First Steps

Plan your arrival in accordance with the Student Services (Studentenwerk) so that you can move into your room on the same day. Otherwise, you will need to spend your first night in a hotel.

Please inform your Buddy student at least one week prior to your departure when and how you will arrive in Braunschweig.

How to get to Braunschweig

There are four international airports within easy travelling distance of Braunschweig and direct train connections from many European cities. Click here for route descriptions and information on airports, train and bus connections:

Travelling to Braunschweig (Google Maps)

Travelling via plane, train, bus (www.omio.de)

Moving into your room

When you arrive in Braunschweig,

• your buddy will pick you up from the railway station and accompanies you to the Students Services' Office (Studentenwerk).
• This is where you sign for your accommodation and pay your deposit to get your keys. The deposit is usually one month’s rent and must be paid in cash.
• Your buddy will then take you to your hall of residence.

If you don't have a buddy yet, you can sign up for our buddy programme now:

Apply for the ESN Buddy Programme

The programme is offered by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) in cooperation with the International House.

Overnight stay at a hotel

If you cannot move directly into your room or have not yet found accommodation in Braunschweig, you can book a hotel room for the first nights through the Braunschweig tourist information, an overnight stay costs 30 € - 50 €. Another option is to stay at the Braunschweig youth hostel. The costs per night are also 30 € - 50 €.

Before you can enrol, you will need to provide proof of adequate health insurance cover and you must have paid the semester fee. We recommend that you do this directly upon your arrival in Braunschweig. Your buddy will accompany you.

Take out health insurance

Go to a public health insurance company. There you can take out a statutory health insurance for students for about 110 € per month. Ask for the "Meldung 10", i.e. the "M10", for TU Braunschweig, stating: "Sender number H0002117". This is the code for TU Braunschweig. The health insurance company then forwards this registration digitally to TU Braunschweig, confirming that you are indeed insured.

If you have an EHIC-Card, ask the health insurance company to transfer the exemption from the statutory health insurance with the "Sender number H0002117" to TU Braunschweig.

The following  health insurance companies have offices within a radius of 1 km from the campus:

Health insurance near the campus (you will be forwarded to Google Maps)

Remember to carry your health insurance card with you at all times while in Germany!

Take out liability insurance

Go to a local insurance company. There you can take out liability insurance for about 7 Euros per month or can have your foreign liability insurance checked to see if it meets German standards.

The following liability insurance companies have offices within a radius of 1 km from the campus:

Liability insurance near the campus (you will be forwarded to Google Maps)

Pay your semester fee

You can either transfer your semester fee from your bank account or pay it in cash at a local bank. The processing charge for cash payments is € 15. Payment information can be found on your Letter of Acceptance. The bank receipt must be presented upon enrolment.

Now you have compiled all the necessary documents and can come and see us at the Orientation Meeting.  You will find the dates before the start of the semester in your notification of admission.

At the Orientation Meeting you will receive all important information for your stay in Braunschweig. If you bring all your enrolment documents with you, we can directly enrol you and you will receive your temporary student ID.

Please provide the following documents for enrolment:

• admission letter with data sheet
• passport or identity card
• German health insurance card or certificate of a German statutory health insurance for students
• signed information sheet of liability insurance
• bank receipt proving the payment of your semester fees
• pass foto

Your temporary student ID is valid as a semester ticket and  entitles you to use all busses and tramways in the Braunschweig region and the regional trains in Lower Saxony free of charge!

For your stay in Braunschweig you have to register with the city of Braunschweig and under certain circumstances you have to apply for a residence permit. 

We recommend that you attend these appointments together with your buddy.

Apply for a residents’ registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung)

All exchange students need to register with the city of Braunschweig. Please visit the Department of Citizen Affairs (Abteilung Bürgerangelegenheiten) of the City of Braunschweig and bring the following documents with you:

• completed form Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde (registration form) (PDF)
• Identity card or passport
• completed form Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung (proof of accommodation) (PDF)

You can visit the Registration Office without an appointment taking a ticket and wait or you make an appointment on the office's internet pages.

