Heidelberg Semester Abroad Program

The Conservatory of Music offers a semester study-abroad program in Heidelberg, Germany. The program includes applied study with musicians from the Heidelberg Orchestra and professional musicians and university faculty from the Heidelberg area.

Students live and study in historic old town Heidelberg, and in addition to studies and involvement in area ensembles enjoy extended trips to Austria, visiting Salzburg and Vienna, and northern Germany, visiting Leipzig and Eisenach. Activities include concerts, museum visits, and a wide variety of historic site-seeing. “The Heidelberg program provides an opportunity for students to steep themselves in the historically and culturally rich environment that can only be found in Europe, the birthplace of the western art music tradition," stated Biola Conservatory of Music director, Dr. George Boespflug.

The Conservatory is developing partnerships with music programs in Southern California and around the country to make this exciting program available to other young Christian musicians, with a goal of fostering relationships between musicians from sister Christian universities who share similar goals and ambitions.

Along with coursework including music history, conducting, German language, and world history, a Spiritual Life/Music Integration Seminar led by a Biola faculty member ties everything together to add the significant spiritual component of the semester's study.

Follow the current Heidelberg study-abroad students on the blog: The Merry Adventures of the Heidelberg Crew

Learn what Heidelberg Program alumni have to say about their time abroad on "The Heidelberg Student Experience" page.

Read about Faculty and Leadership

Cost

Tuition	$15,502
Room and Board	$4,866
Applied Lessons Fees	$660
Activity Fee	$550
Administrative Fee	$300
International Insurance Fee	$235
Total	$22,113
Airfare – separate	$1,200 (Estimated. Students will arrange their own airfare.)

Deposit

$1,000 deposit due after acceptance to the program

Application Deadlines

March 1, 2013 for Fall 2013
October 31, 2013 for Spring 2014

Curriculum

14-week semester plus orientation

Students remain registered at their respective schools through a consortium arrangement between Biola and their home school.

Students sign up for Biola Heidelberg courses, which serve as equivalent courses from their respective institutions.

Upon completion of the Heidelberg semester, the Biola courses revert to equivalent courses at each student's school and appear on each student's school transcript.

Courses

Music History	Fall (Baroque / Classic), Spring (Romantic / 20th Century), 2 - 3 units
Conducting	2 units
German 1	4 units (first or second semester German) (Required)
World Civilization	3 units (since the Sixteenth Century)
Concert Music	0 - 1 unit
Ensemble	1 unit
Applied Music	2-3 units

Non-credit Spiritual Life/Music Integration Seminar is required for all participants. It is structured as a reading and group discussion course led by a Biola faculty member.

Arranged courses as appropriate (i.e., pedagogy) will carry an additional half-hour lesson fee.

Faculty - members of the Heidelberg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Heidelberg Opera Orchestra, as well as other professional musicians in Heidelberg and the surrounding areas

Grades - issued by Biola faculty. Students sign up for Biola courses. These courses must be transferrable to participating institutions.

Ensembles - chamber groups, semi-professional and university choral ensembles, guitar ensemble

Accompanist - provided for soloists

Practice space - available at a music school facility which is a 10-minute walk away. Pianos are available.

Two extended field trips - 3-day trip to Leipzig/Eisenach and 5-day trip to Vienna/Salzburg

Day trips - Mannheim, Schwetzingen, Speyer, Ladenberg

In addition to the extended field and day trips, students are allotted two optional 3-day travel weekends for travel on their own. Students wishing to travel even more are encouraged to arrange their flights so that they can travel after the end of the semester.

Passport

All American students will need a valid US passport. Students who are citizens of any other country will need a valid passport from their country and will need to contact their respective embassy for specific German travel requirements and to obtain any required visas. All students must bring two passport photos with them, which will be used for securing an extension for the 90-day visa-free period under which they will be staying in Germany.

Food

Daily food allowance – students can put money on a card that allows them to take meals at the University of Heidelberg. They can also buy meals at area coffee shops and restaurants. Meals provided on field trips.

Room

Pension. Two to a room. Shared bathrooms. Middle of old town Heidelberg. Safe/charming accommodations. Linen service provided/laundry two blocks away. Commons area with refrigerator and coffeemaker and Wi-Fi. Resident Assistant on staff who lives with the students.

Transportation to Heidelberg

Bus-line from Frankfurt to Heidelberg. Taxi to Pension – total: $30-35 Euros

Students will be given a bicycle for use during their time in Heidelberg.

Contact Information

George Boespflug, Director, Conservatory of Music, Biola University
HeidelbergSemester@biola.edu, 562-903-4892