Studying in the current situation of the coronavirus pandemic

Studying in the current situation 

The pandemic has affected many aspects of studying and international mobility: Travel restrictions and additional entry requirements, the shift to online courses, new standards for organizing your studies, social isolation, restricted access to counseling offices and official authorities, possibly financial or health concerns...many of these factors can seriously complicate the conditions and environment you’re studying in.

We can provide counseling and support in the current situation.

Guidance for first semester students - should I enter the country?

Moving to Germany to begin your studies is an exciting and special event and there is a lot to organize. The current circumstances complicate the situation even more and perhaps you are unsure, if, when, and under what conditions moving is sensible. A few helpful pieces of information are listed below to help you decide.

About the current semester at Nuremberg Tech

• Courses are mostly taking place on campus at Nuremberg Tech.
• Please check with your Faculty about how the semester is planned for your degree programme.
• Please check for current information and regulations here
• Come to our orientation programme for international students in their first semester to start your studies well and for orientation in the new environment.

What is your individual situation?

To take an appropriate decision, very personal factors play a role. Perhaps the following questions can help you:

• How is the semester organized in your degree programme? What do the professors in your degree programme recommend?
• How extensive, complex, or costly is moving to Nuremberg/Germany for you?
• How spontaneously can you travel, or organize a move, or travel home?
• What deadlines or costs do you need to be aware of?
• How well would you cope with a potential lockdown or quarantine, partial isolation, and the current measures and regulations in Germany?
• How stable is your internet connection at your place of residence?
• Do you have a suitable space in which to study at home where you can participate in online courses without being disturbed?
• If you studied from your home country, what time difference would you need to accommodate for online courses?
• How important is the environment, being present on site, and contact with fellow students for you to be able to immerse yourself in being a student and concentrating on your studies?

Important information about entry to the country for international students

Please apply for your visa early in your preparation process and be aware of the relevant entry restrictions and quarantine regulations. A “Bestätigung über die Notwendigkeit der Anwesenheit in Deutschland zum Zweck des Studiums (§ 16b AufenthG)” (Confirmation of the need to be present in Germany for the purpose of studying) from the university is not required since September 2020.

Exemption from the health insurance requirement

Since 1 January 2022, in order to enrol, international applicants must request an electronic notification of their health insurance status from a German statutory health insurance provider. This applies even if you intend to pursue your studies from abroad. More information can be obtained from the Student Advisory Service.

Important: Please note that the health insurance requirement applies retroactively if a student enters Germany at a later date (after the semester starts). This means, if you move to Germany during the semester, the health insurance requirement applies retroactively to the date the semester began and, respectively, the fees must also be paid retroactively as of the first day of the semester. Please contact your health insurance provider to discuss the requirements and, when you enter the country, inform the Student Advisory Service at Nuremberg Tech and the registration office (“Einwohneramt”) of your place of residence.

Individual, personal counseling for all hurdles in your studies

In the International Office, you will find professional guidance and support for the following areas: 

• Organising your studies and managing your course of study
• Questions about residence permits, foreigners' registration office
• Organisational challenges, e.g. health insurance, GEZ (licence fee for public broadcasting)
• Financial distress or need
• Imminent removal from the student register (exmatriculation)
• Changing your degree programme or university
• Feelings of social isolation
• Adapting to the German teaching and learning culture
• Study skills consultation

Please note that we currently have only limited on campus opening hours. You can reach your contact person, Nina Gabler, via email and she will arrange a personal consultation via telephone or videochat: sofia.royonvivas@th-nuernberg.de

Subject-specific support in a peer network

Student mentors – for students, by students

Having trouble keeping up with your lectures, completing your homework, and preparing for a presentation? Is the exam period about to begin again and you need a bit of help with your studying? If the learning and teaching culture in Germany still poses a challenge for you, you can count on support tailored to your needs! Student assistants from a variety of Faculties will provide you with tailored help with questions about the organisation of studies in your Faculty and support you with subject-specific queries or exam preparation. You will always receive an email invitation from your student mentor at the start of the semester to give you the opportunity to get in touch. Or you can meet him/her at international student events, or obtain contact details from the International Office; simply send us an email: sofia.royonvivas@th-nuernberg.de 

Courses and workshops

For international students, there is a whole range of courses providing you with further assistance alongside your subject-specific timetable to help them study successfully. An overview is shown below:

• B2-C1 German courses during the semester
  In these courses, you will learn and revise German grammar and practise conversation, listening, and reading comprehension. An overview is available here.

