FAQ


FAQ

Index

A) The application

  1.  Are there any preconditions for applying for the ISWI 2017?
  2. How can I apply?
  3. When is the deadline for applying for the ISWI 2017?
  4. Is it possible to join ISWI 2017 with a friend of mine?
  5. What happens, if I copy parts of my essays from a friend or the internet?
  6. What happens after the application?

B) Visa & Invitation letter

  1. Do I get an official invitation to the ISWI 2017?
  2. What is the official invitation for?
  3. Visa process (Check, if you need a visa, first.)
  4. Is the visa free of charge?

C) Travel & Arrival

  1. How do I get to Germany?
  2. What is the difference between Frankfurt International Airport and Frankfurt Hahn?
  3. How do I get to Ilmenau?
  4. How can I find information on trains to Ilmenau?
  5. How can I save money?
  6. When should I arrive in Ilmenau?
  7. What happens, if I arrive before the 12th of May?
  8. What can I do, if there is no flight for the 12th of May (Arrival) or 21st of May (Departure)?

D) Finance

  1. What do I have to pay?
  2. Do I have to pay a participation fee?
  3. How much money should I bring?
  4. Is there any financial support by the ISWI 2017 Organisation Committee concerning the travel?
  5. Where can I exchange some foreign currency into Euros (in Germany)?
  6. What about traveller’s cheques, bank cards and credit cards?

E) The conference

  1. How many people applied for the last ISWI?
  2. In which workshop will I participate?
  3. In how many workshops will I participate?
  4. Can I change my workshop?
  5. Can I hold a lecture during the conference?
  6. I have stated that I would like to hold a lecture. When will I be able to do so?
  7. Where can I find information on the programme of the conference?

F) Your stay in Ilmenau

  1. What about accommodation and board during the ISWI?
  2. How will I find a host?
  3. How will the weather be and what to pack for ISWI?
  4. Am I insured during the conference?

G) Food

  1. Which kind of food will be provided for breakfast?
  2. Which kind of food will be provided for lunch?
  3. Which kind of food will be provided for dinner?
  4. I am allergic to some ingredients. Do you provide food-options for this?
  5. Why do you provide so many meals without animal products?

H) Other

  1. I need a reference for applying for a sponsorship. Could you provide something like this?
  2. How can I contact other participants (from my country) (e.g. to arrange travelling together)?
  3. How long does it normally take until I get a reply to my request?

A) The application

1.) Are there any preconditions for applying for the ISWI 2017?

To apply for the ISWI 2017 you have to be at least 18 years old (on 12th May 2017) and you must be a student. Unfortunately we cannot consider other applications.

2.) How can I apply?

You can apply here. The application consists of two steps (1. Registration 2. Filling out the application form, writing two essays & submitting the application)

  • Essay 1: A statement on your personal connection to the topic of ISWI 2017 ‘global justice’ and your motivation to join ISWI 2017.
  • Essay 2: A statement concerning the choice you made regarding the working group.

The essays will serve as the basis for choosing the participants of ISWI 2017. They will be assessed by the Organisation Committee of ISWI 2017.

Tip: Use a text document to compose your essays before you apply. This way, you can take your time writing the essays. Furthermore, your essays won’t get lost if your Internet connection breaks down.

3.) When is the deadline for applying for the ISWI 2017?

The deadline for the application process is the 1st of December 2016 (at 11:59 pm Central European Time).

4.) Is it possible to join ISWI 2017 with a friend of mine?

It is not possible to join with a friend just because they are a friend of yours. As stated above, we choose the participants on the basis of their essays, so everybody has the same chances. That is why each of you has to apply individually with different essays. The better they are, the more likely you are to get invited.

5.) What happens, if I copy parts of my essays from a friend or the internet?

Do not copy any texts from the Internet, books, friends or other sources. Mark every quotation and state the source. Applications containing plagiarism will not be taken into consideration for ISWI 2017! Please be sure of this as we will read every essay and check for plagiarism.

6.) What happens after the application?

