uni-frankfurt.de

The official website at uni-frankfurt.de is the central online entry point for Goethe University Frankfurt. It is designed for prospective and current students, researchers, and visitors who need information about the university’s research, study and teaching, knowledge transfer, international affairs, and faculties. The site presents the university as “Excellent and International: Knowledge for Development, Sustainability and Equity,” and it serves as both an institutional showcase and a practical gateway to services and news.

What the Website Covers

The homepage organizes the university’s public information into a small set of top-level areas. Based on the site’s own navigation, these are:

The site also provides a newsroom for current university news and offers language options including German, English, and Easy-to-Read Language, plus an intranet entry for internal users.

Who the Site Is For

• Prospective students can start from the Study and Teaching area to learn about course offerings and the university’s academic profile.
• Current students and staff can use the intranet link and faculty pages for internal and departmental information.
• Researchers can explore the Research section and news about funded projects and collaborations.
• International visitors and partners can use the International section to understand the university’s global connections.
• Journalists and the general public can follow the Latest News and newsroom for institutional announcements.

What the Latest News Shows About the University

The homepage’s news items give a concrete sense of the university’s public profile. Recent examples include:

• A retrospective on the “Science for Democracy” symposium, featuring Frankfurt virologist Prof. Sandra Ciesek discussing threats to science and democracy.
• The RMU Awards, presented by the Rhine-Main Universities alliance, with winners from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
• The Friedrich Merz Visiting Fellowship, with neuropsychologist Dana M. Small researching the brain’s appetite for energy and unhealthy food cravings.
• The announcement that RMU won Excellence Alliance status, with Goethe University, JGU Mainz, and TU Darmstadt receiving multi-million-euro funding starting in 2027.
• Congratulations to Nobel Prize winner in Medicine Prof. Georg Nagel, who earned his doctorate and habilitation at Goethe University.

These items show that the site is not only an administrative portal but also a channel for research news, awards, and strategic developments.

How to Use the Site

1. Start at the homepage to see the main navigation and current news.
2. Choose your area — for example, Study and Teaching for academic programs, or Research for research information.
3. Use the language switch if you prefer German, English, or Easy-to-Read Language.
4. Check the newsroom for recent announcements and press releases.
5. Use the intranet link only if you are a member of the university with internal access.

The site does not publish pricing or payment information on the homepage, and access to the intranet is an internal service rather than a public feature. For specific program requirements, deadlines, or application procedures, the Study and Teaching section is the appropriate starting point.

Being an IB student means more than attending a school that offers an International Baccalaureate programme. It means learning through a specific framework that asks you to think critically, communicate clearly, and take responsibility for your own progress. The IB's four programmes — the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP) — share a common philosophy but place different demands on students at each stage.

This article explains what the IB expects from students, how responsibilities change across the four programmes, and how families can prepare for the transition.

The foundation: the IB learner profile

Across all four programmes, the IB describes ten attributes it hopes students develop. These are usually called the learner profile. Students are encouraged to be:

• Inquirers — curious and skilled at asking good questions
• Knowledgeable — exploring ideas across a range of subjects
• Thinkers — using critical and creative thinking
• Communicators — expressing ideas confidently in more than one language
• Principled — acting with integrity and fairness
• Open-minded — appreciating other perspectives and cultures
• Caring — showing empathy and respect
• Risk-takers — approaching uncertainty with courage
• Balanced — attending to intellectual, physical, and emotional well-being
• Reflective — assessing their own learning and experience

These attributes are not a checklist to complete. They describe habits and dispositions that teachers look for and that students are expected to demonstrate over time. In practice, they shape how lessons are taught, how projects are assessed, and how students are asked to behave toward one another.

How student responsibilities differ across the four programmes

Each programme has its own structure, age range, and expectations. The table below summarises the main differences.

PYP: building the habits of inquiry

In the PYP, the student's main job is to engage. Children are expected to ask questions, work with others, and reflect on what they have learned. The emphasis is on developing curiosity and basic research skills rather than on formal examinations. Students often take part in units of inquiry that connect subjects, and they may lead conferences where they explain their learning to parents.

