FEEL AT HOME

Getting
started
at HHU
Student Edition

hhu.de/feel-at-home
Legal notice
Publisher
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU)
Responsible for content
Professor Dr. Andrea von Hülsen-Esch,
Vice-President for International Relations
Editor
International Office
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-14107 Dear Student
Email: international-office@hhu.de
www.hhu.de/home/en/internationales I am very pleased that you have chosen to study with us here at
Editorial team Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU). An important new
Dr. Benjamin Irkens, International Office chapter in your life is about to commence and we want to help
Matthias Kaufmann, International Office and support you as best as we can.
Dr. Saskia Reither, Personal Assistant to the Vice-President for
International Relations You will find important information in this brochure which will
With the kind support of HHU Student Services (Studierendenservice) help you to prepare for studying as well as for getting started.
Translation ORANSKI Übersetzungen, Cologne Please do not hesitate to get in touch with the relevant contact
Photographs © HHU / Ivo Mayr persons if you have any questions - they will be pleased to help
Design atelier caer, Düsseldorf
you.
Issue: 2017
I wish you every success in your studies and hope that you enjoy
This information brochure is intended above all for international
first-semester students at HHU. It complements the “First Semester Bro-
your time at HHU and soon settle down in your new environ-
chure” published by HHU Student Services (Studierendenservice) which ment!
is available online in HHU’s Study Start Portal on the SSC website or can
be obtained as a print version from the SSC.
This issue reflects the status as of July 2017. Although we have taken
great care in compiling this brochure, we assume no liability whatsoever
for the accuracy of the information provided. Prof. Dr. Andrea von Hülsen-Esch
Vice-President for International Relations
Please note that the links lead to German-language websites. Where the
pages are also available in English, please click on the flag or button.
 Content

PREPARATION

Prior to arrival
Checklist 12
Visa and entry 13
Insurance 15
Travelling to Düsseldorf 18
Financing your studies
Cost overview 19
Scholarships 20
Financial advice 21
Accommodation
The first nights 22
Student halls of residence 22
Finding accommodation 24

FIRST STEPS
Formalities
Registering at your place of residence 28
Residence permit 28
Opening a bank account 29
Enrolment
Enrolment and re-registration 30
HHU Student Services 32
University identifier 33
NRW Travel Pass 34
 Content Content

On campus LIVING IN DÜSSELDORF

Travelling to HHU by bus or tram 35
Finding your way around 36 Employment and career guidance
Safety on campus 36 Work and study 58
Food and drink 37 Internships 59
Room for Silence and Prayer 39 Placement services for jobs and internships 60
Service Point 39 Career entry 60
HHU programme “UNI2JOB – Careers in Germany” 62
Good to know
SERVICES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS Visiting the doctor and medication 63
Local authorities’ hotline 63
Study start Festivities in Germany 64
“Feel at Home” welcome programme 42 Cell phone and landline 65
“Mate-For-You” buddy programme 43 Internet 66
Opening hours 66
Obtaining qualifications
Punctuality 67
Modules, credit points and academic courses 44
Post 67
Examinations 45
Smoking ban 68
Assistance, events and initiatives Recycling and deposit 68
Tutorials 47 Travel 69
Learning German 47 TV and radio licence 70
Study completion grants 48 Weather and clothing 70
Events programme of Düsseldorf Student Services 49 “Sie” and “Du” 71
Clubs and church communities 50 Equality 72
International Students Office of the Students’ Union 51
Campus map
International studies
Learning foreign languages 52
Certificate in “Intercultural Competence” 52
Stays abroad 53
 Abbreviations Abbreviations

In this brochure, on the HHU website, and in everyday student GSB Gleichstellungsbeauftragte
life you will encounter the following abbreviations: Equal Opportunities Officer
AStA Allgemeiner Studierendenausschuss Hbf Hauptbahnhof
Students’ Union Main station
CP Credit Points HHU Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf
Credit points Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
CVJM Christlicher Verein Junger Menschen HIS-LSF Online-Vorlesungsverzeichnis
YMCA Online university calendar
DAAD Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst KHG Katholische Hochschulgemeinde
German Academic Exchange Service Association of Catholic Students
DaF Deutsch als Fremdsprache NRW Nordrhein-Westfalen
German as a foreign language North Rhine-Westphalia
DPD Deutscher Paketdienst SPV Studierenden- und Prüfungsverwaltung
German Parcel Service Student and Examination Administration
EU Europäische Union Department
European Union SSC Studierenden Service Center
EC-Karte Electronic-Cash-Karte Student Services Centre
Debit card / cash card SWS Semesterwochenstunden
ECTS European Credit Transfer and Accumulation Weekly hours per semester
System STW Studierendenwerk (Studentenwerk up to 2015)
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation Düsseldorf Student Services
System ULB Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek
EHIC Europäische Krankenversicherungskarte University and State Library
European Health Insurance Card UPS United Parcel Service
ESAG Erstsemester Arbeitsgemeinschaft United Parcel Service
First Semester Working Group ZIM Zentrum für Informations- und Medien-
ESN ERASMUS Student Network technologie
ERASMUS Student Network Centre for Information and Media Technology
ESG Evangelische Studierendengemeinde ZSU Zentrum Studium Universale
Association of Protestant Students General Studies Centre
EWR Europäischer Wirtschaftsraum
European Economic Area
PREPARATION
 Prior to arrival Prior to arrival

Prior to arrival Visa and entry

Checklist Whether and what type of visa you might need depends on your
country of origin as well as on the duration and purpose of your
The following checklist will help you to prepare your stay at visit (see p. 12). Please enquire well in advance (about a year)
Heinrich Heine University (HHU) Düsseldorf. ERASMUS stu- before you travel at a German diplomatic mission in your home
dents and students taking part in other exchange programmes country about the visa procedure and the documents you re-
will find information on how to prepare their visit on the Inter- quire in order to apply. Binding information on visa regulations
national Office’s website. is available on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

Time schedule and tasks Information www.auswaertiges-amt.de/ENEntry and Residence

Prior to arrival ¡¡Visa for a language course

Apply for a visa Visa and entry, p. 10 This visa is only valid for the duration of the language course
and cannot be converted into a visa for study purposes.
Information about health
Health insurance, p. 13
insurance in Germany
¡¡Applicant’s visa
Apply for a place in a hall You have not yet been accepted by HHU. This visa is valid
Accommodation, p. 20
of residence for three months and can be converted into a visa for study
purposes once you have been accepted by HHU. If you want
After arrival to complete a language course in Germany first and then
Enrol at HHU Enrolment, p. 28 apply to HHU for a place, you should apply for an applicant’s
visa.
Registering your place of
Place of residence, p. 26
residence
¡¡Residence visa for the purpose of studying
Opening a bank account Bank account, p. 27 You have received your letter of acceptance from HHU
or preparatory college (Studienkolleg). Please go to the
Applying for a residence
Residence permit, p. 26 Municipal Immigration Office and have your applicant’s visa
permit
converted to a residence visa for study purposes.
Getting to grips with studying Initial study help, p. 40

