X-Weeks 2025
Incoming exchange students, sign up now!
2025/02/13
We hope you are all excited and looking forward to starting your studies at TU Darmstadt! To help you settle into life at TU Darmstadt and in Germany as an exchange student, the ISS team organises the X-Weeks at the beginning of each semester. This summer semester, the orientation programme is packed with important information and opportunities to get to know the university, Darmstadt, and your fellow exchange students before the semester officially starts.
Welcome and Orientation
From the 4th to the 6th of March, exciting orientation events will take place on the city centre campus Stadtmitte in a building called the Maschinenhaus. This location is relatively central as it is within walking distance of the main bus and tram stations in Darmstadt such as Luisenplatz or Schloss. Don't forget to register for the events and save your ticket for the big day! You should automatically receive an email with an invitation to the events and a link to register. If not, please don't hesitate to contact us.
On the first day, starting from 2 p.m (14:00 h), we will welcome you to campus and introduce you to your fellow exchange students as well as your Erasmus and Overseas Officers, ISS (us!), Unite!, TUtor International, and more! Then, from 3.30 p.m. (15:30 h), you will have the opportunity to get to know the various services, important contact persons, and student-led university groups that TU Darmstadt has to offer at the X-Weeks Info Fair. The student-led group Erasmus Student Network (ESN) will also be hosting a Kick-Off drink at one of Darmstadt’s hotspots, the Schlosskeller at 8 p.m. (20:00 h), so don’t miss this chance to make new friends and connections!
Day two is all about the essentials. On this day, you will learn more about the first steps you need to take after your arrival. We will explain how to register at the Einwohnermeldeamt (residents’ registration office) and how to open a bank account in Germany, before discussing issues related to the Ausländerbehörde (Foreigners Office). Learning the basics about visas and residence permits is crucial to ensuring that nothing goes wrong during your stay here in Germany. Of course, you will also have the chance to talk to our experts and ask questions afterwards at their consultant desks, wether about the topics mentioned above or other topics such as health insurance. Before the event, you can also stop by the ESN Coffee Hour in the Hochschulgruppenhaus to recharge your batteries for a day full of more serious topics.
On the third day, you will have the opportunity to take part in our student panel, where student assistants and experienced exchange students will talk about their own experiences as students at TU Darmstadt and give you first-hand advice and tips for a successful stay in this city. You’ll learn a lot about what the university and the city have to offer. After the panel discussion, you can explore the campus with the TUtor International Team through our programme ‘Campus Quest’ and get to know your fellow exchange students better in Herrngarten. All this will all be rounded off by the ESN Welcome Night in Labor21 at 8 p.m. (20:00 h).
Exciting events for the coming weeks
As you’ve probably noticed by now, during the X-Weeks you will not only receive information and tips on how to organise your stay, but you will also have a lot of fun! Stay tuned for even more exciting social and cultural events that we and our partners have planned just for you. Over the next few weeks, you will get to know other students at game nights and meet-ups, as well as exploring the city and the region through tours and day trips. If you are already here at the beginning of March, don't miss out on TUtor International’s (TI) and Interkulturelles Tutor*innen Team’s (ITT) trip to the Frankfurt Carnival Parade on 2 March or ESN’s Speedfriending event on 3 March.
Another highlight in the coming weeks is the Global Picnic on 28 March organised by ESN, TI, and ITT where you can sample different cuisines from all around the world, and share your own traditional meal. This is followed by another insightful event by TI on 26 April called Survival Kit where they’ll show you how to find your way around Darmstadt through various activities.
Are you going to miss the X-Weeks welcome events because you're arriving late in Darmstadt? Come to our Late Arrivals Consultation Hour at the International Counter in karo5 from 18 March to 15 April 2025, every Tuesday from 10 a.m. (10:00 h) – 12:00 p.m (12:00 h). We’re here to support you!
Verena,
Student Assistant at ISS
The X-Weeks welcome events are compulsory for all exchange students as you will receive very important information and meet other incoming students during the programme. If you want to make a perfect start at TU Darmstadt, do not miss the orientation programme!
Stay tuned and visit the ISS Website and the X-Weeks website regularly. Check out our X-Weeks flyer (opens in new tab) for all of the most important information and a helpful campus map. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram or Facebook and join our Telegram channel for the latest ISS news.
The ISS Team cannot wait to meet you!