What can the Incoming Buddies expect?
Most of the local MIN doctoral students taking part in the MIN Buddy Program to support prospective and new international doctoral students of the MIN faculty also spent a year abroad and know which issues you might encounter during your stay in Hamburg. A MIN Welcome Buddy can support you for example in the following ways:
- Correspondence via email prior to your arrival in Hamburg
- Pick you up from the airport/train station on your arrival
- Help you to find your ways around Hamburg (city tour) and the UHH Campus (Regional Computer Center, library, cafeteria, etc.)
- Support you with the necessary administrative paper work (e.g. registering at the Registration Office, signing a rental contract, opening a bank account)
- Support you in settling in Hamburg (e.g. shopping facilities, getting around with the Hamburg Public Transport Association HVV or with the CityBike), but also the exchange of culture and experience abroad
Depending on the availability of our MIN Welcome Buddies in the Welcome Buddy Database, the Welcome Buddy Team of the MIN faculty is doing the best it can to match you with a local doctoral student from your own MIN Department who shares one of your hobbies and interests. Here you may read a few Welcome Service evaluations by international doctoral incomings of the MIN Faculty .
Please keep in mind that a Welcome Buddy cannot support you
- with finding accommodation or support your visa application process. The UHH Welcome Service for International Researchers will assist you with these matters.
- Information related to your doctorate: The doctoral studies offices (Promotionsbüros) of the MIN Departmenta, respectively, will provide information on admission, application and immatriculation processes or on your doctoral research.
- Information on starting your doctorate, financing your doctorate, etc. (Contact: Academic tutors of the MIN faculty that offer weekly consultations for international doctoral researchers on administrative issues or general queries)
In this PIASTA brochure, you find all information on your first steps and to-dos in Hamburg.
If you would like to improve your German you can do so in these German language courses.