At the beginning of the winter term, the City of Cologne, the International Offices of the Cologne universities and the Kölner Studierendenwerk invite all new foreign students and visiting academics to the Historic City Hall of Cologne.
The reception begins on Friday, 9th October 2026 at 5.30 p.m. with an official welcome on behalf of the City of Cologne by Mayor Derya Karadag. As representative of the Cologne universities, Univ.-Prof. Dr Ansgar Thiel, Rector of the German Sport University Cologne, will address the guests. Speaking on behalf of the Cologne Student Services Organisation is Dr Klaus Wilsberg, Head of Corporate Communications.
As in previous years, some universities will present the DAAD Prize together with Julia Quirll da Matta, Head of External Communications at the DAAD, to students.
Following the official programme, international students will have the opportunity to get to know each another over snacks and drinks (catered by the Cologne Student Services Organisation) in the atrium and to find out about the services available specifically for international students at numerous stands (e.g. international university groups, student unions, university congregations and the Cologne Student Services Organisation).
Before the reception, we are offering new arrivals the chance to get to know Cologne better during a guided city tour (in German or English). These tours end in front of the Historic Town Hall, where the official programme begins at 5.30 pm.
Participation is by registration only – see the form at the very bottom of this page.
City Tour:
Friday, 9th October 2026 at 3:45 pm, Meeting point at the finial opposite the main entrance of the cathedral, Kardinal-Höffner-Platz 1, 50667 Cologne. Registration is necessary (form below).
Welcome Reception:
Friday, 9th October 2026 at 5:30 pm at the Cologne City Hall (Piazzetta), entrance from Alter Markt, 50677 Cologne.
Registration:
Please fill in the form further down on this website.
Registration deadline:
Please register until September 22, 2026. The form will be closed as soon as the maximum number of 300 guests is reached.
Participation is open to international first-year students at the following universities: University of Cologne, TH Köln, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne University of Music and Dance, Academy of Media Arts Cologne, CBS International Business School Cologne, the Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia (Cologne campus) and MU – Media University of Applied Sciences.
