Terms from the university life
Words you need to know for life at university
There is a lot to learn in your first semester including many foreign words, abbreviations and technical terms. Below is an A to Z of some of the most important terms which you will need during your time at FAU. We have also included some useful links with information which should help you to adjust to student life and put you on the right track.
2
2FA is a security procedure that requires two independent factors to verify a user’s identity, for example a password and a one-time passcode that is sent to a cellphone. It significantly increases the security of user accounts and offers additional protection against unauthorized access.
A
Students are covered by accident insurance while studying (e.g. during courses and trips or when working in the University Library) and while travelling between home and the University. Accidents must be reported to the Student Records Office immediately. Information on insurance coverage is available in the brochure published by Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV).
Finding accommodation at the beginning of your studies is a real challenge. Here are some options: accommodation managed by Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg, social housing services at the town hall, housing co-operatives and non-profit housing associations, ads in the local newspapers and online portals.
Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg allocate places in student accommodation directly. Places in the student halls operated by Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg are allocated directly by the service; for student halls which are not operated by Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg, you will need to apply directly. A large number of student rooms shortly available is offered at the end of each semester on the black boards in the university buildings. Recently, these have increasingly been replaced by virtual notice boards.
The following link to Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg may prove helpful:
When at university, compensation for disadvantages are measures taken to compensate for any difficulties caused by your disability during your studies and in examinations. All information about studying with disabilities or chronic illness is available here: Students with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
The Admissions Office oversees the application procedures for both German and international applicants. It also processes applications for a swap of university places (German only).
Contact: zulassungsstelle@fau.de.
Latin for ‘nurturing mother.’ A university is called ‘alma mater’ as it provides students with education and knowledge. The term was first used in the motto of the University of Bologna (‘Alma mater studiorium’) which was founded in 1088 and counts as Europe’s oldest university.
Alumni are former students and staff of a university. Note that ‘alumni’ is the plural form, a single former student is called an ‘alumnus’ (male form) or an ‘alumna’ (female form). FAU has a free alumni network for all students and alumni to forge contacts and keep in touch.
The FAU alumni network is a great way for graduates, former exchanges students and former guest researchers to stay in contact with the University.
More information on the activities and events organised for alumni by the Department of Marketing and Communications are available under alumni.
Certificates issued by German authorities are generally only recognised abroad if their authenticity has been verified by the responsible body in the relevant German state.
Based on the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, a simplified form of authentication called an apostille is provided in countries that have signed the convention. Here the apostille is issued by the government of Middle Franconia.
In order to obtain an apostille you will require prior certification (Vorbeglaubigung) from the University.
Abbreviation for ‘Allgemeiner Studierenden-Ausschuss’ (General Students’ Committee). At FAU, there are students’ representatives instead of the AStA.
https://stuve.fau.de/ (German Homepage)
Abbreviation for ‘auditorium maximum,’ the largest lecture theatre at the University. FAU’s audimax is located in Bismarckstraße 1, Erlangen and has space for 893 people.
B
A degree that originally comes from the Anglo-American university system and was introduced in Germany as part of the restructuring of the German university system.
The Bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate degree which can be obtained after only six or seven semesters. At FAU, the following Bachelor’s degrees are awarded: the Bachelor of Arts (BA) in the humanities and in economics and the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in natural sciences and engineering. Students of commercial law are awarded the Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
The final assignment in a Bachelor’s degree programme. As soon as you have received confirmation for starting your Bachelor’s thesis, you have two to three months to write it. In general, the Bachelor’s thesis is about 30 to 40 pages in length.
Abbreviation for ‘Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz’ (Federal Training Assistance Act). This law governs state funding for students in Germany. In everyday language, the abbreviation BAföG is also used to refer to the funding students receive from the state. Application forms can be obtained from Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg or downloaded online.
Applications have to be submitted to the Amt für Ausbildungsförderung (Training Assistance Office) in either Erlangen or Nuremberg.
Amt für Ausbildungsförderung
Hofmannstraße 27
91052 Erlangen
Amt für Ausbildungsförderung
Andreij-Sacharow-Platz 1
90403 Nürnberg
These courses are offered in exceptional cases (for example introduction to a language). More information can be obtained from the Student Advice Center or from the subject advisors for your discipline or degree programme.
C
This abbreviation can often be found after the times for a seminar or lecture. It refers to the famous ‘academic quarter’. To be more precise: 14:00 c.t. means that the seminar or lecture starts at 14:15. As classes at university generally start ‘c.t.’, the ‘c.t.’ is often left out. See also s.t.
campo is FAU’s campus management portal, which will link the existing systems mein campus and UnivIS over the next few years.
Currently, campo is used for managing online applications and enrolment (apart from international and Master’s degree applications).
The online administration portal campo is the virtual counterpart to the Student Records Office and the Examinations Office.
It includes features for registering for modules and examinations. You can use campo to manage your personal details, register for examinations and obtain an overview of your grades.
You can also print out your official documents and certificate of enrollment.
Online applications are processed via campo as well.
Instructions,videos and FAQs on the campo portal
From the main menu, navigate to “My studies” and “Study planner with module plan.”
The examination regulations view is set as default.
