Start your studies
The start of your studies is a new stage in your life, where you will probably be further away from home for the first time and taking this new step away from your family. This is of course associated with many new and unknown tasks. There are a few things to consider when starting your studies, and getting everything under one roof can be somewhat difficult and challenging.
But don't worry! Here we give you an overview of the most important points you should consider at the start of your studies.
Table of contents
Housing and financing
If you have been accepted to study at TU Dresden and are sure that you want to study here, the first thing you should do is look for an apartment, a shared flat or a place in a hall of residence. You should also be aware that you need to be able to finance your studies.
Do you still have questions about finding accommodation or financing? On our Find an apartment page, you can read where you can find an apartment and what else you need to consider when it comes to apartments. On our Finances page, you can find out everything you need to know about BAföG, scholarships and part-time jobs.
Organization
Semester fee
Your studies at a state university like TU Dresden are free of charge, but you have to transfer the so-called semester fee to TU Dresden at the beginning of each semester. You have to pay this fee of 200-300 euros because as a student at TU Dresden you receive services from the Studentenwerk. The amount changes every six months, but remains within the above-mentioned range. This is used to finance the canteens and your Deutschlandticket, which you have in the form of a semester ticket as a student here at the TUD. In addition, transferring the semester fee is an important step in your enrollment - i.e. your enrollment in a degree program at the university. Once you have transferred the fee, you are officially part of TU Dresden. In order to remain so, you must re-register before each new semester by transferring the semester fee.
You can find more information here on the StuRa website https://www.stura.tu-dresden.de/semesterbeitrag
Campuscard
You need a Campuscard to be able to eat in the canteen or travel around Germany on public transport. This is your student ID card, which you can use to prove that you are enrolled here at TUD. In addition to your name, this card also shows your matriculation number. This number is your personal identifier here at the university and will be assigned to you when you enrol. For example, you have to write it on your exam papers (instead of your name) or on assignments such as term papers. But back to the Campuscard - it's an all-rounder. Once you have registered with the SLUB, you can use it to borrow books, you can load money onto the card to pay for your food in the canteen or cafeteria and you can download your semester ticket online, which is a Germany ticket when shown with your ID card.
Study regulations
You should also familiarize yourself with your study regulations. This is an official TU Dresden document that is available for every subject and can be easily found online. Simply look in the study information system SINS or at your faculty. Alternatively, simply enter the name of your degree program at TU Dresden in the search bar of your search engine on the Internet, which should also take you to your study regulations quite quickly.
The study regulations contain, for example, the objectives, procedure, structure and content of your degree program, as well as module descriptions and the study schedule. You should read module descriptions carefully before choosing a module, as they not only describe the content to be taught, but also how much work this module involves, which examinations must be taken and how many credit points can be earned. If you have to build your own timetable, you can use the study plan as a guide, as it gives you an overview of which module is planned for which semester, which courses this module comprises and how many credit points you can earn for the module and the semester. Even if it all sounds a bit complicated at first and looks at least as complicated, it won't be at some point. Once you have familiarized yourself with it, everything is easy to understand. If you don't understand something, you can always ask your fellow students for help or ask your course coordinators.
Platforms
The next step is to familiarize yourself with the platforms you will be using during your studies. Registration for the portals and also for the university WiFi are usually explained to you in introductory events. Here is a brief overview of the portals that will be important.
Probably the most important platform is OPAL -the online platform for academic teaching and learning. You use this platform to register for lectures, seminars and tutorials. Lecturers make presentations and documents available to you there, but also set tasks that you can submit on OPAL or solve directly there. At first glance, OPAL can be very confusing and confusing, but don't worry, you will eventually get an understanding and a user routine.
Another platform is OPAL Exam, a platform similar to OPAL, except that you only use it if you are taking online exams. You only have to register once before the exam, but the lecturers will explain everything to you at the appropriate time.
SELMA is a platform that you don't work on, but is still very important for success. You will probably remember this platform from your application, as this is where you will find your applications and enrollment certificates. You also register for your modules and exams on SELMA. Without this registration, you will not be able to take the exams. But you don't need to worry here either, the Examination Office will remind you to register and if you don't want to or can't take an exam, you can also deregister there a few days before the exam. The grades you received in the exams you took will also be listed here. You can also see your timetable on Selma (if you are given one), apply for a semester off or de-register here. SELMA is therefore primarily used to organize your studies.
Another important "platform" you should remember is Outlook and your e-mail address. When you enrol at the TU, you will receive an e-mail address with which you can easily register with Opal and log in there with your ZIH login. Be sure to check your emails regularly, as this is the main way to communicate with lecturers. You will also receive email notifications if something happens on OPAL.
If you are overwhelmed during the first few days of your first semester, don't worry. Over time, you will understand more and more and everything you don't know will become familiar to you. Don't give up! If you really don't know what to do, there is always help for you. First and foremost, it helps to talk about it and you'll soon realize that you're not the only one feeling this way. If you can't find support or help from friends and family, there are people here at TU Dresden who can help you.
Do you feel you need help or would you like to find out more? Then take a look at our page on Mental Health.