Advice for Doubts about Studying

Are you feeling overwhelmed with your studies? Stuck or lost? Unsure of how to continue or if your choice of studies was the right decision? No one in your family has studied before and navigating university life seems endlessly difficult? Despite your great efforts, you feel like you’re not progressing and all your hard work seems to be in vain?

The counselling provides assistance and new perspectives when situations in your studies are causing difficulties and you’re unclear about which steps come next.
The counselling supports you in coping with these difficulties and the decision-making process, whether it’s changing your course of studies or leaving university with an eye towards a career alternative. None of these options is favoured, since there is not only one right path to a successful career. The focus is individual, solution-oriented advice, which aims at empowering students to overcome difficulties and gain a new perspective on their own resources and opportunities.

Consultations via chat are also available by arrangement. For this, we use Mattermost, where every student already has an account linked to their university ID. Please contact us in advance so we can schedule the chat.

Book an Appointment

More information about the counselling and a tool to book appointments can be found in Olat (klick here).

Counselling

Problems with your studies?

Our counselling service offers assistance when your studies aren’t going as planned, maybe because of motivational or performance problems, learning or examination difficulties or family or health issues. The counselling aims at reflecting on the situation together with all its factors and at taking a look at options. Personal and external resources should be taken into account to explore decision-making and action options and help to develop new skills to tackle the situation.

Doubts about your chosen subject or course of study/study programme?

If you are unsure whether you have chosen the right subject or study programme or if you are living with a great amount of uncertainty you can benefit from counselling. We will discuss the factors that influence your doubts in order to look ahead in a solution-oriented way. Finding information sources that can help with decision-making is just as important for your individual advice as localizing resources and developing strategies to initiate a positive development.

Thinking about leaving university?

There are many factors which influence someone’s difficulties in their studies, such as family burdens, performance issues, or simply the feeling of not “fitting into” the university setting. Examining the factors that trigger thoughts of dropping out can lead to progress because clarity is gained in the counselling session. If leaving university is truly the right decision or if doubts arise through other circumstances – the counselling accompanies students in finding answers. This may mean dropping out of university or finding an individual path to stay at university and rethinking and restructuring the situation. Here, instead of striving for performance or fulfilling high expectations, we focus on personal development.

First generation student?

Those who have no personal experience with universities and studying, and who do not know anyone they can trust to ask questions about studying, often doubt whether university is the right place for them. It can be particularly difficult to find your way around university if no one in your family has studied before. There are many new terms, structures, and processes that everyone else seems to understand, which can cause anxiety and make asking questions seem uncomfortable and embarrassing. During the consultation, you can ask any questions you like. In a confidential conversation, there are no “stupid” questions, and no one will be laughed at or embarrassed. Together, we will look at how to move forward and what options are available.

Consultation process

In our first meeting, I’d like to know the situation that led you to our counselling. What led to the situation continuously intensifying and ultimately led you to seek contact? Based on this information, we will decide individually on how to proceed with counselling. There is no standardized procedure; every problem, doubt, and concern is different. The most important thing for me is to take each student seriously as a person and to not see them as a “problematic case” but to engage with them as an individual. This way, we can work together to ensure that doubts soon belong to the past.
Personal meetings take place at Emil-Schüller-Straße 8. We have a specially designed coaching room where there is peace and the conversation is not disturbed. Of course, there is also the possibility of meeting online – I will adapt to what makes you feel more comfortable.

Data protection

We take the protection of your data very seriously. This means that we treat everything discussed in the counseling sessions as confidential and, of course, do not share it with other institutions at the university - not even with other counseling services, unless you explicitly request us to do so. The only exception is a situation in which we fear for your safety and health. In such a case, we reserve the right to contact medical personnel, but usually only after consulting with you.
If notes are taken during (or after) the counseling sessions, they are anonymized using a sequential number instead of your name. If you would like to learn more about this or would prefer that no notes be taken, we will be happy to discuss this with you during the counseling session.

For quality assurance reasons, we collect data on study courses and subjects, semester, age, and gender of students (if known) who contact us. This data is anonymous and will never be linked to your name. If you do not agree to this, please let us know!

Information

Further Resources at the University of Koblenz

Financial Aid	Students in difficult financial situations can get help through a loan or a grant.
Counselling at Studierendenwerk Koblenz	The Studierendenwerk offers counselling on all questions and problems in your student life, for example psychosocial counselling.
Counseling at the Center for Teacher Education (Zentrum für Lehrerbildung)	The Center for Teacher Education offers a wide range of counseling services throughout the semester, covering topics such as suitability and development as a teacher, creating a timetable, alternatives to teacher training, and a mentoring program.
Genereal Student Advisory Service	The General Student Advisory Service provides advice on changing courses or subjects. The focus is on individual knowledge and skills, academic interests and personal strengths, as well as academic and career goals. It helps students make sound decisions, align their studies with their personal goals, and cope with difficult situations during their studies.
Counseling for Prospective Doctoral Candidates	Are you (perhaps) interested in pursuing a doctorate, but unsure whether and how this can work? The IFGPZ at the University of Koblenz offers advice for those interested in pursuing a doctorate, among other things. It also offers numerous services and events related to academic careers, including for doctoral candidates and postdocs.
BAföG and Social Counselling	A service offered by the University of Koblenz where you can receive advice on BAfög and other financing options (e.g. loans, jobbing, social benefits) as well as on important topics such as insurance or debt counseling. (Website currently only available in German)
Employment Agency Counseling	Once a month, Annika Hecht-Vogelsang, a study and career advisor from the Koblenz-Mayen Employment Agency, visits us in the N building. She supports students in all matters relating to study and career orientation and is happy to assist with personal, telephone, or video consultations. And all of this is confidential, neutral, and free of charge!
International Relations Office	Whether you need advice on exchange opportunities, scholarships and application procedures or support for international students and visiting scholars as well as the initiation of international cooperations: the International Relations Office offers you a wide range of information materials and advisory services for prospective students, students, employees as well as partner universities.

Psychosocial Support

Help Lines	If you are in acute need of help and don't know what to do, you will find a contact person at the telephone counselling service. You will find links for help in different languages.
Counselling at Studierendenwerk Koblenz	The Studierendenwerk offers counselling on all questions and problems in your student life, for example psychosocial counselling.
The Violence Against Women Helpline	Available round the clock, 365 days a year and free of charge: The Violence against Women Helpline offers victims a way of receiving competent advice securely, anonymously and regardless of disability whenever they need.
psychNAVi Rheinland-Pfalz der Landeszentrale für Gesundheitsförderung e.V. (in German)	psychNAVi Rhineland-Palatinate brings together the psychiatric and psychotherapeutic support system throughout Rhineland-Palatinate. Here, those affected, their relatives, and people working in the healthcare system can find services and support options in all areas of the support system.

Miscellaneous

Your Handbook For A Resilient Academic Journey	Many students are under considerable psychological stress due to a variety of factors such as exam anxiety and fears about the future. The project “Healthy Studying in Rhineland-Palatinate” aims to take preventive action before stress arises and has therefore compiled a handbook for resilient studying.
Bist du noch richtig?	A co-operation between IKarus and representatives of the university Koblenz, the employment agency, the HWK and the IHK with the aim to offer support to students with study doubts in order to find their own individual way.

Get in touch

More information about the counselling and a tool to book appointments can be found in Olat (klick here).