Here you will find a lot of information that is important and interesting for you during your stay in Hannover. Who will advise and support you at the university? How do you find a job? You will also find information on language and language maintenance as well as tips on living in Hannover (food and drink, shopping, transport, medical care, culture and leisure and much more).
The Social Counseling Service of the Studentenwerk also offers international students comprehensive and wide-ranging counseling on topics such as jobs and social security, financing options, studying with children, health insurance, studying with a handicap, counseling and support in conflict situations, and all other social issues related to studying.
Our advisors can also point you in the direction of other advice centres and support services.
You can find detailed information on this website in the section "Counselling".
The Studentenwerk Hannover offers foreign students who are liable to pay fees* at the Studentenwerk Hannover free legal advice in connection with their foreigner status. This is particularly concerned with matters relating to the law on foreigners and questions about the special labour law provisions for foreign students.
The legal advice is provided by individual lawyers. The lawyers who provide this advice are listed on the authorization slip issued by the Studentenwerk. Consultation costs of other lawyers are not reimbursed.
- The consultation is limited to verbal information in the pre-trial area. Representation in court, the drafting of pleadings or the assumption of legal costs incurred cannot be provided.
- Counseling in matters not related to alien status is not available.
- Foreign students may receive one free legal consultation per semester related to alien status.
- The Studentenwerk will cover the costs of a consultation of a maximum of 60 minutes.
If you need legal advice in matters concerning foreigners, you can pick up an entitlement certificate at the Social Counseling Office of the Studentenwerk Hannover. You must bring your valid student ID and passport with you.
Students of Leibniz Universität Hannover, Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media, Hannover Medical School and Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts are required to pay the fee.
As part of the "Tutor Programme for International Students in the Residences of the Studentenwerk Hannover", student assistants for international students are available in all residences of the Studentenwerk Hannover.
The tutors can be reached regularly during consultation hours and offer a wide range of assistance. Whether you have problems with immigration law, job-related problems or problems with your studies - our tutors are there for you! They help with contact difficulties and give advice and addresses to other advice centres. Even if you are afraid of bureaucracy and authorities, the tutors can support you and give you tips or accompany you when you go to the authorities.
For students with language difficulties there is a weekly conversation course (see "Improving your language" below).
Last but not least, the tutors initiate joint activities (country evenings, parties, visits to concerts and cinemas, cooking evenings ...) for German and foreign students.
The group of tutors is deliberately made up of different nationalities in order to have tutors from as many language regions as possible, who can also work for students from another residence if necessary.
You can find the office hours and offers of the individual tutors in the "Housing" section under the housing houses on the page of the respective house.
You can also find more information in the following flyer.
Your most important contact person at the university is your respective International Office (sometimes also called University Office for International Affairs, International Office or International Office).
The International Offices not only provide advice on studying, but also, for example, look for financial aid, help you cope with the stresses and strains of studying, offer introductory events for first-semester students and semester-long events in the field of study and leisure.
You can find detailed information on the websites of the International Offices:
Akademische Auslandsämter / International Offices / International Offices
Leibniz University of Hannover Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts Medical University University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts
The Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB) is the contact for all students at Hannover's universities and for prospective students.
The ZSB not only offers advice on questions regarding the choice of study, university admission, admission restrictions or change of university. You can contact the ZSB for many questions and problems related to your studies. These include changing subjects, financing your studies, contact problems, work issues and examination problems.
You can find more information on the homepage of the ZSB.
If you have questions concerning your field of study, you can contact the department / faculty where you are studying directly. Contact persons are, for example, the so-called international representatives. In addition, many departments/faculties have student tutorials to support foreign students.
In order to find out about the offers at your department/faculty, use the respective university websites and work your way to the relevant subject. Here are the links to the universities:
Leibnis University Hannover ( LUH ) Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts ( HsH ) Hannover Medical School ( MHH ) Hannover University of Veterinary Medicine ( TiHo ) Hannover University of Music, Drama and Media ( HMTMH ) Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts ( FHDW )
The AStA (Allgemeiner Studierenden-Ausschuss) is an organ of student self-administration elected by the students of the respective university. In many ASten, foreigners' spokespersons and/or foreigners' officers look after the interests of foreign students. In addition, some ASten also offer social counselling. You can find more information on the websites of the ASten:
AStA Uni Hannover AStA Hanover Medical School AStA University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover AStA University of Hanover AStA University of Music, Drama and Media Hannover
The FHDW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover has no AStA (at the FHDW, there's a student parliament): Studentparlament
You can get further information "first hand" from the respective student council. A student council is the elected student representation of the students of a certain subject at the university. In the student council, students work on a voluntary basis for the interests of the students. Usually, so-called first semester introductions take place, which give an overview of the subject and the rooms. During the consultation hours, you can contact the student representative responsible for you with your questions.
