Organizational Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ

Contents

Arrival/Departure

Arrival days are Tuesday, July 29 and Wednesday, July 30, 2025. We strongly recommend arriving on July 29. If you arrive after 10 p.m. on one of these days, you will not be able to reach us at the office and will have to find alternative accommodation for the first night (for example Heidelberg Youth Hostel or Steffis Hostel or airbnb).

Accommodation can be provided from July 29 to August 28, 2025. Early arrivals or late departures are not possible. If you do arrive earlier or wish to leave later, please arrange for an alternative accommodation beforehand, for example at Heidelberg Youth Hostel.

Course Books

Course books should not be purchased before knowing the course placement.

Currency Exchange

Make sure you get bills of no more than 50 or 100 Euro apiece when you exchange money. 200 Euro bills are not accepted in all shops.

Currency Exchange is possible at all airports. There is a bank called ReiseBank at Heidelberg Main Station open Monday to Saturday (please check online for opening hours). Other banks are open Monday to Friday, usually from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Usually, you can take out Euro from any ATM in Germany with your credit card or even cash card. ATM machines can be found at all banks, and those are numerous. They are accessible 24/7.

Data Processing/Data Protection

For information on Data Processing and Data Protection, please download the pdf file on the right.

Duration

The International Summer School is a four-week program. If you are unable or do not wish to attend the entire course, this is regrettable, but of course possible. However, there will be no discount or refund on the course fee. If you do not take part in the final examination on August 25, 2025, you will not receive a certificate, but a confirmation of participation.

General Terms and Conditions

Please find the General Terms and Conditions of Business and Payment of the International Summer School of German Language and Culture at the right as a pdf document.

Insurance

Participants must have taken out their own health insurance prior to arrival. The Summer School cannot be held responsible for any medical costs.

We strongly recommend taking out a personal liability insurance prior to coming to Germany. For example, if you lose the keys to your accommodation or cause water damage, fixing may cost hundreds of Euros or more, and you will be held liable. In case you already hold a liability insurance, please check whether you are covered for travel to and stay in Germany.

Internet

Upon arrival, you will be given access to the university's wireless network (WiFi). This can be used in most of the university buildings, but usually not always in the accommodation.

Computers with internet access are available in the university's libraries and can be used by Summer School participants free of charge. There are also several internet cafes around the university. You will need your own mobile device for classes (see → Technical Equipment).

The International Summer School will make an effort to find you accommodation with internet access only. Please find further details in the → “packing checklist” below.

Broadband mobile modems or ”connect cards“ can be purchased in telecommunication shops and electronics retailer stores, starting from approximately 40 Euro. These are an option for location-independent internet access.

Laundry

Yes, you can do your laundry in Heidelberg! Many student residences have their own laundry rooms. In many private residences, you may also use the washing machines. Furthermore, there are laundromats (self-service laundries) all over the city.

Library

There is a number of libraries at Heidelberg University. Participants of the International Summer School will receive a Summer School ID card. With this card you will have access to the main university libraries and to most smaller libraries. However, you cannot take out books or other media.
 

Packing Checklist - What to bring

General note: Fortunately, luggage doesn’t get lost and arrive a few days late very often. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend to carry the most important items (ID, documents, medication, money) in your hand luggage! 

  • Passport or identity card
  • Documentation on Health Insurance (exept DAAD scholarship holders)
  • Summer School confirmation letter: Not an indispensable prerequisite, but it may speed things up when you arrive.
  • Prescription medicine and prescriptions (only if applicable, of course)
  • Clothes. In August, it It’s summer time (→ Weather) in Germany, so bring summer clothes, but also something warmer for the evenings. If you want to do → sports, bring adequate clothes and shoes (also a tennis racket, if you are into tennis). Swimwear are is always a good idea! Bringing good walking shoes would be very wise since many excursions will involve a decent amount of walking/hiking!
  • Linens. In many rooms there are no pillows and duvets. Therefore, please bring a pillow, a duvet or sleeping bag, as well as covers for mattress,  pillow and duvet - the standard bed in Germany is 200 cm long and between 80 cm and 140 cm wide. Using a bed without covering the mattress, duvet/quilt and/or pillow is not acceptable under any circumstances.
  • Towels
  • Toiletries. You might want to bring enough of your usual toiletries for the first days of your stay, until you have time for your first shopping at a supermarket or drugstore. Germany has a good selection of all such items, shipping or bringing large amounts of toiletries is not necessary.
  • IT. Teaching material may be available online. Please bring an appropriate device (laptop/tablet/iPad or similar). University WiFi will be available in the classrooms, but in some accommodation, only LAN (no WiFi) is available. So, it is best to bring a LAN cable and adapter (if necessary) from home.
  • Adaptor/converter: Germany‘s electricity runs on 230V. You may need an adaptor and converter for any appliance brought from home.

Parking

No parking facilities are provided near the Summer School office and classrooms. If the International Summer School arranges accommodation for you and you travel by car, please state that you need a parking space in the „Comments on accommodation“-box on the registration form. We will then try to arrange accommodation where parking is possible.

Payment

The course fee is to be paid by credit card. Fees are payable by the person transferring the fee; please inquire at your bank if applicable. Information on the payment will be sent to you as soon as we receive your registration form.

The rent for accommodation is payable after your arrival in Heidelberg in cash only. (Further information will be sent to you with the confirmation letter upon registration.)

Cash withdrawal with a credit/debit card (for example Visa, Mastercard) is possible from most ATMs. There are many banks and ATMs all over Heidelberg.

Prerequisites for application

Participants must be at least 18 years of age by the time the Summer School begins.

Educational and/or professional backgrounds are irrelevant for registration.

Group registration or payment is not possible.

Scholarship

The university regrets that it cannot offer any scholarships for the above courses, nor can it arrange employment for participants.

Sports

The International Summer School offers a variety of sports, including soccer, (beach) volleyball, basketball, tennis, swimming. Participation is free (except tennis and swimming) and of course voluntary. Heidelberg is also a good place for jogging, hiking and biking.

Depending on the sport and weather, both indoors and outdoors facilities will be used. Remember to bring adequate clothes and shoes if you want to do sports here! Volleyball, basketball, and futsal for example, will be offered indoors in case it rains, but you can only participate with shoes for indoor sports (wearing the same shoes indoors and outdoors is not allowed).

Technical Equipment

You will need a mobile device (laptop or similar) for class, ideally with video and audio function. A cell phone is not sufficient. The textbooks may be used in their electronic edition; please wait until course placement is announced before purchasing any course material or textbook.

Visa

Participants requiring a visa must be sure to apply to representatives of the German consulate in good time. Please bear in mind that the visa issuance process can take several months. Upon completion of your application, you will get a confirmation letter which can be used for your visa application.

Weather

The International Summer Course takes place in August, which is summertime in Germany. Temperatures may rise up to 38 °Celsius (ca. 100 °F), but may occasionally drop below 10 °C (50 °F) at night. The average daytime temperature is around 24 °C (75 °F). Although we always hope for four weeks of dry, sunny weather, you should come prepared for some rain.