Assistants help professors to fulfill their tasks. They have already completed their studies and are now working at the university.

AStA is the abbreviation for GeneralStudentCommittee. It is an organization that is designed and managed by the students themselves. The AStA offers many useful services to make life on campus easier for students. For example, it stands up for them in the event of problems or financial difficulties or helps them to find accommodation or a job. It also organizes cultural events and festivals.

The Audimax is an abbreviation of the Latin term "Auditorium Maximum". This refers to the largest lecture hall at a university.

Some degree programmes offer the opportunity to complete an internship abroad in order to gain practical experience abroad and expand your foreign language skills.

A semester abroad is an enrichment for many degree programmes. Students have the option of participating in an exchange program or organizing their stay abroad themselves. RPTU has partner universities all over the world.

Bafög is the abbreviation for 'Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz' (Federal Training Assistance Act) and is a state subsidy for education in the form of monthly cash payments. Students need it to live on if their parents are unable to provide them with sufficient financial support.

An official body confirms that a document is a copy of an original. The confirmation is noted on the copy with a seal and a signature. When enrolling for a course of study, for example, a certified copy of the school leaving certificate is required.

The University of Kaiserslautern-Landau is a campus university. Campus is the area on which the university and its buildings are located. This means that almost all of the university's buildings are located very close to each other, so that lecturers and staff from the various faculties can research and teach together. Students at a campus university, even if they are studying several subjects, have short distances to courses in different departmental buildings. At other universities, the individual faculties may be located in different parts of the city. Students therefore have to walk or drive from one part of the city to another if they want to get to their courses. This naturally takes a lot of time. Such universities are not campus universities. A map for orientation and where your children's university takes place can be found here.

Many universities offer a career service to support students in the transition from studying to working life. Its tasks range from advice and information events, for example, to arranging contacts with companies and helping with job applications.

A dean heads a faculty. The deputy is the vice dean. Both ensure that everyone works in an organized manner and implement innovations.

Doctors are doctors, right? No, not always. There are also doctorates in subjects such as philosophy, mathematics, engineering or French. But you can also earn a doctorate in any other subject after your first university degree (usually a bachelor's degree). To do this, the so-called doctoral students have to do research and continue studying, take exams and write a doctoral thesis, which is called a doctorate. If a doctoral student continues to research diligently, he or she can later become a professor.

There are usually no lectures in the first week of the semester. This week is all about the first semester induction. There are many activities on campus, most of which are organized by students. From joint timetabling and introductions to the subjects to a fresher's party, everything is included. Here you can quickly make your first friends and get an overview of learning at the university.

Students who are in the first semester of their studies.

Excursion comes from the Latin and means "excursion". On an excursion, students go on a trip to supplement their newly acquired knowledge with practical examples.

At our university, you can choose from 110 different subjects. The subjects are similar to the subjects you studied at school, except that you spend the whole course studying them. However, the subjects are different to the subjects you are familiar with. Here at RPTU, the different subjects are grouped into 12 faculties.

Many universities in Germany offer early studies. With the early entry into mathematics studies (FiMS) at RPTU, prospective students can complete the first year's mathematics lectures from home - i.e. as distance learning. FiMS is intended for prospective students who are not yet able to start their studies on site.

For example, very good high school students can take part and study mathematics as an early degree course alongside school. As FiMS is a distance learning course, they do not miss any lessons and can organize their time as they wish. However, this offer is also intended for use during voluntary service, for example, or as an initial orientation for an intended change of degree course.

Through the early study program, you can gain an initial insight into studying mathematics, try out mathematics, achieve your first results and develop your interest in mathematics.

FiPS is an early entry program into physics studies. It has been offered by the faculty of physics at RPTU since 1998.

Here, those interested in physics and those with a talent for physics - from high school students to those changing courses - can start studying physics without admission restrictions. As with the FiMS, you can gain an initial insight into studying physics, perform well and develop your skills in this subject.

Guest professors are only visiting and have traveled from their own university to offer a special event. There are also visiting professors here at the Children's University!

This is the name given to the room in which the lectures take place. It usually has a tiered structure - like in a movie theater. This allows everyone to see and hear the professor clearly.

If you want to study at a university, you have to apply. This means that applicants must send copies of their school-leaving certificates as well as their desired course of study with their application.

Whether you get a place at university often depends on your average A-level grade, the so-called Numerus Clausus (NC). If you have particularly good grades, you have the best chance of getting a place on your Study programme of choice. However, there are also subjects for which no NC is specified.

Once the university has informed the prospective student that he or she has been offered a place, further forms must be completed and certain documents submitted. This process is called enrollment or matriculation. Only then is the applicant an enrolled student.

The International Office is responsible for a wide range of tasks relating to the internationalization of teaching and international relations at RPTU. It maintains contacts with partner universities worldwide, brings German and international students together on campus, supports international students at the start of their studies and helps them prepare for the time after graduation.

The Chancellor manages the administration of the University and is responsible for compliance with administrative regulations.

RPTU regularly offers a special range of events for schoolchildren. The aim of these events is to get children interested in science and research at an early age.

Just as you write class tests at school, students also take written examinations called written exams. The exams are often very long and can last a whole morning. Exams are usually written at the end of a semester, i.e. in February or July. Unlike at school, at university you can choose when you want to take which exam. In other words, in which semester.

