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Program Elements

German Language Courses

The AWP offers free intensive German courses. In these courses, AWP participants are divided into different levels according to the result of their placement test. Please note: Goethe University currently only offers German courses from level B1.3. The aim of each course is to train the German Language skills, so that participants can successfully take part in conversations as well as express their thoughts and arguments in writing on an academic level.

The levels B1.3, B2.1, B2.2, B2.3, C1.1, and C1.2 normally take place Monday to Friday in the afternoon (usually 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) for 20 hours per week for 5 weeks each. 

After completing B2 and C1, participants can take a UNIcert accredited certification test.

Regular attendance in all courses is mandatory.

All AWP participants must use the free online German or English language learning programs (CLT) at the Goethe University during the course of their study.

Path of a participant in the AWP from the beginning of the Intensive German Courses to the beginning of studies:

Level 1: B1.3 - B2.3 Intensive German Courses.

Level 2: Propaedeutic course, intensive German courses Level C1

Level 3: DSH exam, further study orientation incl. guest auditor and workshops on study techniques

Level 4: Start of studies, further workshops

Social Services

1. "Willkommenstage" for new APW participants

New AWP participants are introduced to the AWP at the beginning of the semester as part of a welcome day. You will receive all relevant information on the individual program components and initiatives that support the AWP as a partner.

2. The AWP-“Studienfreund*innen" Program

The “Studienfreund*innen" program connects AWP participants and regular students at Goethe University to form buddy pairs. Every semester we are looking for students who would like to volunteer as a student friend for an AWP participant.

Goals of the “Studienfreund*innen" Program

The aim of the student friendship is to enable exchange between students and participants in the AWP and, ideally, to make new friends. In mutual exchange, everyone has the opportunity to make international contacts and exchange ideas and to learn more about the different backgrounds, life stories and life situations. By sharing their personal experiences in everyday student life, students can bring the AWP participants closer to German university culture and thus make it easier for them to start studying in Germany. Information on alternatives to studying (training, starting a career, etc.) is also valuable. Actively practicing the German language together is a priority for many.

How exactly does the support from the student side look like?

Each pair of student friends decides together how the friendship will develop. However, it is important that there is regular (at least digital) contact (about once a week) and that personal meetings take place at least once a month.

Your support as a student friend can include, for example:

  • Learning German, giving feedback on homework and practicing verbal expression
  • Support when applying for a course of study and/or a part-time job/profession
  • Initial orientation at the university and in Frankfurt and the surrounding area
  • Joint leisure activities, if applicable

If you are interested in becoming a student friend, please contact us: awp@uni-frankfurt.de

3. Social Events

Joint excursions, cooking/ film evenings, picnics or museum visits etc. enable AWP participants to get in touch with each other, to exchange ideas outside of the intensive German courses and to get to know the city of Frankfurt better.

4. (Online) Language Café 

Every two weeks there is a relaxed exchange on a specific topic with the aim of informally practicing the German language.

5. (Online) workshops on various topics

As part of various workshops (online/ face-to-face), various workshops relevant to AWP participants are held, for example on trauma, processing of flight experiences, etc.

Lectures and Seminars

Participants of the „Academic Welcome Program“ are entitled to regularly attend requested courses or study offers. In order to take part in courses, knowledge of German (in the case of English-language courses corresponding knowledge of English) is required at least at level B2.

There are different types of university courses like e.g. lectures, seminars and tutorials. A short summary of various course types can be found here.

Participants in the AWP are entitled (or, depending on the program variant, obliged) to attend the courses or study programs listed in the application regularly throughout the semester. An essential requirement though is the signature of the lecturer and the official approval by "Academic Welcome Program".

„Scheinpflichtige“ courses (mandatory for enrolled students) in the fields of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy cannot be attended.

You are not entitled to take part or pass examinations (pre-, midterm or final), module or other examinations listed in the exam regulations. However, certificates or credentials that are not part of official examinations can be acquired. Please note that such certificates or credentials cannot be acknowledged for regular study programs.