Clicking “Show module plan” switches to the module plan view.
This is the updated version of the study plan.
The entire grounds of a university. In Erlangen, FAU does not have a designated campus. Instead, the whole city centre is the ‘campus’ (FAU Campus Erlangen Center). In contrast, the University’s southern campus (FAU Campus Erlangen South) in Erlangen as well as Lange Gasse 20 and Regensburger Straße 160 in Nuremberg (FAU Campus Nuremberg) are closer to a traditional campus.
FAU’s Career Service is open to students, doctoral candidates and graduates of all faculties at the University. It offers a wide range of advisory services, events and information about applications and careers free of charge.
As a key point of contact for students and doctoral candidates, the Career Service aims to provide assistance for them when they are considering their future professions and to make the transition from study or doctoral research to work easier for graduates.
The services offered include:
- individual careers advice for all students and doctoral candidates
- checks of application documents in German and English
- seminars on applications and soft skills
- information day with presentations on starting a career
- career talks between students, doctoral candidates and alumni from different subjects
- networking events (faculty career day at the School of Law, phil.Forum)
- online job portal with part-time jobs, internships and entry-level positions for all subjects
- up-to-date information on company events, recruiting events and more on the Career Service blog
- specialist library with literature on applications, core skills and career orientation
Detailed information on all services and events is available on the Career Service page.
The Career Service was established in 2009 as a central point of contact and continues to expand the range of events and services that it offers. It is financed through tuition fee compensation and is part of the Student Advice Center at FAU.
A referat (office) at FAU. RIA offers help and advice in all non-disciplinary questions to international students and researchers. RIA also provides all kinds of information on other topics, including studying abroad, funding for studying abroad and international scholarship advice.
https://www.fau.eu/education/advice-and-services/contacts-central-office-for-international-affairs/
In German also colloquially referred to as ‘Imma’ from Immatrikulationsbescheinigung. Can be downloaded and, if necessary, printed out, after enrolment or re-registration. It serves as proof that you are enrolled at the University.
The chancellor is the head of the University Administration and is also responsible for the University’s budget.
More information on the members of the Executive Board is available on the FAU website.
FAU promotes a constructive approach to diversity and is working to improve conditions for an anti-discriminatory studying and working environment. In order to make it easier for trans*, trans-ident and transsexual students in an academic context and their day to day life at university, FAU allows students to change their name and title provisionally for internal university purposes even before a change of name or status is approved by a court.
All you need to do is submit a supplementary identification card (Ergänzungsausweis) from the German society for transsexuality and intersexuality (DGTI) (German) together with an informal declaration of intent to the head of the department for Teaching & Studying (German). The Postmaster at the Regional Computer Centre Erlangen (RRZE) can then change the e-mail address accordingly.
All members of the university can change the name in their FAU e-mail address without giving any reasons by contacting the Helpdesk at the Regional Computer Centre Erlangen (German).
If you realise that you are not happy with the degree programme you have chosen, it is possible to change to a different subject or degree programme. The Student Advice Center can give you advice on this topic and will also help you to analyse problems and to come up with a strategy to solve them.
In contrast to regulations at school, there is no general compulsory attendance at university.
Whether attendance is checked or not depends on the type of class. While it is still acceptable to skip a lecture in urgent cases, you should consider your attendance at other classes including introductory courses very carefully. If you are absent too often, you may not be able to obtain credits for the course.
If you are unable to attend due to illness, it is often possible to watch lectures and seminars via the FAU video portal www.video.fau.de.
FAU offers computer pools at many locations where students and doctoral candidates can access the Internet free of charge. They are distributed across Erlangen and Nuremberg in all faculties, as well as branches of the library and RRZE. Since these pools were funded by the Computer Investment Programme (CIP), they are often referred to as ‘CIP Pools’ (German only).
Scanners and printers are also available. You will need a user account to use the computers. Instructions on how to activate and use your user account are available on the FAU website (German only).
- Student Services offers counselling services with a focus on mental health. They provide professional counselling on problems affecting students’ mental wellbeing such as difficulties with studying, completing a doctoral degree or examinations, problems with partners or parents, anxiety, psychosomatic disorders and other psychological problems. The drop-in session (offene Sprechstunde) is completely anonymous.
- The Chair of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at FAU offers various online training courses through the ‘StudiCare’ programme, aimed at helping students cope with problems affecting their mental wellbeing such as social anxiety, online addiction and insomnia, as well as fear of examinations or procrastination.
- Numbers to call in case of emergency:
- In an acute crisis: Emergency services 112
- Mental health hotline: 0800 111 0 111 or 0800 111 0 222 (only from Germany)
A Course achievement certificate is also called “Schein” at FAU.
A ‘Schein’ is a certificate or official confirmation that you have successfully participated in a tutorial, a placement/internship or seminar. It is up to the lecturer to decide whether successful participation has to be demonstrated by a written examination, a presentation, a protocol or some other kind of achievement. In the modular degree programmes, ‘Scheine’ have mostly been replaced by module examinations.
A catalogue of all courses at the University is available at campo.