If you are studying at Leibniz Universität Hannover, you can find the contact address of your student council on the list of student councils at the university. You can contact the student representatives of other universities via the respective AStA (see link list above).
The psychological-therapeutic counselling (ptb) supports all students of the Hanover universities with problems, questions and conflicts in the psychological area. With regard to the course of studies, this includes in particular exam nerves, work disorders and general study crises. Of course, you can also turn to the ptb for problems that are not directly related to your studies. The ptb will help you with identity and orientation problems and loneliness. You can also get advice on relationship conflicts, contact problems or psychosomatic complaints. You can find the consultation hours on the ptb homepage.
The counselling for foreign students (BaSt) is an offer of the KED Niedersachsen (Church Development Service). They offer counselling, information, orientation and support on the organisation of studies and the living situation, on questions of residence (Aliens' Registration Office), financing studies (work, grants, scholarships), on study problems and/ or personal difficulties. Information on this can be found on the homepage of the KED Niedersachsen.
One project of the KED is "STUBE". This is the abbreviation for "STUdienBEgleitprogramm". The STUBE events are especially aimed at students from Africa, Asia and Latin America who are studying at universities and universities of applied sciences in Lower Saxony. Especially students without scholarship are addressed. STUBE Niedersachsen is a project of the esg, the KED and the Diakonisches Werk of the Protestant Church in Germany. You can find more information on the STUBE homepage.
As part of the tutoring program (see "Support and Counseling" above) for international students in the residence halls of the Studentenwerk Hannover, a free conversation course in German is offered. It takes place on Wednesdays from 18:00 to 20:00. This course offers foreign students who are still unsure of the German language a chance to practice. The participants are given plenty of room to speak. Due to the personal atmosphere, conversations between the students take place after the course, which also lead to further appointments. Contact: tutor-sprachangebot(at)studentenwerk-hannover.de
The Centre for Specialised Languages at Leibniz Universität Hannover offers numerous courses in German as a Foreign Language and in German as a Specialised Language. The courses offered by the Centre for Specialised Languages are generally only open to students of Leibniz Universität Hannover. However, if space is available, students from other universities may also attend. Further information can be found on the website of the Centre for Special Languages.
Language schools and other institutions also offer language courses or certificate courses for German as a foreign language. This is a selection of local providers and does not imply any quality assessment.
Adult Education Centre Hannover Educational association "Soziales Lernen und Kommunikation e.V." (Social learning and communication) Initiative for Languages and Communication (ISK) Bildungsvereinigung Arbeit und Leben Nds. e.V. (educational association for work and life)
Be sure to take advantage of the counselling services offered by these institutions so that you can attend a course appropriate to your language skills!
You will find one of the Studentenwerk canteens near all university locations. You won't find a cheaper place to eat than here! There is a large selection of menus for every taste: stews, salads, a choice of meat, fish or vegetarian dishes ... Not only "typical German" meals are on the menu, but also dishes from all over the world.
In addition to the dining halls, there are cafeterias at the university locations that offer a large selection of cold and warm snacks.
Meals with pork, with beef, without meat and with alcohol are marked in the menus, so that certain food regulations can be easily observed.
You can find detailed information and the menus of the dining halls in the food section.
The big department stores (in Hanover's city centre) have almost every conceivable product. In addition, there are smaller "specialty stores" where the quality of the products is sometimes better, but you also pay higher prices.
Attention: Food is usually very expensive in department stores! The cheapest place to buy food is the "supermarket" in your own district, some of which offer their goods at very low prices due to few staff and little equipment (so-called "discounters").
Fresh fruit and vegetables of good quality can be found at the weekly markets in the various parts of the city. Inexpensive are usually the mostly Turkish vegetable shops, which also offer a variety of other oriental products. In addition, there are other shops with international specialties, such as Asia shops.
Second-hand shops and so-called "flea markets" sell second-hand goods. This is very useful, e.g. for household and kitchen appliances that you do not want to take back with you after your studies. The social department store "fairkauf" is especially recommendable. The "Flohmarkt Hannover" takes place every Saturday until about 16:00 at the Hohe Ufer. Here you can find not only cheap second-hand goods, but also really expensive antiques. Second-hand goods of all kinds are also offered in private "small ads" in the newspapers. In the internet you can find the special classifieds paper Heißer Draht under the following links.
