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English Logo - Department of Physics - TU Dortmund
Studenten im Sommer auf dem Campus Nord, rote Zahnräder im Hintergrund © Roland Baege​/​TU Dortmund
Plan Ahead, Arrive Prepared

Before your arrival in Dortmund

A smooth start begins before you pack your bags. Check the essentials below and make sure you’re ready for your adventure in Dortmund.

Get prepared before you leave

Join the International Office’s online events and counselling sessions to learn about enrolment, accommodation, visas, bank accounts, insurance and more.

The international office also offers different counselling services.

StartSmart is an interactive mobile game that helps international students at TU Dortmund University prepare for their studies before the semester begins with fun challenges, practical tips, and insider guidance.

If you are starting in the winter term, make sure to take part in  Come2Campus.
It's a multi-day orientation program for international students. An important component of the event is the integrated Buddy program. The program usually takes place in the week before lectures start.

© Referat Internationales​/​TU Dortmund

Find a place to call home

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As a student at TU Dortmund University, you are eligible for staying in the student dormitories of the Studierendenwerk Dortmund.

The international office also provides lots of useful information on how to find housing and offers zoom appointments for counselling.

Plan your journey to Dortmund

Semester dates

Take a look at the semester and lecture dates before booking your journey so you can plan when to arrive.

© Chris Delitzsch​/​TU Dortmund

How to get to campus

© Chris Delitzsch​/​TU Dortmund

Whether you arrive via Düsseldorf Airport, Dortmund Airport or Dortmund Central Station, check your route to the university in advance. 

And remember: if your semester ticket isn’t valid yet, you’ll need to buy a ticket.

  • Take the “SkyTrain” monorail to the train station “Düsseldorf Flughafen Bahnhof”
  • The slow local train S1 (direction Dortmund Hbf) takes about 70 minutes to get to Dortmund
    • It stops directly at the university (Dortmund-Universität)
  • The regional express trains (RE) such as RE1 (direction Hamm), RE11 (direction Kassel or Paderborn), 
    RE6 (direction Minden) or RE3 (direction Hamm) will take you to Dortmund Hbf in about 50 minutes.
    • The trains do not stop at the university, you will have to take the S1 from Dortmund Hbf to the uni 
  • The S1 and RE trains are included in your semester ticket, the IC and ICE (same travel time) are *not*
  • “Airport express” bus brings you every hour directly to Dortmund Hbf (~ 9 EUR), from there take S1 to uni
  • Or take the local bus 490 (every ~20 minutes) to the nearest tram stop called “Aplerbeck”. From there, take the tram (U47) to reach Dortmund main station or the bus 440 brings you from Aplerbeck directly to the south campus of the university in about 50 minutes: alight at the stop “Eichlinghofen H-Bahn”
    • Local busses and trams are included in your semester ticket
  • Take the S1 (direction Solingen Hbf) to Dortmund-Universität

Plans changed? Don't panic!

Maybe things didn't go as planned, and you'd prefer to start a semester (or two) later? No problem with the cross-semester admission/enrollment.

Don’t worry if your visa process delays your arrival. You can still begin your studies later in the semester, as long as you meet the enrollment deadline. However, we recommend coming to Dortmund as early as possible. The sooner you arrive, the easier it will be to settle in and keep up with your courses.

Need a late arrival letter for your visa? Contact the Department of Physics at studiendekanat.physik@tu-dortmund.de