Arrival and beginning of studies
Arrival
Find below the three airports closest to Freiburg. From the airport, there are several ways to travel to Freiburg im Breisgau main train station ("Hauptbahnhof").
Airport pickup is not offered by the university.
Airports
EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
The Freiburger Airportbus runs from the airport to Freiburg main train station. Another option is Flixbus.
A Deutsche Bahn intercity express train runs from the airport ("Frankfurt(M) Flughafen Fernbf") to Freiburg.
Travel via Deutsche Bahn or Flixbus.
Arrival Days
The International Office arranges several Arrival Days every semester. Students are asked to schedule their arrival on one of these days if possible. On these days, students receive all the important documents and information needed upon arrival so that they can start into their stay without worry.
Welcome Day and Kick-Off Party
As orientation for new international students, the International Office arranges a Welcome Day before the start of each semester. Typically this is the Friday before the start of classes. During the Welcome Day, information about studying and living in Freiburg is provided via presentations, online meetings, and events. The Welcome Day ends with a welcome dinner and an international Kick-Off Party.
Choosing courses
You can view the course catalog ("Vorlesungsverzeichnis") here in the Campus Management platform HisInOne. The course catalog for the winter term is usually published at the end of July, the course catalog for the summer term at the end of February. Prior to this, you can gain an idea of the types of courses offered by searching the catalog that is currently online. Some courses and lectures are offered each year.
You can also have a look at the department websites to see lists of obligatory courses in that field of study. This will also give you an idea what kinds of classes are offered in the fields you are interested in.
Registration for classes also happens in HisInOne. It is always necessary to register for (enrol in) a class. Please take note of the different registration periods for each class and make sure not miss the deadlines.
If you have questions about your field of study or about course prerequisites, please contact the responsible lecturer or the program advisor in the appropriate department/faculty.
Doctoral candidates should visit their doctoral advisor upon arrival in Freiburg.
Support and assistance
International Office
For non-academic questions, the first contact for incoming Global Exchange students is the International Office: global-incoming@zv.uni-freiburg.de.
Incoming Erasmus students please contact erasmus@zv.uni-freiburg.de.
Studierendenwerk Freiburg (SWFR) – Student Services Freiburg
In Germany, universities are responsible for research and education, while non-academic student services are largely handled by the Studierendenwerke, separate state-funded institutions. The SWFR manages housing in dorms & the dining halls among other things, and also offers consultation in financial or mental health matters, as well as leisure activities, cultural events and networking opportunities. For international students, this includes a Buddy program and a tandem program, the International Club, and other offerings.
The Graduate Centre (GraCe)
The Graduate Centre (GraCe) is the central service department of the University of Freiburg for all questions concerning doctoral studies.
UniCard and MyAccount
After you have been enroled, you will receive an e-mail from the University’s IT center including your User-ID and authentication, which gives you access to the University’s online services including e-mail accounts and HISinOne. Please consider that you first have to change the initial password at the myAccount platform before you can use HISinOne to register for courses, to sign up for exams, to print out certificates of enrolment and to re-register for the next semesters.
You will get further information during the Welcome Day, in the info brochure of the University’s IT center “University IT Services for Students” or on the websites of the University’s IT center here.
The UniCard is your student identification as well as a multi-functional chip card. You will receive your UniCard on Arrival Day at the International Office or it will be sent to your adress in Freiburg.
Intercultural Encounters
Buddy Program
International students who come from another country to study in Freiburg might be interested in having a ‘buddy’ showing them around the first few weeks. A buddy from the International Club can help you!
You will find information and registration here.
Language tandems
Both the Freiburg Language Center (SLI) and the International Club Freiburg arrange language tandems.
The aim of a tandem is to promote the exchange of language and culture through a language partnership. International and German students practice languages and establish contact, assisting with their studies or just to get to know each others culture a little better.
You will find all SLI language tandem information here.
Information and registration for an International Club tandem can be found here.
Families for International Friendship
International students who don’t only want to experience student life and the university, but are also interested in getting to know the normal everyday life of a German family, can register for the International Club program „Families for International Friendship“. Families from Freiburg offer students from abroad the chance to do just this, without any ongoing obligation and with no strings attached for the “partners”.
You will find the online registration and information here.
Experiment e.V. – The Experiment in international living Living together. Learning together
Experiment e.V. is a non-profit organization with the aim to promote exchange between cultures, religions and different age groups. The federation fosters intercultural exchanges pursuing its motto "Living together - Learning together".
You will find further information here.