Credits are also called ECTS-credits (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
In the past, the workload of a class was expressed in weekly hours or semester hours (SWS), irrespective of whether the class was a lecture or a seminar. Today, the amount of time you spend preparing for a class is also taken into account. This means that the overall workload can be calculated which is much higher for a seminar than a lecture. The units for measuring the workload are called ECTS credits. Study achievements can be compared and transferred to another university or even to another country using ECTS credits. A Bachelor’s degree is worth 180 ECTS credits. In the calculation of the workload, 1 ECTS credit is equivalent to about 25 to 30 hours of work.
Cultural and other highlights in and around Erlangen and Nuremberg are listed here:
D
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (German Academic Exchange Service). The DAAD closely cooperates with the International Offices of individual universities and promotes student mobility of both German students wanting to go abroad and foreign students coming to Germany.
Students and doctoral candidates can de-register from the University themselves in order to change university or withdraw from their studies, and after completing their degree or doctoral degree.
The university will de-register you if you have missed the date for re-registration, if you have failed an examination at the final attempt or after the end of the semester in which you have successfully completed your degree.
You can apply for de-registration at the Student Records Office at any time throughout the year. In contrast to enrolment, there are no fixed deadlines for de-registration.
The head of a faculty; he or she must be a professor of the faculty in question and is elected by his or her peers. The dean represents the faculty’s interests and is the head of the faculty’s administration, the Dean’s Office (Dekanat).
www.fau.eu/university/organisation-and-committees/committees-and-senior-officers/
Students at FAU can apply for a Deutschlandstipendium. Funding amounts to 300 euros per month. It is initially granted for two semesters but, provided that the funding conditions are still met, it can be extended annually until the end of the standard duration of the degree program. Half of the funding (150 euros) is provided by companies, foundations or private individuals with the second half being provided by the German Federal State.
Students can apply for the FAU Deutschlandstipendium from their second Bachelor’s semester onwards, provided they have good grades of 2.0 or better.
Apart from the academic achievements, specific personal circumstances can also be taken into account. These include, for instance, stays abroad relevant to your studies, voluntary work at the University as well as special individual circumstances.
More information on the Deutschland Stipendium is available on the FAU website.
An academic holiday well established at many universities. At FAU, the dies academicus is the 4th of November. FAU was founded on this date in 1743. The dies academicus at FAU is a celebration of the University’s anniversary.
You will receive a Diploma Supplement with a comprehensive official description of your degree programme with your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree certificate.
Further information: Students with disabilities
Diversity Scouts are student assistants who are trained by the Office of Equality and Diversity. As peer mentors for students who represent diverse experiences they offer support directly at their faculties as well as at the Learning Lab. The Diversity Scouts help other students to get oriented at the FAU and create networking opportunities around the topic of diversity.
For more information, please visit the website of the Office of Equality and Diversity.
The German term ‘Promotion’ refers to the process of obtaining a doctorate in a specific subject. In Germany, ‘Promotion’ precedes ‘Habilitation,’ which is a required qualification for a professorship in many disciplines. A doctorate proves your ability for independent academic work and is based on a written thesis (dissertation) and an oral examination.
E
In the past, the workload of a class was expressed in weekly hours or semester hours (SWS), irrespective of whether the class was a lecture or a seminar. Today, the amount of time you spend preparing for a class is also taken into account. This means that the overall workload can be calculated which is much higher for a seminar than a lecture. The units for measuring the workload are called ECTS credits. Study achievements can be compared and transferred to another university or even to another country using ECTS credits. A Bachelor’s degree is worth 180 ECTS credits. In the calculation of the workload, 1 ECTS credit is equivalent to about 25 to 30 hours of work.
For further information visit the website of FAU.
Enrolment as a student. For more information on enrolment procedures, please see:
The examination regulations stipulate precisely at which point in your studies the GOP or final examination has to be passed. If a student misses this deadline for reasons for which they are responsible, the examination counts as failed for the first time. The student then has to resit the examination within the specified period. If they fail to do so, the examination counts as ultimately failed. Once you have ultimately failed an examination, you will not be able to enrol for the same degree programme or subject again at any German university. These stipulations encourage students to use their time at university carefully since the deadlines limit the duration of a degree programme.
When you start your studies, you should get hold of the examination regulations for your degree programme and plan your studies according to the regulations so as to make sure that you will not be confronted with unpleasant surprises when you want to register for an examination.
www.fau.de/pruefungsordnungen (German only)
If you have a question relating to examination arrangements, please contact the examinations office for your subject. The examinations office is responsible for all administrative processes regarding the application for, admission to and organisation of examinations as well as for the preparation and documentation of meetings of the examinations committees.
See the FAU website to find the examinations office responsible for your degree programme.
For admission to an examination you must register first (see examination deadlines). Responsibility for all issues regarding examinations lies with the individual Examinations Offices at the University.
Via campo you can manage your personal data and print out your official documents. Registration and de-registration for examinations is also carried out via this website. Moreover, you can download an overview of the grades you have achieved so far.
F
FAU is also on Facebook. On the FAU page, you can find the latest news and events and get in touch with other students at FAU.
www.facebook.com/Uni.Erlangen.Nuernberg (German)
https://www.facebook.com/fauenglish (English)
One of the main organisation units of a university, which combines a number of related disciplines. At the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, there are five faculties: the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology, the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Law, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Engineering.
