Information for existing & new students at KIT with refugee/migrant status

Tips for new students at KIT

If you are new to KIT, you certainly have many questions. Here are some tips & contacts that might be able to help you:

You are also welcome to visit our consulting office for refugees or send us an e-mail:
daniela.rueden∂kit.edu or ahmad.hasheesh9∂kit.edu.

Consulting office for refugees at KIT

We are happy to advise you on basic questions about studying in Germany in general or especially about studying here at KIT:
Evaluation of degrees, admission and study requirements, study opportunities, study preparation offers and procedures, offers for refugees at KIT, financing of studies.
Place and time: see info box.

Counseling and information for students with a refugee background at KIT

Several times per semester, students enrolled at KIT with refugee status are invited to information events. Topics include funding possibilities, internships and many other topics that are frequently asked by the students themselves. Invitations will be sent by email to registered students. If you are interested, please contact Daniela von Rüden.

Buddy-Program for international students with and without refugee background

The International Students Office (IStO), in cooperation with the Refugee Integration Coordination and the House of Competence (HoC), is offering a Buddy-Programm for international students with and without a refugee background. In this case, a student of KIT will assist international students enrolling for a bachelor’s or master’s degree programs for one semester, if possible from the same degree program. This contact person is available for all questions and topics that arise in everyday student life. The buddy teams will be accompanied during the semester by the refugee coordination and the IStO and, if requested, at the HoC ECTS-accredited events on the topic of intercultural competence. The Buddy Program provides international students with an additional offer of faculty mentoring programs.

MINT college Baden-Württemberg at KIT

The MINT-Kolleg Baden-Württemberg is a joint institution of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the University of Stuttgart and is aimed at prospective students and students in their first semesters with an additional range of courses in the MINT subjects.
MINT stands for mathematics, computer science, natural science and technology.
The institution offers various course formats with which students can refresh and consolidate their knowledge of MINT subjects individually and tailored to their needs. The MINT college offers various courses. Further information can be found at: https://www.mint-kolleg.kit.edu/Semesterkurs.php

Scholarships for refugees

Scholarships provide support to gifted students or students in need, in some cases also taking into account the specific circumstances of the refugee situation. Many institutions offer support, including the DAAD, party foundations and business-related organizations. They select their scholarship holders primarily on the basis of academic, social and character traits and assure them a defined financial and often also idealistic support. There are also subject-specific scholarships awarded by research institutions, companies or private individuals.

Here is a short list with selected scholarships:

Social counseling for students with a refugee background

For questions about studying, BAföG, housing search and more, the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe offers advice for students with a refugee background (German, English, French, Arabic) as part of the "Welcome" program of the DAAD.

EduRef - Education for Refugees e.V.

EduRef is a non-profit association from Karlsruhe and a university group at KIT. Their goal is to provide free education for refugees, especially in the IT sector.
The courses comprise of Java programming courses for both beginners and advanced as well as Microsoft Office for beginners.