After the deadline (11th November 2016) we begin reading and assessing your applications. This can last for about one month. If we have chosen you to participate in ISWI 2017, we will send you an official invitation letter. (We would appreciate your patience until all of the applications are reviewed and you receive your official invitation.)
After you have received the message saying that you are invited, please plan your journey and apply for a visa, if necessary. Please contact us if you are not able to come, so that we can give other people the chance to visit ISWI 2017.

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B) Visa & Invitation letter

1.) Do I get an official invitation to the ISWI 2017?

Yes, you will get an official invitation to ISWI 2017. We will presumably send the invitations at the end of December 2016 or the beginning of January 2017.

2.) What is the official invitation for?

The official invitation confirms that you are invited to the 13th International Student Week in Ilmenau. It is signed by the president and the vice president of the ISWI 2017 Organisation Committee as well as by the Rector of “Technische UniversitĂ€t Ilmenau”. The ISWI 2017 is officially supported by Technische UniversitĂ€t Ilmenau.
The invitation is important for obtaining a visa to enter Germany (that is if you require one – you can check here). You can also use it as a confirmation for your university that you are officially invited to ISWI 2017, in case you need a document in order to be released from your classes.

3.) Visa process (Check here, if you need a visa, first.)

Please visit a German embassy or consulate in your country and apply for a visa. Please make sure that the visa is also valid for your travelling days (not only for the days of the conference). At the embassy, you will have to present your official invitation letter (and potentially some other documents the embassy in your country may require. These vary from country to country).
Please inform yourself at the website of the German Federal Foreign Office and the website of the respective embassy before visiting the embassy. It might be helpful to present a document from your university or from another official authority confirming your student status. The German Federal Foreign Office has promised us that the German Embassies will help you as much as they can in getting your visa upon presentation of your official invitation letter. But please be aware that the final decision on issuing visas for Germany is up to the embassy in your home country. Naturally we will do our best to inform the respective embassies and cooperate with them. If you have any problems or questions, please read the FAQ on our website first. You can also contact us via e-mail, phone or fax and we will do our best to help you.

4.) Is the visa free of charge?

Unfortunately, the visa for ISWI 2017 participants is not free of charge in general. We have tried to establish such an agreement but the Federal Foreign Office has tightened the rules concerning the grant of free visas.
Nevertheless, we would like to inform you about some exceptions. Here you can find a leaflet published by the German Federal Foreign Office. Our advice: When applying for the visa, take this leaflet with you and ask the embassy if they can make an exemption from the visa fee in your case, because you are a student and visiting an international student conference.

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C) Travel & Arrival

1.) How do I get to Germany?

Most of you will have to take the plane. The nearest international airport to Ilmenau is Leipzig (LEJ – about 2:30 hours to Ilmenau by train). However, you can also fly to Berlin (SXF, TXL – about 4:00), Munich (MUC – about 5:30), Frankfurt (FRA – about 3:30) or Hamburg (HAM – about 6:00). Berlin Tegel and some other smaller Airports are not directly connected to the German rail network. Shuttle buses will be available to take you to a train station. If are arriving from Europe, you may take the train. You can check for special prices on the German Railways website.

Another alternative would be taking a bus to Erfurt, NĂŒrnberg, Dresden, Berlin or MĂŒnchen, etc. There are several different bus lines to European countries, such as:

For travel within Germany, there are several cheap bus services, the so-called ‘Fernbusse’ – i.e. long-distance buses. Tickets are often cheaper than train tickets, especially when you book early. There are many different companies that run long-distance coaches. You can check the busliniensuche website for a connection that fits your travel plans. Tip: For better results, click ‘Expand search range around departure and destination’ under ‘Display further options’.

2.) What is the difference between Frankfurt International Airport and Frankfurt Hahn?

Frankfurt International Airport (FRA) is a big international airport in Frankfurt. Almost all international flights arrive at FRA. Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) is just a small airport, about 120km to the west of Frankfurt. Some cheap flights with Ryanair arrive there from European countries and Morocco. To get to Frankfurt, you will have to take a bus.

3.) How do I get to Ilmenau?

If your flight arrives at Frankfurt, Berlin, MĂŒnchen, Leipzig or Hamburg airport, the best way to get to Ilmenau is by train or by long-distance bus (see question 1).

