Study Abroad in Germany: Frequently Asked Questions

The Goethe Institut, Arrival Day
The first day of the course is "arrival day." That day, you'll be interviewed for placement into your class, move into your room and generally get situated. It's sometimes pretty chaotic, with all the students coming and going but just keep a good sense of humor and strike up some conversations. Actual classes start the next day.

If you plan on arriving before this day, you will need to make your own arrangements for staying in a hotel or youth hostel. You should have received some information about hotels with your confirmation.

Housing
The first day listed for your city is arrival day - the last day is departure day. You may be able to extend your housing for a few days (definitely if you are taking an 8 week course - there are a few days of break in between 4-week sessions) after your course is over, but it's not guaranteed. You'll need to request that once you arrive. After the departure day, you cannot be guaranteed a room.

Families who rent rooms are very carefully screened by the Goethe Institut. In all the years of sending students from Carnegie Mellon and from other universities, we haven't had any problems in this regard. However, if you should find yourself in a situation that your don't want to cope with (nasty roommate, etc.), don't hesitate to ask the people at the Goethe Institut for a change in room. They are very accomodating.

You will not know your address until you arrive. The assignments are made on arrival day.

Classes at the Goethe Institute
Classes are held 5 days a week. Your instructor will let you know the exact schedule, but it's usually M/W/F mornings only, T/Th mornings and afternoons. If you find yourself in a class that is too easy or way too difficult for you, please make sure to speak up and ask to be moved up or down a level. You want to be challenged but not overwhelmed. Usually during the first few days, there is some switching around in the levels.

Instruction at the Institut is divided into A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. Please note that these levels don't correspond exactly with our semester system. Second, third, and even fourth-year students often test into B1. The only thing certain is that you'll be in A1 if you've had no German at all!

You will take one level during your stay in Germany. Your class will be taught by one or two native-speakers of German.

Departure Day
The last day listed for your program is departure day. No classes are held on this day, so feel free to plan travel beginning on this day.

Money: Program Costs/Payments
The program costs DO NOT include your travel costs or accommodations prior to arrival day or after departure day. It does not include meals either. Be prepared to pay for travel, food, and entertainment while you are in Germany. These are all necessities.

Program costs are listed here. Please make sure to write your check to Carnegie Mellon and give it or send it to Anne Green by the deadline.

Pocket Money
Taking travelers' checks is not advised. There's a substantial fee to cash travelers' checks, and, contrary to what you might have heard, not every bank will take them and you cannot use them like regular checks in stores, etc. You must exchange them first. It's not worth the extra fees. Also, you CANNOT use US-American checks. They are not accepted anywhere.

Bringing your ATM card is the choice for retrieving money from a cash machine. You can use your it and/or credit/debit card at most bank machines. Please check with your bank about the charges. Be sure that you have your 4-digit PIN.

You'll want to take a credit card as back up. A Visa or Mastercard, (NOT Discover or American Express) would be a good choice for significant purchases or as a back-up source of cash. But don't rely on your credit card as your only source of money. Germany is not yet like the US. and credit cards are not accepted everywhere. If you are limited to your credit card, you may be limited in places to shop and eat.

How much money should you take along? A suggestion of $1000/month that you are staying. If you plan to do a significant amount of traveling, you may want to have extra money available.

Travel: Flights
The cost of the program DOES NOT include your flight to Germany. You need to make your own arrangements. I would recommend going online and checking out the options. Some websites that students have used in the past include: http://www.studentuniverse.com/
http://www.bargaintravel.com/
http://www.orbitz.com/
(This is not an endorsement of any airline or company)

Getting to the Goethe Institute
You should have received directions with your confirmation. Please check into this before arriving though.

Travel During Your Stay
The Institut usually arranges supplemental excursions. You will receive a schedule after you arrive. Many students meet others in their city and make travel plans with them. Your weekends are your own. Take advantage of your time in Germany. Get out of the classroom as much as you can!

