Advice and help
If you don’t know what to do in a crisis: Studierendenwerke offer support in emergency situations. Studierendenwerk advisers are attuned to the special needs of international students.
Counselling and advisory services for international students
Many Studierendenwerke specially focus their counselling and advisory services on international students who might have many questions about their stay in Germany or have difficulties dealing with the authorities.
The staff at the counselling and advisory services give advice on topics relating to student employment, health insurance, finding accommodation and residence regulations.
They help with communication with the authorities, formulating letters and filling out forms. In individual cases, they accompany students to difficult appointments, such as with the immigration authorities, lawyers or professors. “Just knock on the door, come in and ask!” is the motto.
Financial support
In financial emergencies, students can apply for support from the Studierendenwerke. Support can be provided in the form of loan funds, grants or hardship funds, from which financial resources can be made available to students under certain circumstances. These can be granted as loans or as non-repayable grants.
The respective guidelines for granting this financial aid vary from region to region. However, the prerequisite is usually proof of a special emergency situation or special need through no fault of your own (e.g. birth of a child, uncovered medical expenses, imminent failure to complete a degree for financial reasons, high costs for specialist literature).
If a Studierendenwerk is unable to provide financial resources, the advisers may be able to refer you to other relevant bodies or institutions.
Information and orientation
Who? How? What? Where? How come? For what reason? Why? – Studierendenwerke help students to find their way around everyday life in a higher education setting. To this end, they offer information and, in some cases, advice in several foreign languages.
Cooperation and qualification
With each other instead of against each other. Studierendenwerke continuously work to achieve good study conditions for international students. They work together with local partners.
Mentoring and meeting people
Studierendenwerke create spaces where people can meet each other. They are keen to bring German and international students together so that they can enrich both each other and the campus.
Services around studying
For higher education studies, you attend a higher education institution such as a college or university. The Studierendenwerke are the right place to go if students need information on housing, food, finances and everything else. In principle, the services offered by the Studierendenwerke are available to all students. Some services are specially tailored to international students.
SIK Publications
The Service Point for Intercultural Competence (SIK) supports and presents the intercultural work of the Studierendenwerke with regular publications.