Look for the next German Railways (“Deutsche Bahn”) train station. You can buy a ticket to Ilmenau at German Railways offices (“Reisecenter”) or at any ticket machine. Note: some airlines offer a train ticket within Germany (Rail + Fly). This could be a cheaper way to get your ticket.

There are no direct trains from the aforementioned cities to Ilmenau, and you will at least have to change trains in Erfurt, which is the nearest larger city to Ilmenau. For more information about tickets and schedules, please check out: https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml.

You can also take a bus from Erfurt to Ilmenau. In this case, you buy the ticket on the bus.

Make sure that you don’t confuse the Ilmenau station, where you’ll get off, with the other two Ilmenau stations, which come before Ilmenau. The correct station is simply called ‘Ilmenau’ and is the final stop. On the 12th of May, there will be someone from the Organisation Committee waiting to collect you at the train station. If you decide to take the bus, get off at the Ilmenau bus station “Busbahnhof” (you can ask the driver when you’re not sure if it’s the correct station). The Ilmenau train station and bus station are right next to each other.

Please don’t hesitate to ask the staff at information centres in the airport and/or at the train stations, if you need more information. Also, don’t hesitate to call us if you need help. If you get lost in Ilmenau, try following the signs to ‘Technische UniversitĂ€t Ilmenau’ and asking passengers.

4.) How can I find information on trains to Ilmenau?

Please check out the website of German Railways. You will find a lot of information about schedules, prices, special offers and more.

5.) How can I save money?

German Railways have different special offers. You can buy a “Quer-Durchs-Land-Ticket” and travel with a group of 5 persons. With this option you are not allowed to take the ICE and IC, but you pay just 76 € for the whole group for one day.

On weekends (Saturday & Sunday) you can also take the so called “Happy Weekend Ticket”, which is even less expensive –which currently costs about 44 €  for  1-5 persons.

For your fly back, you can easily buy the train ticket to the airport in advance and find cheaper prices in this way.

Some airlines offer tickets which include the train ticket within Germany (Rail & Fly), which could also be a good option.

6.) When should I arrive in Ilmenau?

We will be expecting you to arrive in Ilmenau on Friday, the 12th of May, (or Saturday the 13th.) The info point and check-in area can be found in the Mensa building on the campus of Technische UniversitĂ€t Ilmenau. On the above days, somebody from the Organisation Committee will be waiting at the Ilmenau train station for every train or bus that arrives, to collect you. For the duration of ISWI 2017, you will be able to reach us by phone (+49 3677 – 69 1946) 24 hours a day from Thursday, the 11th of May. If you arrive before Friday, please contact us a few days in advance.

7.) What happens, if I arrive before the 12th of May?

Please inform us of the exact date and time of your arrival. We will try our very best to find a place for you to stay until the beginning of the ISWI 2017. However, we cannot guarantee that it will be free of charge, as the accommodation costs are only covered for the duration of the conference.

8.) What can I do, if there is no flight for the 12th of May (Arrival) or 21st of May (Departure)?

Usually, it is no problem if you can’t make it on the 12th of May, but you should arrive no later than the 13th of May, because the group work starts on Monday.

If you can’t find a flight back home on the 21st of May, please be aware that, after the conference, you will have to take care of your food and accommodation on your own. Naturally, we will help you find a place to stay until you fly back home. Please be aware that your flight back home must be before the expiration date of your visa, so please consider this during your planning.

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D) Finance

1.) What do I have to pay?

You will have to pay for your travel and visa expenses. Accommodation during the conference and basic meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) will be provided by us. There is no participation fee for this conference. In addition, you will have free entry to all ISWI 2017 cultural events.

2.) Do I have to pay a participation fee?

No. There is no participation fee for ISWI 2017. You only have to pay your travelling and visa costs.

3.) How much money should I bring?

That depends on what you would like to buy. Accommodation, meals and festival events are free of charge for you, but you might want to buy some souvenirs or beer, juice and coffee at the student clubs while hanging out with friends. If so, we would like to stress that the standard of living in Germany is high. To give you an idea of the prices: a coffee is about 70 cents, a beer about 2 euros and a soft drink about 1,50 euro. These prices are taken from the student clubs on the campus, where everything is usually much cheaper than in other clubs or in restaurants.

