Overview
This Walton College of Business exchange is located near Koblenz, Germany in a little town called Vallendar.  Founded in 1984, WHU is now one of the most renowned German business schools with an exceptional national and international reputation. WHU is very small by our standards, with around 1,300 students, so you’re sure to receive a lot of opportunity to interact with classmates and professors.  Additionally, WHU has 80% of its undergraduate and 100% of its graduate classes in both German and English, so you can choose to study in English while still benefiting from a German/European perspective.  The area around Vallendar is very popular with tourists who like to explore the iconic Rheine river and its castles, but basic German skills are strongly recommended if you want to effectively communicate outside of the school.  This exchange features a sizeable number of management courses, along with courses in most fields of business, including a few supply chain management options.

As with all exchanges, you will be largely independent during your exchange, but there is a thriving Erasmus student group (the students on exchange from other parts of Europe) that will offer opportunities to engage with other students and there are support offices available at the campus for you. Find out what U of A students had to say about this exchange on Abroad101.

Location
The city of Vallendar, with its 16,000 inhabitants, is embedded in the Central Rhine Valley in the western part of Germany, commonly referred to as the Rheineland-Palatinate.  This small town feel allows students to get familiar with their surroundings quickly and helps overcome some of the shock upon arrival into a new country. And the larger cities of Koblenz, Bonn, Cologne and Frankfurt are only a short trip away by boat, or you can use the incredibly reliable German public transportation system. 

The city of Koblenz is situated on the banks of the Rhine and Moselle rivers, which merge at the famous Deutsches Eck (German Corner). Koblenz is only 3.5 miles away from Vallendar and is the third largest city in the Rhineland-Palatinate area, with about 106,000 inhabitants. The whole area offers many unique historical attractions and tourists love to hop aboard the many cruise ships that float up and down the Rheine, capturing some of the mediaeval magic in the region’s numerous castles, historic cities and villages and surrounded by beautiful vineyards.

Academics
This Walton College of Business exchange offers an educational experience that allows U of A undergraduates to access the only private business school in Germany, and all of its advantages, in the comfort of a charming German town for a semester or year, while  keeping on track to graduate from the U of A.  Students interested in management, in particular, will find a large variety of English-language courses to choose from.  A number of courses are also offered in other business disciplines, including a few supply chain management courses.  Students who are comfortable taking courses in German have the entire business college at their disposal.  Students must have completed the WCOB pre-business core classes in order to be considered for this program.    

Students can see the courses available at WHU on their online course guide. They can also find a list of courses that the Walton College has predetermined for this exchange here: http://walton.uark.edu/global/course-equivalencies.php

Costs
Students will be assessed U of A Walton College tuition and fees for 15 credit hours during each semester they study abroad on this exchange.  Additionally, students are responsible for their round-trip airfare, housing, meals, local transportation, books, passport, student visa, and personal expenses.  The independent nature of this program allows students to determine their own extracurricular activities, leaving flexibility not only in free time but also in the budget.   Click on the Budget above for a break-down of expected costs.

Scholarships and Financial Aid
Financial aid and scholarships are available to U of A students. Students receiving a Pell grant should look into the Gilman International Scholarship. And all students should read through our scholarship page for more info on funding opportunities and deadlines.  Additionally, in most cases, you can also use your current scholarships and financial aid to help finance your semester in Germany.

Additional Information
Housing
Because Vallendar is a small town, there are limited housing options directly located next to WHU. The center of Vallendar is surrounded by several hills; some apartments as well as the exchange students’ dormitory are located uphill or half way uphill and other housing options are within 5 to 20 min walking distance. In Vallendar, it is normal to walk about 10 to 20 minutes to the center of town, where the WHU buildings, shops and bus stations are located.

Please be assured that the international office will make every effort to find suitable housing for you, but it is each student’s responsibility to secure accommodation. They will offer you a housing option according to your indications in the online application. After your acceptance they will help you to get in touch with your future landlord. The contract (except with Haus Wildburg, the dorm and Gästehaus Schumann) is between you and the landlord, which means that you pay your rent directly to him/her. A security deposit of 350€ is also required for each type of accommodation, including private apartments, and must be paid to WHU regardless of the housing option chosen.