Support Services for Students

Lack of motivation, stress during your studies, ambiguous comments or dissatisfaction with your course – these difficulties often cannot be overcome alone. The points of contact and counselling service centres listed will support you with various issues and offer advice.

The listed points of contact and counselling service centres will treat all discussions and information confidentially.

Support with Personal Problems During Your Studies

Doubts about study, anxiety or stress

  • I’m finding my studies difficult or too demanding.
  • I’m not satisfied – should I discontinue my studies?
  • I’m not making progress with my semester paper/thesis

General Academic Advising: provides help with learning and working difficulties as well as personal issues such as lack of motivation, stress or suboptimal time management.

StudyGuides: offer student-to-student discussions and can provide support with similar experiences and feelings of doubt.

Studierendenwerk Thüringen: offers free counselling outside of the university with its Psychosocial Counselling and General Social Counselling services.

Dealing with Psychological Problems

  • I require individual counselling
  • I think I’m experiencing a personal crisis
  • I’m worried I won’t be able to continue with my studies in the current format due to psychological distress

In cases of urgent crises, contact the emergency centres.

General Academic Advising: provides assistance and possible coping mechanisms based on your personal and social situation, and informs you about part-time study options or a leave of absence, for example.

Psychosocial Counselling from the Studierendenwerk Thüringen: offers free one-on-one counselling appointments (also in English) to deal with psychological problems, homesickness, crises and war situations in the countries of origin or personal family problems.

International students in Weimar

  • Who can I turn to if I have personal problems such as homesickness or linguistic/cultural challenges affecting my studies and everyday life?

StudyGuides: offer student-to-student discussions and can help international students with numerous issues or problems impacting everyday life.

DiversityGuides: as a diverse group of students with very different backgrounds, the DiversityGuides share similar experiences or comparable life situations to you and offer peer-to-peer counselling in the event of discrimination.

International Office: provides support in applying for a visa, finding somewhere to live or obtaining health insurance, for example.

Ombudsperson for International Students: is a confidant for suggestions and complaints from all international students. 
Contact this ombudsperson if you have already tried to talk to other people about your concerns. 

Studying with disability

  • How do I deal with disability-related issues that are affecting my studies and my social environment?

Representative for the Needs of Students with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities: advises students, for example, on personal issues associated with disability, such as lack of motivation, difficulties in social environment or compensation for disadvantages in their studies.

Studying as a parent/guardian

  • How do I reconcile family and studies?

Equal Opportunity Officer: is available to answer basic questions about studying as a parent/guardian as well as childcare options.

Academic Advising: is the point of contact for subject-specific matters in your degree programme in case of questions regarding the organisation of studies on the basis of the Study and Examination Regulations. This also includes aspects relating to the utilisation of maternity and parental leave.

Student Office: provides information about financing, semester registration or extension of studies and offers help with maternity protection for pregnant and breastfeeding students.

Social Counselling from the Studierendenwerk Thüringen: offers general information for pregnant students or students with children, for example certain support with finding housing.

More information can be found at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: »Students with Children« or at Studierendenwerk Thüringen: »Services for Families« and »Studying with Child«.

Studying and caring for dependants

  • How do I reconcile my studies and my family caregiving responsibilities?

Equal Opportunity Officer: is available to answer basic questions concerning protection and flexibility for students with family caregiving responsibilities such as caring for dependants.

Social Counselling from the Studierendenwerk Thüringen: offers general information for students with responsibilities to care for dependants.

More information can be found at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: »Caring for Dependants«.

In the event of discrimination

  • I have experienced or witnessed discriminatory statements and behaviour at the university/I am a victim of discrimination
  • I am being disadvantaged/I am a victim of unfair treatment

DiversityGuides: as a diverse group of students with very different backgrounds, the DiversityGuides share similar experiences or comparable life situations to you and offer peer-to-peer counselling in the event of discrimination.

Diversity Officer: supports you in cases of experienced or witnessed discrimination and disadvantage due to:

  • racial attributes
  • disability and/or chronic or mental illness
  • religion, ideology and cultural background
  • social background
  • gender and/or sexual orientation
  • age

Even if you are unsure whether you have experienced discrimination and unsure of how to behave, you can always contact the Diversity Officer.

Your concerns will be treated strictly confidentially. Coping strategies will be developed together based on your needs and goals. Nothing will be done without your explicit consent.

