Rhine-Waal Student Survival Guide – Kamp-Lintfort

Room Search

When you are new, half the stress is: “where is this room”.
Here you have the opportunity to search for the room.

Virtual Map

If you want a richer overview, use the virtual campus map.

Virtual Map

PDF Map

If you need the big picture and/or are old School, use the PDF Map.

PDF Map

Green Fablab

The Green Fablab can be hard to find at the beginning. It is used a lot by certain study programs more than others.
It is Building #8. Following is the location of the entrance!

Green Fablab Entrance

RAG Buildings

The RAG Buildings can be even harder to find at the beginning. These Buildings are #6 and #9.
Building #6 has the gym in it. Building #9 has many offices for the staff member of HSRW.
Important to note is that their entrance are in the back of the building (Park Side and not Street Side). Following is the location of the entrance of both buildings!

Building #6 Building #9

Ka-Li's Gym

Building #6 has the Ka-Li gym in it.
It is located at RAG 06 00 170.
That gym is where most classes take place during the semester and the semester break.
Another amazing opportunity currently is the Open Gym Training that takes place daily especially during the semester, where you can use the gym completely free of charge during certain hours.
Although it is free, a registeration is still required and is important for the insurance.

Building #6 The Gym Sportsroom-Open training List of offered courses

Semester ticket

This is one of the highest value things you have as a student.
Before you buy anything extra, check what your semester ticket already covers and what the current rules are.
The students before the Deutschland ticket would recognise our older semester ticket which used to be one of the strongest in Germany and spanned all of NRW.
Right now the Deutchland Ticket spans all of Germany so it reduced the value of such ticket.
However 1 aspect still remains from the older semester ticket particularly beneficial; which was the included extra ticket.
that now is not included anymore in the new Deutschlandsemesterticket. In the evening after 7PM to 5AM and all day-long during weekends and public holidays; we were allowed to: take an extra person with you or take a bicycle with.

Older VGN ticket rules Semester Ticket (Old) New Ticket Rules

Bicycle Ticket

The combination of bike and train is very popular and very effective in travelling across big and nearby cities. The combination tends to be faster than the quicker bus connections and even cars.
It also is often an amazing way to explore new cities that are not nearby without having to bring a car or explore at walking pace.
A lot of DB tickets automatically includes them.
The New Deutschlandsemesterticket does not include an extra bike ticket with it.
However for a monthly upgrade you are allowed to take a bike.

Bicycle Ticket Rules Bicycle Ticket

Car Sharing

A good option that exists once you have a license is to use a carsharing company where you don't have to buy the car.
In Kamp-Lintfort the only existing company of such kind is Ford Carsharing.
The Ford carsharing rent system is hourly; so the business model is more beneficial when you only need it for a few hours.
The rent is by the hour and by the km. Therefore, you need not worry about the RPM and gasoline price.
Often they have their maintenance schedule so you need to keep an eye on the availability time table.

Ford Carsharing Setting it up in Ka-Li

Other options are available in bigger cities around.
Other ways models where you can better rent the car by the day and pay for the gas.
Following is an example from Expedia car rent in Düsseldorf:

Expedia

Foreign Driver's License (Umschreibung)

Many international students are eligible to convert ("umschreiben") their foreign driver's license into a German driver's license.
The exact process depends on the country that issued your license.

The biggest advantage of the Umschreibung process is that you often do not need to complete the full German driving school programme from scratch.
For many countries, the process is simplified and may only require passing the required examinations.

Another major advantage is that after successfully converting your foreign license, you generally do not receive the normal probation period (Probezeit) that applies to first-time German license holders.

The official information for Kamp-Lintfort residents is provided by the Kreis Wesel driver's license office (Führerscheinstelle):

Official Umschreibung Information

The foreign driver's license must still be valid when you submit your application.

For licenses issued outside the EU/EEA, a certified translation is usually required.
Germany accepts translations from approved organizations such as ADAC and certified translators.

ADAC Driving Licence Translation

Most students will also need:

• Valid foreign driver's license
• Passport or residence permit
• Biometric passport photo
• Vision test (Sehtest)
• First aid course certificate (Erste Hilfe)
• Translation of the driver's license (if required)

A convenient option used by many students is Erste Hilfe Seminare in Moers.
They offer the First Aid course but also give the vision test and biometric photos, allowing you to complete several requirements at the same place.

