Starting at University is an exciting time for any new student. Getting used to everything may be a challenge at times, particularly for international students. You may have language difficulties or be unfamiliar with certain aspects of life in Germany and at the University. It is often helpful to have support with everyday tasks such as getting to know the city, buying a bike or organizing trips. A buddy can help.
Individual support for international students
The buddy program puts international students in contact with German students who can help them with any questions they may have and give them useful tips. Buddies are not official advisors – they are volunteer FAU students who are interested in other cultures and would like to help international students at the University find their feet.
International Affairs is happy to help if you have any questions about the buddy program.
Buddies for international students
Are you new at FAU and would you like to have a friend to help you out from the beginning? All international students (both exchange students and regular Bachelor’s and Master’s students) can register for the buddy program on our matching platform. Once you have registered, filled in your data and given your consent, you will soon by assigned a buddy partner from your faculty.
How can buddies help?
Our buddies are volunteers who volunteer to help international students settle in at FAU. They are the first point of contact for questions about student life or other everyday matters, and depending on how well you get on with each other maybe even a friend, but they are not official advisors!
If you have any questions or problems of a legal or administrative nature, please contact the team at International Affairs directly, or your subject advisors if you have questions about your studies. The buddies are not responsible for this.
FAU students: Volunteer as a buddy
Buddies are open-minded and outgoing FAU students from the second semester who volunteer to support exchange students and international students, especially during their first few weeks in Germany. Between two and four international students are assigned to two buddies from FAU. If you would like to take part in the buddy program, you can register on our matching platform using your FAU email address.
Since the program relies on voluntary work, buddies cannot be paid. Upon request, International Affairs will be happy to provide you with a certificate at the end.
What do buddies do?
Buddies help with everyday questions: Where is the next supermarket? Where can I buy a bike or a mobile phone? How do I draw up my schedule? When it comes to administrative or study-related questions, the International Affairs and the subject coordinators are responsible. Buddies are not responsible for clarifying legal or content-related questions on studies or your stay abroad.
Wherever possible, buddies receive the contact details of their buddy partners before they arrive. When the international students arrive in Erlangen, the buddies can meet their partners at the airport or station, or show them around the town.
Exchange students often arrive long before the start of the semester – usually at the beginning of September or October for the winter semester or the beginning of March or April for the summer semester. Many of these students attend language courses before the start of the lecture period. It is therefore important that German buddies have time during the semester break to help their partners when they arrive.