You are probably already very excited for your study abroad experience. On the following page, you will be able to gather a first impression of what life at HSU/UniBw H will offer you! We will inform you about life and rules on campus, about sports, activities and clubs, as well as about the bustling life in Hamburg.
Living on Campus
As you already know, Helmut-Schmidt-University is also called the University of the Federal Armed Forces and as such, our student body is mostly made up of soldiers. As a result, our dormitories are administered by our student batallion. Student live in modern residential blocks with about 15 students per floor forming a living community. You will be able to access a shared living area, common shower area and a spacious and completely equipped kitchen.
We try to house all Exchange students on campus or in our guest housing depending on availability. The main dorms can be found on the main campus called “Douaumont”-Campus at Holstenhofweg 85 and the “Hanseaten-Kaserne” at Stoltenstraße 13. Our guest housing can be found at Wöschenhof 2 a little ways away from campus.
Campus life sure has its advantages: Rooms are only between 260 and 300€, while private rooms in Hamburg are usually upward of 500€/month. Special, even cheaper rates, may apply for some students from partner universities with whom we have certain exchange agreements.
When living on Campus, you are the one responsible for your daily routine. There are no wake-up calls or drills and you will have to organize your own day to maximize your potential. Classes usually run in blocks from
- 8.00-9.30,
- 9.45-11.15,
- 11.30-13.00,
- 14.00-15.30,
- 15.45-17.15,
- 17.30-19.00.
From 13-14.00 hrs all students have a free period for lunch or studying.
Of course, you will not have classes in all of those blocks, giving you ample time to add study periods, breaks and free time.
Thursday afternoons are generally free of classes (except for a German course), as they are reserved for military training unit. For more information check the “Activites” category below.
The main campus at Holstenhofweg is home to many different institutions and services. You will find all lecture halls and seminar rooms here. It does also house most of the professors and faculties offices.
In addition to this, you will be able to find:
- Mensa (cafeteria)
- Café
- Library
- Language Center
- IT center
- Central workshop and manufacturing unit
- Digital Media and Printing center
- Sports center
- Gym
- The pool
- Postal office
- Sports courts (tartan, basketball,…)
- OpenLab (public 3D printing and more)
- Examinations and Study office
- Central Administration
- International Office!
Activities
Our students organize themselves in Interest groups that deal with a variety of topics and subjects. You can join groups like the university paper, radio or theater group.
Other possibilities include social projects, military or academic societies as well as religious groups.
Here are some examples:
- HSU Racing Team
- Theater Group
- Catholic student parish
- Protestan Student parish
For more information, you can always talk to your dorm mates or our student body government, called “Studentischer Konvent”!
HSU has its own sports and recreation center. It offers a multitude of sports for you to participate in. They are organized in Groups called “AGs – short for “Arbeitsgemeinschaften”, comparable to interest groups. Many of these athletic gropus are organized and trained by our students.
The offers vary from American football to skydiving and many more. Just have a look at the Sports center’s page to find the right group for you. Your dorm mates will also happily help you to connect to the right people to join a group.
Thursdays on the HSU campus are called “Grüner Donnerstag”(green thursday), as they are adressed to military training. This is also the only day of the week, during which military students are required to wear their uniforms. Thursday afternoons are usually class-free to open up time for military training. The student batallion will organize a varying program of exercises of both practical and theoretical kind.
We highly value exchange cadets to participate in these activities. So please have a talk with your batallion leader (your dorm will know who it is), to get yourself involved.
You will also have the chance to acquire a German proficiency badge, if you wish to do so. Please contact your comrades on the dorm floor or your batallion commander for more information!
Every two weeks, we offer an “Internationaler Stammtisch” (regulars table), where we meet for lunch. It gives you the opportunity to meet other international students and to be able to check in with the International office. Informaion on meetings will be posted on our homepage calender.
Throughout all three trimesters of the year, the International Office will offer a variety of trips and events for you to participate in. Usually, these events will be free or for a small participation fee.
Activities include:
- Quiz nights
- “Länderabende” – Evening to present your country or university to other students
- Barbecues and Dinners
- …
Trips include:
- Hamburg exploration
- Lübeck
- Bremerhaven
- Museums
- Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmasmarket)
- Holocaust memorial site
- …
For information on how to sign up, just check in with our Incoming students coordinator or come by the office.
Life in Hamburg
Letzte Änderung: 17. April 2024