Before the first real lecture even starts, most German universities give new students a whole week of campus tours, city rallies, breakfasts and friendly mentors. For Sri Lankan students, this Erstiwoche is the easiest way to turn a new country into a new home.
Many Sri Lankan students picture their first day at a German university as a scary moment, with a huge lecture hall and a room full of strangers. In reality, most German universities do not throw you straight into lectures. Instead, they welcome you with an orientation week, and it is often one of the happiest memories of the whole degree.
Germans call it the O-Woche (short for Orientierungswoche) or the Erstiwoche, because a first-semester student is lovingly called an “Ersti”. Once you know what happens during this week, you will start looking forward to it.
What is the Erstiwoche?
According to Hochschulkompass, the official study guide of the German Rectors’ Conference, orientation weeks are usually held in the first week of the semester before the lecture period starts. They are often run by students from higher semesters, which means the people welcoming you were sitting in your seat only a year or two ago.
The timing depends on your university. In Germany the winter semester officially begins on 1 October, but lectures at universities usually start around the middle of October. For example, the University of Würzburg and Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences both list 12 October 2026 as the first day of lectures for the winter semester 2026/27. Many universities of applied sciences start earlier, and TH OWL, for instance, began its lectures on 28 September 2026. So the Erstiwoche normally falls in late September or early October, just as the autumn leaves are turning gold.
Your international welcome often comes first
As an international student, you may get two welcomes instead of one. Many universities run a special Welcome Week or orientation programme through their International Office, in addition to the orientation week of your own faculty.
The University of Passau is a good example. For the winter semester 2026/27, its international orientation weeks ran from 28 September to 11 October 2026, and the university recommends that international students also join the orientation week of their own faculty. RWTH Aachen describes its Welcome Week as a chance to meet other new international students, get key information about studying there and explore the city. The University of Oldenburg runs a Welcome Week through its International Office, followed by the university’s general orientation week.
This is wonderful news for a student arriving from Colombo, Kandy or Galle, because everyone there is just as new and just as keen to make friends.
What actually happens during the week
Every university has its own ideas, but Passau, for instance, lists introductory talks about the degree programmes, advice on building your timetable, placement tests for language courses, workshops on the online learning platform, campus tours, library tours, scavenger hunts around the city and social events.
At the University of Bremen, academic advisers and student representatives plan programmes that range from introductory rounds with lecturers to campus rallies, breakfasts and evening barbecues. Some faculties even organise city rallies or pub crawls, although you can always join the parts that suit you.
You may also receive a small welcome bag. A student blogger on the official Study in Germany website describes getting an “Erstitüte” at the University of Lübeck, a cloth bag with things like a university T-shirt, a notebook, pens and a few coupons from local shops.
Leibniz University Hannover even hosts a big central welcome event called the “Erstival”, with live music, information stands and a greeting from the university president.
Your Fachschaft becomes your first help desk
One word you will hear again and again is “Fachschaft”. This is the student council of your subject, so it is made up of students from your own field who represent student interests and help newcomers find their feet.
The Fachschaft is often the team behind your orientation week. At the University of Münster, for example, the economics Fachschaft divides all new students into small groups led by volunteer mentors. It even prepares the timetable for first-semester Bachelor students and shows them how to build their own later.
So if you ever feel lost about modules, rooms or exam rules, the Fachschaft is a friendly place to start.
A buddy who has done it all before
Many universities also offer buddy programmes that match new international students with experienced local students. RWTH Aachen runs the BeBuddy Program, which pairs international students with experienced RWTH students who help with both academic and everyday life. Oldenburg’s Buddy Programme is designed to bring international and local students together and to make it easier to settle into the city.
A buddy can show you the cheapest supermarket, the quiet study corners and the best bus to campus, so sign up as early as your university allows.
Little campus habits nobody tells you about
Orientation week is also the moment when you discover the small habits that make German university life unique.
The first one is the “academic quarter”. A Paderborn University handout for international students explains that many classes start fifteen minutes after the hour. If your timetable says “9 c.t.”, the class starts at 9:15, while “9 s.t.” means 9:00 sharp. A University of Freiburg welcome guide gives a smart tip for the first session, which is to come at the s.t. time if you are unsure.
The second habit surprises almost everyone. At the end of a lecture, German students often knock on their desks instead of clapping. This “academic knocking” is a long-standing tradition and a way of showing appreciation to the lecturer, so feel free to join in.
You will also notice different types of classes. In a large lecture, the professor presents and students mostly listen and take notes. In a seminar, however, you are expected to join discussions, work in groups and give presentations. Seminars may feel unfamiliar at first, but they are a great chance to practise speaking up and share your own ideas.
What if you arrive a little late?
Sometimes students reach Germany after the orientation week has already begun, so please do not panic if this happens to you. RWTH Aachen, for example, offers late arrivals counselling and events throughout the semester. Most universities have similar support, so contact your International Office and your Fachschaft as soon as you land.
How to make the most of your Erstiwoche
A little planning helps you enjoy the week fully.
- Register early. Some programmes, like Passau’s international weeks, use a sign-up form, and popular events can fill up.
- Check your university’s student portal and its own semester dates, since every university and faculty sets its own schedule.
- Join the social events, even if you feel shy. Everyone around you is new too.
- Keep a small notebook or phone note with names, chat groups and useful contacts.
- Ask about the semester ticket, the Mensa card, library access and your university login during the week, because these questions are much easier to solve face to face.
- Say yes to at least one thing that feels new, such as a city rally, a barbecue or a group breakfast.
Your new life starts with a single week
There is a special feeling when you walk across a German campus in October, with golden trees, bicycles everywhere and a group of new friends laughing beside you. The Erstiwoche turns strangers into classmates and a foreign city into your city. By the time the first real lecture begins, you will already know where to go, whom to ask and where to sit for lunch.
So when you dream about studying in Germany, picture this first week too, because it is where many students find friends for the whole degree and beyond.
Plan your study in Germany from Sri Lanka
Life in Germany starts with a good plan. These free Belfurt tools help you take the next step:
- Study in Germany Cost Calculator (LKR): estimate your blocked account, rent and monthly costs in rupees.
- Master’s Readiness Check: check your grades and profile for German master’s programmes.
- Visa Interview Simulator: practise typical German student visa interview questions.
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