The family services unit at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen provides support for families (including parents and family carers) with regard to family commitments and academic life. Students and staff of the University and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen benefit from comprehensive counselling on studying and working at the University with a child.
www.familienservice.fau.de (German only)
Abbreviation of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, named after Margrave Friedrich of Bayreuth and Margrave Alexander of Ansbach and Bayreuth.
Find the student job you’re looking for. Stellenwerk FAU is the student job portal for the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. Whether you’re looking for a part-time job, internship or graduate scheme, this website offers suitable positions for both students and graduates.
Each year in January, students are asked to share their opinions about studying conditions in an online student survey. It is worthwhile to participate since the results are taken seriously and have a direct impact on University policy. The aim of the survey is to improve studying conditions at FAU in the long run. More information and links to the results of past surveys are available on the pages on evaluating studying conditions and quality management.
Each year in January, students at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg are asked to participate in an online student survey. It is worthwhile to participate since the results are taken seriously and have a direct impact on University policy. The panel aims to improve studying conditions at FAU in the long run.
With the FAUbox, the Regional Computer Centre Erlangen (RRZE) offers all FAU staff and students 50 gigabytes of free storage on RRZE’s servers. Users can synchronise their data easily via app, desktop or web client. All FAU members need to log in is their IdM username and password. One of the main advantages of the FAUbox is that it has a higher level of security than comparable online services.
The FAUcard is a multifunction chip card that also acts as your student or doctoral candidate ID.
It combines the following functions: student or doctoral candidate ID, library card for the University Library, electronic purse and ID for electronic access control. The card will be sent to your German address approximately six weeks after you enrol at FAU.
Note that the FAUcard must be validated before it is used for the first time and at the beginning of each semester. You will need to use the validation stations at the University for this. If you want to use the payment function of the card, for example to pay for a meal at one of the University restaurants, you must add money to the card. You can use the cash-to-chip machines at the University for this.
More information on the FAUcard is available on the FAU website.
At FAU, each student receives their own e-mail address. You can use it after activation of your student user ID in IdM. You can access this mailbox using webmail at https://faumail.fau.de (German only) or by using e-mail programmes such as Outlook or Thunderbird.
If you do not want to use this address actively, you can also change the settings to have your e-mails forwarded to another address at the given URL.
All of your fellow students, irrespective of which semester they are in.
Studies or tours outside the university which are closely related to the contents of your degree programme.
Footnotes are placed at the bottom of the page and include citations or short explanatory notes. You will learn how to use footnotes in academic writing in the introductory sessions or tutorials. When all footnotes are provided at the end of a text, they are called ‘endnotes.’
Abbreviation for ‘Fachschaftsinitiative,’ an association of students of a specific subject. The FSI is an important point of contact for all problems and questions related to your studies.
www.fau.de/studierendenseiten (German only)
G
The GOP is not one single examination but consists of several examinations which students have to pass during the first two semesters (three at the latest). The GOP gives students reliable feedback at an early point in time about their aptitude for the chosen degree programme. The examinations that are part of the GOP may only be re-sat once. This means that if you fail your second attempt at the GOP examinations you cannot retake the GOP or continue your studies in the subject at FAU or other universities in Germany.
H
„HiWi” is another word for student assistants.
Students who are employed for a few hours per week at an institute or in administration. Tasks can be quite different and range from media support during lectures, the preparation of tutorials and placements, to lab work, work in libraries and photocopying documents. These jobs are preferable to those in industry because students do not lose sight of their studies and gain a deeper insight into academic life.
Textbooks written by a member of staff of an institute or department can be bought by students from bookshops at a discounted price. To do so, students need a Hörerschein signed by the author which confirms that they are attending a specific course for which the textbook is needed. The Hörerscheine can usually be obtained at the secretary’s office of the institute or department in question.
I
IdM is short for ‘Identity Management,’ the central user management system at FAU and the IdM portal is the first point of contact for managing your ‘digital identity.’ Via this website, you can manage your user ID which will also allow you to use other web services at the University such as StudOn, or campo and obtain an overview of your personal user account and degree details. First semester students have to activate their user ID — which is on the information sheet from the Student Records Office and on your student ID card — via the URL given below:
Images of the University are available on FAU’s Instagram page. Photos of the University and various aspects of student life are posted several times a week. The University also reposts images from other Instagram users. You can find FAU under the name uni_fau and all images include the hashtags #unifau and #fau_germany.
Is called Central Office for International Affairs at FAU (RIA – S – INTERNATIONAL).
The Office of International Affairs is the central point of contact at FAU for students and doctoral candidates from abroad and German students and doctoral candidates who would like to go abroad.
Detailed information on the Office of International Affairs is available under Education on the FAU website, under the heading International.
At the beginning of the semester, there are (mostly one-off) introductory events for new students in most degree programs that provide the most important information about the degree program itself, information on creating and managing a study plan as well as other tips and tricks. Not to be confused with the introductory courses offered by the degree programs as a part of the module plans. All introductory events.