12 13
 Prior to arrival Prior to arrival

Please note that what is known as a “Schengen visa” is not valid You must apply for this before entering Germany. Please
for studying in Germany, doctoral studies or research visits, nor apply for a residence permit for study purposes at the Mu-
can it be converted into another type of visa in Germany. In or- nicipal Immigration Office before your entry visa expires.
der to obtain a new visa you will be required to leave Germany
and then enter the country again. When you apply for a visa and at the latest when you apply for
a residence permit you must provide evidence that you have
Do I need an entry visa for Germany? or will receive sufficient money to be able to live in Germany.
Where do I get my residence permit? Examples of such evidence are, for example, a scholarship noti-
fication, evidence of income or assets of your parents or a state-
¡¡EU and EEA states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and ment of commitment from someone domiciled in Germany.
Switzerland Nationals of certain countries must open a blocked account at a
No visa required. bank in Germany.

¡¡Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Further information is available on the websites of the DAAD
New Zealand and USA and German Student Services (Deutsches Studierendenwerk).
No visa required. For a study visit longer than three months
you can apply for a residence permit for study purposes www.daad.de/deutschland/en
after entering Germany too at the Municipal Immigration www.auswaertiges-amt.de/ENEntry and Residence
Office. https://www2.duesseldorf.de/auslaenderamt
www.internationale-studierende.de/enPrepare your
¡¡Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco and studiesEntry into GermanyProof of financing
San Marino
A visa is only required if you wish to work in Germany be-
fore or after your studies. For a study visit longer than three Insurance
months you can apply for a residence permit for study pur-
poses after entering Germany too at the Municipal Immi- ¡¡Health insurance
gration Office. All students in Germany require health insurance. Upon
enrolment and when extending your residence permit you
¡¡All other countries must provide evidence of statutory or private health insur-
A visa for study purposes or an applicant's visa is required. ance.

14 15
 Prior to arrival Prior to arrival

For students from the EU as well as from Iceland, Liechten- commence your studies, private health insurance is the only
stein, Macedonia, Norway and Switzerland health insurance option. You cannot change from private to statutory health
in their home country is generally also valid in Germany. insurance for the entire duration of your studies.
Please bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
with you, which can be obtained free of charge from your
health insurer at home. Please present it to a statutory health Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk) offers
insurance scheme in Germany, which will confirm that you private health insurance cover for:
are exempt from compulsory health insurance in Germany.
Please bring this confirmation with you when you enrol. It ¡¡Participants in language courses in preparation for
might be the case that not all costs incurred in Germany are studying
covered by your insurance scheme in your home country. ¡¡Participants at preparatory colleges (Studienkolleg)
You should therefore enquire about what cover you are enti- ¡¡Interns from abroad
tled to in Germany before you enter the country.
Further information can be found on the website of
Private health insurance might also be recognized in Ger- Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk).
many. Please clarify this with your health insurance scheme www.stw-d.de/kultur/krankenversicherung
at home. If your private health insurance is accepted, you
require confirmation from a statutory health insurer for en- Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk)
rolment that you are exempt from compulsory health insur- International Matters / Culture
ance in a statutory health insurance scheme. If your health Ms. Kamila Chlebnikow
insurance is not recognized in Germany, you must take out Ms. Karin Kwak
health insurance in Germany. Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-15083
Fax: +49 (0)211 81-15778
Most students in Germany are insured through a statuto- kultur@stw-d.de
ry health insurance scheme. These often have cheaper pre- Building 21.12 | Level 00 | Room 09
miums for students than private ones. The premiums are
around € 80 per month. This premium applies up until the
14th study semester or 30 years of age. You can continue to ¡¡Civil liability insurance
keep your statutory health insurance after that but with a In Germany, anyone causing damage to persons or property
higher premium. If you are over 29 years of age when you is liable for this damage. That means you must pay for any

16 17
 Prior to arrival Financing your studies

damage which you have caused. We therefore recommend Financing your studies
that you take out private civil liability insurance cover. This
cover pays for damage which you have caused, for example Cost overview
through carelessness.
You can expect to incur the following monthly expenses during
Further information about civil liability insurance and other your visit to Düsseldorf:
types of insurance can be found on the website of the Asso-
ciation of Insurance Policy Holders (Bund der Versicherten ¡¡Average expenses in the first month
e.V.). It is worth comparing prices and services on the in-
ternet! Rent About € 300
Deposit About € 300
www.bundderversicherten.de/english Semester fee About € 270
Statutory health insurance (if necessary) About € 80
Residence permit (if necessary) About € 100
Travelling to Düsseldorf Other About € 300
Total About € 1.350
Düsseldorf Airport is one of the largest in Europe and has two
railway stations. The journey from the “Düsseldorf Flughafen
Terminal” stop to Düsseldorf Main Station (Hauptbahnhof) by ¡¡Average expenses in the following months
the No. 11 suburban train line (S-Bahn) takes about 12 min-
utes. Düsseldorf Main Station is connected to all international Rent About € 300
long-distance destinations. Statutory health insurance (if necessary) About € 80
Food About € 170
International travel within Europe can be planned for example Clothing About € 50
with the “GoEuro Travel Planner”. Office supplies and books About € 30
Internet About € 20
www.dus.com/en Recreation About € 20
www.bahnhof.deBahnhofsucheDüsseldorf Total About € 670
www.rheinbahn.comTimetable
www.vrr.de/en/ www.internationale-studierende.de/en
www.goeuro.co.uk Prepare your studiesFinancingCosts of living

18 19
 Financing your studies Financing your studies

Scholarships Financial advice

The scholarship databases of the German Academic Exchange The following contact points are at your disposal for individual
Service (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst, DAAD) and advice:
the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bun-
desministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) provide an Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk)
overview of the large number of funding programmes. General financial advice
Mr. Sven Kolberg
www.daad.de/enInformation for ForeignersFinding Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-13378
ScholarshipsScholarship Database finanzierungsberatung@stw-d.de
www.stipendienlotse.de Building 21.12 | Level 00 | Room 10
Office hours:
In the framework of its “Opportunities” programme (Chancen Monday, Wednesday 10:00 -12:00 a.m.
nutzen), HHU offers students monthly financial support of € Tuesday, Thursday 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
300. This programme, which is known as “Scholarships for Ger-
many” (Deutschlandstipendium), is a funding scheme run by the www.stw-d.de/studienfinanzierung
national government and targets high-performing students in
all faculties. HHU Equal Opportunities Office (Gleichstellungsbüro)
Advice for student parents
HHU Central Financial Aid Office Ms. Selma Gündogdu M.A.
Ms. Margit Giebels Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-11527
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-15350 selma.guendogdu@hhu.de
stipendien@hhu.de Building 16.11 | Level 00 | Room 22
Building 16.11 | Level 01 | Room 86
Social Services Office of the Students' Union (AStA)
Scholarship Advice Service in Student Services Centre Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-13283
Foyer sozial.referat@asta.hhu.de
Wednesday 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Building 25.23 | Level U1 | Room 48

www.hhu.de/stipendien www.asta.hhu.de/referate/sozialreferat

20 21
 Accommodation Accommodation

Accommodation Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk)