• Basic vocabulary in subject areas
  The aim of the courses is to teach comprehension and application of terms and linguistic devices in the respective field. More information can be found here.

• Intercultural competence and learning in the German university system
  In these courses you will learn about communication and conduct in international working environments. The course overview can be found online.

• Application-writing training and entry into the workplace
  The Career Service seminars provide you with assistance in creating the right application portfolio for internships and entry into the workplace. The Career Service also offers a comprehensive seminar programme to provide you with support in your competence development and interview tips, among other things.

• Academic writing during your studies
  In the courses on academic writing, you will practise writing texts in the style typically expected in higher education. The Writing Center also offers individual support on academic research methods in the writing advising sessions and workshops aimed at helping students develop their writing skills.
   
• Soft skills
  In the Summer School and Spring School intensive weeks, you have the opportunity to learn soft skills. The workshop focused on Future Skills takes place just before the semester begins in winter and summer.

Advice and support for international students

Sofia Royon Vivas

Tel.: +49 (0)911 5880-4132

Email: sofia.royonvivas@th-nuernberg.de

Mi Casa es tu Casa

The “Mi casa es tu casa - Zu Gast bei Freunden” project offers international students at Nuremberg Tech the opportunity to get to know
staff at the university and their families.

At the beginning of each semester, interested students are referred to university staff; contact and meetings are organised directly and independently of the university. Many families take trips, cook together or visit cultural events, for example.

Information for host families and for students

Information for host families

Our international students should also feel welcome during their time in Nuremberg and return to their home countries with a positive and friendly impression of Germany. So students can have an opportunity to have a closer look into life and culture in Germany besides their studies at Nuremberg Tech, the International Office is interested in contact with  interested members of staff, who are prepared to open their homes to ‘incomings’ and welcome them to join in your family life.

Aims of the project

Our aim with the project is to enable better integration for the students and to give university staff members an opportunity for intercultural exchange. Communication should not be an obstacle, as students generally have a foundation in German and often speak English well.

Procedure

If you are interested, 1 or 2 students would be selected, who would occasionally join in your family life during their stay (usually 1 or 2 semesters). The extent and form of the meetings is completely flexible - meeting at your home, an excursion to the surrounding areas, a walk through the old city center ... there are no specific time or frequency obligations. Hosting families can arrange the meetings with the student(s) as you prefer - once a week, every two weeks, once a month, or even just once or twice a semester - however it suits your schedule. 

Information for students

You’re new in Nuremberg and at the university? You’re interested in learning more about the people and culture here? To gain some insight into “typical German” life? If you are interested in intercultural exchange and are open-minded, sign up with us and become a part of our project - we look forward to hearing from you!

The offer is designed primarily for exchange students and international students in their first semesters, but we welcome all applicants and will facilitate connections wherever possible.

Registration

Registrations are accepted before the semester begins. Please use the application form to register.
Matching happens at the beginning of the semester and there is an event to start things off in March or October.

If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to contact Stefanie Ueberberg.

You can find us at:

International Office

Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm
Wassertorstraße 8 (Building WF, Modular Building; Third Floor)
D-90489 Nuremberg 

Map

Email: International-Office@th-nuernberg.de

Office hours:

During the coronavirus pandemic, counseling is offered only via telephone, email, or MS Teams. We will be happy to help you

Mondays and Wednesdays: 9.30 - 11.30 am
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 1.00 - 3.00 pm
You do not need to make an appointment during our office hours.

Please note:
for operational reasons or due to current events, office hours may change at short notice and may not always be as stated. If you need to make a long journey to get here, please make an appointment in advance (by telephone or email).

Language Center

Email: language-centeratth-nuernbergPunktde

www.th-nuernberg.de/language-center

Student Counseling Service

Email: studienberatungatth-nuernbergPunktde

www.th-nuernberg.de/studienberatung

IB Office

The IB Office is on hand for students studying in our English-language programmes.

www.th-nuernberg.de/ib

Studentenwerk Erlangen-Nuremberg

Andreij-Sacharow-Platz 1 90403 Nürnberg Telephone: (09 11) 588 57 – 0

www.werkswelt.de