TUD - study together
Table of contents
Student life is very sociable because it offers numerous opportunities to develop contacts both during and around your studies.
TU Dresden would like to provide support with various offers to help get you through this stressful study time and keep you physically and mentally healthy and help you take good care of yourself. In the Counseling Compass you can find all counseling services around your studies.
Current dates
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Date |
Offer |
| winter semester 2024/2025 |
The Cultural Office supports students in getting to know the country, the people and in socializing. It is our goal to give a representative overview of the cultural, political, artistic, historic and especially of modern life in Germany. For us, the meeting of foreign and German students is the most important. |
| winter semester 2024/2025 |
The Career Service of TU Dresden offers workshops on topics such as potential analysis, career planning, applying, business etiquette and leadership. Furthermore, we offer career events with employers.
All offers are free of charge for TU students. Registration via OPAL is necessary. |
| winter semester 2024/2025 |
We would like to encourage international students to participate in the workshops, even if they do not speak German proficiently yet:
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right now |
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right now |
Events and offers provided by the Study success projects of TU Dresden: e.g. Writing Center of TU Dresden, practical insights via the orientation platform for research and practice |
| right now | Sports - the entire range of courses can be found on the DHSZ website |
| right now | On the page of the student council you will get current information about events, workshops and participation opportunities. |
Self-organization and learning from home
Do your courses take place both in person and digitally? On top of that, you have to juggle your part-time job, your life in a shared flat and your hobbies? Here you will find tips on how to organize and structure yourself during your studies:
It is often much easier to write and work with others. The Writing Center and the Central Student Information and Counseling Services offer assistance when setting up study groups and provide tips on how groups can work together productively.
What happens in study or writing groups? There are regular meet-ups of groups during the semester, e.g.
- To learn and write together
- To gain inspiration from the experiences of others
- To motivate and support one another
- To share ideas and get feedback
- To enjoy a sense of success together
All information about study and writing groups can be found here. Make an appointment by email to .
The switch from everyday student life to digital learning and working from home has been extremely challenging in practice for many. The Graduate Academy has put together 10 tips on what to look out for when working from home. The advice applies not only to good work from home, but also to the organization of everyday student work, because this also requires self-discipline, mindful self-management and good planning.
The Saxon State and University Library (Sächsische Landesbibliothek - Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek ) is one of the most capable academic libraries in Germany.
To help you get started in the SLUB cosmos, the SLUB offers an e-tutorial.
No matter whether you want to learn more about research strategies in a specific subject, about document creation with LaTeX, about publishing research data or a completely different topic: In the knowledge bar, you can get free advice tailored to your question.
From the fear of the blank page to text feedback and fine-tuning: in the writing consultation you will receive support and find competent contacts for all your questions about academic writing. We help you to organize your individual writing process in the best possible way.
You can also take advantage of the wide range of workshops, slub tutorials and slubcasts to help you succeed in your studies.
The SLUB Makerspace is a fully equipped workshop in the SLUB Dresden for anyone who wants to realize their own projects. Here you can get creative, get advice and use numerous devices and tools.
Videorundgang durch die Zentralbibliothek
The online training OPTA system is aimed at everyone who wants to prepare themselves well for exams and lectures and cope with any related anxieties, e.g. students, doctoral candidates or lecturers. There is a self-test, an information module, as well as several training modules for coping with these anxieties, all of which can be freely selected. It contains information texts, tips, exercises, case studies and videos. OPTA is available both as a website and as an app.
At the time that you complete your studies, you are also supported with “final spurt” advice, a service supplied by the Central Student Information and Counseling Services and the Psychosocial Advice Center of Dresden Student Services.
Counseling and support during the course of study
What should you do when you feel burnt out? Take a deep breath and keep going? Sometimes that just isn’t enough. Sometimes you need to talk to someone. Make use of the wide range of advice and support services. To help you with any worries or anxieties, depressive moods, aggression or irritability, substance abuse behaviors (alcohol, drugs etc.), doubts, or if you just need someone to lend you an ear. You can find an overview of all counseling services in our Counseling Compass.
Studying does not always run smoothly. The Central Student Information and Counseling Service of the TU Dresden supports you in case of uncertainties, doubts and problems in your studies as well as in preparing for exams and in the final phase of your studies.
Whether by e-mail, telephone, online or in a personal conversation – the student counselors take time for your concerns.
You can contact the study counselors with the following topics, among others:
- Doubts about your choice of study
- Clarification of interests, competencies and goals
- Structuring your current studies
- Problems in your studies
- Change of study program
- Thoughts about dropping out of studies
- Re-entry into studies as well as
- Difficulties in completing your studies.