K
Key qualifications cover interdisciplinary skills which prepare students to deal with their studies and when setting out into the world of work. Students can choose between special key qualification courses, language courses or courses from other disciplines. Students can also obtain credits for certain external achievements such as placements, internships or time abroad.
The specific rules governing what counts as a key qualification are set out in the degree programme and examination regulations applicable to your degree programme.
L
At FAU’s Language Centre, you can improve existing skills in a modern language or learn a new language from scratch. You can also take foreign language examinations and obtain proficiency certificates.
www.sz.fau.de (German only)
Alma mater, alumni, cum tempore, dies academicus, numerus clausus et cetera. Many Latin words are used at the University. You can find out for which subjects you need a Latin proficiency certificate and which level is actually required at the Student Advice Center.
You can apply for leave from your studies (Beurlaubung) of up to two semesters for an important reason. Leave can be granted for studying abroad, illness, pregnancy or for child-care. You usually have to apply for leave before lectures start.
A spoken presentation by a lecturer on a specific subject. Lectures are held throughout the semester with the aim to provide background to a subject and give students an overview of theoretical approaches, research results and scientific methods. The number of participants is not usually limited.
The ‘classroom’ at a university, where lectures are held.
Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg offer free legal advice for students. This includes practical advice for all legal difficulties related to your studies in Germany in the following areas: labour law, international law, tenancy law, examination law and contractual law.
Further information (in German).
If a student talks about the library, he normally means the university library.
Academic work also includes reading other academic texts. The necessary media to do so (books, journals, etc.) can be found in the University Library (abbreviated as UB or Uni-Bib in German) and all branch libraries.
For further information visit their homepage.
Where can I find a study room with WiFi and a scanner that’s open in the evening? The University Library’s Library Study Rooms Navigator knows!
In addition to the traditional quiet rooms, many of FAU’s libraries also have various study areas such as individual study booths, lounge areas, computer work stations or special rooms for blind people or parents with children. The Library Study Rooms Navigator provides information about the technical facilities and working conditions in these areas – with photos of the work spaces, maps, information about opening hours and instructions on how to get there using public transport.
M
University degree which follows after the Bachelor’s degree and which is comparable to the German Diplom or Magister. If you want to enrol for a Master’s degree programme, you need to have completed the preceding Bachelor’s degree programme with a final grade of 2.5 or better. At FAU the following Master’s degrees are awarded: the Master of Arts (MA) in the humanities and the Master of Science (MSc) in natural science, economics, and engineering. In Vocational Education in Engineering, the Master of Education (MEd) and in Law Studies, the Master of Laws (LLM) are awarded respectively.
In addition or as an alternative to the First State Examination, students of teaching degrees for secondary education at Gymnasium can gain a Master of Education (M.Ed.).
Since the beginning of 2018, maternity protection provisions apply to students if the University lays down binding rules for the time, place and form of a teaching unit or if the students are carrying out an internship or practical course as a compulsory part of their degree programme.
Please refer to the FAU family service for details of what exactly this means for you as a pregnant or breast-feeding student.
Most examination regulations stipulate when students have to register for an examination (for example GOP or final exam) at the latest. If you exceed the maximum duration of studies without official permission from the University the examination counts as failed for the first time.
The individual examination regulations stipulate that you will only be admitted to examinations once you have completed a certain minimum number of subject semesters. You can shorten this period if you meet all the subject-specific requirements (for example have earned the ‘Scheine’ or credits necessary to register for the final examination) or if you have successfully completed all the individual modules and the respective examinations.
N
Literal translation: the name is still to be given. You will find this abbreviation again and again in the course catalogue. It means that the decision of who will ultimately teach the course still has to be made.
Important information for students is posted on the notice boards (schwarzes Brett) or announced by notices (Aushang, Zettel).
This also includes information on cancelled or re-scheduled classes, professors’ and lecturers’ office hours, examination dates and application deadlines. Students should therefore read the notice boards regularly.
This information is often also communicated electronically, for example via mailing lists, Facebook pages or on StudOn and campo.
On the notice boards, there are notices informing you on accommodation and job offers. The notice boards are full of useful notices — make sure you keep track of them.
Admissions restriction that limits access to some degree programmes which are particularly popular and only have of a limited capacity for student intake. Places in the NC degree programmes are either awarded by the university itself or nationwide by the Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admissions, formerly ZVS). Current NC entry grades may be found here:
www.fau.de/nc (German only)
O
Office of Equal Opportunities is responsible for all issues related to equality at FAU and offers advice on discrimination and sexual harassment.
Further information: Office of Equal Opportunities (German)
In contrast to the two-subject Bachelor’s degree (Zwei-Fach-Bachelor), you only study one subject in which you focus on certain topics. At FAU, all Bachelor of Science degree programmes, i.e. all disciplines at the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering, are one-subject Bachelor’s degrees. However, there are also some one-subject Bachelor of Arts degrees in the humanities and in economics.
The online catalogue of the University Library includes the printed media of all libraries at FAU and allows access to all licensed e-media and databases. In addition, searches can be made in free data sources as well as in the Bavarian library catalogue B3Kat. The catalogue shows the availability of the media, links to full texts and allows ordering and reserving media. Integrated in the catalogue is access to the library account, where borrowed media can be renewed.
