Would you like to get to know and support international students and gain intercultural experience at the same time? Then be a Buddy for international students!

What is the Buddy Programme?
Every semester, numerous international students come to the University of Augsburg to spend an exchange semester here or to start a study programme to get a degree. Settling into a foreign country, a new city and a new university is not always easy. To support international students in this process, the International Office is offering the Buddy Programme. Within the programme, the international students are assigned an Augsburg student, a so-called "Buddy". The Buddy offers practical support and guidance and can be especially helpful by providing a student perspective. The Buddies themselves benefit from participating in the programme by gaining valuable intercultural experience. It is not uncommon for new friendships to develop between the buddies and the international students.

The commitment of the buddies is an important contribution to ensuring that the international students settle in quickly and feel comfortable and welcome in Augsburg right from the start.

What are the tasks of the UniA Buddies?

• get in touch with the international student before their arrival in Augsburg
• help with moving into the dormitory / help with finding accommodation
• support with the first organisational steps (opening a bank account, choosing a cellphone provider etc.)
• help with course registration (Digicampus)
• make suggestions for free-time activities
• help with practical questions regarding life in Augsburg and studying at the university
• It is important that you are in Augsburg the week before lectures begin in order to welcome the students on their arrival.

Sign up for the Buddy Programme to become an UniA buddy:

• if you would like to pass on some of the hospitality you experienced after your own stay abroad, or if you would like to get in touch with international students before your own stay abroad.
• if you would like to get to know students from around the world.
• if you would like to use and improve your foreign language skills.
• if you would like to expand your intercultural competence.

As the Buddies work on a voluntary basis, they do not have to be available for every request and problem. The International Office is always available to help with any problems that cannot be solved.

The Buddies and their assigned international students can take part in the cultural activities and excursions offered by the Erasmus Student Network (ESN). You can find more information on the ESN homepage.

If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch by email to: buddy.programme@aaa.uni-augsburg.de

Participating in the Buddy Programme can be credited towards the ZIS - namely in module 3.

Please direct all questions regarding the ZIS programme to: zis@aaa.uni-augsburg.de

You can register to become a Buddy for the winter semester 2024/25 by using the link below. Registration is possible between 1 and 31 July 2024.

The registration is done via the portal "Mobility Online" and includes two steps!

1. Fill out the online form. After that you will receive an automatic email with a registration link.
2. Create a Mobility Online account, log in and complete your registration for the Buddy Programme in your workflow.

If you already have a Mobility Online account, please use that one after completing the online form!