Study abroad (SA) is often perceived by students to be a comprehensive and possibly transformative experience that encompasses a variety of developmental outcomes (Benson et al., 2012). SA is a key opportunity, where multilingual practice, intercultural exposure, and identity development evolve simultaneously in various sociocultural contexts. In recent years, the Erasmus exchange programme has become one of the most widespread institutionalised forms of SA, with over 30% of the participants being involved with higher education mobility. Germany is among the top three countries with the largest number of participants (European Commission, 2026).  As a variety of countries have an Erasmus agreement, a country-specific focus may be necessary to observe the nuances. Within SA contexts, language learning is increasingly conceptualised as socially situated, as development does not occur solely via formal instruction but is embedded in everyday participation in social life (Beaven & Borghetti, 2016). Hence, this perspective emphasises not the simple quantity of exposure to the target language but the quality of access to interaction and participation opportunities, which shapes students’ perceptions of the gains from their mobility experience. In line with this, Isabelli-García et al. (2018) show that SA is quite complex in nature as experiences differ due to different factors, ultimately altering their effect on language learning and experience abroad as well. This further indicates the necessity to look at SA in depth from an Erasmus perspective with a context-specific lens.

For this reason, this study investigates the experiences of nine Erasmus exchange students in Germany during the 2024–2025 spring semester by focusing on a single host (higher education institution) and country context in Europe (Germany). Several studies found that there is a scarcity of longitudinal research to capture the linguistic and personal changes in depth that exchange students go through (e.g. Chen et al., 2025). Therefore, this study is designed to inquire into changes in participants’ perspectives throughout their exchange period rather than relying on end-of-stay retrospectives. In addition, the study adopts an explicitly international perspective by examining a linguistically and culturally diverse cohort with varying prior SA experience before their student mobility period.

The main research question of this study is: How does participation in the Erasmus exchange programme influence students’ intercultural communication, language acquisition, and identity development within a German setting? For the purposes of this study, this umbrella question is pursued through three interrelated analytic foci and corresponding guiding questions:

1. German language learning as the (at least) third language: In what ways do students access, make use of, and evaluate German language learning opportunities over time, specifically in relation to English and their native languages?
2. Intercultural adaptation: How do students articulate specific changes in their sense of belonging, communication strategies, and communicative challenges throughout their exchange?
3. Multifaceted identity development: How do students describe shifts in their identity from various perspectives (e.g., academic positioning, language learner identities, personal development) through their participation in new communities and settings?

The conceptual framework connects a social-practice understanding of SA language learning and access to interactional opportunities. It also adopts a poststructural and ecological view of identity as dynamic across time and space (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Norton, 2013). This view was utilised to capture the complex nuances of identity development throughout an exchange period.

This study utilises a qualitative research design. To pursue an in‑depth understanding of Erasmus students’ lived experiences in Germany, the study relies on a phenomenological research approach. Integrating a longitudinal data collection procedure, it aims to capture the process of change that Erasmus students experience during their exchange semester. Three face‑to‑face semi-structured interviews per participant were conducted at three different time points: (1) Initial‑Entry (shortly after arrival to capture their initial observations), (2) Field Experience (mid‑semester to check up on progress), and (3) Exit‑Phase (to reflect on the experience as they get ready for departure). Each interview was audio‑recorded and then transcribed. The interviewing process took place over a five-month period, starting in April and ending in August 2025, with a total of 27 records. Prior to this procedure, a pilot interview was conducted to check the overall interview flow and identify potential issues. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling through various Erasmus communication channels. The final sample included nine students, with diverse academic settings, linguistic backgrounds and multiple nationalities. For a structured baseline for German language learning, participants were selected based on low proficiency (maximum A2). To ensure accurate level placements, a placement test organised by the host university was used on top of the self-assessments of the participants. Additionally, every participant had English proficiency, positioning German as their third or second foreign language. Participants’ English proficiency was crucial, as it served as the common language for the research interviews. Data analysis employs Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic analysis, and coding is supported by qualitative analysis software (MaxQDA). Analytic work is organised around three domains (language learning, intercultural adaptation, and identity development) while remaining open to inductively emerging themes and sub‑themes. Coding is conducted iteratively, with comparisons made both within cases (across each participant’s three interviews) and across cases to identify patterns of change over time. Trustworthiness is strengthened through longitudinal triangulation, researcher interview notes and a personal observation journal. This additional researcher reflexive journal supports triangulation and reflexivity by capturing interactional and institutional patterns that may not fully surface in interviews.

By demonstrating how language learning, intercultural adaptation, and identity development all simultaneously evolve in distinct ways over the exchange period, this study seeks to provide an in-depth inquiry into the process rather than the product of Erasmus mobility. It aims to show how opportunities to learn German emerge within an English-medium environment and how students’ interaction patterns and participation choices shape their engagement with German over time in the language-learning context. Additionally, the analysis is expected to highlight differences in German language integration. While some students may become increasingly confident using German in simple interactions, others may continue to rely on English-oriented contexts, local settings, and international networks. In addition, preliminary participants’ accounts suggest revealing certain intercultural and linguistic challenges (e.g., managing communicative misunderstandings, coping with homesickness). For identity development, the study is expected to further contribute to the post-structuralist understanding of identity by pointing out its dynamic nature in a German context through a diverse cohort. It also aims to demonstrate the transformative effect it embodies towards student mindsets (Nada & Legutko, 2022). It highlights its complexity when considered alongside academic positioning and social circles, rather than reflecting a simple “more language exposure equals more proficiency” pathway. Finally, at an applied level, the findings are expected to offer suggestions for international offices and universities regarding intercultural communication support that can strengthen belonging and intercultural competence. Considering the significance of the orientation period in forming first impressions, providing students with initial opportunities before mobility may be quite beneficial (Chan et al., 2018). In conclusion, some potential outcomes include themes connected to students’ self-definitions of personal development, language learning shaped by personal preferences and habits, linguistic confidence, and changing orientations toward future international opportunities (EPALE Ireland, 2020; Żebryk, 2021).

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