For further content questions or problems regarding the offers of the individual courses, please contact the responsible faculty or dean's office directly.

In the beginning, it can be difficult contacting a professor, lecturer or other teacher you are unfamiliar with. We want to give you some tips on how to contact a lecturer:

Information sheet "How to contact a lecturer?" (Only in German)

We have created an information sheet on how to use the electronic course catalog (QIS/LSF) so that AWP participants can easily attend courses that suit them:


Information sheet: "Guide to the electronic course catalog"

Infrastructure

As a participant of the "Academic Welcome Program" you can use the reading rooms and library collections. For access, you only need your Goethe card. Generally, you will receive your card one week after your application has been approved. With your Goethe card you can use the lockers, printing options and other electronic resources (digital collections as well). Only the lending option is not available. For further information about the university libraries and sites, please click here.

To get you acquainted to the university library, there are regular tours and training courses organized by the library staff. For an overview of dates and topics, please click here.

For further tips on literature research, please visit the website of the university library.

Spread throughout the campuses of Bockenheim, Riedberg and Westend, the Goethe University has 15 pool and course rooms with around 420 computer stations (Windows and Linux). The computer stations all have direct internet access and can be used to work with study specific programs, internet research, email services or to print. To login you need your HRZ (university computer center) account details. You will receive these details after your application for the “Academic Welcome Program" has been approved. The user manual and further information is available here.

On the site Campus Westend the easiest, accessible pool and course rooms are:

  • Poelzig-Gebäude (IG-Farbenhaus), room 0.413
  • Poelzig-Gebäude (IG-Farbenhaus), room 615 BzG ground floor – access via 1st floor
  • PEG-Building, room 1.G083

Additional Offers

We offer a series of workshops every semester through which AWP participants are even better prepared for their studies and for future (part-time) jobs.

The workshops are always published shortly before the start of the semester, registration can be done directly via the Kompass registration mask.

Die Workshops werden immer kurz vor Semesterbeginn veröffentlicht, die Anmeldung erfolgt direkt über die Kompass-Anmeldemaske.

The Palmengarten Frankfurt (palm garden) is directly next to the Campus Westend. Between walking paths and green spaces with deckchairs, this garden displays diverse gardens and greenhouses.

At this point we would like to thank the Palmengarten and the students union (AStA) for their kind support.

AWP participants can access a comprehensive range of advice and information; In particular, individual advice on study and career planning is possible together with the full-time employees of the AWP. As an AWP participant, you can book an appointment for this and other questions.

In specific counseling cases, we refer you to our partners such as the Goethe-Uni Law Clinic and the Psychosocial Counseling Center for Refugees.

For our participants, we offer:

  • information on the application process via uni-assist
  • counselling sessions with the Zentrale Studienberatung (ZSB) of the Goethe University
  • information events on popular study courses 
  • information on financing your studies (BAföG, stipends)
  • information on visiting lectures/seminars
  • workshops/seminars on studying in Germany as well as study techniques
  • information on other important orientation events

We recommend all prospective students to find out about various study options (subjects, universities, etc.) and general conditions (financing, application process, etc.) at an early stage.

For our participants, we offer:

  • support on individual career planning
  • workshops/ seminars on job market orientation and various technical and methodical topics
  • support in finding internships

Contact

Academic Welcome Program

Campus Bockenheim
Hörsaalgebäude, Entrance Mertonstrasse

Graefstrasse 52-54
Offices 101-103,
1st floor

Mail address:
Senckenberganlage 31,
Postfach SLI-AWP 105
60325 Frankfurt a. M.

Telephone: +49-69-798-17296
E-mail: awp@uni-frankfurt.de
Facebook: AcademicWelcomeProgram

Counseling for applicants:


with appointment (phone, in person, virtually): 
book an appointment 

Open counseling hours in person (no appointment required):

Tuesday: 10 a.m. - 12 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Wednesday: 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.


Open telephone-counseling, just call 069-79817296:
Wednesday: 10 a.m. - 12 a.m.


For AWP-Participants:
Counseling only with appointment (phone, in person, virtually): 
book an appointment