4.) Is there any financial support by the ISWI 2017 Organisation Committee concerning the travel?

Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to give any financial support for your travel expenses. We are only a student organisation that tries to do its best in organising this conference. Thus, we depend on public funding from the German State and from private sponsors and foundations. It is hard work to get all the money to realise the conference. We hope that you can understand our situation, and that you kindly refrain from asking for such support. However, we can assist you by writing a letter of support if you plan to ask your university or local companies for a scholarship or sponsorship. Please contact us and tell us the details if you would like such support.

5.) Where can I exchange some foreign currency into Euros (in Germany)?

You can exchange your money in any bank in Ilmenau (banking hours are from Mo-Fr, 9 am – 4 pm), but, due to the schedule of the festival events, you probably won’t have much time to do this. We would also like to warn you that some banks do not accept some currencies. The US dollar is probably the most advisable and convenient foreign currency to carry and exchange if you do not carry any Euros. Be aware that you won’t get the full value back because banks charge about 5 Euro commission each time you exchange foreign currency, so it would be better to exchange all of the foreign currency you think you’ll need for your stay in just one transaction. We should also warn you that exchange centres in airports and train stations charge a higher commission than regular banks. ATMs (automatic teller machines) are available all over Ilmenau as well. In general, the best option is to withdraw money from a local ATM directly in Euros using a credit card or similar.

6.) What about traveller’s cheques, bank cards and credit cards?

If you plan to use traveller’s cheques instead of cash to exchange into Euros, we should warn you that the exchange rate for a traveller’s cheque is lower than that for cash, and that the “commission” system applies to traveller’s cheques too (see preceding question). You can avoid these commissions by using your bank card or credit card to withdraw money (if you withdraw money in Germany, the ATM will give it to you in Euros no matter the account currency). Master Card and Visa are widely accepted in Germany, and you can also use them (and your Euro Cheque bank card, if you have one) to withdraw money from the automatic teller machines 24 hours a day.

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E) The conference

1.) How many people applied for the last ISWI?

For ISWI 2015, we got more than 1800 applications from 123 different countries.

2.) In which workshop will I participate?

The final selection of your workshop will be made after your arrival in Ilmenau at the check-in, where you will register for the working group you will participate in. We will try to give you your first choice, but due to capacity reasons it is possible that we can only offer you your second or third choice topic. Note: You will only be able to participate in one working group during the conference.

3.) In how many workshops will I participate?

You will participate in only one of the three working groups you selected during the application process (see the preceding question).

4.) Can I change my workshop?

You can change your selected workshop during the registration after your arrival in Ilmenau.

5.) Can I hold a lecture during the conference?

You are invited to hold a lecture, give a workshop or start a discussion on a certain topic of your choice within the ‘Fair Fair’ on Wednesday, 17th May. In case you’d like to hold a lecture please prepare and bring all the material you need. Please inform us if you need any equipment.

6.) I have stated that I would like to hold a lecture. When will I be able to do so?

There will be the ‘Fair Fair’  on Wednesday, 17th May,  where you are invited to hold your lecture (see preceeding question).

7.) Where can I find information on the programme of the conference?

Here you can find more information on the programme of ISWI 2017 and a preliminary schedule.

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F) Your stay in Ilmenau

1.) What about accommodation and board during the ISWI?

We have a host program, where Ilmenau students and citizens voluntarily host the participants of our conference so that both sides can directly meet each other. Within the preceding conferences we made good experiences with this. Often, the hosts and the participants become close friends.
So, you will have a host who will welcome you and will try to make your stay in Ilmenau as pleasant as possible. During ISWI, you will live in your host’s house. Every participant will meet his/her host at the check-in.

2.) How will I find a host?

We will provide an online forum, where the participants and hosts can contact and find each other before the start of the conference. But due to our experience the most participants will find their host at the arrival in Ilmenau, where the Organisation Committee will assist every participant in finding a host. So don’t worry if you do not find a host before your travel. We will inform you as soon as the forum is online.

3.) How will the weather be and what to pack for ISWI?

