A guide for new students
There are lots of new things waiting for you as a first-year student at FAU. You can find useful tips and information about the most important contact points here.
Getting the right advice
In your first few weeks at university you will be confronted with a lot of new things. But don’t worry, FAU provides students with a range of services that can help. The first point of contact for any questions about your studies is the Student Advice and Career Service (IBZ), which offers information about planning your studies, tips on studying abroad and advice on how to find the right Master’s degree programme once you’ve completed your Bachelor’s degree. The team can also provide advice if you have any problems during your studies or if you want to change your subject or transfer to another university.
The Student Advice and Career Service is located in room 0.021 at Halbmondstraße 6, Erlangen. It is open Monday to Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you have any questions about the content of your degree programme or require advice about which courses to take, you can contact your subject advisor. The Student Advice and Career Service will be happy to provide you with their contact details. Here you’ll find more Information and support.
And your fellow students are there to help too – such as through the student associations (FSI). Most departments have an FSI. You can go to them with any questions or problems and receive advice from student to student.
Organising your studies
The Student Records Office is in charge of student data. You will receive an e-mail from the Student Records Office each semester reminding you to re-register (so don’t forget to activate your FAU e-mail address!). These e-mails are sent in June for the winter semester and in January for the summer semester. After receiving the e-mail, you need to transfer your semester fees by the given deadline, otherwise you will be de-registered. As soon as the University receives the money, you will be re-registered and you can print your certificate of enrolment for the next semester yourself.
If you decide to spend a semester abroad or do an internship, or if you are ill for an extended period of time or are pregnant, you will need to apply for leave in time. If you are granted leave for a semester, it will not count as a semester in your degree programme so you won’t risk exceeding the standard duration of studies. The Student Records Office is also the place to apply for leave. If you would like to find out more first, you can contact the Student Advice and Career Service for information and support.
During your time at FAU you will have to take examinations at regular intervals. Make sure you read the examination regulations for your subject at the start of your studies. These regulations provide information on important aspects of your degree programme, such as which requirements you have to fulfil to be eligible to sit examinations, and which examinations you need to pass before certain deadlines. www.fau.info/examination
The mein campus portal will save you making lots of trips to the Student Records Office and the Examinations Office during your studies. Via www.campus.fau.de (German) you can print out your own documents, such as certificates of enrolment, proof of which courses you have attended, and grade transcripts. You can register for lectures and seminars via mein campus, and it also functions as FAU’s virtual examinations office. You can use the portal to register for examinations (and cancel your registration if necessary), and it provides you with an overview of your studies to date.
New at FAU
Your FAUcard is your student ID and will get you discounts at places like museums and cinemas. You can also use it to borrow books from the University Library, pay at Student Services’ cafeterias and vending machines, and use the University’s copying facilities. Your FAUcard is also used for access to certain areas of the University with electronic access control. The period for which it is valid is printed on the card. You will need to update this every semester using one of the validation machines. You can find details of the locations of these machines and more information on the FAUcard here.
An online guide to starting at FAU
Congratulations! You’ve decided to study at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. That’s a great choice! Plus, you’ve just found the perfect companion to show you around: Our magazine frisch! an der FAU can tell you (nearly) everything you need to know about our university.
You can find more articles from the frisch! on this website.