In the online catalogue, you can also access the document delivery service FAUdok and interlibrary loan for literature that is not available at FAU.
Information on further services can be found on the University Library homepage.
The online publication system OPUS FAU is the central electronic archiving and publication platform for all FAU members. Qualified scientific works from research and teaching may be published here free of charge. The full texts are thus permanently available to the global public and are searchable and citable via catalogues and search engines.
P
FAU students can apply for parking permits for the University car parks located at the School of Business and Economics in Nuremberg subject to a fee. Information: www.wiso.fau.de/parken
Note that you must apply and pay for parking permits before lectures begin — make sure that you do this in good time.
Almost every library at FAU is equipped with copying machines. Additional copying machines may be found in many lecture buildings. Payments are made with your student ID card, the FAUcard.
Internships and placements (for instance in trade and industrial companies) provide you with first experiences in professional life. In a number of university degree programmes, such placements and internships outside the university are part of your training and have to be completed during the holidays. For further information, please consult the respective examination regulations. You can find internships and other job offers on the Job portal for FAU students.
www.stellenwerk-fau.de (German only)
The head of a university, who is elected for up to six years and is usually one of the professors. In theory, however, the president does not have to be a member of the university and does not even have to be a professor. At other universities, the president is also referred to as the rector. Formal (slightly outdated) form of address: Magnificence. At present, Prof. Dr. Joachim Hornegger is the President of FAU.
www.fau.eu/university/administration-and-committees/executive-board/
FAU is committed to life-long learning and plays its part in this initiative by organising degree programmes for people who are in employment which are designed to enable them to combine studying with working full-time.
Professional Master’s degree programmes
The “Bildungsticket” covers the entire VGN network. It allows students to use all forms of transport in the network.
More information is available on our website.
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All students who are studying at FAU for more than a semester will need to re-register at the start of the next semester. This is done by paying the Student Services fee. If you do not transfer this fee to the University within the deadlines, you may face de-registration.
The deadlines for re-registration are available on the FAU website. All information on re-registering can be found in campo nearer the time.
In the first session of a class or lecture, a list of books is frequently handed out which are recommended as an introduction to the course.
Referat has more than one meaning in German. You may be familiar with the term as a graded presentation. Referat can also refer to a specific administrative office. At FAU, examples of Referat include the Central Office for International Affairs (Referat für Internationale Angelegenheiten) and the Office for Quality Management, Degree Programme Development, and Legal Affairs (Referat für Qualitätsmanagement, Studienprogrammentwicklung und Rechtsangelegenheiten).
More information on enrolment for international students is available under information for international applicants and “Application and enrolment“.
The restaurants and cafeterias in Erlangen and Nuremberg are operated by Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg. The current menu can be found in the FAU-App or online at:
www.studentenwerk.fau.de/verpflegung/de/speiseplaene.shtml (German only)
It can also be accessed via smartphone at:
http://stwer.my-mensa.de (German only)
RRZE provide IT services and support at FAU. Abbreviation for ‘Regionales Rechenzentrum Erlangen’ (Regional Computer Centre Erlangen) at FAU. RRZE is FAU’s internal IT service and manages free student user accounts and official e-mail addresses which are used by the University to contact students. RRZE also offers programming and other IT courses (software training) for students. Many of them are free of charge and even count as core skills which means that you can gain credits which count towards your degree.
www.rrze.fau.de (German only)
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A course or class starts at precisely the given time, i.e. 14:00 s.t. = start at 14:00. In contrast to c.t., s.t. is always stated explicitly.
At university, you have to compile your semester schedule yourself by using the course catalogue, in which title, time and place of a course are given, the study plan, and the examination regulations. If you need help with your first schedule, you can get support in the introductory session or from the students’ representatives.
A ‘Schein’ is a certificate or official confirmation that you have successfully participated in a tutorial, a placement/internship or seminar. It is up to the lecturer to decide whether successful participation has to be demonstrated by a written examination, a presentation, a protocol or some other kind of achievement. In the modular degree programmes, ‘Scheine’ have mostly been replaced by module examinations.
Written documentation of a lecture available from the lecturer or the students’ representatives. Many lecturers provide additional documents for their classes online via StudOn. Students can catch up on selected lectures in the video portal.
A semester refers to six months of studies at the university. There is a winter and a summer semester.
Teaching hours per week during the lecture period of a semester. Can also refer to the overall number of hours per semester for measuring the total workload of a degree programme which is now mainly measured using the ECTS system.
Due to the introduction of the “Deutschlandticket” or the “Bildungsticket” for students and trainees (29 euros per month), the semester ticket does no longer exist.
All information on the “Bildungsticket” can be found on our website.
Classes on a specific topic with contributions by the participants on specific aspects of the main topic.
FAU does not tolerate sexual harassment. It has implemented guidelines for dealing with sexual harassment to provide all members of the University with information about this subject and to ensure their protection. If you have any questions or require support, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunities.
Welcome to FAU’s social media universe where you can find links to our posts, tweets and blogs so you can stay up to date about university life at FAU.