MYP: making connections and managing yourself

The MYP asks students to go further. They study eight subject groups and are expected to connect what they learn to the world around them. A key responsibility is the personal project, an independent piece of work that students plan, research, and complete over an extended period. This is often the first time students must manage a long-term deadline largely on their own. Service learning also becomes more structured, and students are encouraged to reflect on their role in the community.

DP: depth, independence, and the core

The DP is the most academically demanding of the four programmes. Students typically study six subjects, three at higher level and three at standard level, and complete three core requirements:

• Theory of knowledge (TOK) — a course that asks how we know what we claim to know
• The extended essay — an independent research paper of up to 4,000 words
• Creativity, activity, service (CAS) — a programme of ongoing experiences outside academic study

DP students are expected to manage a heavy workload, meet external examination deadlines, and produce original academic work. Independent study is not optional; it is central to the programme.

CP: academic study with a career focus

The CP is designed for students who want to combine academic courses with career-related learning. Students take at least two DP courses alongside a career-related study programme, and complete a reflective project. They also develop personal and professional skills. The CP suits students who learn best when their studies connect directly to a practical field, while still requiring the critical thinking and communication skills common to all IB programmes.

How assessment and independence change as students progress

One of the clearest patterns across the IB is the shift from teacher-led assessment toward student-led responsibility.

In the PYP, teachers observe and document learning, and students are guided through reflection. In the MYP, students are assessed against published criteria and must increasingly manage their own projects. By the DP and CP, students are preparing for external examinations and independent research, and they are expected to organise their time, seek help when needed, and meet deadlines without constant reminders.

This progression is deliberate. The IB wants students to leave as self-directed learners who can think for themselves.

Common misconceptions about being an IB student

Several myths circulate about the IB. Here are a few clarifications.

• "IB students must be geniuses." The programmes are demanding, but they are designed for a broad range of students. Effort, curiosity, and organisation matter as much as raw ability.
• "The IB is only about exams." Assessment includes projects, portfolios, oral work, and service. The DP has external exams, but the core requirements are equally important.
• "Students must be fluent in a second language before starting." Language learning is part of the IB, and support is usually available. Requirements vary by programme and school.
• "IB students have no free time." The workload is real, but the learner profile includes balance. Schools generally encourage students to manage their time and well-being.
• "All IB schools are the same." Schools implement the programmes in different ways, and the range of subjects and support offered can vary.

Preparing for the transition into an IB programme

If you are a student or a parent preparing to enter an IB programme, the following steps can help.

1. Read the programme guide for your specific programme. The IB publishes curriculum and assessment information for PYP, MYP, DP, and CP. Understanding the structure reduces surprises.
2. Talk to current students and teachers. Ask about workload, deadlines, and what support is available.
3. Build organisational habits early. A simple planner, weekly review, and clear study space make a difference, especially in the MYP and DP.
4. Practise reflection. The IB asks students to think about their own learning. Keeping a short journal or notes on what worked and what did not is useful preparation.
5. Ask about language and subject choices. Requirements differ by programme and school, so confirm the details with the school directly.
6. Plan for the core requirements. In the DP, the extended essay, TOK, and CAS take time. Starting early and setting interim deadlines helps.
7. Use school support. Coordinators, counsellors, and teachers are there to help. Asking for guidance is part of being a successful IB student.

A practical summary

Being an IB student means developing the learner profile attributes while meeting the specific demands of your programme. In the PYP, that means curiosity and participation. In the MYP, it means making connections and managing independent work. In the DP, it means academic depth and completing the core. In the CP, it means combining academic study with career-related learning and reflection.

Across all four, the common thread is responsibility: for your learning, your time, and your contribution to the community around you. Understanding that early makes the transition smoother and the experience more rewarding.

The official site, uni-frankfurt.de, publishes news through a dedicated Newsroom and a Latest News section on the homepage. The homepage also links to university-wide sections such as Research, Study and Teaching, Knowledge Transfer, International, and Faculties, which is where campus-life and service information sits. The site is available in German and English, with an additional Easy-to-Read Language option.

