Get involved as a buddy!
Take advantage of this unique opportunity to help international students settle in and feel at home in Dortmund. Not only will you make new friends and broaden your intercultural horizons, but you will also gain valuable experience and strengthen your social commitment. Your support can make a big difference in the lives of these students and help them settle into their new environment more quickly. Be part of a positive (study) experience and sign up today to support as a buddy!
Why get involved?
"Buddies" are students who act as contact persons for international students.
As a buddy...
- ...you help international students to settle into campus life at TU Dortmund University and get to know Dortmund,
- ...improve your language skills,
- ...experience new perspectives and insights into other cultures through cultural exchange,
- ...expand your international network,
- ...make international friends,
- ......you can have a certificate of participation issued after submitting a report and you can have your voluntary work credited for the "Studium International" certificate.
I would like to become a buddy! What are the next steps?
- You fill out the registration form, which you can access via the button below. There you can also indicate for which target group(s) you would like to be assigned as a Buddy (you can find more information on the target groups below).
- We will match your desired assignment and your interests with the current needs of the international (exchange) students in terms of program duration and background.
- We will provide you with feedback on possible assignments and more detailed information by e-mail within approximately one week.
Please contact us if you have any questions about the process or if you are unsure whether you can support international (exchange) students as a buddy due to restrictions - we will be happy to advise you!
Who can I be a buddy for?
Buddy for International First-Year Students
To make it easier for international first-year students to start their studies and everyday life in Dortmund, the International Office organizes the multi-day "Come2Campus" welcome programme every year at the beginning of the winter semester. Dortmund students of all disciplines from the 2nd semester onwards welcome international students to the university and support them as buddies during their initial orientation at the university.
Activities: Campus tour, orientation in studies and campus environment, support with everyday life questions
Supervision period: during the two event days
Further information can be found on the website of Come2Campus.
Buddy for Exchange Students
Exchange students who come to TU Dortmund University for one or two semesters as part of the university-wide student exchange agreements are managed centrally by the International Office (e.g. organization of accommodation, enrolment, language course). They come from partner universities in South America and Asia and are often in Germany for the first time.
Activities: e.g. support with moving in at the beginning of March/beginning of April or beginning of September/beginning of October, orientation on campus and in the campus environment (supermarkets, stores for household equipment), support with everyday issues (e.g. help with buying a German SIM card), leisure activities during the stay.
Supervision period: March/April to July/August and/or September/October to January/February.
If you would like to explicitly supervise exchange students or interns from the USA, Canada or Europe, you will find information on this below under "Other Buddy Programs at TU Dortmund University".
Buddy for Participants of the "International Summer Program"
Participants in the International Summer Program spend the second half of the summer semester here at TU Dortmund University to attend lectures, take a German course and/or pursue a research project. The program is coordinated by the Department of International Affairs in cooperation with the Faculty of Biological and Chemical Engineering and the Faculty of Cultural Studies. Registration takes place via the Dortmund Doubles Program.
Activities: including support with moving in at the end of May or beginning of June, orientation on campus and in the campus area (supermarkets, stores for household equipment), support with everyday issues (e.g. help with buying a German SIM card), leisure activities during the stay
Support period: end of May/beginning of June to end of July
Buddy for Interns
International interns who complete an internship in Dortmund as part of certain programmes are managed centrally by the International Office (e.g. organization of accommodation, enrolment, language course). Most international interns come in the summer months and stay in Dortmund for two to six months. This group can use a lot of support from buddies, as they often do their internships outside the university and during the current semester and are therefore not part of a structured exchange program.
Activities: e.g. support with moving in, campus tour and orientation in the campus environment (supermarkets, stores for household equipment), city tour, support with everyday issues (e.g. help with buying a German SIM card), leisure activities during the stay
Supervision period: mostly May - August, sometimes earlier or later
Other buddy programs on and off Campus
If you would like to explicitly mentor exchange students or interns from the USA, Canada or Europe who are studying at TU Dortmund University for one or two semesters, please apply via the Dortmund Doubles Program (for USA and Canada) or to the Erasmus Coordination of your faculty and/or the Erasmus Student Network (for Europe/Erasmus+ program).
The mentoring program between senior students and interested international students is a cooperation project between TU Dortmund University and Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. This makes it easier for international students to settle into German culture and everyday life, and at the same time the mentors not only gain an insight into other cultures through the exchange, but can also discover their own culture from a new perspective.
Do you have an international background and enjoy creative projects? The "Europa macht Schule" (EmS) program brings students and pupils together in a classroom. As the voice of your home country, you design your own creative project to bring pupils closer to your culture and history. EmS is not just for Europeans, but for international students from all over the world.
Back to School (BtS) is a new program line of Europa macht Schule (EmS). Students from German universities who have completed a semester or internship abroad can visit a school, e.g. one of their former schools, and present their host country! Together with the pupils, they design a project and allow young people to share their exciting international experiences up close.