- Facebook: Find out about important dates and what is going on at FAU on Facebook pages in German and English.
- Twitter: If you never want to miss an important date you can follow FAU on Twitter. On the FAU Twitter feed you can find all events and dates FAU students should be aware of.
- Instagram: See more of FAU: images of the University and various aspects of student life are posted on our Instagram feed several times a week. The University also reposts images from other Instagram users. You can find FAU under the name uni_fau and all images include the hashtags #unifau and #fau_germany.
- FAU app: The free FAU app for iOS and Android keeps you up-to-date when you’re on the go. What’s my professor’s e-mail address? Which room is my seminar in? What’s on the menu today? In the FAU app you can find the answers to these and many more questions.
- YouTube: A video presentation of FAU in German and English is available on YouTube. Whether information on our degree programmes, interesting reports on research and teaching or videos about our events – you can always be part of it on YouTube.
- Dancing and lipsync? TikTok is a lot more than just that…. and you can even find FAU there.
- Do you know Bluesky? The alternative to X (formerly Twitter).
- FAU is also on Mastodon.
University life is easier with the right IT skills. RRZE offers software training for students and staff at FAU at reasonable prices. Training sessions are available in Erlangen and Nuremberg. For the complete course programme and further information on signing up for a course, please see:
www.kurse.rrze.fau.de (German only)
Students and staff at FAU may participate in the University sports programme (Allgemeiner Hochschulsport). The University sports centre offers a broad programme at both Erlangen and Nuremberg. The programme is divided into sports classes and competitive sports with regular participation in university championships. Important note for all sports classes: please sign up online at an early point in time.
The standard duration of studies for each degree programme is stipulated by the respective examination regulations. Institutes are required to design studying regulations and courses offers in a way that allows you to complete your degree within the standard duration of studies.
The winter semester lasts from from October to March with lectures starting in mid-October and ending in mid-February. In the winter semester, the lecture period is interrupted by the Christmas break. The summer semester lasts from April to September with lectures starting in mid-April and ending in mid-July.
All important dates can be found on this website.
If you want to study medicine, pharmacy or dentistry at FAU, you have to apply via the Foundation for University Admissions. All details may be found at:
www.hochschulstart.de (German only)
The Student Advice Center is your main point of contact for all questions concerning your studies. Here, you will find all the necessary information on the degree programmes offered at FAU: subject combinations, study plans, admission regulations, application procedures, studying abroad, etc. The Student Advice Center can offer advice if you have problems during your studies or if you want to change your subject or transfer to another university. The Student Advice Center can also provide information on the structure and contents of individual degree programmes.
Students who are employed for a few hours per week at an institute or in administration. Tasks can be quite different and range from media support during lectures, the preparation of tutorials and placements, to lab work, work in libraries and photocopying documents. These jobs are preferable to those in industry because students do not lose sight of their studies and gain a deeper insight into academic life.
Each faculty has a committee called the Student Association (Fachschaftsvertretung, FSV) which is responsible for internal affairs.
Both the Catholic (KHG) and the Protestant (ESG) church operate student communities in Erlangen and Nuremberg. The student communities are open to students of all subjects, nationalities, denominations, and religions. KHG and ESG organise weekly meetings at their respective locations with church services and prayers, shared meals and other events.
www.khg-erlangen.de (German only)
www.esg-erlangen.de (German only)
The student ID card provides evidence that you are enrolled as a student to the University and external organisations. In museums, theatres, cinemas, etc. you will often get tickets at a reduced price when you show your student ID. However, the FAUcard, FAU’s student ID, is a multifunction chip card and offers a lot more. The FAUcard can also be used for payment in the University restaurants and cafeterias, as a library card, a copy card and for electronic access control. In addition, you can obtain an International Student ID card (ISIC) for a fee at one of the student travel agencies or at Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg. To do so, you need a passport photo and your student ID card. With the ISIC, you can also benefit from discounts abroad.
On enrolment, each student receives their personal registration number. This number will accompany you throughout your entire studies at the University. You have to enter your registration number on many forms, which is why you should memorise it as soon as possible. Your student ID card will help you to remember it.
All students must re-register for the next semester twice a year in order to be able to continue studying at FAU. This is done by paying the semester contribution or Student Services contribution.
You find further information on our website.
The activities and tasks of Student Services Erlangen-Nürnberg include economic support of students, social and health care, the building and operation of student residences and the provision of service units in the cultural and social sector.
The student survey is also called FAU-Panel.
Each year in January, students at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg are asked to participate in an online student survey. It is worthwhile to participate since the results are taken seriously and have a direct impact on University policy. The panel aims to improve studying conditions at FAU in the long run.
The students’ representatives (Stuve) is an elected body which represents students’ interests at FAU. Stuve are on several University committees and are also active in the state and federal student associations. For students, they offer numerous opportunities to have a say in the set-up of degree programmes and to shape academic life for their fellow students at FAU. For further information on Stuve, please see:
www.stuve.fau.de (German only).
Stuve provides a check-list with the most important tasks when you start your studies.
