Buddy program

In the BMS buddy program, new students are helped by an old student, who comes usually from the same country/similar cultural background. 

What you can profit from the buddy program:

• your buddy can pick you up at the airport when you arrive in Berlin, and help you do the bureaucracy in the first weeks,

• you can always contact him/her about practical, organizational questions (e.g. he or she can give you advice about finding an apartment) or any personal problems,

• you can also discuss with him/her about academic questions, e.g.

  • Phase I: how to choose your courses, what the exams look like in Germany, how to study for the exams, what is the personal style of some concrete professors like, how to find a supervisor for your Master's thesis/PhD etc.

  • Phase II: how personal contact between PhD students and supervisors work, how a working group or a research seminar works, how to manage your time, how to choose workshops/conferences, how to prepare articles and conference talks etc.

In principle, you can contact your buddy if you have any questions or problems.

Each year, there is a buddy meeting in the end of September or in the beginning of October for all old and new students participating in the buddy program. Here we get to know each other, we discuss about studying and life about BMS together in a relaxed environment.

The time of the next buddy meeting is: TBA. In September or October, when you new students are here! :)

If you haven't applied for the buddy program, we would still recommend you to come to the buddy meeting! If you have questions that you would ask from your buddy but (s)he doesn't exist, feel free to ask us student reps instead (write an email to bmsstudrep_AT_gmail.com)! In August, we are also on vacation or at summer schools, but we'll answer you after some time. :)