Accommodation
The first nights Ms. Anja Bäumker
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-13286
If you come to Düsseldorf and have not yet got a room, youth baeumker@stw-d.de
hostels are an inexpensive place to stay. We recommend that Building 21.12 | Level 00 | Room 13
you search under keywords such as “Jugendherberge Düssel- Office hours: Monday and Thursday 9:00 -12:00 a.m.
dorf” or “Hostels”. Some hotels and guesthouses also offer inex-
pensive overnight accommodation. Apart from the halls of residence of Düsseldorf Student Services
(Studierendenwerk), accommodation is available in:
https://www.duesseldorf-tourismus.de/en/Accommodation
¡¡The Kolping Youth Hostel (Katholisches Gesellenhaus)
Student halls of residence www.kolpinghaeuser.de

Student halls of residence are located near HHU as well as ¡¡The hall of residence of the Protestant Student Community
directly on campus. Since not all students can be offered a room, (Evangelische Studierendengemeinde, ESG)
we recommend that you start looking for accommodation best www.esg-duesseldorf.de
of all whilst you are still at home. In order to be allocated a place
in a hall of residence, please apply to Düsseldorf Student Servic- ¡¡The YMCA (Christlicher Verein Junger Menschen Düssel-
es (Studierendenwerk), either at its office or online. dorf e.V., CVJM)
www.cvjm-duesseldorf.de/english/hostel.htm
Applications are considered on the basis of first come, first
served. As soon as a place becomes available in the hall of your
choice, you will be sent an offer. ERASMUS and other programme students receive a per-
sonal invitation to register at Düsseldorf Student Services
An overview of the halls of residence, fittings and fixtures, size (Studierendenwerk). Please check your emails regularly.
and cost can be found on the website of Düsseldorf Student
Services (Studierendenwerk). As soon as you receive an offer from Düsseldorf Student
Services you must confirm within a week.
www.stw-d.de/en/Wohnen

22 23
 Accommodation Accommodation

HHU International Office The City Housing Department also helps students to find accom-
Incoming Students modation in Düsseldorf.
Ms. Monika Lent-Öztürk
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10726 https://www2.duesseldorf.de/buergerservice/dienstleistun-
exchange-students@hhu.de gen/dienstleistung/show/wohnraumvermittlung-fuer-stu-
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Room 72 dentinnen-und-studenten.html

Finding accommodation

Apartments on the private market are generally more expensive

than halls of residence. Most landlords additionally demand a
deposit of up to three months’ rent, which is returned to you at
the end of your tenancy agreement if there is no damage to the
apartment.

You will find advertisements for accommodation in the newspa-

per, for example in the Saturday issue of the “Rheinische Post”,
on the notice boards around the campus, as well as in the Main
Library and the canteens.

¡¡Abbreviations in accommodation adverts

2-Zi.-WHG Two-room apartment (Zweizimmerwohnung)
2 ZKDB Two rooms, kitchen (Küche), hall (Diele),
bathroom (Bad)
+NK Plus utilities and common charges (Heating,
gas, electricity, water and waste disposal)
NR Non-smoker (Nichtraucher)
K Deposit (Kaution)
WG Shared accommodation (Wohngemeinschaft)

24 25
FIRST STEPS
 Formalities Formalities

Formalities You need only then to contact the Immigration Office if:
¡¡You do not yet have a residence permit and need to apply
Registering at your place of residence for one
¡¡Your residence permit or other type of permit will shortly
In Germany, everyone has to register with the authorities. That expire
is why you must register with the address where you are living ¡¡You have another request”
in Germany within one week of entering the country. This also
applies for international students who only wish to study for https://www2.duesseldorf.de/auslaenderamt
one semester at HHU. Each time you move – even within Düssel-
dorf – you must register your change of address not later than
a week after the move. Opening a bank account
You can register/re-register at the Residents’ Registration Office Many banks and savings banks offer students a bank account
(Einwohnermeldeamt) or the municipal authorities (Bürger- which is free of charge. To open an account you need the follow-
büro) in the suburb of Düsseldorf where you live. If you live out- ing documents: Passport or ID card, student ID card, certificate
side Düsseldorf, please go to the Residents’ Registration Office of enrolment or letter of acceptance and evidence of the address
in that town or city. under which you have registered in Germany. Banks and savings
banks (Sparkasse) located near the HHU campus can be found
https://www2.duesseldorf.de/einwohnerangelegenheiten in the Yellow Pages (Gelbe Seiten).

Five cashpoints are located on campus (green “€” sign):

Residence permit ¡¡Main Canteen 21.11
¡¡University and State Library 24.41
Extract from Immigration Office regulations: ¡¡MNR Clinic 13.50
¡¡ZOMII 11.50-54
“The Immigration Office is notified automatically by the Resi- ¡¡Entrance to north car park 18.82
dents’ Registration Office that you have registered. No further
action is necessary on your part. If you are already in possession www.study-in.de/enPlan your stayMoney and Costs
of an electronic residence permit, your new address will be en- www.gelbeseiten.de
tered on it when you register. www.dasoertliche.de/geldautomaten

