Exchange Students

International Cooperation Center at KISD

If you have requests concerning your studies and the exchange programme at KISD, do not hesitate to contact the student tutor at the International Cooperation Center. The ICC is located on the first floor at KISD (room 123). If you are a prospective exchange student, please note, that it is very important to check your emails regularly: you will get informed by the International Cooperation Center about your course selection, the first meeting, current events and news.

International Office of FH Köln and KARIBU programme

If you have questions with regard to the enrolment at FH Köln (Cologne University of Applied Sciences) or need general information about your first steps in Cologne, please contact Branimir Brkan of the International Office of FH Köln.

More Information about the KARIBU programme of FH Köln.

International AG

You can also contact International AG, a students working group at KISD that supports international students and works very closely with the ICC. Throughout the semester they organize different events for and together with the international students at KISD.

There is no traditional course schedule at KISD. Instead, a new curricular calendar is published at the beginning of each semester with new projects and seminars. As an exchange student you choose course units from this curricular calendar having the opportunity to custom tailor your semester to your interests within a certain framework. The new curricular calendar will be available on our website in August (winter semester) / in January (summer semester).

As soon as the new calendar is published, we will send you an email with further instructions about the course selection at KISD: As an exchange student you will be advised and get further instructions by the International Cooperation Center in August / February. Please read the brochure KISD opportunities, in order to get to know the study structure at KISD, get suggestions for your semester planning and to prepare for the course selection.
You will have to make your course selection in the beginning of September (winter semester) / of March (summer semester). Please take possible specifications of your home university into consideration. At our official Welcome Meeting in the very beginning of the semester you will get additional advice from us and have the chance to finalize your study plan.

Enrolment and German Course

We recommend arriving in Cologne by the end of August to take part in the »German Intensive Course« for beginners (03.09. – 14.09.2012). Please know that you will need some time for the first steps in Cologne and the enrolment at FH Köln.

Welcome Meeting

On Tuesday, September 4th, 14:00 in room 11 we will hold our official welcome meeting at KISD. Make sure you arrive before this date. In this meeting you will be welcomed by the Dean and get to know the International Committee: Prof. Erlhoff, Prof. Heidkamp, Prof. Laubersheimer, Lisa Janßen, Viola Voigt and Anne Hegge. In a fun rally around the FH, you will find out about all KISD facilities.

Workshop Introduction

On Monday, September 17th start the one-week workshop introductions. These are optional.

Cologne Resources

On Monday, October 8th »Cologne Resources« project starts. This is an obligatory one-week project for all the incoming students at KISD where you will work in teams and have your first public presentation in front of the whole school.

Project and seminar start

On Monday, October 15 th the regular projects and seminars start. Please check the curricular calendar and make sure to come in time to the first meeting: If you are not present, someone else will get your place. Within the next to weeks you will receive your course selection sheet.

Exchange Program

There is an obligatory mentoring program for exchange students. You will be informed which professor will supervise you as a mentor. During the semester we will also have meetings with all exchange students. The International AG will organize international nights and excursions – for this we will need your ideas and support!

Semester Duration

Winter semester 2012/13: 17.09.2012 – 10.02.2013

Medical insurance

Before your departure please ask your health insurance to give you the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). After your arrival in Cologne please take this document to any AOK branch (a German state medical insurance company), e.g.:

AOK Studenten-Service
Albertus Magnus-Platz
Pavillon 4, Philosophikum
50923 Köln

AOK Studentenservice
Zülpicherstr. 58
50674 Köln

You may also check the »Just arrived« booklet, page 11 for addresses.

There you will receive a medical insurance certificate for the time you are studying in Germany – on the basis of the documents of your health insurance. You have to bring this certificate to be enrolled.

Personal enrolment in the International Office

After your arrival in Cologne please enrol at:

International Office
Campus Südstadt
Claudiusstr. 1
Raum A1.52 - A1.56
50678 Köln (tramway stop »Ubierring«)

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday, 9:00-16:00

For enrolment you should bring the following documents:

1. Letter of acceptance (KISD)
2. Matriculation form
3. Application form MultiCa
4. 1 passport sized photo (3,5 cm x 4,5 cm) for the MultiCa form
5. Medical insurance certificate from the AOK

You can to download the forms here.

Semester fees

Semester fees at FH Köln are € 219,35 including the »Semesterticket«, which includes various social and insurance fees as well as your personal ticket (»MultiCa«) for public transportation in Cologne and the surrounding areas. You can travel within North Rhine-Westphalia by downloading your NRW semester ticket here.

After your personal enrolment you will get a letter of the International Office confirming your enrolment and telling you the bank account details of FH Köln in order to transfer the money for the semester ticket. Please do not send any documents by post and do not pay the money from an account abroad. All your documents will be accepted and handled by the International Office after your arrival and personal enrolment.

MulitCa

After your enrolment, you will receive a letter from the International Office with your personal »MultiCa«. This is your student ID and a rechargeable debit card, so you can reload it with money to spend at the different services of the FH (cafeteria, copy machines).

Two to three days after you have transferred the semester fees to FH Köln this card can be stamped at one of the red machines inside the FH main-building, Claudiusstraße 1, in front of the »Studienbüro«. Please refer to this map for further instructions. Your card is only valid with this stamp and you will have to get a new stamp each semester. Once you print an additional printout, you will also be able to travel with your student card in the whole federal state North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the explanation for this can be found on the International AG’s Space.

German Intensive Course

The International Office offers a special German language course for exchange students:

Prior to their first lectures, exchange students who possess no or only basic German skills can sign up for a three-week intensive course that will be held from

03.09.2012-14.09.2012, Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 h, room 323 and 24.09.2012-05.10.2012, Mon-Fri 9:00-13:00 h, room 318
at FH Köln, Mainzer Str. 5

The course fee is € 70 and should be paid on the first day of class at the International Office. To register for this class, write an email to Janina Knöll.

Please arrange accommodation as early as possible, as reasonably priced accommodation in Cologne is in short supply. Unfortunately FH Köln can«™t provide any student accommodation.

Kölner Studentenwerk

The simplest and often cheapest kind of accommodation is in a students«™ residence hall. There are 84 hall of residences in Cologne, administrated by Kölner Studentenwerk (KSTW), as well as many privately run halls. Unlike in other countries, Germany's student residence halls are not located on campus, rather throughout the whole city, giving students the opportunity to choose the location they would like to live in. If you are interested in a room in a hall you can find detailed information as well as the online application form on the website of KSTW.

Due to great demand, an application is no guarantee that you will actually be allocated a place. However, your chances increase the earlier you send your application in.

Shared flats (WG)

There are a lot of shared flats (WG) in Cologne – it is very common for students to live together in one flat, each student has his own room, but you share kitchen, bath room etc. Please check the KISD Space of the International-AG to get to know tips concerning the search for shared flats. KISD students who live in a WG and want to go abroad for one or two terms, often rent their rooms temporarily while they are away. If you are interested in such a room, please contact your »buddy«.

For general information about accommodation, activities and other important issues, please check the brochure »Just Arrived« of the International Office or contact your KISD »buddy«. They can provide tips concerning finding accommodation, but also with regard to orientation in Cologne and basic supplies in the beginning of your stay in Germany. You can also visit the KISD Space of the International-AG for information, events and tips.