In the event of sexual discrimination, harassment and violence

  • I experience out-of-line remarks and behaviour
  • I have experienced sexual discrimination, harassment and/or violence at the university
  • I have witnessed someone in my environment experiencing sexual discrimination
  • I am being treated unfairly because of my gender or my family caregiving responsibilities

Equal Opportunity Officer: provides help in cases of experienced or witnessed

  • sexual discrimination, harassment and/or violence,
  • discrimination and/or unfair treatment on the basis of gender or sexual orientation,
  • unfair treatment based on parenthood or caregiving responsibilities.

Your concerns will be treated strictly confidentially. Coping strategies will be developed together based on your needs and goals. Nothing will be done without your explicit consent.

Career guidance

  • I can't find an entry-level position after graduation
  • I need help with my application
  • I don't know if I have the key qualifications I need to start my career

Career Service: offers support on the topics of profile analysis, application, career entry and further training and provides information on company cooperations, job advertisements and trade fairs.

You can also get advice from Bauhaus-Universität Weimar alumni in the "StudEnd" mentoring programme.

Support with Organisational Problems During Your Studies

Planning studies

  • How do I plan my studies?
  • Which specialisation should I choose?
  • How do I deal with overlapping courses and/or exams?

Study Guides: share their experiences as students for the benefit of fellow students, e.g. experiences they have had with courses and teaching staff.

Academic Advising: can help with questions about studies, study planning, possibilities of credit recognition for academic work, selection of elective modules as well as other questions (internships, mobile modules abroad, etc.).

Coordination of Student and Academic Affairs: contact person for each faculty/degree programme, e.g. if exams or courses overlap.

Registering and deregistering for examinations

  • I don’t know how to register or deregister for an exam
  • Where can I find information regarding framework conditions for the final project?

Academic Advising: offers advice on questions regarding examinations in your degree programme that are regulated in the examination regulations and furthermore supports you with technical questions relating to your final project.

Examination Office: contact person for each degree programme in case of questions concerning registration or deregistration for exams, entries of grades into the administration system and organisational framework conditions (deadlines, extension applications, submission forms) for final projects.

Anerkennung und Anrechnung

[Translate to English:]

  • Wie kann ich ein Wahlmodul eines anderen Studiengangs/Fakultät anerkennen lassen?
  • Wie kann ich eine Lehrveranstaltung einer anderen Hochschule anerkennen lassen?
  • Wie kann ich Kompetenzen, die ich außerhalb der Universität erworben habe, anrechnen lassen?

[Translate to English:] In den Prüfungsordnungen der Studiengänge ist die Anerkennung von Studienzeiten, Studien- und Prüfungsleistungen sowie die Anrechnung außerhochschulisch erworbener Kenntnisse geregelt.

Academic Advising: zuständig für die inhaltliche/fachliche Prüfung im Rahmen der Anerkennung von Studien- und Prüfungsleistungen, die außerhalb der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar oder des eigenen Studiengangs erbracht wurden. Die Anerkennung erfolgt ggfs. auf Basis von »Learning Agreements« (z.B. Bauhaus.Modul). Sie ist ebenfalls zuständig für die inhaltliche/fachliche Prüfung im Rahmen der Anrechnung von Kompetenzen, die außerhalb einer Hochschule erworben wurden, wie beispielsweise innerhalb eines Praktikums. 

Hinweise: Bei Unstimmigkeiten in der Anrechnung bzw. Anerkennung von Leistungen wird der Prüfungsausschuss mit dem Anliegen beauftragt, der dann über die Anrechnung/Anerkennung oder Versagung entscheidet.
Für die Anerkennung von Leistungen im Ausland siehe Informationen unter »Studieren im Ausland«

 

 

Studying abroad

  • I’m having problems organising my semester abroad
  • What is required of me and how are grades converted?

Academic Advising: is responsible for the subject-specific review of the »Learning Agreements« and for subject-specific recognition of completed examinations at the end of your stay abroad.

International Counsellor (Outgoing): checks the »Learning Agreements« after receiving them from Academic Advising. The document confirms that your chosen study plan may be pursued at the host university. They then also convert your academic achievements into grades after you return from your semester abroad and forwards them to the relevant examination office.

International Office: is responsible for all (non-subject-specific) organisational issues that arise before, during and after your studies abroad.

International students in Weimar

  • I need support in choosing courses
  • I need help with matters of bureaucracy and initial orientational support in the search for jobs or internships

International Counsellor (Incoming): advises on subject-related questions concerning studies or documents for the recognition of academic achievements.

International Office: provides support and offers information, e.g. when applying for a visa, looking for accommodation, obtaining health insurance or enrolling at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Student Office: is the central point of contact for all matters relating to applications, admissions and the organization of studies.