28 29
 Enrolment Enrolment

Enrolment www.hhu.deStudium und LehreRückmeldung

www.uni-duesseldorf.de/home/en/studying-and-
Enrolment and re-registration teaching-at-hhu/studying/erste-schritte-nuetzliches-
bewerbung-und-einschreibung/information-for-foreign-
Before you commence your studies you must enrol at HHU. applicants/application-as-a-foreign-student.html
Your letter of acceptance contains details of when and where
you can enrol and which documents you must provide. Your en-
ERASMUS and other programme students receive their let-
rolment can only take place once you have completed in full all
ter of acceptance from the International Office, together
the documents listed in the letter of acceptance and submitted
with a list of the documents to be presented on arrival in
them on time. Enrolment at HHU is valid for one semester. If
Düsseldorf in order to enrol, as well as a personal invitation
you want to continue your studies after one semester, then you
for their enrolment. Please pay the semester fee before the
must re-register within a specific period by paying your semes-
closing date stated in the letter by credit card at the Inter-
ter fee. If you miss the re-registration deadline (Rückmeldefrist),
national Office or by bank debit card at the HHU Student
you will have to pay an administration charge.
Services office (Studierendenservice). The obligation to
re-register also applies for exchange students who wish to
The semester fee (Sozialbeitrag) is a compulsory charge which
study at HHU for longer than one semester: Please pay the
must be paid by all students at the beginning of each semester.
semester fee for re-registration via debit card or remittance
Most of it goes towards the NRW Travel Pass. Düsseldorf Stu-
at the SSC. If you are nominated for one semester but want
dent Services (Studierendenwerk) uses part of it for the halls of
to prolong your visit, you should first obtain the written
residence, canteens, and nursery schools. A further part of the
consent of the ERASMUS Coordinator at your home univer-
semester fee is for the Students’ Union. The level is set anew
sity and of your ERASMUS Supervisor at HHU. Please pres-
each semester.
ent both consent declarations to the International Office.
HHU Student and Examination Administration
HHU International Office
Department (SPV)
Incoming Students
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-12345
Ms. Monika Lent-Öztürk
studierendenservice@hhu.de
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10726
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Foyer
exchange-students@hhu.de
Office hours:
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Room 72
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

30 31
 Enrolment Enrolment

HHU Student Services (Studierendenservice) University identifier

As the first and central point of contact, HHU Student Services You will receive a personal identifier (Uni-Kennung) and a cor-
(Studierendenservice) offer the following services: responding email address for the duration of your studies. This
identifier allows you to access a large number of study-related
¡¡Basic advice for students on all study-related topics, such as services, such as the Student Portal, HIS-LSF (the University’s
enrolment and changing programme, leave of absence and online calendar) and e-Learning platforms.
de-registration
Identifier and email address can only be used once you have
¡¡Copies of enrolment, re-registration certificates, receipt and personally activated them for the first time under:
issue of application forms of the Student and Examination https://idm.hhu.de
Administration Department (e.g. examination withdrawals),
Transcripts of Records, changes to name and address HHU Centre for Information and Media Technology
(ZIM) helpdesk:
HHU Student Services (Studierendenservice) also provide sup-
port through general study advice, coaching, psychological help Helpdesk
for individuals and groups, courses, groups and workshops. Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10111
helpdesk@hhu.de
HHU Student Services (Studierendenservice) Building 25.41 | Level 00 | Room 53
Service hotline: +49 (0)211 81-12345 Office hours:
studierendenservice@hhu.de Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Foyer
Office hours: www.zim.hhu.de/AiS
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
You can access the University’s network and the internet via
www.hhu.de/ssc WiFi (eduroam) thoughout the whole campus. Please use your
university identifier to register.

32 33
 Enrolment On campus

NRW Travel Pass On campus

You can travel around the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia Travelling to HHU by bus or tram
with the NRW Travel Pass (Semesterticket). You can use all
buses, trams, city rail and trains with the prefixes S, RE and RB There are many different connections from Düsseldorf Main
(2nd class). Station to HHU. Each takes between 15 and 25 minutes. Please
pick the right stop first by referring to the map at the end of
The area serviced by VRR additionally has the following special this PDF.
conditions:
By tram
¡¡You can take a second person with you: ¡¡To the Uni-Ost / Botanischer Garten stop
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays as well as Monday Number U 79, Number U 73
to Friday after 7:00 p.m. ¡¡To the Uni-Nord / Christophstraße stop
Number S 704
¡¡You can take your bike with you:
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays as well as Monday By bus
to Friday after 9:00 a.m. ¡¡To the Universität Mitte stop
Number 735 and Number 827(also to the Universität
The Travel Pass is only valid in conjunction with photo ID. It is Mensa, Universität Süd, Universität Mitte stops)
not transferable and must not be sealed in plastic or glued in. Numbers 835 and 836 (also to the Universität Süd and
Universität West stops)
www.vrr.de/de/ticketsVielfahrerSemesterticket Express bus SB56

The Students’ Union offers all first-semester students obliged www.rheinbahn.de/fahrplan/karten/Seiten/

to come to the University before the start of the regular lecture Campusfahrplan.aspx
period the opportunity to purchase a preliminary travel pass.
The travel pass is valid for 30 days after receipt and is available Please note that not all connections are direct and it may be
in August and September for the winter semester and in Febru- necessary to change.
ary and March for the summer semester for those first-semester www.hhu.de/home/enHHU Information CentreMap and
students who are entitled to it. directions
www.vrr.de/en
34 35
 On campus On campus

Finding your way around Equal Opportunities Office (Gleichstellungsbüro)

“Safety on Campus” brochure
HHU is a campus university, which has the advantage that all Ms. Selma Gündogdu M.A.
faculties, central facilities, canteen and libraries are located di- Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-11527
rectly on campus. A map of the campus can be found at the end selma.guendogdu@hhu.de
of this PDF. Building 16.11 | Level 00 | Room 22

All buildings on campus have a two-part number (e.g. 24.41 for www.hhu.de/home/enAbout HHUStaff Unit for Equality,
the University and State Library), which can be found at the top Family and Diversity
of each building section. The first part of the number refers to
the area on campus, the second to the section of the respective
building. All rooms also have a two-part number (e.g. 00.41). The Food and drink
first number indicates the floor on which the room is located.
The number 00 shows that the floor is on a level with the road On campus you can choose from the following restaurant facil-
which runs through the campus from north to south. U1 means ities. Their opening hours during the semester are as follows:
that the room is on a floor below that, 01 means the floor above
etc. The second number is the room number. ¡¡Mensa, Building 21.11
Opening hours:
You can use the free app “myHHU” to navigate to a certain Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
building. Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

¡¡Essensausgabe Süd, Building 25.31

Safety on campus Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
All relevant information to do with safety (escort service after Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
dark, security at the University Hospital, email address for ques-
tions and suggestions to do with safety on campus) is contained ¡¡campus vita, Building 21.11
in a handy brochure (Sicherheitskarte) which can be obtained Opening hours:
free of charge from the Equal Opportunities Office (Gleichstel- Monday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.
lungsbüro) or downloaded from its website. Friday 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

36 37
 On campus On campus

¡¡Café Bistro Uno, Building 21.11 presentation of a valid student ID card or certificate of enrol-
Opening hours: ment.
Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. www.stw-d.de/Gastronomie/Mensacard

¡¡Bar Café Bistro EX LIBRIS (University and State Library)

Opening hours: Room for Silence and Prayer
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. With its non-denominational Room for Silence and Prayer
(Raum der Stille und des Gebets), HHU gives students a possi-
¡¡Faculty cafés bility to retreat for prayer, meditation and tranquil reflection.

Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Room for Silence and Prayer
Building 25.31 Building 25.22 | Level U1 | Room 26
Opening hours: Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Medical Faculty, Building 22.02 Service Point

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. The Service Point is open 24/7! It offers the following servic-
es: Lost property office, general information, directions, maps,
Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Building 23.11 information about course times and rooms, escort service to
Opening hours: remote car parks after dark (please contact the Service Point
Monday to Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. beforehand).
Friday 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Service Point
You can check each day with the “myHHU” app what’s on the Mr. Frank Wojtasiak
menu in the canteens. You can purchase a canteen card (€ 2.50) Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-11666
at the checkout of any cafeteria. The MensaCard for students, servicepoint@hhu.de
with which you pay less for meals and beverages, is issued upon Building 26.11 | Level 00 | Room 23
38 39
SERVICES FOR
INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS
 Study start Study start

Study start Information on study-related procedures and organization as

well as subject-specific requirements is provided in the frame-
“Feel at Home” welcome programme work of various induction events.

So that you feel at home with us, we want to answer as many These include the official welcome of all first-semester students
of your questions as possible beforehand with our new “Feel at by the Vice-President, introductory events staged by the individ-
Home” welcome programme. As a new student from abroad, ual departments and student committees (ESAG = First Semes-
you will receive regular information by email on how to prepare ter Working Group) as well as orientation tutorials throughout
efficiently for your studies and stay at HHU from the day of your the semester.
admission onwards. Simply send us your email address so that
we can already start to send you information regularly before www.hhu.de/studienstart
you arrive, for example on visas, health insurance, accommo-
dation, how to organise your studies or recreational activities.
“Mate-For-You” buddy programme
If you have any specific questions, please simply send us an
email. The “Mate-For-You” buddy programme brings together students
from abroad (World Mate) and fellow student from here (Home
In addition, on one of your first weekends in Düsseldorf there Mate).
will be an extensive programme where you can get to know your
future home city and make lots of new contacts. Regular meetings take place during the semester with all mates,
for example a Meet & Mingle, an International Dinner and other
Please send your email address to: get-togethers.
feel-at-home@hhu.de
HHU International Office
HHU International Office Building 21.02 | Level 01
Building 21.02 | Level 01 mate-for-you@hhu.de
Feel-at-home@hhu.de

www.hhu.de/feel-at-home www.hhu.de/mate-for-you

42 43
 Obtaining qualifications Obtaining qualifications

Obtaining qualifications The respective department is responsible for issuing a Tran-

script of Records. For further information, please contact
Modules, credit points and academic courses the ERASMUS Officer responsible for your department.

Bachelor and Masters programmes are organized in modules

which last one or two semesters. Each module consists of sev- Examinations
eral thematically related courses and must be completed by an
examination. You are awarded credit points for each complet- Which examinations you have to take during your studies at
ed module, whereby one credit point equals about 30 hours HHU is detailed in the Examination Regulations for your sub-
of work. In order to complete your studies, a specific number ject. These regulations contain the legally binding requirements
of credit points, which is dependent on the study regulations needed to attain the targeted qualification.
of the respective programme, is required. For example, 180 to
240 credit points might be required to complete a Bachelor pro- There are different types of examinations, e.g. written tests or
gramme and 60 to 120 credit points to complete a Masters pro- oral examinations. What is colloquially known as a “Schein” is
gramme. Credit points are awarded in accordance with the Euro- proof of achievement or attendance and documents your active
pean Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and allow the recognition and regular participation in courses. There are “Scheine” which
of study achievements beyond national boundaries in Europe. you are required to obtain in order to be admitted to module ex-
aminations or the final examination as well as for the awarding
At HHU there are the following types of class: Lectures, semi- of credit points.
nars and courses, tutorials and exercises, revision courses and
colloquia as well as working groups which you can form with ¡¡Examination procedures
your fellow students. Examination procedures for all Bachelor and Masters pro-
grammes, the soon to be discontinued Diploma programmes,
¡¡Information for ERASMUS students in Dentistry (State Examination) as well as in Law (Inter-
Please ask in advance which HHU courses are eligible for mediate Examination and Special Subject Examination) are
credit transfer at your home university and complete a handled by HHU’s Student and Examination Administration
Learning Agreement. To transfer credit points from HHU Department (Studierenden- und Prüfungsverwaltung).
courses to your home institution, your lecturers should cer-
tify that you participated in a course or you passed the ex- Responsibility for all examinations in Pharmacy and Medi-
amination. cine as well as for the State Examination in Law lies with the
state examination offices (Staatliche Prüfungsämter).
44 45
 Obtaining qualifications Assistance, events and initiatives

¡¡Sickness Assistance, events and initiatives

If you are ill on the day of the examination, you are obliged
to tell the examiner and to contact the Student and Exami- Tutorials
nation Administration Department to avoid the examination
being counted as an unsuccessful attempt or a fail (“nicht In many subjects at HHU there are special tutorials for interna-
bestanden”). tional students. These address such topics as study techniques,
methodical approaches as well as study and examination reg-
Please use the relevant forms on the website of HHU’s Stu- ulations. In addition, the tutors assist with general organiza-
dent and Examination Administration Department. tion and review the material covered in seminars and lectures
throughout the semester.
¡¡Certificates for the Immigration Office
International students who are not citizens of the EU are HHU International Office
required to submit regular proof of their study progress to Building 21.02 | Level 01
the Immigration Office. io-tutorien@hhu.de

You can apply for such a certificate during opening hours www.hhu.de/home/en/internationalWelcome at HHU
at the Student and Examination Administration Department (Prospective) International Students International student
and usually collect it from there two days later. supportOrientation & study supportTutorials for
international students
Student and Examination Administration Department
Service hotline: +49 (0)211 81-12345
studierendenservice@hhu.de Learning German
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Foyer
HHU students, doctoral researchers and visiting scholars may
Office hours vary depending on the study programme. In- take part free of charge in the German language programme
formation can be found on the website. (Deutsch als Fremdsprache, DaF) parallel to their studies.

The “German as a Foreign Language” programme comprises el-

ementary, intermediate and advanced language courses as well
as events on the history of the city.

