I really enjoyed my Erasmus stay in Germersheim. Many previous students had commented on how small it is but it was perfect for me; I really enjoyed being able to walk and cycle everywhere. Germersheim is full of international students, and you will make friends with people from all over the world. The lecturers also did whatever they could to make settling in as easy as possible.
I took the D2 (Deutsch für TranslatorInnen) course which gave me an excellent opportunity to improve my German. The classes aimed at improving different language skills such as grammar, listening, and speaking, etc.
I also took two translation courses – a specialised medical translation course and a general translation course. I really enjoyed both courses, and the lecturer was extremely helpful, approachable and always willing to go out of her way to help. It was also good to have the chance to pick a translation class with a specialisation as my home university does not offer this.
My time in Germersheim really helped to boost my confidence. It was easy to meet Erasmus students, and as everyone came from different countries, it meant the language spoken was almost always German which was great for our learning.
There were plenty of student activities organised throughout the semester, such as trips to Mainz and Strasbourg. There were also Konviabends for different languages, each on a different day of the week – I would highly recommend attending these!
I chose Germersheim because the university offered a German course for those learning the language for translation. I did not have much confidence in my German skills, and the specialised course really helped me improve. I also took two translation classes which were taught in English, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Erasmus students have many course options, and the lecturers make you feel included in the classes.
Although Germersheim is a little town in western Germany, it is very quaint and a great place to relax in. I loved going down to the river Rhine for a little walk or to read a book. Even just walking along the streets, taking in the quirky houses and buildings in the centre was a great past time. But it is also very easy to travel to bigger towns and cities as Germersheim is quite well connected. Strasbourg and Heidelberg are not too far away and cities such as Speyer and Mannheim closer by, make great day trips at the weekend.
During your time here you will be kept up to date with events which Erasmus students can take part in. These include Konviabends at nearby cafes, trips to nearby cities, festivals and parties.
All in all, I would recommend any student to study at Germersheim as I think my German has improved and I have gained much more confidence in my abilities. It is also a very international university so it is extremely easy to meet people from all around the world.
Dear Erasmus students,
I had a great experience whilst studying at FTSK. Germersheim itself is only a small town and living here has been extremely beneficial to my language learning as you must use German! The only downside to this is that there isn’t always much happening; however, this encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and explore more of Germany in my free time. I made quite a lot of friends here and met a lot of other Erasmus-students. The campus is very international.
I took part in the D2 Kurs, and it really helped me to develop my German language skills and gain confidence whilst speaking. Some lecturers for this course are Master students, and I found this to be a great advantage; they really understood what it was like to be in our position. The lecturers were super supportive and determined to help the class improve their language level. The classes were also really small which was great because it meant that we were all able to contribute equally and practice using German a lot. My only issue with the courses here, was that I was unable to take part in any Spanish modules due to timetabling problems; however, this is unavoidable, and no doubt happens at every university. The International Office at FTSK is also great. They are really organised, and they communicate everything in plenty of time.
It’s a wonderful place to study and live, thanks to the homely, community-feel. I could not recommend it enough!
Germersheim is very pretty and has a lot to offer despite its small size. Nice shops, restaurants, bars and other services are always readily available. If the size of the town is a problem, Germersheim is very near bigger cities such as Frankfurt or Stuttgart, amongst many others that are easily reachable by train, should you want to travel.
Nervous about the course? Don’t worry. You will be in classes with many other Erasmus students in the same boat as you. Nobody’s German will be expected to be perfect. The courses are always very carefully and gently carried out to ensure that everyone learns at the same pace and enjoys themselves; the lecturers at FTSK, in particular, are known to excel at this.
Again, everyone will be in the same shoes as you. Whatever you’re feeling, it’s fine. This will make it easier to make friends and you will all get along fine. I have found it so interesting to make friends from all over the world, such as countries like Germany, France, Turkey, Russia and Italy just to name a few. There are also many student events to take part in, such as language practice evenings, sports, film evenings, karaoke and more.
Before arriving, my recommendations would be to try to get accommodation sorted out as early as possible. Keep reading and listening to German and ask the staff if you have any further questions, as you will be in contact with them before the term starts.