Those who rely on a special diet for religious, ethical or other reasons often have to look for different or additional sources of shopping. Vegetarian food is now available almost everywhere. In the refectories and cafeterias of the Studentenwerk, but also in pubs and restaurants, there are delicious, meat-free options. People of the Muslim faith can find butcher shops in Hannover that process and offer only beef or lamb.
Small purchases in Germany are usually paid for with cash (euros and cents). In addition, it is now possible to pay almost everywhere with the cheque card ("ec-Karte" = electronic cash) of the current account, which can also be used to obtain cash at ATMs. Credit cards, on the other hand, are not always welcome (e.g. in grocery stores) and are usually only used for larger amounts.
Be sure to keep the receipt when making large purchases! This is the only way to be sure that you can exchange something or claim warranty services.
The opening hours of the shops can be very different. The usual opening hours are between 8:00 and 20:00; however, some close as early as 18:30, while others are open until 22:00 or even later. On Saturdays, some shops close earlier. On Sundays, practically all shops are closed, only some bakeries are open for a few hours.
An exception are the shops in the main station: These are often open much longer and also on Sunday.
In addition, kiosks and petrol stations are open for small purchases at the weekend and at night, sometimes around the clock. But beware: Here you pay significantly higher prices than in other shops!
On the homepage "Studying in Germany" set up by the DAAD, you can find more information about eating and shopping in Germany on the page Shopping and Saving Money.
You can find important information on this topic in the DAAD portal "Studying in Germany" on the pages " Telephone " and " Internet and Post". A fairly new facility are the so-called "Packstations", where you can pick up and send packages day and night. You can find Packstations at the main dining hall (Schneiderberg) and at the student residence Bischofsholer Damm. You can find out more about this at DHL on the Packstation page.
Hannover is a pedestrian and cyclist-friendly city. The footpaths and cycle paths and the many green spaces invite you to get around on foot or by bike. You can find inexpensive used bicycles in private classified ads in the newspapers. On the internet you can find the classifieds of the classifieds paper Heißer Draht. The lost property office of the city of Hannover also auctions off used bicycles from time to time.
Longer distances in Hannover can be covered comfortably by bus, tram and S-Bahn. The Stadtbahn with its green or silver carriages is a mixture of tram and underground, as almost all lines in the city centre run underground (the stations there are also marked with a white "U" on a blue background). Information about the very well developed network and the timetables can be found on the website of the Großraum-Verkehr Hannover (GVH).
The S-Bahn is a special local train operated by Deutsche Bahn in the Hannover Region, which usually runs every half hour.
Students of the Hanover universities can use these means of transport without any restrictions, as a SemesterCard is automatically purchased with the semester fee. The SemesterCard is valid on all weekdays and also during semester breaks. It is not limited to the greater Hannover area, you can also use local trains of DB Regio AG and other railway companies throughout Lower Saxony.
For long-distance connections, you can use the long-distance trains of the Deutsche Bahn, buses and flights. If you book early, it is possible to get cheaper train or plane tickets. Spontaneous flyers like to take advantage of cheap "last-minute offers". Students with an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) often get reduced airfares.
For bus and air travel, it is best to contact a travel agency (you can find them in the "Gelbe Seiten") or use the online travel market Hannover on the internet.
You can also try to find a private ride in a car.
Detailed information on medical care and the health system in Germany can be found on the DAAD homepage "study-in.de" on the pages doctor and pharmacy as well as health insurance. The Illustrated Health Dictionary (German - English) of the German Student Union (DSW) is also highly recommended. There you can find out everything you need to know about the health insurance system, doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and much more.
In the yellow pages you will find an overview of doctors in the city and region of Hannover, sorted by speciality.
If you become ill, contact a general practitioner (you can find them in the above list under "Ärzte: Allgemeinmedizin"). There you will be treated accordingly or referred to a specialist.
Please note that the opening hours of doctors' surgeries are shorter than the opening hours of shops! Outside opening hours, contact the medical emergency services.
On hannover.de you will find a list of hospitals in Hannover and the region. You can also find more information on the website of the Hannover Region Hospital.
There are so many pharmacies in Hannover that it is no problem to find one. Outside normal opening hours there is an emergency pharmacy service.
General information about the student cultural scene and leisure activities can be found in theCulture section.
At this point, however, we would like to give you some special tips that might be interesting for international students.
There are numerous student groups at Leibniz Universität Hannover, including many associations of international students. So take a look at the Leibniz Universität Hannover homepage and check out theStudent Groups page- maybe there's something suitable for you ... There are also similar groups at other universities. Just ask other students!
On the internet portal hannover.de you can find information about intercultural projects and events in Hannover.
In Hannover there are congregations and communities of (almost) all faiths. You can find more informations at Haus der Religionen.