EUF or at other universities in Germany or abroad – for example, at the two partner universities in Spain and France, which you’ll already know from your undergraduate studies.

If you have questions or run into issues, you can contact the TES program coordinator, the Student Guidance and Counseling Service, and the International Center. If you want to hear how current students find the program, contact the student council.

EUF is a small, friendly university in northern Germany with a green campus and many international students.

There are free language courses, a sports center, a swimming pool, and various student organizations (political, environmental, intercultural, and religious).

In the evenings, there are often themed events, such as movie and game nights, theater performances, or barbecues.

You can reach several beaches by bus, as Flensburg is located on the Flensburg Firth. The Baltic Sea, the North Sea, and Denmark are not far away. Hamburg is only two hours away by train.

More than 40,000 students are enrolled at Universidad de Málaga (UMA). The sunny southern Spanish city of Málaga is located on the Mediterranean, and with 578,000 residents, it’s the fifth-largest city in Spain.

Université de Strasbourg (Unistra) is in France, right on the German border and close to Switzerland and Luxembourg. Over 52,000 students study there, about 20% from abroad. Strasbourg is the largest city in the Grand Est region with 790,000 residents and home to the European Parliament.

DFH was founded in 1997 to strengthen German-French degree programs – focusing on quality, exchange, and financial support. In short: it creates the best conditions for your studies. Thanks to DFH, TES students receive financial support – currently €350 per month for ten months in the second and third years of study, plus support for internships – and can benefit from other DFH offerings. DFH course funding also allows program coordinators to fully focus on making TES the best program it can be.

You can find lots more information about TES on our website – including details for current students.