In addition, the Central Student Information and Counseling Service supports students with the following services:
- Workshops
- Study and writing groups in cooperation with the Writing Center of the TU Dresden
- Chats
- PASST?! program (early warning system of the TU Dresden)
The Student Council offers advisory services in many areas. Students are mostly advised by students who are well trained in their respective fields. In addition, an option also exists to use other advisory services based in the StuRa barracks.
You can find out about what kind of advice is currently being offered on this page. Please always bring your student ID with you to the advisory sessions!
Overview:
Counseling service from students for students - in the StuRa barracks
Counseling service from students for students - in the StuRa barracks
- BAföG and social/financing counseling service
- Counseling service for international students
- Counseling service for disabled/chronically ill students
- Jobs & studies counseling service
- Studying with a child counseling service
- Counseling service on applying for funding, use of the "kiosk", advice on university groups and funding opportunities
- Hardship application
- Teaching & studying
- Quality development
- Do you have any doubts about studying?
- Second home tax
Further consultation opportunities in the StuRa barracks
TU Dresden assists you in making your studies and your study environment as barrier-free and accessible as possible. If your health is impaired (disability or chronic illness), there are often special questions and topics relating to your study. Numerous support and advisory services are available for you to help you study in an equal opportunities environment:
- Liaison Officer for Students with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses
- Central Student Information and Counseling Services
- Interest group for study and disability
- Working group on services for disability and studies
Are you looking for a mentor? Would you like to get involved in a mentoring or buddy program? In this overview you can find a list of all the mentoring and buddy programs of TU Dresden and its partner institutions sorted by target group.
Anyone can find themselves in a crisis. A crisis can be accompanied by despair, hopelessness, or even thoughts of ending one’s life.
You do not have to endure stressful times, uncomfortable feelings and thoughts all on your own.
The network for suicide prevention in Dresden would like to help you in finding suitable help services locally in Dresden, as telephone helplines or online, providing you with information on the uncomfortable topics of suicidal tendencies and suicide prevention.
The Nightline Dresden is an anonymous helpline provided by students for students that operates during the night hours. Regardless of whether it be exam anxiety, doubts about your choice of subject, stress in a shared apartment, homesickness or lovesickness, the list of student worries is long and the Nightline is there to help you cope especially with such problems. Even if you just want to talk, the Nightline can lend an open ear. Without any judgment or prejudice, and without telling you what to do. Nightline workers listen and may be able to help find a way with you. The following is particularly important: All calls are treated confidentially, and nobody will ask you to give your name.
The goal of the PASST?! program is to identify in good time courses that may lead to a drop-out and to provide you, the affected student, with individual advice and suitable support services.
You can register and deregister for PASST?! at any time in the SELMA portal.
The time you spend studying is a phase of personal development that is almost naturally associated with crises. Difficulties can arise at the beginning of studies, during studies, or at the time you have to take your final exams.
Areas of need for psychological counseling can be, for example:
- Where there are doubts about continuing studies
- Work difficulties
- Exam anxiety
- Problems completing studies
- Lack of self-esteem
- Problems in the social sphere
- Problems with alcohol, drugs, or online addiction
- Depressive moods
Counseling for couples is also available in the event of partnership problems.
Here you will find an overview of multilingual medical specialists and therapists
Do you need any advice on personal legal matters?
Studentenwerk Dresden offers you expert legal advice included in the student union's fee as part of our tasks and areas of responsibility in accordance with § 109 of the Act on the Autonomy of Institutions of Higher Education in the Free State of Saxony.
We can provide competent advice on legal questions regarding the following topics:
- University law
- Tenancy law
- BAföG
- Civil law
- Employment Law
- Anti-discrimination
The TU Dresden Student Council can also offer legal advice.
You are the one who is studying, and you know precisely what credit points, tutorials and student assistants (SHK) are. Nevertheless, problems may crop up so that independent and factual advice is needed in the event of any social or economic difficulties that may materialize in student life.
The Social Advisory Service of the Studentenwerk represents the first point of contact. This is open to students from all Dresden universities as well as students from the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.
The Career Service of TU Dresden assists all students during their studies with an extensive range of workshops and counseling on skills orientation as well as preparation for starting a career.
Exercise, nutrition, health
To ensure you get adequate exercise and a healthy diet, you will find many suggestions on the internet, but TU Dresden and its partner institutions have also put together a number of videos for you, e.g. for an exercise break as well as other helpful tips.
The University Health Management and the Dresden University Sports Center are jointly pursuing the goal of creating services to compensate for the lack of exercise due to work or study.