46 47
 Assistance, events and initiatives Assistance, events and initiatives

German as a Foreign Language Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-13381

daf@phil.hhu.de daka@stw-d.de
Building 25.13 | Level 00 | Room 34 Building 21.12 | Level 00 | Room 07

www.deutschkurse.de/en www.stw-d.de/Studienfinanzierung/Daka-Darlehen

Study completion grants Events programme of Düsseldorf Student Services

(Studierendenwerk)
Each year, HHU’s International Office awards a limited number
of “Completion of Study” grants for international Bachelor and Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk) offer a wide
Masters students as well as doctoral researchers. The purpose is and varied programme of events for all universities in Düssel-
to assist students and doctoral researchers in the final phase of dorf.
their studies or doctorate who - through no fault of their own -
find themselves in an emergency situation. It includes visits to political and cultural institutions in Düssel-
dorf, excursions in the surrounding area and to other cities as
HHU International Office well as trips to neighbouring countries. Information about these
Ms. Monika Lent-Öztürk events can be found on the website of Düsseldorf Student Ser-
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10726 vices.
exchange-students@hhu.de
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Room 72 Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk)
Office hours: International Matters / Culture
Tuesday   12:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Ms. Kamila Chlebnikow
Ms. Karin Kwak
The Student Loan Association in NRW (Darlehenskasse der Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-15083
Studierendenwerke, Daka) grants loans to Bachelor and Masters Fax: +49 (0)211 81-15778
students to help them complete their study programme. kultur@stw-d.de
Building 21.12 | Level 00 | Room 09
Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk)
Ms. Heike Raupach www.stw-d.de/kultur/veranstaltungen

48 49
 Assistance, events and initiatives Assistance, events and initiatives

Clubs and church communities ¡¡Within the Düsseldorf Association of Catholic Students
(Katholische Hochschulgemeinde Düsseldorf, KHG), univer-
¡¡The ERASMUS Student Network Düsseldorf (ESN) sity members in Düsseldorf can come together to celebrate
organizes a programme of events each semester for the services and experience belief. The KHG also offers advice
ERASMUS community and its friends. sessions, spiritual support, pastoral care as well as help in
finding sources of finance or funding and contacts in diffi-
duesseldorf.esn-germany.de/en cult situations.

¡¡Düsseldorf-aktiv.net is a local voluntary initiative. Amongst Mr. Jürgen Hünten, University Pastor
others, it offers a mentoring programme for international Telephone: +49 (0)211 93492-0
students and organizes discussion groups on a regular basis kontakt@khg-duesseldorf.de
where learners of German come together with local citizens
and have the opportunity to practise their knowledge of Ger- www.khg-duesseldorf.de
man (from Level A2 upwards).
¡¡“Atempause” is a café run jointly by the ESG and the KHG
www.duesseldorf-aktiv.net on a voluntary basis. Students can join in as volunteers too
and work as waiters/waitresses or organize events.
¡¡The Düsseldorf Association of Protestant Students (Evan- Café Atempause
gelische Studierendengemeinde Düsseldorf, ESG) is part of Building 25.23 | Level U1 | Room 63
the Protestant Church and its events, church services, psy- Opening hours:
chological counselling and spiritual support are open to all Monday to Friday 12:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
university members in Düsseldorf. It organizes events for
German and international students to help them establish
new contacts. International Students Office of the Students’ Union

Ms. Nicola Stricker, Pastor The International Students Office (Referat für internationale
Telephone: +49 (0)211 34-6268 Studierende) of the Students’ Union (AStA) helps international
nicola.stricker@ekir.de students in their everyday life and dealing with authorities, as
well as organizing intercultural events.
www.esg-duesseldorf.de

50 51
 International studies International studies

International Students Office the General Studies programme and the International Office, it
internationales@asta.hhu.de represents a valuable document for your CV.
Building 25.23 | Level U1 | Room 50
To attain it you must provide evidence of three of the following
www.asta.hhu.de/referateReferat für internationale four elements:
Studierende
¡¡International experience
¡¡Language proficiency
International studies ¡¡Intercultural training
¡¡International commitment
Learning foreign languages
General Studies (Studium Universale)
HHU’s Language Centre offers a broad programme of language Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10496
courses in about 20 foreign languages. In addition, internation- studium-universale@hhu.de
ally recognized tests in the world languages of English, Spanish Building 25.13 | Level 00 | Room 37
and Chinese are organized. Office hours:
Wednesday 10:00 -12:00 a.m.
Language Centre (Sprachenzentrum)
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10401 www.hhu.de/interkulturelle-kompetenz
spz@hhu.de
Building 25.13 | Level 00 | Room 39
Stays abroad
www.spz.hhu.de/en
Many employers today consider a study visit outside Germany
to be a fundamental requirement for job applicants and a se-
Certificate in “Intercultural Competence” lection criterion. Are you interested in going abroad for a study
visit, an internship, a research visit or further training? The In-
The certificate (Zertifikat Interkulturelle Kompetenz) attests ternational Office is happy to advise you.
your international and intercultural commitment. Awarded by
www.hhu.de/home/en/internationalesStudy abroad

52 53
 International studies International studies

Advice on studying and internships abroad Please also consult the website.
Overseas / Erasmus internships
Ms. Ksenia Lopuga www.hhu.de/home/en/internationales
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-03041
outgoings-uebersee@hhu.de www.facebook.com/hhu.international
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Open Space
Office hours: .
Tuesday and Friday 10:00 -12:00 a.m.

Group consultation – Overseas (during the lecture period)

Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 00 | Room 30
Each 2nd and 4th Wednesday in the month
10:10 - 10:40 a.m.

Advice on studying and internships abroad

Europe
Ms. Sabrina Sandmann
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10220
outgoings-europa@hhu.de
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Room 68
Office hours:
Monday and Thursday 1:30  -   3:00 p.m
Wednesday 11:00  -12:00 a.m.

Group consultation – Europe (during the lecture period)

Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 00 | Room 30
Each 1st and 3rd Wednesday in the month
10:10  - 10:40 a.m.

54 55
LIVING
IN DÜSSELDORF
 Employment and career guidance Employment and career guidance

Employment and career guidance Federal Employment Agency

(Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
Work and study Telephone: +49 (0)1801 555111
Grafenberger Allee 300 | 40237 Düsseldorf
As a student from a country in the European Union (EU) or the
European Economic Area (EEA) you enjoy the same legal rights www.daad.de/enInformation for Foreigners10 Steps in
in terms of employment as German students. You may work as GermanyWorking and Career
much as you like within the framework of the relevant legal pro-
visions. However, if you want to work more than 20 hours a
week, you will have to pay social security contributions. Internships
As a national of any other country, you may work 120 full days If the internship is an obligatory part of your studies, this is
or 240 half days per calendar year parallel to your studies. Those known as a “compulsory internship”. In this case you do not re-
days are counted on which you actually work. Public holidays, quire a work permit. The days spent undertaking the compulso-
vacations and other days on which you do not work do not ry internship are not deducted from the 120 legally permitted
count. If you want to work more, you require a permit from work days. The same applies for compulsory internships under-
the Federal Employment Agency (Agentur für Arbeit) and the taken to compile a final thesis.
Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde). In addition to the 120
approval-free days, you may work at the University as a research For a voluntary internship which is not a fixed component of a
or student assistant without this requiring approval and with no study programme the following applies: Students from an EU or
time restrictions. The same applies for university-related activ- an EEA country have free access to the German labour market
ities which are linked to your studies in organizations close to and do not require a work permit.
the University, e.g. as tutor in halls of residence belonging to
Düsseldorf Student Services (Studierendenwerk). Students from all other countries must use their approval-free
120 full days or 240 half days for their voluntary internships.
If you have a contract of employment, you require an income For longer internships you need the approval of the Immigration
tax card (Lohnsteuerkarte) and under certain circumstances Office and the Federal Employment Agency.
might have to pay tax and social security contributions.

