Welcome to the Uni Stuttgart!

Uni Stuttgart – especially at Campus Vaihingen – has a very active student community. The Computer Science student group (FIUS) has a dedicated room (0.001) with a comfy sofa and always someone around to answer questions. As a university, the program is fairly theory-focused, but there’s plenty going on beyond lectures: as a city, Stuttgart has a lot to offer – from uni parties and beach events to a lively student scene where you quickly find your crowd on the large campus.

The program is challenging, especially in the first few semesters and particularly in the theoretical courses. However, it is absolutely doable! The key to success is studying in groups. Visit the student lounge, ask senior students for advice, use exam archives, and attend office hours. You are not alone!

In the first semesters, all programs share many fundamentals (programming, math, theory). The differences are mainly in the mandatory core and in how many free elective ECTS you have.

• Computer Science (Inf) is the broadest and leaves you the most free elective ECTS – you can shape your own profile the most.
• Software Engineering (SE) focuses on systematically building large software systems, project management, and teamwork – with a large team software project as a highlight.
• Media Informatics (MI) combines computer science with design and human-computer interaction.
• AI & Data Science focuses on data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Important: you can take modules on data modeling, software development, and programming projects in almost any program via electives and application subjects – Computer Science just gives you the most free elective ECTS to do so. So choose mainly based on the mandatory focus that appeals to you most.

You don’t need to do anything immediately. Many freshmen get overwhelmed by pre-semester emails. The prep courses are optional. For FIUS courses (PSE and LDS), you do not need to register weeks in advance. Just attend the ‘How-To Study’ lecture on the first day of ESE week, where we explain everything step-by-step.

Yes, absolutely! Just accepting your offer in C@MPUS is not enough. You must transfer the semester fee and submit all required papers (like health insurance proof). Only fully enrolled students get their TIK accounts activated to access ILIAS and Uni mail. Do this as early as possible!

A 4GB RAM laptop (a ‘potato’) will struggle with modern IDEs and compilers. We recommend at least 8GB RAM, ideally 16GB. You don’t need a €1300 machine – a solid used office laptop is fine.

An iPad alone is not enough because you must run desktop programming software.

There is no physical paper semester ticket. As a student up to 27 years old, you can purchase the Deutschlandticket JugendBW (which does not require the student union solidarity fee contribution) from SSB or other transit authorities. If you are older than 27, you must buy the standard Deutschlandticket or other standard fare options.

You don’t need to sign out of general ESE events (lectures, tours) as they don’t require registration. However, if you signed up for a limited-capacity event like the Freshman Cabin Trip (Ersti-Hütte) and cannot make it, please email us immediately at fs@fius.de so we can offer your spot to someone on the waiting list.

Yes, absolutely! The MINT course is general. Our PSE course is run by experienced CS students and prepares you directly for Java and the specific ‘Programming and Software Development’ curriculum in our degree program. Even with MINT background, it’s highly recommended.

Yes, it can be very useful to bridge the gap from school math to university math early. The shift is significant. If you want to refresh your math skills, attend the MINT-Kolleg course in September to keep your skills fresh.