First Steps

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

How to get to Braunschweig (Google Maps)

Arrival by plane, traine, bus (www.omio.de)

Pick-up from the train station

If you have applied for our buddy programme, your buddy will pick you up from the main train station and accompany you to your accommodation. Please inform your buddy at least one week prior to your departure when and how you will be arriving in Braunschweig. Do not forget to contact them if your journey should be delayed.

If you don't have a buddy yet, you can register here:

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 don't have an accommodation yet, it is best to try and stay with friends or acquaintances. You can also book a hotel room 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 around 30 € - 50 €.

For your enrolment and your residence permit, you will need to provide proof of adequate insurance cover that is valid in Germany. We recommend that you take out insurances directly upon your arrival in Braunschweig.

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 € per month or 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)

After you have taken out your health insurance, you can enrol at the university. You have received detailed information on enrolment with your letter of acceptance. Here we have informed you of

• the period in which you must enrol,
• which documents must be submitted for enrolment,
• the amount of the semester contribution you have to pay.

After you have enrolled, you will receive your temporary student identity card, which you can use as a semester ticket from the beginning of the semester.

For your stay in Braunschweig you have to register at the city of Braunschweig and possibly apply for a residence permit. We recommend that you go to the appointments at the registration and immigration office together with your buddy.

Request certificate of registration

All international students must register with the city! For this purpose, visit the Department of Citizens' Affairs of the City of Braunschweig (in German the Abteilung Bürgerangelegenheiten der Stadt Braunschweig) and bring the following documents with you:

• completed registration form of the "Anmeldung bei der Meldebehörde" (PDF) to the Department of Citizens' Affairs of the City of Braunschweig
• identity card or passport
• completed certificate of residence form "Wohngeberbescheinigung" (PDF)

At the Department of Citizens' Affairs  of the City of Braunschweig, you can come without an appointment and draw a waiting number or make an appointment online for your registration.

Apply for a residence permit

To apply for your residence permit, make an appointment with your case worker at the Immigration Office (in German the responsible local authority is called the Ausländerbehörde) by e-mail or online. If you do not live in Braunschweig, but you are already living in Germany, please contact the Immigration Office in your place of residence.

• You will then be sent a proposed appointment and a list of all the required documents.
• Bring all of these documents with you to your appointment. If you wish, an employee of the Incoming Office will accompany you to the Immigration Office.
• A few weeks later, you will receive a notification letter with which you can pick up your residence permit at the Immigration Office.

Please note that you will need biometric passport photos. You will also pay a fee of between 80 euros to 110 euros, which you will need to bring with you! The exact amount to be paid depends on the duration for which the residence permit has been applied for and whether it is the first application for the residence title or a renewal. The issuance of the residence permit takes about eight weeks in total.

As soon as you are in Braunschweig, you can open a German bank account. Most banks offer free student accounts.

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 open a bank account you must bring the following documents with you:

• Passport or identity card
• Registration certificate of the city of Braunschweig (Meldebescheinigung der Stadt Braunschweig)
• tax ID
• For a student account: your (temporary) student ID card

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 valid as a library card as well. 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.

It is also possible to use Stud.IP with it. Instructions with English subtitles can be found in this video:
Introduction to Stud.IP for Students

Signing up for a German language course

Even if you already have a good command of German, you will notice at the beginning of your studies that it is not always easy to understand all lectures or to write German term papers. We therefore recommend that you attend a German course parallel to your studies and further improve your German language skills.

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

Regarding the Immatriculation process

TUcard

y-Number

Brochure »Don’t Panic«

Stud.IP

Re-registration

Our offers for you

International Student Support

German language courses

Intercultural communication

S.o.S. (Studying without language barriers)

Support offered by the faculties

Websites of the faculties

SCOUT

inTU

Offers by student groups

Erasmus Student Network

AStA

AIESEC

Further offers

Learning-Coaching  

Social Counselling

Psychotherapeutic Counselling

Doctors with foreign language skills

Contacting the Immigration Office

E-Mail to the Immigartion Office

Appointment request (only available in German language)