Making friends at university works best where you see the same people regularly: in seminars, study groups, the student council and university sport. If you meet the same faces week after week, conversations almost happen on their own. The start is often slow all the same, especially in an unfamiliar city. Here you will find places where it is easier, and sentences that help you take the first step.
The key points at a glance
- Repeated encounters count for more than a perfect first impression. Look for places where you meet the same people several times.
- The first weeks are the easiest phase: almost all first-year students are looking for company.
- A study group, the student council or a university sports course give you conversations with a built-in reason.
- An acquaintance becomes a friendship when one of you takes the second step, such as a suggestion, a message or an invitation.
Why is it often hard to find company at university?
Unlike school, you do not sit in the same room every day with the same 25 people. Lectures are large, timetables differ, and after a seminar everyone goes in a different direction. For many, a move to a new city where nobody knows them makes it harder still.
The good news is that you are not alone in this. At the start of their studies, many people are looking for company, even if they do not show it. Whoever says the first sentence usually makes it easier for both.
Where do first-year students meet people fastest?
It is fastest with activities that are designed for newcomers and recur. The overview below shows what suits which purpose.
| Place | Why it is easier there | First step |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation week | Everyone is new, and get-to-know-you rounds are part of the programme | Go to the pub crawls, city rallies and first-year breakfasts of the student council |
| Seminar and tutorial | Small group, fixed dates, shared tasks | Start a conversation about the material before or after the session |
| Study group | Regular meetings with a clear purpose | Suggest a group in the seminar |
| Student council | Open meetings, many tasks that can be shared | Go to a council meeting and ask where help is needed |
| University sport | Shared movement, conversations happen along the way | Choose a course with fixed dates |
| Hall of residence or shared flat | Shared spaces, daily encounters | Be present in the kitchen and common room |
| Local club | Contacts outside the university, with other age groups | Attend a trial session or open evening |
How do you go about making friends at university without it feeling awkward?
Refer to something you are experiencing together right now. That takes the pressure off, because you do not have to invent a topic. The lecture hall, the lecturer, the assignment or the coffee in your hand provide enough material.
A few openers that work in practice:
- “Do you already know how the exam is structured? I am still a bit lost.”
- “Do you have last week’s slides? I lost the thread in the second half.”
- “Shall we look at the task together? I cannot get anywhere on my own.”
- “I am new in town. Do you know where you can get a cheap lunch?”
A request for help often works better than a compliment. Someone who explains something to you feels needed and remembers you. Introduce yourself by name early on, because later it quickly becomes awkward to ask.
How do you find a study group?
The easiest way is through people you have already spoken to twice. Approach them after a session and make a concrete suggestion: “I want to work through the practice sheets before the exam. Would you like to start in the library after Thursday’s lecture?” A fixed time and place is more binding than “We should do that sometime”.
Good groups stay small, usually three to five people, so that everyone takes part. At the start, agree what you want to get through in each meeting, and take turns explaining. If you do not know anyone yet, the notice board, the course mailing list or the student council can help, as they often connect people for study groups.
What can you do if you are alone in a new city?
Choose two or three fixed appointments a week outside your flat. A sports course on Tuesday, the student council breakfast on Wednesday, a game night in the hall of residence on Friday: over time people get to know you there. You do not have to go everywhere, but stick with the things you choose.
Loneliness can feel harder in the first semester than you expected. This is widespread and not a personal failure. If low mood or withdrawal lasts for weeks, you will find information under mental health during your studies (in German). How you can pay for psychotherapy during your studies depends on your health insurance, as explained in PKV and psychotherapy: what is covered (in German). Many universities and student services also offer psychological counselling, so ask your student services.
How does an acquaintance become a friendship?
Through repetition and a small step beyond the occasion. Someone who knows you only from the seminar does not know whether you are also up for contact outside it. Make it visible: suggest a coffee after the lecture, ask whether the person wants to join you for university sport, or send a short message the evening before an exam.
A few things help:
- Remember details. If someone told you about an exam or a weekend visit, they will appreciate you asking about it afterwards.
- Say yes more often. Even when you are tired, invitations to eat, study or go for a walk are the occasions when closeness builds.
- Invite people yourself. Do not wait for others to start. A cooking evening with two or three people is a low-threshold beginning, and if you want to cook cheaply in advance (in German), you can share the costs and the work.
- Be yourself. You do not have to please everyone. A few people who suit you help you more than many superficial contacts.
What if it does not work straight away?
Then it is usually down to the choice of places, rarely to you. Not every group suits you, and not every conversation leads anywhere. In the first semester, try several offers and then decide which ones to stick with.
If you have little money and time, you do not have to give up contacts. If you want to study minimally (in German), you can deliberately limit yourself to two or three appointments a week that matter to you and drop the rest. If you are in a relationship, you still need your own friendships, because they take pressure off the partnership during your studies (in German).
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to find friends at university?
The first weeks of the first semester offer the best conditions. Orientation week, get-to-know-you events and new seminars bring together many people who do not yet know anyone. You can also join in at any time, for example through the student council, university sport or a study group for the next exam period.
How do I make connections as a master’s or course-change student?
In a master’s programme, many groups are already well established. So look for formats that are put together afresh: introductory days for master’s students, tutorials, project seminars or language courses. Student councils and university groups also take on new members all the time.
How do I form a study group?
Speak to two to four people you already got on well with in the seminar, and propose a specific date with place and topic. A small group, fixed times and a clear goal for each meeting keep it going. A notice or the course mailing list helps if you do not know anyone yet.
What should I do if I feel lonely despite my efforts?
Give it time, because friendships usually grow over months. Keep to fixed appointments, though, and talk to someone about it, such as friends from home, the student advisory service or the psychological counselling of your student services. If the feeling lasts a long time and weighs on you, seek professional support.
So what should you do now
- This week, choose two offers with fixed dates, for example a sports course and a student council meeting.
- In your next seminar, approach one person with one of the openers above and give your name.
- After two conversations at the latest, suggest something concrete: a coffee, the library or lunch together.
- Stick with what you chose for at least a month before deciding whether it suits you.
Related reading
- Mental health during your studies: how to stay stable (in German)
- Sport during your studies: tips to stay fit (in German)
- Moving for your studies: a checklist for a stress-free start (in German)
Last updated: October 2026.
