Before your stay:
In the past few weeks you have been in contact with your host department at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg and are now preparing for your stay in Erlangen or Nuremberg. If there are any special conditions to fulfil in conjunction with your research project (e.g. permission to perform experiments on animals, requirements in order to practise as a physician /medical doctor, etc.), please clarify these with your host department before your arrival in Germany. Below you will find a list of the important points that you need to address before you leave your home country. Please bring both originals and copies of all necessary documents with you to Germany!
Please ensure that you have the following documents:
- A passport or equivalent that is valid for your entire stay in Germany (exemptions apply e.g. for India only for 12 months). Please inquire at the German embassy in your home country
- A visa for yourself and accompanying family members (not required by members of EU countries). Information about visa and entry requirements can be obtained from the German embassy or consulate in your home country
- Evidence of your financial status or a statement on the financing of your stay in Germany, e.g. scholarship or employment contract (if possible in gross and net value)
- Several (biometric) passport photos for any identity documents that you will need whilst in Germany (e.g. residency permit)
- If you intend to drive a car in Germany, you will require a valid driving licence (national and international) and vehicle insurance documents
- Originals and copies of your academic qualification certificates (Bachelor's, Master's, etc.), of your academic transcripts, of your birth certificate, marriage certificate (where appropriate) and insurance documents in some cases
- Health Insurance Policy: you must have sufficient health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Germany. If you are not able to arrange health insurance from your home country, you must have travel insurance that will provide cover until your German health insurance cover begins
- Record of immunisations, current medication and medical records if necessary (e.g. in the event of chronic illness)
Please register with the Welcome Centre - Central Office for International Affairs using our registration form. Once we have entered your details into our database, we will be able to provide you with better support and send you up-to-date information and advice. Your personal information will remain strictly confidential and will only be used for internal purposes.
At the start of your stay in Germany you will have to do the following:
- Register your residency at the town hall or equivalent authority ("Einwohnermeldebehörde") - EU-citizens will receive their mobility permit ("Freizügigkeitsbescheinigung") there
- Open a bank account
- Non-EU citizens only: Apply for a residency permit at the Foreign Nationals Office ("Ausländerbehörde"), if you will be staying in Germany for longer than indicted on your visa. You must do this before your visa expires!
- Arrange health insurance cover if you have not already done so. Further information can be found on our website.
In addition to the list above, we have put together more detailed information here on the various authorities in Nuremberg, Fürth and Erlangen. If you not sure that you speak enough German in order to deal with the various bureaucratic formalities, please contact your host department or the Welcome Centre so that we can provide you with support.
At the end of your stay:
Shortly before you leave Germany, once you have finished your work and are packing your suitcases, you should attend to the following:
- Give notice of your departure at the town hall or equivalent authority ("Meldebehörde) a week before your departure at the earliest. This is very important, as failure to do so will mean that you will be liable to pay a fine if you wish to return to Germany in the future!
- Close your bank account
- Cancel the following utilities: electricity, gas, water, telephone, radio and TV licences, internet (some of these will automatically be cancelled if you were staying in a hall of residence or guest house. Please check!)
- Return your refectory card, library card, etc.
- Give notice of your departure to the Welcome Centre so that we can remove your details from our e-mail distribution list. Many thanks!
If you have any questions regarding the above information or if you require any further support, please do not hesitate to contact the support Welcome Centre team at the Central Office for International Affairs (e-mail: welcome@uni-erlangen.de)
Support of international scholars and doctoral students
Mr. Nikolas Kretzschmar, M.A.
Tel.: +49-9131-85-25793
Mrs. Xenia Mercier
Tel.: +49-9131-85-25789
Questions about housing, school, and kindergarden arrangements
Mrs. Kerstin Sommer
Tel.: +49-9131-85-24884