Ilmenau weather can be very capricious. One minute, the sun may be shining and five minutes later, it may start to rain. So when you pack, bring both – clothes for warm and sunny as well as for cold and rainy weather. (If you want to pack light, remember you can always wear clothes in layers when it’s cold.) Bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes, too, if you plan to go hiking in the forests around Ilmenau or participate in the sports event.
The other important things you need, are listed below:

Required:

  • passport (Make sure you have the necessary visa!)
  • copy of all personal documents (passport, visa, 
)
  • ticket (flight and return flight)
  • a sleeping bag (if you have one)
  • money for your personal expenses
  • sense of humour and an open mind

Optional:

  • sportswear and shoes for in- and outdoor sport during the sports event. Please make sure that your indoor shoes have a light sole; not a black one.
  • national costume and traditional music (for the International Dinner on Sunday)
  • traditional food of your country (for the International Dinner on Sunday).
  • lecture materials (If you want to give a lecture, be well prepared and if you need any equipment, let us know.)
  • medication you might need
  • comfortable and sturdy walking shoes (if you plan to go hiking on Thursday)
  • musical instrument (if you like to play some own music, especially in the music group)
  • camera (if you want to take photos, especially in the photography group)

4.) Am I insured during the conference?

During the whole course of ISWI 2017 you are insured. The Organisation Committee will provide you with free health-, accident-, and third party- insurance as well as legal protection. That fact also will be stated in your official invitation letter.

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G) Food

1.) Which kind of food will be provided for breakfast?

Breakfast will be provided by the hosts. If you have special wishes, please get in contact with them via forum.iswi.org. You can also discuss this with your host directly when you are in Ilmenau.

2.) Which kind of food will be provided for lunch?

The lunch package will not contain any animal products and therefore should suit everyone’s needs. Depending on the day, you will get a variation of bread and spread. Also, one day we have rice with dal and another day soup.

3.) Which kind of food will be provided for dinner?

For dinner we will provide warm meals in the Mensa (cafeteria of TU Ilmenau) and by the “KĂŒchenkollektiv Leipzig”. It will be mostly without any animal products, but we will provide menus with meat on two days.

4.) I am allergic to some ingredients. Do you provide food-options for this?

We try to have lunch packages mostly without allergens. At dinner you can choose from 2 options. We tried to avoid having common allergens in both of them. Unfortunately it is not possible to provide gluten-free meals on each day. For any special needs please get in contact with info@iswi.org

5.) Why do you provide so many meals without animal products.

The (not only) German habit to eat meat everyday is neither sustainable nor healthy. Consumerism and nutrition is mainly responsible for ones “ecological footprint” (“meat atlas” (Heinrich Böll Stiftung)). Because of a global market, the resources of several countries are often used for cheap animal food production. We want to consider the impact of our consumerism as a everyday topic of “Global Justice”.

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H) Other

1.) I need a reference for applying for a sponsorship. Could you provide something like this?

Please send us an email to info@iswi.org with your detailed request (What do you need the reference for? What information should the letter contain?). Within a few days we will send you a reference letter.

2.) How can I contact other participants (from my country) (e.g. to arrange travelling together)?

To contact other participants (e.g. from your country) you can use different ways. If you have a Facebook account, you can join the ISWI-Group on Facebook and look for other participants of ISWI 2017.
The other possibility for contacting people will be the online forum that we will provide in due time. There you can ask questions, contact people (e.g. your future host), talk etc. But please do not discuss the conference’s topics in detail because other participants might not have the chance to take part in this discussion (e.g. due to bad Internet connection).

For data privacy reasons we cannot give you the contact of other participants. But we can give your contact data to the other participants of your country, if you allow us to do so. Then they can contact you. If you want us to give your contact data to the other participants from your country, you can write to info@iswi.org.

3.) How long does it normally take until I get a reply to my request?

We try our best to answer all your requests as soon as possible. But since we are all volunteers and organise the conference in our free time after our studies, it could take a few days up to a week until we are able to answer your request. We try our best to answer urgent questions immediately. Thank you for your understanding. Please don’t send your email more than once! It doesn’t make us answer faster.

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We tried to cover all questions. If there is something you would still like to ask, e-mail us at info@iswi.org and we’ll be happy to help you.