58 59
 Employment and career guidance Employment and career guidance

Placement services for jobs and internships specialists from abroad. The DAAD website contains informa-
tion about the legal framework.
On “Stellenwerk Düsseldorf”, HHU’s job portal, students and
graduates can find suitable student jobs, jobs as assistants at www.make-it-in-germany.com/en
HHU and internships. Job adverts are also displayed on the no- www.daad.de/enInformation for ForeignersForms &
tice boards in the departments and around the campus. Also DownloadsInformation on Entry/Residence and Employment
useful are regional and local newspapers, such as the “Rhein-
ische Post” and online job exchanges. The “Campus Rookies”
project brokers internships and jobs for arts and humanities As part of HHU Student Academy (HHU Studierenden-
students in business, media and communication. akademie), the Career Service provides an extensive range
of services for students and graduates.
www.stellenwerk-duesseldorf.de
www.campusrookies.de ¡¡Individual advice
www.phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de/sozwiss/internships Individual advice on career issues, such as entering
a profession, potential analysis, mock interviews and
checking of application portfolios
Career entry ¡¡Group events
Presentations, workshops for application strategies
Once you have successfully completed your studies, as a nation- and company visits
al of a non-EU country you may extend your residence permit by
up to 18 months in order to find employment commensurate to HHU Career Service
your study programme. If you find such employment within this Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-10862
time period, then your student residence permit can be convert- careerservice@hhu.de
ed to a residence permit for the purpose of employment. The Building 16.11 | Level 04, | Rooms 21 - 24
approval of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur Open consultation (without registration):
für Arbeit) regarding the issue of such a residence permit is not Monday 2:00  - 4:00 p.m.
necessary in this case. Whilst you are seeking employment, you Tuesday 9:00  -11:00 a.m. and 2:00  - 4:00 p.m.
may work without any restrictions in order to earn your living.
The “Make it in Germany” web portal provides detailed infor- www.studierendenakademie.hhu.de/en/career-service
mation on employment opportunities in Germany for qualified

60 61
 Employment and career guidance Good to know

HHU programme “UNI2JOB – Careers in Germany” Good to know

The UNI2JOB programme networks international students and Visiting the doctor and medication
shows you the many opportunities available at HHU to help you
prepare for entering a career in Germany. It helps you to gather Doctors’ surgeries have different opening times and are gener-
work experience through projects undertaken both on your own ally closed on Wednesday afternoons. Appointments are usu-
and in groups with other students. ally made by telephone. If you simply turn up during opening
hours, you might have to wait quite a long time. In the case
You can register for the programme at any time under: of a non-life-threatening emergency outside opening times you
www.hhu.de/uni2job should contact a doctor on emergency duty. Which doctor is
available at what times can be found out for example on the
Programme Coordinator: internet, in daily newspapers or at the pharmacist on emergen-
Ms. Nina Berg M.A. cy duty. You can only obtain medication which is just availa-
Telephone: +49 (0)211 81-14739 ble on prescription if you present a doctor’s prescription at the
uni2job@hhu.de pharmacy. The health insurance scheme generally pays for such
Student Services Centre (SSC) | Level 01 | Room 73 medication, but you will mostly have to pay an additional phar-
macy charge of between three and ten euro yourself. Pharma-
Office hours and further information can be found on the cies are mostly open from Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m.
website. to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday mornings. Some pharmacies are
closed over lunchtime. Outside these opening times you can go
www.hhu.de/uni2job to a pharmacy on emergency duty.
www.facebook.com/uni2job
www.gelbeseiten.de
www.rp-online.de/app/notdienste
www.dasoertliche.de/notapotheken

Local authorities’ hotline

If you have any questions on topics involving local authorities,

62 63
 Good to know Good to know

such as registering your place of residence, car registration or The German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has
applying for housing allowance, please call the local authorities’ the following public holidays:
hotline (Behördennummer) on 115.
¡¡New Year (Neujahr) 1st of January
Düsseldorf Local Authorities’ Hotline ¡¡Good Friday (Karfreitag) Friday before Easter
Telephone: +49 (0)211 115 ¡¡Easter Monday After the first full moon
(Ostermontag) in spring
¡¡Labour Day (Tag der Arbeit) 1st of May
Festivities in Germany ¡¡Ascension Day On a Thursday 40 days
(Christi Himmelfahrt) after Easter
The end of the year (31st of December, Silvester) and the begin- ¡¡Whit Monday (Pfingstmontag) 50 days after Easter
ning of the New Year (1st of January, Neujahr) are often celebra- ¡¡Corpus Christi (Fronleichnam) On a Thursday in
ted with family or friends. At midnight people traditionally wel- May or June
come in the New Year with Champagne and fireworks. At Christ- ¡¡German Unification Day 3rd of October
mas (25th and 26th of December), Christians in German celebrate (Tag der deutschen Einheit)
the birth of Jesus Christ. Non-religious or less religious people ¡¡Reformation Day 31st of October
too generally spend time at Christmas with family and friends. ¡¡All Saints Day (Allerheiligen) 1st of November
Traditionally, on Christmas Eve (24th of December, Heiligabend) ¡¡Christmas and Boxing Day 25th and 26th of December
everyone gathers around the Christmas tree and exchanges pre- (Weihnachten)
sents. Four weeks beforehand, during Advent, Christmas mar-
kets are set up in the cities and homes are decorated. In spring-
time, carnival is celebrated in Düsseldorf. During carnival (Wo- Cell phone and landline
men’s Carnival Thursday, Carnation Saturday, Rose Monday and
Violet Tuesday (Altweiberdonnerstag, Nelkensamstag, Rosen- You can obtain a cell phone number either by signing a con-
montag, Veilchendienstag)), people dress up in costumes and tract with a mobile phone provider or by purchasing a pre-paid
party on the streets or in the pubs. Decorated wagons drive card. A contract with a mobile phone provider usually lasts 24
through the city (Karnevalsumzug). At Easter, Christians cel- months. It is possible to pay off a new cell phone together with
ebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is also a family the monthly standard charge. A prepaid card means more free-
feast and a lot of fun in particular for children, who traditionally dom and flexibility, but the connection rates are usually higher
hunt for Easter eggs which have been hidden for them. compared to the contract option. Please enquire about special