German Railpass
You can get a German Railpass from your travel agent. It helps if you deal with someone familiar with travel in Germany, but any agent should be able to provide one. With a German Railpass, you can travel free on all trains in Germany (Intercity IC/ Eurocity EC) except some of the really fancy trains with first class only (City night trains, for example). For those you would have to pay "Zuschlag." You can also travel free on all S-Bahnen (only on the days you decide to travel on your pass, of course).

The Railpass comes in different price ranges depending on how many days of travel you purchase. The minimum is four days within a month. This means that you can decide on the spur of the moment on which four days you want to travel (days don't have to be consecutive). On a travel day, you have unlimited travel privileges on as many trains as you want to take. Your pass has these boxes you are supposed to fill out with "today's" date on each travel day. When you get into the first train and the "Schaffner" comes along, s/he is supposed to stamp that day. It is still "gueltig" for other trains for the rest of the day, but the stamp indicates that day 1 of your 4(or whatever) days has been used. At the Deutsche Bahn site http://bahn.hafas.de/ you can figure out just how much and how long your trip will take from the airport to the city. Please let me know if you have trouble with this - some cities have multiple train stations.

Friendly Reminder
Airports and large train stations can be a great place for pick-pockets and thieves. It's a good idea to look like you know what you are doing - i.e., walk confidently. I don't really think that all people are potential thieves, but you might want to be cautious anyway. Don't fall for the trick of setting down your bag to take someone's picture or give someone directions when you are in the airport. Don't flaunt your money. Don't treat your passport like last week's calculus homework. Granted, about the worst thing that could happen is that you could have all of your documents and money stolen. In that event, you should head for the nearest police office or officer, and possibly the nearest US-American (or your country's) embassy! Try to avoid getting ripped off, though. Keep your cool.

Keeping in Touch: Phone and Internet Access
You can purchase phone cards from Western Union. Another option is getting a European cellphone. Their system is much more flexible than ours; you buy a phone and fill it with minutes on a monthly basis, no contracts or terms or special calling times.

Bring your laptop! Internet is EVERYWHERE and very, very inexpensive. It costs, on average, 50 cents for an hour online which is plenty of time to send off a brace of emails. Also, at the GI in Berlin, you can access the internet free from 8am to 7pm during the week. In Freiburg, dorms generally have wireless access.


Phone Use
In general, it's less expensive to call Germany from the USA than vice versa. When calling Germany from the USA, dial ~011-49~ before the number. If the German number you are dialing has a zero at the beginning, omit it. When calling America from Germany, dial ~001,~ then the area code followed by the number.
This site should answer all your telephone card questions.

Packing for your Trip: What to take
It can be cool and rainy in Germany during the summer, so a warm sweater and an umbrella are a must. You should be prepared for temperatures in the 50s from time to time. When it gets hot, Germans sometimes wear shorts. Jeans are popular. And don't forget a swim suit if you like the water. For your classes at the Goethe Institut you may dress as you normally do for class. Any kind of apparel from well-worn jeans on up the scale can be seen there. A good pair of comfortable walking shoes is a must, especially since you will probably be doing some walking in your travels and in your day-to-day activities.

FYI: Summer 2006 was the hottest on record in Germany, Summer 2004 was the coldest.

Traveling Tips
Most international flights permit only a certain number of pounds/kilos of luggage per person plus a small carry-on bag. It's a good idea to bring only as much luggage as you can carry at one time. This makes transfers a lot easier. Don't bring hair dryers, electric razors, and the like, unless you have a plug and a converter. If necessary, you can always pick up a cheap hair dryer at a department store. You should carry your passport, ticket, and your money/ATM card with you on the plane. You will need the passport when you get on and off the plane, and it's good to have some of your money with you in case your luggage gets lost. It might be a good idea to put a complete change of clothes in your carry-on bag, just in case.