SOS Erste Hilfe Seminare Moers

One detail many students miss is that some choices should be made already when applying for the Umschreibung.

If you live in Kamp-Lintfort, the responsible Führerscheinstelle is usually in Moers, and the appointment/application route is connected through the Kreis Wesel system.
When booking or preparing the application, make sure you are selecting the service for Umschreibung einer ausländischen Fahrerlaubnis.

Book Umschreibung Appointment

During this process, pay attention to the language of the theoretical exam.
If you want to take the theory exam in English, mention it early during the application process and later confirm it again with the driving school.

You should also decide early which license type you want: Class B, B Automatik, or B197.
This matters because the selected license type affects how your training and exam route will be handled.

If you want B197, mention this from the beginning so it can be considered properly before the exam path is set.
Changing the exam language or license type later can create unnecessary paperwork, delays, or additional costs.

The differences between Class B, B Automatik, and B197 are explained in the section below.

B vs B Automatik vs B197

Discount websites

A lot of “student discount” sites exist that many are unaware of.
This section lists a few of the reliable platforms.

UNiDAYS StudentBeans

Autodesk

We have a huge advantage with Autodesk because we get to use their software completely free of charge using our University Emails!
Autodesk has some of the best programs in the market for multiple fields that would each costs 100s of Euros.

Autodesk Education

Software like Autocad, Maya, 3ds Max, CFD, Fusion, and Revit !

Software List

Adobe

We have a huge advantage with Adobe because we get a 75% discount !
Adobe has some of the best programs in the market for multiple fields.
Software like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premier, After effects, and Lightroom !

Adobe Education

Amazon Prime

We have a huge advantage with Amazon Prime because we get a 50% discount and 6 completely free of charge using our University Emails !

Amazon Prime

Microsoft Office 365

We have a huge advantage with Microsoft Office 365 because we get a huge discount and have to pay a few Euros per year to access the full Office 365 !

Office 365

Figma

We have a huge advantage with Figma because we get to use their software completely free of charge using our University Emails!
Design Students use it all the time, and it is a huge upgrade when it comes to easily having a top nodge website design!

Figma Education

Google Gemini

We have a huge advantage with Google Gemini as well because we get to use it completely free of charge using our University Emails!
NotebookLM is unbeatable when it comes to making good quality summaries of long papers and presentations. It can produce tutorial videos and podcasts as well as answer questions with reference from the attached files!

Google Gemini for students NotebookLM

Jobs on Moodle

If you are applying to jobs on regular Job portals, make sure to check the relevant links on moodle regularly.

Part time Jobs on moodle Student Jobs at University

Internships and Theses on Moodle

If you are searching for internships and/or Theses topics in companies make sure to check the relevant links on moodle regularly.

Internships Thesis projects

Scholarships

There are many Scholarships (mentioned here or not).
However generally speaking there many more Scholarships available for Master students than Bachelor students.
Many scholarship opportunities are not relevant for non-EU international students.
The most relevant and important scholarship for non-EU international (especially bachelor) students is the Deutschlandstipendium.

Scholarships on moodle Deutschlandstipendium

Volunteer Work

Volunteering Work has a dedicated page on moodle.
It is crucial to give back to the world and society.
Worthy of mentioning is that volunteering work helps a lot in the application to acquire the citizenship.

Volunteer work on moodle

Startups

If you are interested in startups, entrepreneurship, or building your own project, HSRW already has a dedicated initiative for that.
StartGlocal is part of the university’s ZFIT and supports students and founders with startup-related guidance, events, and resources.
This is relevant not only for people who already have a business idea, but also for students who are curious about entrepreneurship and want to understand how startup support works inside the university.
It is worth checking early, because many students discover these opportunities much later than they should.

StartGlocal at HSRW

AIESEC Düsseldorf

AIESEC in Düsseldorf searches for new members between 18 and 30 years old.
If you are interested in gaining practical experience, building an international network, and developing leadership skills outside the classroom, this can be worth checking out.