For this reason, from January 18, 2021, a new, 15-minute training video on the "exercise break" will be published every week.
The videos contain simple, varied, yet effective exercises for the desk at home or for the office, which can be carried out without much prior knowledge or special aids and which can be repeated daily as suits your mood. They can be found on the YouTube channel of TU Dresden or on this page.
You can find many more videos relating to an exercise break at this link.
Thinking needs exercise - under this motto, the Dresden University Sports Center (DHSZ) provides over 25,000 students, employees and families within TU Dresden, HTW Dresden and other Dresden universities with an attractive range of sports and events.
Regardless of whether it’s a sweaty workout, a relaxed training session, thrills or deep relaxation, the DHSZ can provide a sporting or relaxing change from everyday university life.
Networking and exchange in student life
We have put together a number of options for you to be able to get involved with others:
The Buddy-Project aims to connect international researchers in Dresden and Dresden locals for an intercultural exchange, framed by friendship. We would like researchers to have a pleasant time meeting locals and finding a person of trust for all daily questions.
Exploring Dresden and its surroundings with excursions, museum visits or bar evenings not only enriches the researchers, but also gives locals the opportunity to take a break from everyday life and to rediscover the beautiful Elbflorenz.
Furthermore, the project enables everyBuddy to learn a new language directly from a native speaker and if necessary gives the chance to improve the respective English skills together. Also sharing traditions and cultures, for example through cooking local dishes together is a fantastic experience. The project brings the cultural vacation practically right on one’s doorstep and, on the other hand, makes it easier to settle in Germany.
In Dresden there are numerous university groups that get involved in various issues. Whether it be student business consulting, environmental protection, art, culture, a student automobile club or a student water rescue service - the TU Dresden student council has an up-to-date overview ready for you. The university groups look forward to your interest.
Another possibility to help shape your everyday student life is to work on your Faculty Students’ Council. The Faculty Students’ Council (FSR), like the StuRa, is a student interest group. It represents the students of certain courses that are grouped together within a faculty. The FSR is your first point of contact if you have any problems with your subject and will support you in your first week with orientation at the university (first semester introduction). It provides many useful tips and assistance including exam groups and advisory services, which you can make use of at any time, as well as intercultural evenings, excursions and parties. Here as well you can become a member and have yourself sent as a representative to various commissions, committees and other bodies. You can then have a direct influence on revising study regulations or even appointing professors to your degree program.
Here you can find an overview of volunteering activities in Dresden
The FIF program aims to support international students in forging friendships with Dresden students.
Every semester the International Coffee Hour is held on Wednesdays from 6pm in the Student Services Forum (Schnorrstraße 10, 01069 Dresden).
All students there have the opportunity to get to know new people and cultures over coffee and cake. This tutoring program of the Studentenwerk Dresden has existed since 2004 and provides a meeting point for both German and foreign students.
With the help of this student project, we support guests from all over the world in forging contacts with German students. For all of us it represents an opportunity to expand our horizons in an uncomplicated and comfortable manner while enjoying a coffee. This service is completely free of charge.
You can find more information on the Facebook page of the student initiative.
Welcome tutors is an initiative of the Studentenwerk Dresden for foreign students, and warmly welcomes all newcomers to Dresden.
Who we are
We are a group of students from a variety of countries who live in dormitories just like you and who would like to help you adjust to life in Germany.
This tutor program arose from an initiative of the Dresden Student Union and is intended to provide our new foreign students with contact partners in the dormitories.
How we help you
Along with facilities managers and network administrators, we are your direct points of contact in your dormitories. We support you with the registration process at the resident registration office, or with the opening of bank accounts. Depending on what your needs may be, from interpreting for various formalities, to integration activities or mediation in cases of conflict. Individual personalized advice can also be provided.
Living with fellow students is a service provided by Dresden's Student Union primarily but not solely for new students.
What’s still going on in Dresden?
In the TU Dresden event calendar you will find event formats that will take place soon.
In the Dresden Science Calendar you can find events organized by Dresden scientific institutions, such as lectures and workshops.
The Dresden Culture Magazine (Dresdner Kulturmagazin) keeps you up to date on cultural activities or why not take a look inside Stadtmagazin Sax.
The Cultural Office supports students in getting to know the country, the people and in socializing. It is their goal to give a representative overview of the cultural, political, artistic, historic and especially of modern life in Germany. Therefore, together with their partner organisations, they offer a broad cultural and leisure programme, for example excursions to important German cities, visits of museums, concerts or other festivals in Dresden and its surroundings.