Start With the Homepage News Block

The homepage carries a Latest News area with dated items and a link labelled “Visit Our Newsroom For More.” That link is the main route to the full news stream rather than the handful of stories promoted on the front page.

Stories in this block follow a consistent pattern: a headline, a short label such as Web exclusive or Press Release, a date, and a one- or two-sentence summary. Each item links to the full article.

What the News Coverage Looks Like

Based on the current homepage, news items fall into a few recognisable types:

Dates on the visible items run from early to late October 2026, so the newsroom is actively maintained rather than archival.

Campus Life and Services: Where to Look

The homepage does not have a single “Campus Life” button. Instead, campus-life and service content is reached through the top-level navigation:

• Study and Teaching — programme information and student-facing academic content
• Research — projects, consortia and research news
• Knowledge Transfer — public engagement and outreach
• International — exchange, partnerships and mobility
• Faculties — department-level pages, which typically carry local events and notices
• Intranet — internal pages, generally restricted to members of the university

If you are looking for a specific event, lecture series or student service, the faculty pages are usually the more granular source than the central newsroom.

Practical Tips for Finding What You Need

1. Use the language toggle first. The DE/EN switch at the top changes the interface language; some deep pages and documents may still be German-only.
2. Go to the Newsroom for completeness. The homepage block shows only a selection.
3. Check the item label. Press Release items are formal announcements; Web exclusive items are editorial features and interviews.
4. Expect faculty-level detail elsewhere. Central news covers university-wide matters; departmental events and campus-life notices tend to live under Faculties.

One limitation worth knowing: the homepage evidence does not specify an events calendar or a student-life portal by name, so if you need a dated events listing, start from the Newsroom and the relevant faculty page rather than assuming a central calendar exists.

Goethe University Frankfurt's official site is uni-frankfurt.de. The fastest route to any key section is the main navigation bar at the top of the homepage, which lists University, Research, Study and Teaching, Knowledge Transfer, International, and Faculties. Use that bar first; only drop into search or the newsroom when you already know the topic but not the section.

Main Navigation Sections

The homepage presents its primary navigation as a single horizontal set of labels. Each label opens a top-level section of the site:

The site also carries a tagline describing its profile — "Excellent and International: Knowledge for Development, Sustainability and Equity" — which tells you the framing used across these sections.

Language and Accessibility Entries

At the top of the page you'll see DE / EN language toggles, plus Search, Intranet, and Easy-to-Read Language. These are utility entries rather than content sections:

• DE / EN switches the interface between German and English. The homepage content itself appears in English in the version described here, with German available.
• Search is the right entry point when you know a keyword (a programme name, a person, a service) but not which section holds it.
• Intranet is a separate internal area; expect it to serve members of the university rather than the general public.
• Easy-to-Read Language provides a simplified-language version of site content.

Finding News and Campus Life Updates

News is not buried in the main navigation. The homepage carries a Latest News block and a direct link to Visit Our Newsroom For More. If you want current items — symposium recaps, awards, visiting fellowships, funding announcements — go straight to the newsroom rather than browsing sections.

The newsroom items on the homepage show the pattern you'll encounter: dated entries with a category label (for example "Web exclusive," "Press Release," or "UniReport"), a headline, a short summary, and a link to the full item. A "Discover News" link leads further into the news area.

What the Newsroom Covers

Recent examples from the homepage give a sense of scope:

• A retrospective on the "Science for Democracy" symposium, featuring virologist Prof. Sandra Ciesek.
• The RMU Awards, presented by Rhine-Main Universities.
• The Friedrich Merz Visiting Fellowship Endowment, with neuropsychologist Dana M. Small.
• Announcement that RMU (Goethe University, JGU Mainz, and TU Darmstadt) was named an Excellence Alliance, with multi-million-euro funding starting in 2027.
• Congratulations to Nobel Prize winner in Medicine Prof. Georg Nagel, who earned his doctorate and habilitation at Goethe University.

