Foreign students in preparatory courses in German as a foreign language (GFL) are often very well cared for and detached from (the typical challenges of) university life. Transition to their regular studies can therefore be experienced as an unexpected overload which even leads to discontinuation of studies. In this paper, a specific course concept is presented with the aim to prevent this overload and to facilitate the transition to academia by breaking up the traditional course concept and bringing students into contact with academia and everyday university life whilst attending the preparatory GFL courses. This paper focuses on authentic encounters of foreign students with domestic students, methods of teaching of a German university and the experience of intercultural differences as moments of irritation. According to constructivist and transformational learning theories, such moments of irritation might initiate a change of perspective thus breaking up and changing stands and attitudes. The paper will further elaborate on the necessary discussion and reflexion of these encounters and irritations.