Practical information

All students must pay the semester contribution, including, among others, the fee for the semester ticket for local public transport as well as the fee for the AStA (Student Council).

The fee currently amounts to 257.70 €. This amount must be transferred each June and December for the following semester. After having paid the contribution, students are automatically re-registered for the upcoming semester. The re-registration is completed as soon as you receive the student ID for the upcoming semester (sent by regular mail – therefore make sure the admission office always knows your current postal address!

Bank details for re-registration:

Classes

All classes run for 90 minute periods. Sometimes two periods of the same subject are run back-to-back. A break is offered between all class periods. Classes are lecture/ discussion based with one teacher/ professor in the room. Most instructors have an engineering degree or doctorate. There are no required textbooks for any of the classes except for German Language. Some professors have scripts available that can be purchased for a nominal fee (less than 10 Euro each) at the campus printing shop.
Class size depends on the number of participants (between 30 and 60, no first semester lesson). Most lecture days start at 8:15 am and could end in the early evening (7:30 pm).

Eating and drinking is allowed in the classrooms and during classes, but should be done without interrupting the class.

Assessments

Courses end with an exam, a test, or without any assessment. Some courses have pass/fail tests. Exams take 60 minutes to 3 hours and tests take about 1 hour. Students should not wait for the end of the semester starting to prepare for end of semester assessments. Some exams require several weeks of heavy preparation. It is the students' responsibility to know what is going on throughout the semester. Tests can be re-taken as many times as needed to pass the course. Exams can be re-taken a maximum of 3 times to pass the course. If students fail on the third exam attempt but achieve at least 40% of the exam points they can take an oral exam where only a minimum passing grade is possible. Some professors allow note sheets or lecture material during the assessment, but not all.

Exam dates and times are fixed whereas the test times can be arranged with the professor but only for the whole group. Exams are written the week following the end of the lectures. Subsequent attempts are made either the week before the next semester begins or during the exam week at the end of the next semester. Exams and tests must be signed up for. After taking an exam you have the opportunity to review the assessment that you submitted with any errors marked.

Laboratories

Pre-lab preparation is usually required and often calls for students to actually go into lab prior to the scheduled lab time. Some labs require formal lab reports. Students should expect to spend a significant amount of time writing reports. There is a number of lab tasks per course per semester. All lab tasks need to be satisfactorily completed in order to pass the lab. A passing lab grade is required along with a passing lecture grade to receive an overall pass for a course. In several labs, students are required to give presentations.

Grading

The German grading system consists of a number grades from 1.0 (highest) to 5.0 (lowest) where 4.0 is passing with 50%. To receive the bachelor or master degree, students need to pass all courses and labs with a 4.0 or higher. A test or exam can be re-taken only if a failing score is received. If a student is awarded a 4.0, it is not possible to retake the assessment to obtain a better grade.

Campus Map

A campus map is available in the footer area of this page.

Computer Labs

Along with his/her registration, any student will get an IT account. Using user name and password of this account, students can access any computer in the computer labs (building 18 - first floor) during the usual working hours (Monday to Friday from 8 am to 7 pm), provided that no lecture is going on at the particular lab.

24 Hours Computer Access

There is a special "24 hours-room" in building 18 where registered students can use the computers 24 hours a day. Students who need a 24 hours computer access should ask at the program coordinator for registration forms and fill them in.

In building 18, 1st floor, room 1.03a, students need to show these forms and their "user name" to Mr. Borchert so he can sign the forms. In building 36, room 0.08 (ground floor), students get the 24 hours room access card paying 25 € in cash as security deposit. The card must be activated at Mr. Borchert’s afterwards. Students get the deposit back upon returning the 24 hours access card.

Library

Having your student ID, you can register for the university's library.

Mensa (the common university canteen)

If you wish to have your lunch at the Mensa (building 59 on the campus map), you have to get a Mensa card from the office in the ground floor of the Mensa (building 59). You need 10 € for the card which includes a deposit of 2,50 € and a credit of 7,50 €.

Sports

Lübeck’s universities have many kinds of activities and clubs that students can join. At the start of each semester, registration opens for people to join the groups. Participating simply requires registering and paying a small fee (normally about 10 €). Once you have registered, you can sign up for the specific activity which you would like to participate. There are brochures around campus called "Hochschulsport Lübeck" (University Sports in Lübeck) that show you which activities are available and what any associated fees are. Many of the activities are quite popular and spots are limited, so registering as early as possible is recommended. The activities are categorized into ball games (i. e. football, soccer, tennis), fitness/ health/ relaxing (i. e. yoga, pilates, aerobics), fighting sports (i. e. judo, karate, kendo), dancing (i. e. jazz, tango), water sports (i. e. water ball, surfing, sailing) and miscellaneous sports (i. e. horseback riding, biking).

Campus Friends Lübeck

For new international students the Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein offers the free and voluntary Buddy Program "Campus Friends" to promote integration and communication between international and German students.

Do not forget to register to get in contact with a German student and find help for the first days and make a friend for your whole stay!

Contact, further information and registration: Studentenwerk Schleswig-Holstein

Mentoring Program "Einstiege" ("Entries")

Since 2012, the joint program "Einstiege ins Studium" of TH Lübeck and University of Lübeck supports students to get along in their first two semesters at the university. "Einstiege" offers language courses, tutorials in mathematics and programming, and a mentoring program for international students.

China Buddies

Every year, the China Coordination Office promotes a study buddy program and forms a team of German students who help Chinese students to find their way on the campus and in Lübeck, especially during the first weeks after arrival. The German students show them shops and supermarkets, explain public transport, sports facilities and let them take part on other leisure time activities.