64 65
 Good to know Good to know

offers for students. In order to have a landline at home, you Smaller shops often close during the week between 6:00 and
need to sign a contract with a telephone company. You can com- 7:00 p.m. and around lunchtime on Saturday. There are, howev-
pare the prices and services of various providers on the internet er, some kiosks, small food stores and shops in main railway sta-
by entering search terms such as “Handytarife” or “Telefontarife tions which are also open on Sundays and public holidays. Many
vergleichen”. Before you sign a contract please enquire wheth- bakeries sell fresh rolls on Sunday morning. At night and at the
er it accepts the use of call-by-call prefixes with which you can weekends, a selection of food, newspapers and other articles is
make international calls at particularly cheap rates. You can available at petrol stations.
check on the internet which provider of call-by-call prefixes is
currently the cheapest. If you do not have a landline, you can
use public telephone booths or telephone cafés. In telephone Punctuality
cafés you can phone abroad at relatively cheap rates or alterna-
tively purchase special telephone cards. In Germany, it is often regarded as impolite to arrive late for
an appointment or meeting, i.e. failing to be there at exactly
the agreed or appointed time. It is also expected that you keep
Internet to office hours or consultation times. If you can already see in
advance of your meeting or appointment that you are going to
You can access the internet either through a telephone line or be late, you should in any case phone and say.
the cable network. Please look up providers on the internet for
the area where you live and compare their conditions. The con-
tract usually lasts 24 months. The period of notice is often three Post
months to the end of the contract period. By purchasing a mo-
bile internet stick you are not bound by any contract and can go You can send both small and large letters and parcels within
online anywhere, but the rates are far more expensive than with Germany and abroad with the Deutsche Post and DHL. You can
a landline or cable network connection. recognize the post office by its yellow sign with a black horn.
Letters which already have a stamp can also be posted in the yel-
low post boxes. Please enquire about postal charges in the post
Opening hours office or on the internet. Packets and parcels can also be sent
and collected via automated booths (DHL-Packstationen). Prior
Most shops are generally open from Monday to Friday between registration is necessary. There is a post box and a Packstation
10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Some supermarkets are open longer. on campus, right next to the bridge by the canteen.

66 67
 Good to know Good to know

There are other providers for sending packets and parcels and it you therefore also pay a small additional charge, which is reim-
is worth comparing postal charges on the internet, bursed when you return the empty cans and bottles to the shop.
particularly for international shipments.

www.deutschepost.de Travel
www.portokalkulator.de
www.dhl.de/packstation ¡¡Rail
Second-class travel within NRW with your student ID card,
which is at the same time your NRW Travel Pass, is unre-
Smoking ban stricted on all local transport buses and trains. The most im-
portant service provider for long-distance travel in Germany
Smoking is forbidden in all public buildings, railway stations, is Deutsche Bahn (the German railway company). Booking
airports, pubs and restaurants, and on public transport. Smok- early is recommended in order to save money. For frequent
ing outside is generally permitted, for example outside pubs or travellers, a BahnCard 25 or BahnCard 50 (rail card) is a
in street cafés. Smoking is strictly prohibited in all buildings at worthwhile investment, since in this way you get a 25 %
HHU. or 50 % reduction on all rail travel. In addition to this there
are other offers, such as the “Weekend Ticket” (Schönes-
Wochenende-Ticket), with which up to five people can trav-
Recycling and deposit el throughout Germany at the weekend (except on express
services such as the Eurocity (EC), Intercity (IC), Intercity
In Germany, waste is sorted according to type. There are dust- Express (ICE), Eurostar and Thalys).
bins for different types of waste. The following types of waste
must be sorted: Paper (blue bin), packaging (with the “Green www.bahn.de
Dot” symbol; this is collected in yellow sacks or yellow bins) and
other waste (grey or black bin). In addition, there are collection ¡¡Air
points throughout the city for glass. You can dispose of dead Some airlines offer budget tickets on many routes within
batteries in special containers in supermarkets or in the Stu- Germany and Europe. As the number of cheap seats is limit-
dents’ Union. In Germany, a deposit of between 8 and 25 cents ed, you should try and book well in advance. However, extra
is charged for most beverages sold in bottles and cans. When charges often apply for luggage, meals and beverages, and
purchasing beverages in returnable or non-returnable bottles other services. Make sure your passport is valid.

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 Good to know Good to know

¡¡Coach mer months are generally warm, but with temperatures over
It is possible to travel by coach to a large number of destina- 30°C it can get very hot sometimes. Overall, the weather is rath-
tions throughout Germany and Europe at reasonable prices. er capricious. Current information about the weather in Germa-
ny and NRW can be found on various portals in the internet.
¡¡Car sharing
Anyone looking for a cheap alternative to bus, train or plane
can use car sharing as an option (Mitfahrgelegenheit). Driv- “Sie” and “Du”
ers who have room in their cars offer these spaces to other
travellers who share the fuel costs. Car-sharing opportunities Strangers and older persons as well as persons in official posi-
to travel from Düsseldorf to other German cities are always tions (e.g. in administrative offices, surgeries, clinics, and shops)
available at short notice. It is worth checking the internet. are addressed in Germany using the polite form of “Sie” and
their surname. The offer to change the form of address from
“Sie” to “Du” must come from the older person or the person
TV and radio licence “of higher rank” in the given situation. The “Du” form is used
in the case of children and young people. Younger people and
All households in Germany are obliged to pay a TV and radio students generally always use the informal “Du” from the first
licence fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) of € 17.50 per month for radio, meeting onwards.
television and internet services made available by public broad-
casting companies. This fee is a fixed sum regardless of how
many persons live in the household or how many receivers are Equality
used. Under certain circumstances, you may be eligible for a
reduced fee or exempted from paying altogether. Further infor- In Germany, the dignity of all people is protected by the consti-
mation can be found here: tution. Men and women are equal and have the same rights and
www.rundfunkbeitrag.de duties. This means that representatives of both genders must
be treated with the same respect both in private and in public.
Germany is home to people from many different countries with
Weather and clothing different religious and cultural backgrounds. It is important that
everyone shows consideration and tolerance towards each other.
The weather in Germany tends to be moderate. In the winter it
can get very cold with temperatures as low as -10°C. The sum-

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Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
International Office

Student Services Centre (SSC)

Building 21.02 | Level 01
Universitätsstraße 1
40225 Düsseldorf

Telephone +49 (0)211 81-11582

Telefax +49 (0)211 81-11334

Email international-office@hhu.de

www.hhu.de/home/en/internationales