Who are our buddies?

Buddies are local students who provide information and guidance to international students, especially during their first few weeks in Germany and ideally during the whole period of their stay.

The buddies often have been exchange students abroad themselves. They help foreign students to settle all the initial formalities and provide “insider” information about the student life in Osnabrück and the German culture in general.

The buddy programme shall help to get in contact with German students more easily and to foster friendship and mutual understanding.

How can you get in touch with your buddy?

The IFO will send out the contact details of your buddy by e-mail as soon as the buddies have been allocated. Please do not forget to check your e-mails also over the summer and Christmas holidays since the buddy details and other important information might be sent to you as well. If the contact cannot be established by either side, the tutor of the IFO should be informed immediately at: incoming@wi.fh-osnabrueck.de

How the buddies can assist international students

Before arrival:

• get in contact by e-mail: give tips for the travel arrangements, answer questions about the university, city or country
• arrange an appointment for a first meeting after the arrival in Osnabrück
• call the caretaker of the dormitory to announce the arrival and fix a date for moving in; arrange an alternative appointment or other individual solutions in case the international student arrives not on the fixed dates or late in the evening or at the weekend
• help finding a room in a youth hostel or hotel if it might become necessary to bridge the time until the international student can actually move into the residence room

After arrival:

• meet the international student to get to know each other; if possible, pick her/him up from the train station/airport - therefore the buddy and the IFO should be informed about day, time and destination of your arrival before your departure, otherwise there will be no one to pick you up and you will have to find your accommodation yourself
• assist her/him in moving in, e. g. translate and explain important rules that have to be observed in the residence
• help effecting a health insurance (applies to non-EU students only) and opening an account
• jointly participate in the orientation days of the faculty, e. g. to connect already to other buddy teams
• be a tour guide, show shopping facilities and sights in Osnabrück, give advice for leisure activities
• show the campus and important places at the university: student restaurants, library etc.
• point to service centres if further information, advice, or support is needed: Career Center, Student Representative Committee, Students' Union, University Sports Centre, Psychological Advice Centre etc.
• be a contact person and adviser throughout the semester, e. g. when questions arise concerning presentations/assignments, registration for examinations, copying, printing etc.
• help improve the knowledge of German, e. g. "tandem learning"
• help with departure preparations: assist in closing down the bank account, returning books on loan to the library, moving out of the accommodation (arranging an appointment with the caretaker for a room inspection)