As a member of AIESEC, you can gain experience in areas such as marketing, sales, customer management, project work, and intercultural communication.
The main idea is simple: you take responsibility, work with people, and develop skills that are useful later in internships, jobs, and leadership roles.

Depending on your role, you can grow in different areas:

• Marketing: Learn how to represent AIESEC at public events, understand product marketing, and communicate with different target groups.
• Sales: Build an international network, connect with companies, practice interview techniques, and learn how to communicate the value of AIESEC to young people and partners.
• Customer Management: Strengthen your problem-solving and communication skills by supporting exchange participants in Germany and abroad.

Membership is free, but it does require commitment.
AIESEC mentions around 7–10 hours per week, depending on your role and current projects.

If you want to apply, use the official form, choose Düsseldorf as your area, and they will contact you for an interview or introductory meeting.

Apply to AIESEC

Music School in Ka-Li

We understand how challenging it can be to have access to music instruments.. or even to play those instruments if you don't have the right room to go all the way
We as students of HSRW Ka-Li are allowed to book the rooms (with their instruments) to practice in the local music school in Kamp-Lintfort completely free of charge!
The music school is located here and they prefer morning booking than afternoon ones.
We also get decent discounts on their music classes for any student who wants to take guided courses.

Booking a free room Booking a course

Erasmus Semester

We have many partner universities around the world. However the grants available can also be applied for if you apply yourself and get accepted into any other programs abroad.

Important Points:
The collaboration is done per faculty rather than the program or the university!
If you decide to apply for a collaboration that is not from your faculty, you need to know that there are no guarantees of being selected.
For example if the collaboration you wish to apply for is from the Faculty of Life Sciences and you are a student from Communication and Environment, first the students from Live Sciences will be selected and if there free places after that and if the faculty agrees on sharing the places, maybe you could get a place.
Moreover if the study programme selected at the partner university does not match with your study programme at HSRW, the partner university can reject your application. For all those reason we recommend student to select HSRW study programme for searching collaborations or at least to select collaboration from the same faculty they are enrolled in.
If the study programme at the partner university of the same faculty in HSRW does not match with degree studied or specialisation. Here again the partner university can reject your application, if you don’t have enough knowledge (e.g. if you selected an engineering program from our faculty but your study programme at HSRW is Int. Business Administration).

The collaborations are for the study programme mention in the Publisher Website (below). If we don’t have a collaboration for the program, HSRW cannot nominate you for that program. We need to have a collaboration with the partner university for the degree programme there.
Once you are accepted in that campus in the other university for the programme in collaboration then you can take any other course from any other programme in that campus usually (the risk is only about being accepted in the collaboration programme after that more freedom is there).
In general you have to decide on one campus though (the freedom is usually within one campus).
Keeping the previous in mind, concerning Rhein-Waal you also can apply to a master programme when you are in a bachelor degree, but the question will be if the guest University allows it. Most likely it will not be mentioned in the cooperation agreement anyway.

Students should start planning their study abroad semester at least one year before their stay abroad begins.
(Example: for study abroad semester during summer semester 2027, students need to apply by April 2026).

Erasmus+

Following are examples that could be found there, check for the official and updated versions on moodle:

Application Deadlines Erasmus+ Funding rates

The initial selection is carried out by HSRW. Once nominated, acceptance by the partner university is highly likely.
Students accepted under Erasmus+ automatically receive the Erasmus+ mobility grant. The grant does not need to be repaid unless the semester is not successfully completed.
Erasmus+ grant for studying is often associated with Erasmus programmes. If you apply to partner universities outside the Erasmus region (for example South Korea, Switzerland or the United States), you will usually be considered under the PROMOS funding scheme, which has different rules and deadlines.
Credit requirements vary by faculty. For example, Communication and Environment students must complete at least only 15 ECTS during their semester abroad.
You do not have to be taking your mandatory internship/semester abroad to apply for the Erasmus+ !
You are allowed to apply for more than one semester abroad, even consecutively. HSRW does not limit mobility to a single semester.
You can search available partner universities through the official HSRW Publisher platform below:

HSRW Publisher (moveon4) Promos Scholarship

Discount Supermarkets

Aldi, Netto, Lidl, Penny, and similar chains are discount supermarkets. They focus on low prices and private-label products. The selection is smaller, but prices are usually the most affordable.