StudOn is FAU’s platform for online learning and course management. Students can register for courses via StudOn and access or store seminar handouts, reading lists and general information. StudOn also allows direct exchange between students and lecturers in forums, chats and Wikis. StudOn is also used for online examinations. Students can log on with their University user account: www.studon.fau.de.
List of courses which must be taken over the course of your studies.
If you want to spend one or more semesters studying abroad, FAU’s Central Office for International Affairs can offer help and advice.
It is important that you start planning your stay abroad at an early point in time since application processes can sometimes take a long time. Application forms for funding can also be obtained from the Central Office for International Affairs
More information is available on the FAU website.
Regulations based on the examination regulations of individual subjects which stipulate the detailed structure of a degree programme.
Subject advisors offer advice on all subject-related questions during your studies. The advisors all teach at the relevant faculty of study. Names, addresses, office hours and telephone numbers are available from the Student Advice Center.
The number of semesters you have been or were enrolled in for a specific degree programme without leave.
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This document exists since the Bologna reform. It is, so to speak, an excerpt from a student’s records. The Transcript of Records contains detailed information on grades and examination dates.
Tutorials serve to advance your theoretical, methodical and/or practical skills by way of exemplary exercises. Tutorials are usually offered in parallel to lectures to deepen or practise the contents of the lecture.
Tutorial with a limited number of participants which is supervised by a student in a higher semester (tutor). Tutorials by students often supplement seminars and lectures and give you the opportunity to ask questions which could not be answered in class.
If you never want to miss an important date you can follow FAU on Twitter. FAU tweets all dates and events relevant for students.
www.twitter.com/unifau (German)
www.twitter.com/FAU_Germany (English)
Most of the Bachelor of Arts degree programmes at the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Theology consist of two subjects, a major and a minor subject, which have to be registered on enrolment. You are comparatively free in the combination of subjects. Nevertheless, you should consider how much work you want to take on during your studies. The Student Advice Center will help you with recommendations.
The majority of one-subject Bachelor of Art degree programmes are offered in business and economics at FAU.
https://www.fau.eu/study/prospective-students/degree-programmes/all-degree-programmes/
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The University Library (UB) provides an overview of its services for FAU members and the opportunity to book an appointment with one of its expert staff online with the UB Coach. Information and advice is available on research, publishing, copyright, licensing, publishing rights, academic work and networking.
Academic work also includes reading other academic texts. The necessary media to do so (books, journals, etc.) can be found in the University Library (abbreviated as UB or Uni-Bib in German) and all branch libraries.
For further information visit the university library’s homepage.
The total number of semesters in which you were enrolled at a university. If you change your degree programme, the number of university semesters is continued. Previous semesters in a different degree programme usually do not count towards the number of subject semesters, unless the two degree programmes are similar in content.
The University Sports programme is open to students, doctoral candidates and staff and runs a wide range of low-cost sports courses in Erlangen and Nuremberg. The programme is divided into sports classes and competitive sports with regular participation in university championships. Important note for all sports classes: please sign up online at an early point in time.
More information is available on the FAU website.
In addition, there are a number of sports clubs you can join in Erlangen.
UnivIS is short for University Information System. As the name already indicates, it is FAU’s central information system. It contains a directory of all people and institutions at FAU and information on current job offers.
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The head of the university is the president, who is supported by several vice presidents who are each responsible for a particular area, such as teaching or research. The number of vice presidents is not fixed.
There are currently four vice presidents at FAU. The term of office began on 1 April 2015 and usually lasts for three years.
Prof. Dr. Bärbel Kopp is the Vice President Education, Prof. Dr. Georg Schett is the Vice President Research, Prof. Dr. Katrin M. Möslein is the Vice President Outreach and Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch is the Vice President People.
More information is available on the members of the Executive Board is available on the FAU website.
The FAU video portal (www.fau.tv) offers a wide variety of videos of lectures or seminars and other videos relevant to your studies. Over 1400 ‘courses’ are currently online.
The video portal was developed in-house by the Erlangen Regional Computing Centre and can be accessed via a web browser without any additional software. Limited access content can at present only be viewed via the video portal in connection with StudOn.
The freely-accessible videos are usually also available via Apple Podcast.
In order to obtain an apostille you will require prior certification (Vorbeglaubigung) from the University. This is issued by the Office of Legal Affairs, Degree Programme Development and State Tuition Funding (L1) at FAU. Detailed information is available on the apostille information sheet.
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The women’s representative is supported by the Office of Equal Opportunities.
The Office of Equal Opportunities is committed to the promotion of gender mainstreaming and diversity at FAU. Sex, nationality, age, religion, sexual orientation and disabilities should be no obstacle during your studies or doctoral degree or in your professional life. At present, the office co-ordinates several projects and activities.
More information is available on the Office of Equal Opportunities website (German only).
Seminar papers, theses, articles for publication, application documents: the Schreibzentrum / Writing Centre of the Language Centre offers academic writing support for FAU students and academics. This support includes one-on-one writing coaching sessions and academic writing workshops. These services are available for non-native German speakers writing in German and FAU students and academics writing in English.
For more information, please visit the website
The University Library offers consultations in German for German native speakers.
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Central authority for the allocation of study places, now called Foundation for University Admissions.