At the end of a play, people clap if they have enjoyed it. At university, people don't clap, they bang their knuckles on the table. This is how students express their thanks and appreciation to the lecturers.

What classmates are at school, fellow students are at university. In other words, they are also students at the university.

"Magna cum laude" is a grade/assessment, e.g. for a doctoral thesis, and means "with high praise". It is the second highest rating and stands for a particularly good/very good performance.

You receive your matriculation number when you enrol. Each student has their own number, and each number only exists once. This means that students cannot be confused, even if they have exactly the same name. This is important so that no grades or exams are mixed up.

"Mensa" means "table" and is Latin. The canteen cooks for all students, staff, lecturers and guests of the university - in other words, it is a canteen kitchen. Everyone eats together in one room.

At RPTU you will find the canteen building 30, where there is a selection of different hot dishes and a buffet at lunchtime. The food is cheaper for students, as they generally don't have as much money as the other guests. In addition to the canteen, there is also the atrium. This is a cafeteria where you can buy sandwiches, sweets or drinks during the lecture period. There is also hot food available at lunchtime and in the evening, similar to the canteen.

The abbreviation MINT stands for the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology. Areas of study or entire degree programmes that focus on these topics are referred to as STEM subjects.

Some subjects are so popular that too many people want to study them. To avoid overcrowding, a numerus clausus is introduced for these subjects, i.e. there is a numerically limited admission based on grade averages, e.g. from the most recent school reports.

The president of a university is like the principal or principal at your school. He/she leads the university, represents it in public and plans the future of the university together with the vice presidents, the chancellor and the professors.

Lectures are usually given by professors, but they not only teach, but also conduct research together with their assistants and sometimes also with students within their field of study. They are sometimes commissioned by companies for their research. They publish the results in scientific journals or books.

A doctorate is required to obtain a doctoral degree. In order to obtain a doctorate, you must prove that you can carry out in-depth scientific work. The doctorate comprises a written scientific paper (dissertation) and an oral examination. The prerequisite for a doctorate is a completed Master's, Diplom or state examination degree. A doctorate certifies the ability to conduct independent research.

The standard period of study indicates how many semesters a degree programme comprises. It represents an orientation that can be exceeded due to various influences and circumstances. For example, it determines the duration of BAföG funding.

Not all students want to continue studying in the next semester. Those who do not explicitly report back are saying that they want to stop.

At a university, you don't study in semesters like you do at school, but in semesters. There is a summer and a winter semester. At most universities, the summer semester begins on April 1 and the winter semester on October 1. Each semester lasts six months. At the end of each semester there is the so-called lecture-free period. It lasts about two months. However, this does not mean that students have such a long vacation, as examinations or assignments are due during the lecture-free period or the student has to complete an internship.

As a rule, the summer semester runs from April 1 to September 30 of each year.

A scholarship is financial support for students which - unlike BAföG or a loan - does not have to be repaid. Scholarships are awarded by organizations for the promotion of gifted students, foundations, companies, universities and other institutions. Each of these has different criteria for selection. As a rule, however, student performance and social commitment play an overriding role.

Student assistants are students who are employed by the university. They are usually employed by professors who are conducting research in a teaching field. Student assistants (Hiwis) help them, e.g. with research or lecture preparation. However, they can also work in libraries or on research projects.

Just as there is a school-leaving certificate at the end of a school (e.g. Realschulabschluss or high school diploma), you receive a degree at a university after successfully completing your studies. Depending on the subject, there are different degrees for which you have to study for different lengths of time. Almost every degree course in Germany ends with a "Bachelor" degree. This degree takes around four years to complete. The subsequent Master's degree programme usually takes four semesters, i.e. two years. Teacher training courses conclude with the so-called "state examination". The "Diplom" is equivalent to the "Master".

Every student receives a student ID card. This is comparable to your school ID card. You also have advantages with a student ID card. In some stores, at the cinema or at the swimming pool, for example, you get a discount. In addition, you can even travel for free on buses and trains in a large area in and around Kaiserslautern with your student ID at RPTU.

The card also allows students to eat in the canteen at a discount and borrow books from the university library.

Unfortunately, your children's university ID card does not entitle you to free bus or train travel, discounts or cheap meals in the canteen. But every semester you can use your Children's University ID card to prove which Children's University events you have attended with our stamps. The Children's University ID card will be given to you when you attend your first Children's University event.

"Summa cum laude" is a grade/assessment, for example for a doctoral thesis, and means "with the highest praise" or "with distinction". It is the highest rating and stands for an excellent performance.

Students can attend preliminary courses before the first semester. In the preliminary courses, students are taught content that should make it easier for them to start their studies. Knowledge from school can be refreshed and initial contacts can be made before the course starts.

In lectures, professors give a presentation on a specific topic. During a lecture, students should only listen and take notes if necessary. A lecture usually lasts 90 minutes.

There are also lectures or talks at the Children's University. But unlike a lecture for adults, these are not events in which you are only supposed to listen quietly. The lecturers at the children's university are happy for you to ask questions or discuss with them.

As a rule, the winter semester runs from October 1 to March 31 of each year.

There is also a certificate at university. However, not after each school year, as you do, but at the end of your studies, for example after completing your Bachelor's degree. This certificate lists all the grades for the courses you have attended during your studies. Voluntary achievements can also be noted. For example, it is voluntary if you take a language course that you do not need to complete your degree.