Services and Support
Whether you have difficulties with a lecture, struggles with the bureaucracy, health restrictions or private problems – here nobody is left without help! The university offers many contact points to provide individual, personal support.
Study Coordination
The study coordination of Computer Science gives advice to students on study and examination issues:
- choosing a degree programme and starting the studies
- organizing the studies (e.g. questions regarding examination and study regulations, examination registration, change of degree programme, progress control, etc.)
- problems during the studies (subject-related, personal or health-related)
and is the contact for
- planning semesters abroad (Erasmus+)
- the recognition of external study achievements
Students’ Representative Council
During your studies, the annually elected student council acts as a contact point for all your questions and represents your interests to all university and non-university committees. In addition, study-related and cultural events are organized on a regular basis. Final theses can also be printed and bound free of charge, and much more.
- Mathematics Preliminary Course: The pre-course in mathematics is an additional offer to prepare for a study related to computer science. The pre-course teaches mathematical basics of computer science, which are mostly not covered in school, but facilitate a successful start into the studies. In addition, we organize various activities to get to know the study, the university, and future fellow students.
- Orientation Day: This event supports students shortly before the beginning of the semester with a wide range of information about the computer science study program.
- Introductory course: This informative course takes place within the first four weeks of the semester. The location and time are given in the course directory. For the teacher training program there is an additional introductory course, which is also listed in the course directory.
We offer a buddy program for our new international BSc students. Upon acceptance to this program, you’ll be assigned a buddy (a more senior fellow student) who will welcome you in Saarbrücken and help you find your way around Saarbrücken and the university.
Simply contact the Study Coordination Office once you arrive in Saarbrücken; we are happy to help all new master’s students directly.
Honors Program
The Honors Program supports particularly talented and motivated students by providing them with particularly intensive support during their scientific education.
The goal of the Honors Program is to support talented and motivated students with targeted supervision in their scientific training, in particular to enable them to graduate with very strong final grades. In addition, they can complete their degrees one or two semesters more quickly than the usual study period.
Students are admitted to the program after the winter semester (which may be the first or second semester in their course of study), at the recommendation of the lecturers. This is based mainly on excellent performance. The head of the Honors Program makes the admissions decisions. Students can also be admitted to the program later, upon request. In addition to a cover letter, the following documents must be submitted: a copy of their Abitur certificate, a complete transcript of their grades, and a short report on their previous studies. The documents can be submitted to Prof. Dr. Sebastian Hack. The head of the Honors Program decides on admissions in this case as well.
Every student in the Honors Program is assigned a professor as a mentor. The mentor regularly discusses the student’s level of performance with him or her and gives advice on study planning. At least one special study group is formed for the students in the Honors Program each semester. Through these support activities, we wish to give the students of the program the opportunity to study quickly and very successfully, as well as to get to know the other top students of their year and to work with them.
Mentoring Program
In the mentor program at Saarland University, experienced students help you with valuable tips on starting your studies. The mentors are available as personal contact persons and support you with your initial orientation on campus, with all questions concerning your studies and university life. In mentor meetings or campus tours, you will get to know fellow students and can exchange ideas with your mentor.
AStA
The AStA Office for International Advice & Family is the contact point for international students with questions about studying, as well as for students with families.
Central Student Advisory Service
If you’re planning to study at Saarland University or even if you’ve already begun, we’re here to help you. We can provide advice and information that will make it easier for you to transition from school to university, and we’ll assist you in planning and organizing your studies and help you to study effectively.
Student Union and Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counseling Center
The Studentenwerk im Saarland e.V. takes care of the well-being of students on many levels. In addition to running the dining hall (Mensa) and a child-care center, assistance is offered for finding housing and financing of studies.
The Psychological and Psychotherapeutic Counseling Center is also located there and offers, among other things, courses for coping with personal crises, writer’s block, or test anxiety.
Equal Opportunity Office
The university’s Equal Opportunity Office is concerned with all questions regarding equality of men and women at Saarland University, and is the umbrella organization for the Coordination Office on Gender Equality in MINT.
Not only is gender equality at the forefront, but also balancing studies and work with family life, as well as assistance regarding disadvantages of an economic or health-related nature.
Advice is offered regarding career planning, work–life balance programs, the gender consulting service, and much more. In addition, it is the central contact and counseling center, in the case of discrimination or harassment. For female students, employees and researchers, there are special services for support and networking.
Languages
The fact that the lectures in the computer science master’s degree programs are held in English should not deter anyone. With regard to foreign languages, people are well looked after in Saarbrücken.
Along with multiple smaller course providers, the Language Center offers courses in several languages at various levels. It organizes “Sprachstammtische” (“regulars’ tables” where you can practice a language) and the so-called “Sprachtag” – a program in which two people with different mother tongues can directly benefit from each other. Conversely, the Studienkolleg offers German courses for foreigners.
International Students
You come from abroad? Here we are happy to help you: The ZIS, the International Office and the Welcome Center are starting points for international students and researchers, or Germans who wish to study abroad.
They can be helpful, in particular, for matters relating to administrative procedures, visa applications, German language courses, housing searches, or exchange and scholarship programs. In addition, excursions and regular meetings are offered, to help make connections quickly.
Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Unit
The unit devises proposals for strategies, instruments and practical methods toward the realization of equal opportunity, diversity, and family-friendliness at Saarland University. Moreover, the unit develops possible approaches to specific issues for the Presidium, which can then be implemented in coordination with the various actors.
The Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Unit (CDM) includes the Family Office (audit familiengerechte hochschule), the Contact Point for Studying with Disabilities (KSB) and the project Diversity@UdS.
The KSB supports students with disabilities or chronic illnesses in all aspects of their studies. Teaching and administrative staff can also obtain advice on how to meet special needs of students.
Along with general measures regarding accessibility on campus, there are various networking opportunities and an assistance exchange. As a part of the Equal Opportunity Office, the KSB also has the goal to further increase diversity on campus.
In addition to providing advice on topics such as pregnancy, career re-entry, studying while caring for children, or part-time study, this also includes assistance with the care of relatives.
The campus offers two day-care centers as well as several nursing, baby-changing, relaxation, and parent-and-child rooms. The “audit” also runs an online babysitter exchange, and provides holiday care for children from primary school age.
The Workgroup Against Racism advocates for the right to a discrimination-free study experience as well as discrimination-free professional academic work at Saarland University. The working group seeks to provide momentum for the organization of advice and contact points targeting all forms of discrimination, so that the university can work effectively toward a non-discriminatory environment.
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