These are ideal for everyday basics such as pasta, rice, milk, eggs, vegetables, and frozen food.

Fun fact: Aldi was divided into North (Nord) and South (Süd) due to a 1961 disagreement between brothers Karl and Theo Albrecht regarding whether to sell cigarettes, which they felt attracted theft. They divided the business along a geographical line in Germany ... the "Aldi Equator" :D
it is a real life twix right and twix left ad.

Full-Range Supermarkets

Kaufland and Edeka offer a much wider product range. You’ll find more international brands, specialty items, and fresh counters.

Prices are typically slightly higher (especially in Edeka and Rewe) than discount stores, but the variety is better.

Drugstores (Not Pharmacies)

Rossmann and DM are not pharmacies. They sell toiletries, cosmetics, cleaning supplies, baby products, supplements, and some healthy or organic snacks.
Many students buy shampoo, laundry detergent, skincare, vitamins, toilet paper, coconut oil ... etc, there rather than in supermarkets.

Turkish & International Markets

Supermarkets like Aysa and Fatih offer fresh vegetables, herbs and meat, spices, bulk rice, legumes, and international ingredients at competitive prices.

They are also especially useful for Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Balkan ingredients.

Asian & Indian Ingredients

If you are looking for Asian groceries, Düsseldorf’s Little Tokyo area has a large selection of specialty stores.

In Duisburg, Go Asia Supermarkt is a closer option right next to the Hbf with good variety.

For Indian ingredients in the same area; Kashmir Store in Düsseldorf is worth visiting. Prices can be slightly higher, but the product authenticity and variety are strong.

Delivery Options (Very Useful Without a Car)

Picnic is extremely helpful for students without cars. Ordering heavy items such as milk, sparkling water, juices, or bulk groceries becomes much easier.
Delivery prices are competitive, and for bulky items it can be more convenient than carrying everything yourself.

Ochama is another option, especially useful for Asian ingredients.
They frequently offer “1 + 1 free” promotions and have rotating discounts.
You can find them on Play store and App store.

Tip: Compare prices between local stores and delivery apps. Sometimes delivery is surprisingly competitive.

Halal-Friendly Options

Students looking for halal-friendly options will quickly notice that some German supermarkets actually carry poultry alternatives for products.
One brand that appears in the majority of supermarkets is Wiesenhof.
Majority of their products carry halal certification on the packaging, so students often check the label when buying.

Their range includes things that are otherwise difficult to find. For example they have top nodge poultry salami and mortadella products are very popular among students looking for sandwich alternatives and pizza toppings.
They also produce some seriously good Bacon, including small pieces version that work really well for dishes like carbonara.
For grilling or cooking, another must try is their Bruzzzler sausages, which resemble traditional German sausages just like the proper Thüringer-style white bratwurst.

Their fresh poultry range is also widely available, including chicken, chicken thighs , and even whole duck.

In addition to supermarkets, many students prefer buying meat directly from Turkish or Middle Eastern supermarkets where the butcheries are halal. In Kamp-Lintfort, two commonly visited options are Aysa Market and Fatih Market.

These markets are also useful for products that are harder to find in German supermarkets, such as halal marshmallows, and breads that avoid adding alcohol after the baking process (e.g. many of the burger buns and brioche in German supermarkets contain alcohol).

Restaurant Recommendations

Around campus, there are places that stand out.
These are not just recommendations, but often practical student recommendations: good food, fair prices, and close enough to actually use during a normal university day.

⬤ Chicken House
Located right by the Bus 2 station.
Amazing food but for pure value for money it is simply unbeatable, this is probably one of the strongest recommendations around campus.
Good portions, good food, fair prices, and very convenient to reach.
If someone asks where to get the most food for the money around campus, this is usually one of the first recommendations.

Chicken House Location

⬤ Castello
A short walk from campus and worth checking out for solid pizza and strong value for money.
Personal recommendation: their Margherita and Frutti di Mare.
It is one of those places that many students pass by regularly but is absolutely worth knowing about.

Castello Location

Haftpflichtversicherung (Liability Insurance)

One of the most recommended things in Germany is having a private liability insurance (Haftpflichtversicherung).
This insurance is extremely cheap but can save you from very serious financial problems.
Many policies cost roughly around 10–15 euros every three months depending on the provider.