Checklist
o Ticket
o Passport/Visa
o Money/ATM Card/Credit Card
o Goethe Institut Address and Confirmation
o Overnight Bag for Travel during stay
o Book/Magazine to read while traveling
o Camera (& Film, if needed)
o Journal to document your trip (you'll be glad you did)
o Umbrella (can be purchased in Germany fairly inexpensively)
o Clothes
o Shoes
o Hygiene Products
o Change of Clothes in Carry On Bag
o Notebook, Pen, German Dictionary for class
o Bookbag type bag for class
o Extra Room for souveniers/gifts (including dark chocolate for Anne)

Class Credit
Before you leave, you are required to fill out and sign a Study Abroad Transfer Credit form that you will have received from Eva Mergner at the study abroad orientation. (Non-Carnegie Mellon University students - I will take care of this for you.) Do not fill out the courses section yourselves. Drop the form off at my office(PH 225A) or in my mailbox(BH 160). The SATC form does not guarantee you credit. Yet another form will be prepared after you return. You will receive a certificate from your instructor which will be used to calculate the actual transfer credit. The SATC form is simply a record-keeping device for the university. It is now being required for all study abroad students - even those studying in summer. You MUST fill it out and have me fill out the courses section and sign it (in my capacity as transfer credit advisor for German language courses) in order to get the transfer credit later.

Transfer credit DOES NOT give you a grade for the course, just credits. It is assumed that you've done C-work or better in the course if transfer credit appears. If you want a grade for the course, you have to pay Carnegie Mellon summer tuition. I wouldn't advise that - it's much more expensive. Without a grade, the classes still count towards your minor or major or your elective credit, depending on your situation.

Important Documents:Passport
If you do not have a valid passport, please apply as soon as possible through your local passport office. Passports can require up to 6 weeks for completion.

Visa
Visas are not necessary for US-American citizens for stays of 3-months or shorter. If you are a citizen of country other than the US, please contact me or your embassy representative for information about the requirements. It's not usually a big deal to get a visa. Students from all over the world study at the Goethe Institut - Carnegie Mellon students from China, Turkey, Brazil, Equador, Canada & Japan have all studied there.

Health Insurance
Take along some proof of medical insurance. A card with your name and policy number issued by your insurance company would be fine. In the event that you have no medical insurance and wish to purchase some through Carnegie Mellon for the time you will be in Germany, you may contact the Student Affairs Office, 208 Warner Hall (phone: 412 268-2073).

International Student ID
This is not really necessary for study at the Goethe Institute, but it can get you discounts if you do a significant amount of travel. There are also certain insurance benefits to having one.

Alumni Feedback: Tips from Students like you
Food
I was unprepared for the lack of "German" cuisine...until I realized that it is primarily meat and potatoes. A lot of people went expecting there to be "German" restaurants when really it is more like the US where there are many types of cuisine and a few traditional meals offered many places. I found there to be a lot of Turkish and Italian food in Freiburg.

Most people prefer Turkish gyro or Wurst because its cheaper, easier to find, and a whole lot more delicious.

Travel
Germans, especially German transit, operate largely on an honor code. This code is punished heavily when broken, but often not closely regulated. Since I never tried to shirk payment anywhere, I never had a problem, but the attitude took some getting used to.

I quickly learned that pedestrians have very little right-of-way. Bikes in Europe are deadlier than cars. Even now when I hear a bike bell I cower in fear...ok, kidding.

For more information, contact:
Anne Green, Ph.D.
Teaching Professor of German
Department of Modern Languages
Carnegie Mellon University
Porter Hall 225A
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Phone: (412) 268-8050 Fax: (412) 268-1328

Other Study Abroad Scholarships
Our department along with The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is offering study abroad scholarship opportunities for students to study for a semester, full-year, or summer overseas. Scholarships can be put towards tuition, room and board, airfare and/or book expenses at any accredited study abroad program. Click for more information about these awards.

Additional campus resources may be helpful for students who are evaluating whether to pursue a study abroad program:

Visit the university's Study Abroad page:
http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/sab/index.cfm

View the university's Office of International Education:
http://www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/oie/