PreCIS

Preparatory Course and Support Programme for International Students

A successful start to your Bachelor's degree

With the PreCIS programme, the TU Darmstadt supports international bachelor's degree students to successfully start their studies. For first-year students in the winter semester 2020/21, PreCIS will take place from September 11, 2020 to March 31, 2021.

Study preparation: In the two-week PreCIS Prepatory Course, which takes place in September before the regular start of your studies, you prepare for your studies at TU Darmstadt.

Study support: From October to March you will participate in the PreCIS Buddy Programme. You will meet regularly with students from higher semesters to discuss questions about your studies. As a PreCIS participant, you also have the opportunity to benefit from PreCIS Workshops.

Notice: Despite the current corona pandemic PreCIS 2020/21 will take place.

Registration is no longer possible for PreCIS 2020/21.

11 September – 25 September 2020

The two-week Preparatory Course in gets you ready for your studies at TU Darmstadt.

  • Intensive course in the technical language of mathematics and German as a scientific language
  • Intercultural training
  • Training in study skills
  • Orientation at the university
  • Campus excursions
Picture: Lucas Beck

Download:

Schedule Preparatory Course 2020/21

Course contents in detail

Intensive course in the technical language of mathematics and German as a scientific language:

You can read the mathematical term in German in the picture above? Congratulations! If not – don't worry. Many international students face this linguistic challenge in the early stages of their studies.

With a language trainer, you will acquire a basic mathematical vocabulary and practice expressing your own questions and thoughts adequately. You will also deal with German as scientific language and explore how speaking and writing at the university differs from everyday language.

Training in study skills

Student trainers impart knowledge about different types of courses and help you develop techniques for good learning. They will also cover important topics of self management and time management.

Intercultural training

In intercultural training you will receive information about the German education system, work out what culture is all about and analyse different communication styles.

Introduction to mentoring

This event prepares you for the PreCIS Buddy Programme.

Orientation at the university and in Darmstadt

  • Campus tour “Stadtmitte”
  • Campus tour “Lichtwiese”
  • Darmstadt City Rally
  • Visit to a research facility of TU Darmstadt

Excursions

The PreCIS Preparatory Course includes at least two excursions.

  • canoe trip on the river Lahn:On the river you will get to know the other PreCIS participants* better and meet your buddies for the first time.
  • visit of the particle accelerator of the GSI- Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung

Please notice that the PreCIS Prepatory Course has to take place virtually. Therefore excursions will be replaced by other activities.

December 2020 – February 2021

Experienced students from higher years accompany the PreCIS participants through their first semester at the TU Darmstadt. At regular meetings you can discuss and ask questions about your studies and your stay in Darmstadt.

Participation in the PreCIS Buddy Programme is optional. A separate registration is not necessary.

Picture: Katrin Binner

As a PreCIS participant you have the opportunity to take part in two workshops during your first semester.

  • Workshop on learning planning in December 2020
  • Workshop on exam preparation in January 2021

Your participation in these workshops is optional but recommended.

Bild: Jan Ehlers
Picture: Jan Ehlers

PreCIS is open to international first year students who are taking up a bachelor's degree course at TU Darmstadt in the winter semester. The PreCIS Preparatory Course is suitable for all Bachelor's degree programmes.

To be eligible to register, you must have received your admission for a Bachelor's degree course at TU Darmstadt and mus already have demonstrated all necessary language skills required for your course of study.

Participation in the PreCIS Preparatory Course, the PreCIS Buddy Programme and the PreCIS Workshops is free of charge. To participate in any course excursions (e. g. canoeing on the Lahn) we charge a contribution towards expenses of up to 30 Euros.

Only a limited number of places are available for participation in PreCIS 2020/21. You should therefore register as soon as you have received your admission to a course of study at TU Darmstadt.

Registration for PreCIS 2020/21 will be possible by June until 30 August 2020.

Learn – Discover – Make friends

What former participants say about PreCIS

Chuchu (China), Mechanical Engineering:

“Because I have participated in the language classes, I can recognise and understand technical vocabulary, especially in mathematics, more quickly.”

Toshal (Mauritius), Electrical Engineering:

“Compared to other international students, the course gave me the advantage of knowing more about how things will go at the university.”

Hassan (Syria), computer science:

"Any questions you want to ask, you can just ask. They will all be answered. My buddy advised me on how to prepare for exams – also which lectures are the most important.

Online consulting hour for PreCIS 2020/21

The PreCIS team offers an online consultation hour every week Monday to Friday from 12.30 – 13.15 p.m. (CET). Please join the zoom event in time via the link and ask your questions. We are looking forward to meeting you! Meeting-ID: 262 338 9271 Kenncode: #PreCIS20

Learn more

Best Contacts PreCIS – Buddy Programme for international students

Read the latest article in Hoch³ 02/2020 about how PreCIS participants and buddies at TU Darmstadt work together. PreCIS participants and PreCIS buddies benefit from their cooperation in the study entry phase.

Learn more

Support to start your studies

An article in the campus magazine hoch³ (2018) highlights how international first-year students experience their university start with PreCIS. A student of computer science reports how the PreCIS Prepatory Course made his arrival at the TU Darmstadt easier.

Learn more

FAQ

All first year students who have completed their schooling outside Germany can participate in PreCIS. It is important that at the time of starting PreCIS you are admitted to study at TU Darmstadt without conditions. This means that you must also have already demonstrated all the language skills required for the course of study.

No fees are charged for participation in PreCIS. The programme is part of the KI²VA project.

However, we also offer the participants excursions that are not sponsored. We therefore have to charge a contribution towards expenses of up to 30 Euro. If you have difficulties in paying this amount, please contact Dr. Seibel.

First year students of all courses of study can benefit from participation in PreCIS. However, the language course focuses on the technical language of mathematics, which is particularly important for students in the STEM field.

No, the course deals exclusively with the German technical language needed to follow lectures and exercises in mathematics. Following PreCIS, you will have the opportunity to participate in the mathematics preparatory courses of the relevant departments.

These parts of the programme are voluntary. However, we recommend all participants to take part, as you will receive important information and support during your first semester.

That's not necessary. If you have been admitted to more than one course, we will contact you before the start of the programme and ask you to make a decision.

You get to know your buddy during the PreCIS Preparatory Course. Usually she or he studies the same or a similar degree course as you do. Your buddy is a student in a higher year.

As soon as you have received an admission for a study place at the TU Darmstadt. For organisational reasons you will not be able to register without an admission ticket.

We only need the registration form. If we need further documents, we will inform you in good time.

If you have further questions, please contact Ms. Dr. Lydia Seibel

E-mail: precis@zv.tu-darmstadt.de or by phone Tel: +49-6151-16 26665

Yes. The PreCIS programme 2020/21 will take place despite the current pandemic. The programme will be offered virtually through our online platform. Additional small group activities can take place with the PreCIS participants on-site in Darmstadt.

The PreCIS pre-course will take place online. Our teachers will work with you via Moodle, the digital learning platform of the TU Darmstadt, by means of video conferencing and other digital media.

You will also be able to benefit from all the learning content of the PreCIS Prepatory Course in digital form and make your first friends at TU Darmstadt through the PreCIS programme.

We recommend that you register for PreCIS 2020/21, even if you are not sure whether you will be able to get to Germany in time due to current travel restrictions. The PreCIS Prepatory Course in September will probably take place via TU Darmstadt's digital platforms.

Sponsor

Competence Development through Interdisciplinary and International Cooperation from the Start (KI²VA)

https://www.bmbf.de/de/qualitaetspakt-lehre-524.html

This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the funding code 01PL16048.