Step by Step

Before you arrive
On arrival you will be met by one of the members of the International Office or one of the tutors. The usual point of arrival is the train station. If you arrive by other means it is necessary to get in touch with the International Office as soon as possible for arranging a pick-up. By arrival, you will also be informed about the upcoming steps and will be guided through your first days.

Detail Information about:

> General Information
> First steps
> Get connected
> Accommodation
> Matriculation
> Computer Centre
> Living in Germany

General Information
• Before you come to Wuerzburg or Schweinfurt please inform the International Office about your arrival dates ?
• Get in touch with the German embassy in your home country (if necessary) for details about visa ?
• Make sure that your passport or ID-Card is valid and will remain valid throughout the length of your stay in Germany ?
• You have obtained and correctly completed the medical insurance form E109 or E111 ? Health insurance is compulsory in Germany and these forms guarantee that if you are taken ill, your national Government will bear the costs of emergency treatment.
• You have checked and confirmed all your ravel arrangements ?
• You have all relevant proofs of student status and any other documentation required by the Fachhochschule (University of Applied Sciences) ?
• You have a supply of passport photographs, for completion of all Fachhochschule and City Hall formalities ?
• If you arrive after 16.00 or during the weekend, you have made appropriate arrangements for temporary arrangements ? You cannot get access to any student dormitory after this time or during the weekend. You can try the following links:

> www.jugendherberge-schweinfurt.de
> www.jugendherberge.de/jh/wuerzburg

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First steps
When you start at the Fachhochschule, you will be introduced to the tutors. The tutors and the staff members at the International Office are there to help you with any problems which might occur and will be glad to help you with any questions you might have. Together with the International Office they will organize trips and events for learning more about the Fachhochschule, Germany and German culture during your stay at the Fachhochschule.
You will also need to open a bank account. This is free for international students from Fachhochschule, just take your Studentenausweis, passport and accommodation details. The tutors and the International Office will assist you with the necessary documents and after opening the account you will be able to get money from ATM-machines and will not depend on the opening hours of the banks.

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Get connected
ISC (International Students Club) offers a variety of activities and events to both, international and German students to get in contact with each other.

Find out more: > www.fh-wuerzburg.de/ISC

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Accommodation
Most student flats are equipped with basic cooking and food storage facilities. In general, kitchen equipment is not included, so you have to bring your own equipment or buy something after arrival. Your accommodation may also have general-use kitchen with ovens, for use by all students in the block (do not rely on this).
Student flats are equipped with a bed and a mattress but bedding is not supplied, again you will have to supply you own. If you arrive after the shops have shut, you may have three choices, a night with no bedding, sleep in a hotel (expensive) or bring your own. But remember that most airlines only allow 20 kilograms of luggage per person, use it wisely. You will also have to supply your own towels.
Applying for Accommodation view Link: Application

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Matriculation
The International Office will help you with matriculation at the Fachhochschule. Once you have completed the forms you will be issued with the “Studentenausweis”, which is your official documentation and has your student identification number (Matrikelnummer) on it which you will need for the exams you are supposed to attend during your stay. The Studentenausweis also entitles you to free local travel on the buses and trams, which is extremely useful since most of the student dormitories are located apart from the Fachhochschule Campus.
You will need the Studentenausweis to be able to get a Studentenwerk Card. This card allows you to get reduced rate meals at the restaurant at Studentenwerk, which is near the Fachhochschule or rather in the Fachhochschule at Schweinfurt campus. You will need to put credit onto the Studentenwerk card to be able to buy food. This is done using the machines situated at the entrances to the Mensa at both campus. It is a self servie arrangement , choose your meal and take it to the cashier; the cost for the meal will be debited from it automatically at the cashier.

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Computer Centre
Everybody at our university uses the network and facilities provided by the Computer Centre – electronic mail and the Web, to analyse and present data, to use word processing packages, and gather information from all round the world.
When you arrive in Würzburg or Schweinfurt, you will be given a username which will last for the duration of course.

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Living in Germany
In Summer, the temperature can reach 30 degrees Celsius or more. The weather is generally very pleasant in Summer, with plenty of sunshine and the occasional downpour. So, take decent clothing for warm weather along with sunglasses with you, but don’t forget about the rain.
On the other hand, the winter can be cold and long, with the average temperature around -5 degrees. Conditions in Wuerzburg and Schweinfurt have been known to drop as low as -15 degrees Celsius. But the student accommodation’s all has central heating and double glazing and are well prepared for all regular conditions.