It covers situations where you accidentally damage someone else's property or cause damage in a rented apartment.
These situations can easily cost hundreds or thousands of euros without insurance — a very important lesson many students learn the hard way.

make sure to read the insurance terms carefully; for example some damages in rented apartments may only be covered if the issue is fixed and reported before leaving the apartment.

Because of how cheap the insurance is compared to the potential risks, many people in Germany consider it to be essential.

Legal Insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung)

Another very important protection in Germany is legal insurance.
Legal insurance typically costs somewhere between 10 and 25 euros per month depending on the coverage,
with an insurance like ADAC for example.

Legal disputes can happen in many situations such as rental agreements, employment issues, contracts, or consumer disputes.
Without legal insurance the cost of lawyers and legal procedures can quickly become extremely expensive.
These situations also can easily cost hundreds or thousands of euros without insurance — again a very important lesson many students learn the hard way.

Sadly many companies or individuals often take advantage of the fact that many people avoid defending their rights legally because they fear the legal costs.
Having legal insurance removes that fear because the insurance covers the legal expenses.

Hopefully most students never need to use it, but it can save thousands of euros that are very likely to rise in a country like Germany once a legal issue ever appears.

Vitamin D

Many students underestimate how different the climate can feel in Northern Europe and how severe and life altering lacking Vitamin D actually is.
During autumn and winter the days become very short and sunlight can be limited for long periods.

Many people living in Germany take Vitamin D supplements during these months because of the reduced sunlight.
This is not a medical recommendation, but something many discover through a tough experience.

Low Energy levels, depression, memory sharpness, lack of focus, continous fatique and exhaustion and overall well-being can be severly affected by a vitamin D deficiency, many people learn this once they find out that the majority of their life struggles were nothing but a simple vitamin deficiency (that is how severe it is).

There also is a quick Vitamin D test offered by DM.

Vitamin D test

References:

• Akpınar, Ş., & Karadağ, M. G. (2022). Is vitamin D important in anxiety or depression? What is the truth? Current Nutrition Reports, 11(4), 675–681.
  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0
• Almuqbil, M., Almadani, M. E., Albraiki, S. A., Alamri, A. M., Alshehri, A., Alghamdi, A., Alshehri, S., & Asdaq, S. M. (2023). Impact of vitamin D deficiency on mental health in university students: A cross-sectional study. Healthcare, 11(14), 2097.
  https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142097
• Nowak, A., Boesch, L., Andres, E., Battegay, E., Hornemann, T., Schmid, C., Bischoff-Ferrari, H. A., Suter, P. M., & Krayenbuehl, P.-A. (2016). Effect of vitamin D3 on self-perceived fatigue. Medicine, 95(52).
  https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000005353
• Silva, A. B., Barros, W. M., Silva, M. L., Silva, J. M., Souza, A. P., Silva, K. G., de Sousa Fernandes, M. S., Carneiro, A. C., Toscano, A. E., & Lagranha, C. J. (2022). Impact of vitamin D on cognitive functions in healthy individuals: A systematic review in randomized controlled clinical trials. Frontiers in Psychology, 13.
  https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.987203
• Surti, A., Waheed, H., & Rehman, R. (2026). Environmental factors and Vitamin D. The Impact of Vitamin D on Health and Disease, 3–10.
  https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-34037-6.00027-3
• Wang, Y., Liu, X. J., Robitaille, L., Eintracht, S., MacNamara, E., & Hoffer, L. J. (2013). Effects of vitamin C and vitamin D administration on mood and distress in acutely hospitalized patients. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 98(3), 705–711.
  https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.056366

Stable Income vs anything else

When working during your studies it is often safer to focus on stable working hours rather than chasing unusually high hourly wages or short term offers.
Increasing total income is usually easier by increasing the number of working hours rather than trying to find a job that pays higher hourly rate or work a full time just for a month or two (unless in a well planned manner).

For example it is often easier to find a 20 hour per week part-time job that pays minimum wage than to find a mini job that pays double the minimum wage.