If your interest is campus life specifically, the newsroom is the practical starting point; the homepage does not expose a separate "campus life" navigation label in the material available.

Research and International Collaboration

Two separate top-level labels serve this need: Research and International. The homepage also references the RMU-EXCITE consortium ("Excellent. Collaborative. Transformative") under the Excellence Strategy, which is where cross-institution collaboration content sits. For collaboration news specifically, the newsroom carries RMU-related announcements alongside the Research and International sections.

Study and Course Information

Course and study content lives under Study and Teaching. The homepage's own description of the site promises "course offerings" among its core content, so treat that label as the entry point for prospective and current students. If you can't locate a specific programme, switch to Search and use the programme name rather than clicking through faculties one by one.

A Practical Navigation Sequence

1. Open uni-frankfurt.de.
2. Decide whether you need a section (use the main navigation bar) or a specific item (use Search).
3. For current announcements, skip the sections and go to the newsroom via "Visit Our Newsroom For More."
4. Set DE or EN before you start browsing so links stay in your preferred language.
5. If a page feels dense, try Easy-to-Read Language for a simplified version.

Common Sticking Points

• Intranet is not public content. If a link leads to the intranet, it is aimed at university members, not outside visitors.
• News is separate from sections. Section pages describe the university; dated announcements appear in the newsroom.
• Faculties is a directory, not a course catalogue. Use it to reach a faculty, then look for study information there or return to Study and Teaching.
• Language toggles affect navigation labels too. If a label looks unfamiliar, check which language mode you're in.

Goethe University Frankfurt’s official site (uni-frankfurt.de) provides a research section, an international section, and news coverage of collaborative projects, including its role in the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) alliance and the RMU-EXCITE excellence consortium. Use the site’s main navigation—labeled University, Research, Study and Teaching, Knowledge Transfer, and International—as your entry points. The site is available in German and English, and also offers an Easy-to-Read Language version.

Where research information lives

The Research section is the primary hub for research-related content. The homepage also surfaces current research news, which is useful for seeing what the university is actively promoting. Recent examples from the site include:

• A symposium recap on “Science for Democracy,” featuring Frankfurt virologist Prof. Sandra Ciesek discussing threats to science and democracy, from COVID disinformation to illiberal government policies.
• The Friedrich Merz Visiting Fellowship Endowment, with neuropsychologist Dana M. Small researching the drivers of cravings for unhealthy foods.
• Congratulations to Prof. Georg Nagel, who earned his doctorate and habilitation at Goethe University, on winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

These items show the kind of research information the site publishes: event outcomes, visiting professorships, and recognition of affiliated researchers. For structured information—research priorities, projects, and units—start from the Research navigation item rather than the news feed.

International collaboration and the RMU alliance

The International section covers exchange and global partnerships. The most concrete collaboration structure described on the homepage is the Rhine-Main Universities (RMU) alliance, which brings together Goethe University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), and TU Darmstadt.

Key facts the site states:

The site links to the RMU press release and video reactions from the three university presidents and the science ministers of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, so you can follow the announcement to primary statements.

How to use the site for your own purpose

1. Identify your goal. For research structures and projects, open the Research section. For partnerships and exchange, open International.
2. Check the newsroom. The “Latest News” area and the linked newsroom show current projects, awards, and collaborations—useful for judging what the university is prioritizing now.
3. Follow alliance links. RMU-related items connect to joint announcements and consortium information, which is where cross-institution collaboration details are concentrated.
4. Switch language if needed. The DE/EN toggle and Easy-to-Read Language option are visible at the top of the page.

A common snag: the homepage mixes news with navigation, so a research topic you see in a headline may not have a dedicated page yet. In that case, use the section navigation or the newsroom rather than expecting the homepage to be an index.

What the site does not specify

The available page evidence does not list tuition, fees, application deadlines, or login requirements for research or exchange programs. Treat those as details to confirm on the relevant section pages rather than assuming access conditions from the homepage.