Support for international students

Do you want to know how to find a nice apartment in Bremen? Or what events you shouldn’t miss out at the HSB? Or how the semester ticket works and which exciting tourist attractions you can reach with it? Then follow us on Instagram for tips about exciting events and about living and studying in Bremen as well as to connect with other international students.

Helping Hands is for international students in all semesters, but can be especially helpful for newly admitted students. The time between being admitted and starting your studies can be both stressful and exciting – there's a lot to organize in a short amount of time! Helping Hands gives you the chance to hear insider tips from other students about exactly this time period.

The Helping Hands team will post information regularly. Follow us, ask your questions, and keep up to date on the important happenings at the HSB!

Not on Instagram? No problem! Simply write us an email with your questions at helpinghands@hs-bremen.de

Information about trash and recycling (German only)

Auf nach Bremen! Panel discussion for new students

Learn German

Activate your HSB acount

Information about the Mensa card

Library Card

Tips for finding an apartment

Scholarship for Students from Developing Countries

You are not alone: Key Connections

Module registration

Workshop: "Her mit dem guten Leben @HSB!" (in German only)

Key Connections

Sport courses through Hochschulsport

Bremen city tours (in German only)

HSB holiday greetings

Check-in for first semester students

Finding a doctor in Bremen (in German only)

Module registration

AULIS

International Communities in Bremen (in German only)

STUBE - Supplementary Study Programme for Students from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe

Trash pick-up schedule (in German only)

Information about the Semesterticket (in German only)

Orientation Week and preliminary courses

Support from Career Service for finding a part-time job

German courses via the Langauge Centre

Activate your HSB acount

Information about the Mensa card

Registration in Bremen (Information in English via the button in the top right corner)

Accepting your admissions offer and enrolling online

International Organizations in Bremen (in German only)

To help you settle into your studies and life in Bremen, we invite you to our online session, “Welcome to Bremen.” This event is specifically designed for all new international students and will cover essential topics such as visas, health insurance, housing, financing, and more.

Event Details:

Dates:

• Friday, August 30, 2024, at 12:00 PM

Program:

• Welcome: Introduction and overview of the session.
• Presentation: Key information on the first steps in Germany and at HSB.
• Q&A Session: Open discussion to answer your questions.
• Networking with colleagues

Participation:
No prior registration is required. Simply click the following link and give the Passcode (490768) on the day of the event to join:

Zoom room

We look forward to welcoming you online and assisting you as you begin your journey in Bremen!

Discover Bremen and the university system with the HSB Rallye! Our rally not only offers exciting activities, but also valuable information about everyday life (such as finding accommodation, residence and work rights, etc.) and studying in Germany. The HSB Rally for International Students is the key to a successful start to your German student life. Come on board and immerse yourself in the culture, make new friends and experience unforgettable moments during our rally.

You can choose to take the following appointments:

• October 7, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
• October 10, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM

To register, please send an email to study@hs-bremen.de with the following information:

     full name
     Study program
     The date you would like to attend

Who are we?

The Café International is a networking platform for all HSB students and other interested people.

When and where?

Fridays from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., room 516, AB building, Neustadtswall 30, 28199 Bremen

What do we do?

Café International was founded by students in 2015. We meet with music, snacks and drinks, organize events such as presentations, game evenings or outdoor activities.

There you will find information about life in Bremen and studying at the HSB.

And the café offers even more!

In a friendly and relaxed atmosphere you can make new friends from all over the world and exchange ideas with them. It is an ideal place to learn about other cultures and improve your language skills.

There is a table football table available for you in the café and a play area for children.

We look forward to meeting you in the café!

Kontakt

International Office

E-Mail

Facebook

Instagram

Mastering a degree in a foreign language is not an easy task! Even if you have already passed the C1 German exam, there may still be some unanswered questions about how to use German in an academic context that may not have been answered in the previous language courses. StudiumPlus  therefore offers special workshops for students whose native language is not German. The workshops are an invitation to come together and honor your own writing journey. There are also tips on the special features of the academic language German.

