Guides for International Students
16 guides on daily life, bureaucracy and studying in Darmstadt — in German, English and Chinese.
🇩🇪 Deutsch · 🇬🇧 English · 🇨🇳 中文
🏛️ Arrival & Admin
Registration in Darmstadt
Anmeldung, Bürgeramt, deadlines — explained step by step.
Bank Account without SCHUFA
N26, DKB, Wise — which account works for newcomers.
Doctors & Health Insurance
Mandatory GKV, finding a doctor, 116 117 out-of-hours service.
Tax Return
€800–1,500 refund possible — up to 4 years retroactively.
Emergency Numbers & Police
112, 110, 116 117 — which number to call when.
Mail & Packages
DHL Packstation, the customs trap on AliExpress & co.
🚲 Getting Around
Public Transport
Semester ticket, HEAG, RMV — getting around Darmstadt cheaply.
Cycling in Darmstadt
U-lock essential, Kleinanzeigen, traffic rules.
🎓 University & Digital
TU Darmstadt Start Guide
TUCaN, ULB, Mensa, ISS — everything for your first semester.
WiFi & Internet
SIM card, eduroam, fibre — for instant internet access.
Apps for Germany
RMV, NINA, Wise, N26, BundID — the most important apps.
🏠 Daily Life at ORO
German Customs
Quiet hours, waste sorting, Rundfunkbeitrag, punctuality.
Supermarkets & Drugstores
PENNY, REWE, dm nearby — deposit & Sunday closures.
Doing Laundry
WeWash app system in the ORO complex — step by step.
Things to Do in Darmstadt
Mathildenhöhe, Staatstheater, bars, day trips.
Germany vs. Asia
Kiosk instead of 7/11, card instead of Alipay — what differs.