Student Life
Here are some insights to help you smoothly transition into your new chapter in Dortmund as an international student.
City Registration
If you are living in Dortmund, simply email to studententeam@stadtdo.de requesting an appointment with the following information:
Full name, Phone number(if available), Current Address and Front, Last and Visa stamp pages of your Passport.
They will respond soon with a date and the list of required documents for the Residence Permit.
Bank Account
You require a Residence Permit to open a bank account at banks like Sparkasse, Deutsch Bank, Commerzbank, N26(Online Bank) etc.
If you do not have a Residence Permit yet, you can opt for other online banks such as Revolut(preferred) or Monese.
Popular options for Blocked Accounts include Expatrio and Fintiba (these provide Health Insurance as well)
Sim Cards
You can buy SIM cards off the shelf at supermarkets like Aldi, Lidl, and Penny. Alternatively, you can order SIM cards online from providers like WinSim, which are often more affordable than major network brands.
The most common are the Post Paid plans which automatically deducts funds from your linked bank account. Ensure your account is set up and funded before ordering a SIM card.
Accommodation
Finding accommodation can be challenging and confusing, but the following information may help:
For Student dorms, regularly check their website for openings since there is no waiting list and vacancies are rare.
TU Dortmund has partnered with erasmusplay.com where you can safely search for other living options(more info).
You can also visit other websites such as WG-Gesucht, ImmoScout21, but beware of potential scams.
TU Dortmund App and others
Download the official TU Dortmund App to access services like your Student ID, Travel Ticket(Deutschland Ticket), Campus Navigation, Campus WiFi Password, Library and Mensa to name a few. Other useful apps include DB Navigator(for transportation), Bolt(electric scooters), Nextbike(for renting bicycles), FlixBus, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and PayPal.
Uniaccount
After enrollment, you will receive a physical letter with an account, password, and enrollment(matriculation) number. You must activate to access the following services:
Campus Portal(Student services and Documents, Fee Payment), UniMail, LSF(to register for courses, view timetable), BOSS(register for examinations, view Transcript), WiFi, Library and others.
Campus WiFi
There is a Campus Wide WiFi which can be accessed by following the steps provided in the TU Dortmund App (personal data section – WiFi Password) or you can refer to WLAN Service Portal.
The university WiFi that you must look for is called ‘eduroam‘.
ZHB (German Language Course)
For the German Language Courses offered by the university as part of your course credits, check the deadlines for course registration and visit the ZHB website to register for the course. You can contact them for further information on placement exams if you require a higher level course.
Health
You can schedule doctor appointments through your health insurance providers (TK, DAK, etc.), or use apps like Doctolib to book appointments with doctors who speak English and other common languages.
Printing Services
As members of the ETIT department, Automation and Robotics students receive credits for 50 pages of printouts using the Retina Pools printers. If you exceed these credits, you can easily recharge your balance at a very low cost (more info).
Resources for New Students
The following materials provide a comprehensive guide to assist you during the initial phase of your journey as a student of Automation and Robotics.