Apply for a residence permit

If you are not from the EU and enter with a visa that does not cover the entire period of your stay or you initially enter visa-free, you must additionally apply for a residence permit within the first three months at the Foreigners' Registration Office. Please make an appointment by e-mail! On your appointment, please bring the following documents with you:

• completed application form for the granting of a residence permit
• passport
• passport photo
• proof of financial resources (scholarship certificate)
• tenancy agreement
• proof of sufficient insurance cover
• (temporary) certificate of enrolment or letter of admission from the university

Sometimes additional documents are required, of which you will be informed in advance.

As soon as you are enrolled and registered with the city, you can open a bank account at one of the local banks. Most banks offer special student accounts, which are free of charge.

The following  banks  have offices within a radius of 1 km from the campus:

Banks near the campus (you will be forwarded to Google Maps)

To set up your bank account, please take the following documents with you:

• passport or identity card
• residents’ registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung der Stadt Braunschweig)
• tax ID
• (temporary) student ID

Contact your programme coordinator at TU Braunschweig and register with your faculty. The name and contact details of your coordinator can be found in your letter of acceptance.

Here you can find your coordiantors.

Coordinators

Discuss your timetable with your programme coordinator and compare it with your previous learning agreement. Your programme coordinator will explain you how to register for your chosen lectures and seminars. You may need to change some courses because these are already full. In this case, compile a modified learning agreement with your programme coordinator and send it to your home university.

Information on all courses can be found in the course catalogue (Vorlesungsverzeichnis).

Many faculties and study courses offer introductory events in the week before the start of the semester, which you should definitely attend. They are a good opportunity for you to get an insight into your chosen subject and get to know your professors, tutors and fellow students.

Make use of the time between enrolment and the start of your studies to register with the university library, the IT Centre and other university facilities.

TUcard

The TUcard is your electronic student identity card. When you enrol, you will first receive a temporary student ID. About two weeks later you can pick up your TUcard at the Student Service Centre.

The TUcard includes various functions. It is

• your student ID card,
• your semester ticket,
• your library card,
• your Mensa card
• and the payment card for your printing account.

In order to be valid, the card must be reactivated at a validation machine at the beginning of each semester. Validation machines can be found at the Mensa, the Service Center and the Gauss IT Centre.

Registration with the University Library (UB)

The TUcard is also valid as a library card. Please complete the library's online registration form and register at the Library’s lending desk.

At the beginning of the semester, the University Library offers introductory events for new students. When registering, ask for the current dates and sign in!

Online registration at the UB

IT access

About two weeks after enrolment you will receive your user ID (y-number). This allows you to use all services, software trainings and introductory events of the Gauß-IT Center. If you have any questions, simply contact the IT service desk.

German courses

If you would like to continue learning German during your stay at TU Braunschweig, the Language Centre offers free German courses at all levels. They cover a broad variety of student requirements, e.g. conversational German, scientific language, presentation or academic writing. A language course usually takes up two semester hours per week (SWS).

• To attend a German course, register in person at the Language Centre.
• You can immediately take a test to assess your existing level of ability.
• You will then receive a recommendation for a suitable course.

Please apply early, as assessment tests must usually be taken before the beginning of the semester or in the first week of the semester.

German courses at the Language Centre

Registration for the sports courses

TU Braunschweig Sports Centre offers a diverse and affordable range of sports, health and leisure activities for TU students and staff, both digitally and in person. Some courses are very popular, so it is best to register as soon as possible after the start of registration.

See the sports programme (German)

From the lecture hall directly to the gym! In the fitness area in the TU sports hall you can do cardiovascular and muscle training on your own in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Certified fitness trainers will be happy to give you tips and training instructions at any time.

Go to "FitBox" (German)