Studying with disability

  • How can I assert individual claims, e.g. compensation for disadvantages?
  • Where can I get information on financial support or accessibility?

Representative for the Needs Students with Chronic Illnesses and Disabilities: direct, trusted contact person for students with disability, e.g. for financial support, accessibility or compensation for disadvantages in examinations.

General Academic Advising: offers advice on all questions regarding studies and the progression thereof specifically in the context of your disability.

Studying as a parent/guardian

  • How do I organise my studies as a parent/guardian?
  • What childcare options are available?
  • How can I finance my studies when I have a child?

Equal Opportunity Officer: is available to answer basic questions concerning protection and flexibility for students with children.

Academic Advising: is the point of contact for subject-specific matters in your degree programme in case of questions regarding the organisation of studies on the basis of the Study and Examination Regulations. This also includes aspects relating to the utilisation of maternity and parental leave.

General Academic Advising: offers advice on flexibly planning your studies, e.g. taking a leave of absence or studying part-time.

Student Office: provides information about financing, semester registration or extension of studies.

Social Counselling from the Studierendenwerk Thüringen: offers general information for pregnant students or students with children, for example certain support with finding housing.

More information can be found at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: »Students with children« or at Studierendenwerk Thüringen: »Services for families« and »Studying with child«.

Support with problems in matters of teaching and examinations

Courses or teaching staff

  • I have problems with the didactic design of a course
  • Teaching material is not provided or is insufficient

course evaluations: submit your anonymous feedback at the end of the semester. Teaching staff will make the results available and these can be used as a basis for discussion with students.

Semester Conference: is organised every semester in the faculty/degree programme as a feedback discussion between students and teaching staff.

Teaching Staff: can be contacted directly to jointly seek a solution (if necessary, accompanied by the Student Council or the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs«).

Ombudsperson for students (Faculty of Architecture & Urbanism only): decentralised contact person at the Faculty of Architecture & Urbanism for students belonging to this faculty.

Student Council: offers advice and decides whether problems should be raised with other contact persons/committees which have student representation.

The Head of Degree Programme or Dean of Studies: is involved in course development and may be approached as the next higher authority within the faculty (if necessary, accompanied by the Student Council or the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs«).

Representatives of the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs« can help you in the area of Student and Academic Affairs if you haven’t been able to find a solution through the support services or if you don’t feel confident enough to approach the points of contact alone.

Examination procedure and grading

  • I’m not satisfied with the general conditions of an examination
  • I’m not satisfied with the grading or haven’t received a grade within the deadline

Academic Advising: can help with exam-related questions based on the Examination Regulations relevant to your degree programme.

Teaching Staff: can be contacted directly to jointly seek a solution and, if applicable, to take a look at the examination paper.

Student Council: offers advice and decides whether problems should be raised with other contact persons/committees which have student representation.

Examination Commission/Examination Committee: is the body of the faculty responsible for monitoring proper procedure and is also the conciliation body in the event of inadequacies in examination-related matters. (Contact the relevant student representatives on your faculty’s Examination Committee.)

The Head of Degree Programme or Dean of Studies: may be approached as the next higher authority within the faculty (if necessary, accompanied by the Student Council or the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs«).

Representatives of the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs« can help you in the area of Student and Academic Affairs if you haven’t been able to find a solution through the support services or if you don’t feel confident enough to approach the points of contact alone.

Any further questions?

My contact person is biased

At a small university such as this, the issue of bias cannot be ruled out. This challenge alone you should have to face alone. You can either contact a different specified point of contact or get in touch with the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs«. They can then pass your concern on to the relevant point of contact, anonymously if you wish.

My contact person is not responding

If a contact person does not respond to an initial enquiry,

  • you should first submit the enquiry again and remind them of your concern.
  • If there is still no response, alternative means of contact should be attempted, such as e-mail, telephone, a relevant administration office if applicable or even reaching out personally.
  • If still unsuccessful, an alternative or superordinate contact person can be found in the »overview of contact points for students«.

I cannot find a suitable contact person

Formulating a problem precisely or finding the right contact person isn’t always easy. You can find an »overview of contact points for students« here. The counselling service centres are well connected and will refer you to the right place. Your enquiries will always be handled respectfully, neutrally and confidentially.

Still Haven’t Found a Solution?

Representatives of the »University Complaints Office for Student and Academic Affairs« can help you in the area of Student and Academic Affairs if you haven’t been able to find a solution through the support services.

Advising and Counselling Services at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar

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