INTERNATIONAL SUMMER COURSE 2018
FAQ - frequently asked questions
Click the question you are interested in or scroll down the page:
►1) Who can take part in the summer course? 
►2) What do you need to do in order to take part in the summer course?
►3) Where do the other participants come from?
►4) When can you get into your room and how long can you stay there??
►5) How can you receive mail (letters, parcels) in Göttingen?
►6) How can you get internet access during the summer course?
►7) Will you be insured by the summer course?
►8) How is the climate in Göttingen?
►9) Before the journey: what to pack?
►10) Where can you do your laundry?
►11) Will you get a certificate at the end of the course?
►12) Can you take DSH or TestDaF language exams in Göttingen during the summer course?
1) Who can take part in the summer course?
The target group of the summer course are foreign students, post-graduates and scholars of all fields as well as student groups from our partner universities. However, the summer course is also open to all people interested with a minimum age of 18 years.
► to the top
2) What do you need to do in order to take part in the summer course?
- Click on ► registration. On that page you will find our registration form and information about the course fee.
During the Summer Course, most of our participants stay in single bedrooms in student halls residence which we organize for them. Some participants have the possibility of staying with friends or relatives in Göttingen. In the end of the registration form you can mark if you wish to reserve a room in a student hall or if you don`t need a room organised by us.
- If you need a visa, please start the application process in time. Upon receipt of your course fee (and rent in case of room reservation) we will send you an invitation letter. Please allow up to one month time for the letter to arrive (in case there should occur some difficulties) before making your appointment at the German Embassy/consulate in your country. Please contact the German Embassy in your home country for specific information on what documents exactly you need for visa application.
- The final step is planning your journey. Please be sure that your arrival and departure dates are in accordance to your visa and your reservations for accommodation. ► to the top
3) Where do the other participants come from?
Every year, people from all over the world come to learn German with us. In 2017, our 131 participants came from 24 different countries in four continents. Thus, you can not only experience German culture, but you can also get acquainted with people from all kind of other cultures. You can read where this year's participants come from in the right sidebar of this page.
► to the top
4) When can you get into your room and how long can you stay there?
Please plan your arrival for Thursday, August 2nd (between noon (12) and 7 p.m.) and your departure for Thursday, August 30th until 11:00 in the morning. You will have to hand in your dormitory keys until 11:00 in the morning on August 30th at the latest. Unfortunately, we cannot extend the rental time of your room in the student residence.
If you plan to stay in Göttingen before August 2nd or longer than August 30th, you need to arrange private accommodation or rent a room in Göttingen, for example in one of the hostels (Jugendherberge, Hostel 37) or in a hotel. ► to the top
5) How can you receive mail (letters, parcels) in Göttingen??
You can use the following address to receive mail (letters & parcels) during the time of the Summer Course:
your name
c/o Internationaler Sommerkurs
IIK e.V.
Heinrich-Düker-Weg 12, Raum 0.113,
37073 Göttingen
Deutschland
6) How can you get internet access during the summer course?
All participants in the Summer Course will have access to the Internet. You will get a free account for using computers & WLAN on campus, i.e. for receiving & sending e-mails, surfing the Internet, etc. If you want to use internet in your room in the student hall, please bring along a LAN net cable for a one-time registration.
► to the top
7) Will you be insured by the summer course?
The university / Our institute (IIK) do not insure participants of the International Summer Language Course against accidents or sickness. Thus, it is strongly suggested that participants purchase worldwide insurance coverance for the duration of the summer course prior to departing their home countries.
This should also be valid on the days of arrival and departure.
Examples for insurance companies: provisit-visum, mawista, Care Concept, Europe-Care (for Chinese students), educare24 ► to the top
8) How is the climate in Göttingen?
Usually, August in Göttingen is sunny and warm. Unfortunately, there are also years with bad weather. Consider bringing warm clothes and rain gear in addition to your summer clothes. You can find detailed information regarding the climate and a weather forecast for the next 5 days online. ► to the top
9) Before the journey: what to pack?
Besides your personal belongings, you should also consider packing the following things: : 
• worldwide health insurance coverage for duration of the summer course (see question 7 above)
• medication (in case of chronical deseases or allergies)
• towels (bed sheets are in your room)
• possibly dishes for cooking & eating in the student hall of residence (plate, cup, knife, fork, spoon, pot, pan, etc.)
• your student identity card (if you have one, either issued by your home university or an international one, i.e. ISIC)
• sufficient cash money for the arrival day
• credit card or EC-card
• a passport photo (in case you want to buy a month`s pass for the bus)
• summer clothing, but also pullover and long pants for cool days
• stable shoes for excursions (trainers are sufficient)
• swimming clothes and athletic footwear in case you want to join the sports group
• things that are typical of your country or show something of it for the cultural evenings (traditional clothes, music instruments, cds, pictures, cooking recipes, games,...)
• programme booklet of the summer course (we will send the programme to you in July) ► to the top
10) Where can you do your laundry?
The student halls of residence have washing machines which you can use for a small fee (approx. € 1). In some student halls this fee can only be paid with a Göttingen student ID. In this case you can meet with other participants who live in student halls with coin-operated washing maschines or you can go to public/commercial launderettes in Göttingen where you can use a washing machine for about € 4. ► to the top
11) Will you get a certificate at the end of the course?
If you attend lessons regularly and perform successfully in the tests (some levels might also require giving presentations), you will get a certificate with a grade (A-E) and a maximum of 6 credit points at the end of the summer course. The summer course covers approx. half a level (i.e. B1.1 or B1.2, not the complete B1 level). There won`t be a standardised final test, so the summer course certificate is not an exam-certificate like Zertifikat Deutsch, Goethe-Zertifikat or DSH/TestDaF. ► to the top
12) Can you take DSH or TestDaF language exams in Göttingen during the summer course?
The Summer Language Course does not aim to prepare participants for a particular language examination. Instead, communicative elements of the language are emphasised. Furthermore, usually no DSH or TestDaF exams take place in August in Göttingen - only mid-September. If you want to take language exams in September, you would possibly need to extend your visa and find housing for the period after 30th of August. Information on the language exams can be found on the website of the university`s Lektorat Deutsch als Fremdsprache (on DSH and on TestDaF). ► to the top
In case you have further questions or problems please do not hesitate to contact us: daf.sommerkurs@phil.uni-goettingen.de