Some companies offer weekly contracts or flexible temporary shifts which can be useful options especially in emergency situations.
However in general maintaining steady work while prioritizing your studies tends to be the much safer strategy for most students on the long run, and will save you from a cycle many of us went through for the first couple of years.

One Job vs Two Jobs

Extension to the last section:
Doing two jobs in Germany can look attractive at first, but it often becomes more complicated than students expect.
Once you have more than one employment relationship, one employer remains your main employer and any additional job is usually taxed under tax 6.
Tax class 6 is highest tax burden in Germany.
That means much higher deductions on the second job.
Tax class 6 is required to file a tax return afterwards (it is not optional, as far as I know).

Because of that, one stable job is often easier to manage than trying to combine two different ones unless there is a clear reason or financial emergency.
The second job can still make sense, but it should be a conscious choice and not something you enter without understanding how taxation works.

Tax Class 6 Overview Tax Return Requirement

Tax Return

Many students assume that filing a tax return in Germany is always optional. In reality, that depends on your situation.
One of the most important cases to know is tax class 6.
If you are taxed under tax class 6, filing a tax return is generally not optional and you are expected to submit one.

This matters especially for students who take additional jobs, short-term extra work, or combine different sources of employment without realizing the tax consequences.

Even when filing is voluntary, many students still benefit from doing it because overpaid tax can often be refunded.
Many factors play a role, so you do not need to assume that just because you paid no taxes other than usual Rentenversicherung and Health Insurance that you get no money.
Distance to work play a factor/working from home, Clothes and tools bought for work play a factor and many more.
Many people ignore this for years and leave money behind simply because they assume the process is too complicated (To be fair it can be :D).

Apps such as Taxfix can make the process much easier, but you should still understand your own tax situation rather than relying blindly on any app.

Tax Classes in Germany

Following I am submitting my personal invitation code for taxfix, not for promotional reasons, but because it actually gives you a large discount for your first tax return application that is not worth wasting for principle :D
; which I wish someone had done with me : , )

Taxfix discount

University Email Format

A common confusion for new students is the university email format.
Many assume that if their Matriculation number is 3xxxx that their email address is 3xxxx@students.hsrw or something similar.
That is not the case.

At Hochschule Rhein-Waal the email format normally follows:
firstname.lastname@hsrw.org

If multiple students share the same name, a number may appear after the name.
For example: firstname.lastname2@hsrw.org.

This can cause confusion when signing up for services or platforms because students sometimes enter the wrong email and then never receive confirmation emails.
If you are unsure about your address, a simple trick is to send a test email from your university mailbox to your private email account to verify that everything works correctly.
Understanding this early can save you from missing important emails related to courses, registrations, or university services.

B vs B Automatik vs B197

This is one of the most common things students only discover after already registering with a driving school.
Before signing any contract, make sure you understand the differences between the available license categories.

Choosing the wrong option can limit what vehicles you are allowed to drive later or require additional training and costs to correct.

Class B (Manual)

• Traditional driver's license.
• Practical exam is taken using a manual transmission vehicle.
• After passing, you may drive both manual and automatic cars.
• No automatic-transmission restriction appears on the license.

B Automatik

• Training and practical exam are completed using an automatic vehicle.
• You receive an automatic-only restriction on the license.
• You are generally not allowed to drive manual transmission vehicles.
• Many students choose this without realizing the limitation.
• Removing the restriction later may require additional driving school training and examinations.

B197

• The practical driving exam is taken in an automatic vehicle.
• You are still allowed to drive manual vehicles afterwards.
• This is currently one of the most popular options chosen by new drivers.
• However, there is an important requirement.

For B197 you must complete:

• At least 10 driving lessons (45 minutes each) in a manual vehicle.

After completing those requirements, you may take the official practical examination in an automatic vehicle while still receiving permission to drive manual vehicles afterwards.

In practice:

• If you enjoy driving manual cars and want the traditional route → Class B.
• If you only ever want to drive automatic cars → B Automatik.
• If you want the easier automatic exam while still keeping the right to drive manual cars → B197.

Many driving schools today recommend B197 because it combines the flexibility of Class B with the comfort of taking the practical examination in an automatic vehicle.

Whichever option you choose, make sure to inform both the Führerscheinstelle and your driving school early in the process so the correct application is submitted from the beginning.