In summer semester 24 we offer the following courses:

Writing empowerment for students whose native language is not German I
05/25/24

Writing empowerment for students whose native language is not German II
06/08/24

Research Methods and Academic Writing
04/16/24

There are many possibilities to earn money during your studies, but international students need to make sure they comply with the legal regulations stipulating how much they are allowed to work.

All households must pay the Public Broadcasting Fee (Rundfunkbeitrag), regardless of TV / radio / PC ownership or usage.
Unfortunately, there is no exemption for international students. For students who get accommodation through Into Rooms, this contribution should already be included in the rent. Please check with your landlord / landlady.

What's going on in Bremen? Check here for daily tips - events in Bremen today

Being new to a foreign country can be quite overwhelming. To help you get started and find some helpful advice on getting accustomed to life in Germany, please check the guides at www.study-in-germany.de!

Bremen has an efficient public transport system. VBN (Verkehrsverbund Bremen / Niedersachsen) is the public transport association of Bremen and its surroundings. The VBN region offers an endless variety of destinations. Buses and trams (BSAG) are usually on time and reliable. Students can use all buses and trams as well as regional trains all over Germany free of charge with the semester "Deutschland" ticket. Why not simply hop on a VBN bus or train and start discovering.

Your living expenses depend on your lifestyle. The largest share of monthly expenses is incurred by the rent, which usually makes up one third of students’ living expenses.

There are five waste categories in Germany:

• Lightweight packaging (LWP) made of plastic, aluminum, tinplate or composite materials
• Bottle banks for glass
• Paper and cardboard
• Residual waste
• Biowaste

Find out more about waste separation.

Be careful! Illegal downloading of movies or music is a crime in Germany and will have serious legal consequences.

Doctors

In Germany, there are general practitioners as well as specialists in each field (eg. radiologists, optometrists, dermatologists, etc.). Everyone has free choice in the selection of their doctor. In case of illness, go to a general practitioner (Arzt für Allgemeinmedizin) first, who will send you to a specialist if necessary. It is recommendable to make an appointment before going to the doctor. For an appointment, a valid health insurance (e.g. EHIC card), a proof of matriculation at the HSB, and an ID / Passport are needed.

At night or on the weekend, contact the emergency medical services (phone numbers below) or go directly to the hospital.
 

Hospitals

• Hospitals in Bremen
   

Emergency medical care (nights and weekends)

• Emergency Doctors: +49 421 / 19292
• Medical Emergency Portal: +49 421 / 116117
• Emergency Pediatric Doctor: +49 421 / 3404444
• Poison Information Center North ("Giftinformationszentrum Nord"): +49 551 / 19240

Psychological and social support

The "Studierendenwerk Bremen" offers support to students in situations of psychological or social crisis.
If you need psychological counseling, you may also contact the Psychological Counseling Center for Students. It is located on the campus of the University of Bremen (another Bremen university, not HSB), but is available to all students in Bremen.
Emergency? Help in serious crisis.
 

English speaking doctors or psychologists

Use the TK-Ärzteführer (TK doctor's guide). Here you can enter your city and postcode and select the language and speciality you need to find the right doctor for you.
 

Pharmacies

In Germany, medicine is only available in pharmacies. There are two types of medicine: available with or without a prescription.
The German law on medicine is strict - most medicine is only available with a prescription (e.g. antibiotics) and pharmacies will not provide them without a prescription from a doctor. In this case, a doctor must be consulted first in order to get a prescription for medicine available in pharmacies. Most health insurances generally cover most of the cost of medicine. There might be an additional fee of around 5 - 10 euros.

• Pharmacies search
• Emergency Pharmacies Bremen (search by zip code)
   

Emergency phone numbers

• Police: 110
• Fire Services: 112
• Emergency Medical Services / Ambulance: 112

Also check our safety information.