Don't underestimate the amount of change in life! Be responsible, make new friends and get used to the culture. It can be a challenge, especially when coming from a foreign country, and change is not always easy: during the first semester there might be hard times, feeling lonely, but it's normal and it goes by.
Five golden rules:
- Take studying seriously - just enough courses, developing and reviewing the studying routine;
- Manage your time - you decide when to go to lectures, which is a great freedom but also a great responsibility. Rule of thumb is 8 hours of sleep, 8 hours of leisure and chores, 8 hours of study or learning. A week plan is advised;
- Develop an exam strategy - start learning early enough and identify the optimal learning method for each subject: use old exams, practice dry runs and understand the structure of the test;
- Explore the learning style - not everything works for everyone, and people have different habits. Finding the right one (and the right environment) takes some time and exploring;
- Take care of yourself - enjoy student and everyday life while taking care of health and making friends.
When struggling with studies, [email protected] can help.
Students Council consists in students actively engaged to improve the University and support fellow students. Common tasks are:
- Co-designing campus and faculties;
- Providing spaces to study, meet and relax;
- Taking care of student cards;
- Organizing movie nights;
- Renting laptops.
Students are volunteers - anyone can get involved! The official mail to contact the organization is [email protected], the website is sv.tum.de, check it out!
The Munich Student Union ensures that all students complete their studies with a minimum of difficulty and disturbance, offering services such as accommodation and canteen. It is financed by subsidies and operating revenues, and anyone can apply for financial support at www.bafoeg-bayern.de.
The canteen and cafeterias are branded Mensa, StuBistro, StuCafeMensa and StuLounge and are really cheap.
There is a special advice service for parents, plus students accommodations and integration programs for international students. Application can be done online, but there are long waiting lists.
Cultural festivals are plenty, free and a good opportunity to participate in the community.
The Library services are available at www.ub.tum.de/en, which allows to browse the different branches with their opening hours. There also are plenty of study areas providing computers, Internet access, lockers and scanners.
Loan services are available during opening hours, but registration is necessary - the link is on the main page of TUMonline. The personal account can be used to access the catalog and the lockers as well.
OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) is the list of all available books and journals: it gives the option to order books from any specific branch. To order, it is necessary to have the library number and the birthdate ddmm as default password.
The chat service can be used to notify any problem, book removals or questions. Furthermore, courses and Library tools can be taken on the website. Reference Management can handle bibliography.
Working while studying is allowed for not more than 20 hours every week (120 full days every year): studies are priority! There might be additional requirements for non-EU students. Volunteering does not count for the maximum hours amount.
Jobs usually allow flexibility during the semester according to exams, while internships are full time - students can also work at the University (Hiwi and Wihi positions).
Opportunities can be found on company websites and online boards: www.tum.de/jobboerse is the official TUM portal, but there also are general boards and meta searching engines.
Other resources are the newspaper, business networks and the employment center.
The application process in Germany is standard and very formal:
- Gather information;
- Start preparing documents early (photos, CV);
- Apply professionally, including all required documents and certificates;
- Prepare for the interview.
The first semester is a good time to start working on getting ready to apply while adjusting to a new program.
Services related to job applications (counseling, events) can be found at www.together.tum.de, the official TUM Career Service.
TUM offers an Erasmus+ program to study abroad for up to 12 months (minimum 3 months) with mobility grant and free of tuition, recognizing obtained credits in the study plan.
There is a list of partner universities available in the TUM database (www.international.tum.de/erasmusglobal), and application is possible for up to 4 universities.
Studying outside Europe is possible thanks to TUMExchange program, for up to 2 partner universities with an online application. There is an information session on 14th October 2019.
Furthermore, there is a Double Degree program offering the opportunity to study a single course in two different universities (2-4 semesters each).
ATHENS provides one week courses abroad in 24 universities in Europe.
Studying abroad is supported by TUM with scholarships and grants from the Bavarian Ministry for Education.