FAQ for the MINGA-Program

Both, the Department of Informatics and the university provide informational events that prepare new students with all the important information they need. A MINGA mentor serves to enhance these information sessions via personal, voluntary support. A mentor serves not as a full time support but as a guidance and assistance if necessary, especially before arrival in Munich and at the beginning of the semester. 

Both sides profit from this experience: mentees receive help and guidance in Munich and at TUM Informatics, mentors gain intercultural competence, international contacts or can improve their language skills.

Mentors need to be enrolled as a student at TUM Informatics. Ideally you already bring experience as a student. Mentees need to be enrolled at TUM Informatics in the following semester.

Interested students of other faculties please contact their respective mentoring programs.

Mentors please apply via the online registration form for mentors.

Mentees please register with the online registration form for mentees.

The contact between mentors and mentees is aimed at developing as freely as possible. For this reason, we do our best to match students with mentors who have similar core areas of study and who share interests to facilitate friendship. We, therefore, ask for corresponding details in the online forms.

All participants should always have fun during the process. We have found that mentors who enjoy their role will also fulfill these tasks well.

We 'match' mentors and mentees in July and September for the coming winter semester and December and March for the following summer semester. As soon as the procedure is complete you receive an email with the contact details of your mentor or one to two mentees. At this point it is up to you to arrange your way of communicating or meetings and activities.

Applications at different times during the semester usually cannot be accepted.

We do our best to match one mentor with one to three mentees. In few cases, it may happen that we can't find MINGA Matches for all participants due to a slight difference in the number of applicants. This may occur more likely for mentors in winter semester and mentees in summer semester.

Before the new semester each mentor will get in contact with one to two mentees via email. From that moment on we strongly recommend to start communicating and then making plans for meetings or future activities.

Additionally, a MINGA Workshop and Introductory meeting take place before the beginning of the new semester.

The mentor can already assist his or her mentee to have a good start and get some orientation at TUM and in Munich, e.g. by picking up the mentee from the airport or helping on arrival, with TUMonline or the selection of the courses.

You can organize the frequency of contact individually upon demand and sympathy but also upon personal schedules. A mentor’s function is to ease the international student's transition to life at TUM and to provide advice and assistance during the semester. During the semester the mentor is seen as a reliable contact person. Most of all it should be an enriching and fun experience for both sides.

Especially at the beginning of the semester and the months before via long-distance communication the mentor assists as a support and contact person. The way of communicating or frequency of meetings during the semester depend upon sympathy, demand and schedules.

Even friendships can often develop which continue to exist 'internationally' also after the studies at TUM Informatics. The role as a support and guidance can as a result turn into friendship.

Before the beginning of the new semester the MINGA-Program enables you to take part in a mentor's workshop to inform about the most important aspects. 

During the semester a variety of MINGA events take place, such as an introductory meeting excursions or activities in and outside of Munich. The events give you the chance to share your experience and get in contact with other mentors and mentees.Further communication and organization of meetings and activities follow independently. 

Browse through our pages and if you have any questions the MINGA team or advisory network of TUM Informatics are happy to be at your disposal.

At the end of your task as a mentor we can gladly issue a confirmation of your commitment. Please fill in this form to obtain a certificate.

We commit to find MINGA Matches which fit in the best way possible according to their personal interests and main field of study, so that ideally a friendly relation is being established.

We are aware of the fact that it is not always possible. In this case we would like to ask the mentors to be responsible for an initial support via email and to arrange one to two meetings after the mentee's arrival at TUM Informatics.

Within the MINGA Mentor Workshop you receive information brochures about the MINGA-Program and the TUM advisory services.

The mentor's booklet, including useful links for various matters, will shortly be available for download.