Moving to a different country and starting a PhD requires some organisational steps. Here we provide information and useful links for incoming students which should help to prepare for the move and guide in first steps in Saarland and as PhD candidate.
Preparation
In preparation of your stay in Germany you best take care early about a potential required visa application.
The search for (first) accommodation should also start in time.
Best collect documents you might require for your stay and bring them with you to Germany. In particular bring your civil status documents (original passport or personal ID document, marriage certificate, etc.), which you will require for the Citizens’ registration or registration of the Foreigners office. It is also helpful to bring some copies of important documents (e.g. passport, certificates)
Checklist for recommended documents in your luggage:
- Original passport or personal ID document
- Passport photographs (compliant with biometric passports)
- Officially certified copies of your master degree certificate, if possible with a German or English translation
- marriage certificate (if applicable)
- birth certificate(s) of your child(ren) (if applicable)
- international vaccination card (if applicable)
- international driving licence (if applicable)
- documentation on pre-existing medical conditions or disabilities (if applicable)
Visa and Residence Permit
If you require a visa for entering Germany, you can look up at the list of the German Federal Foreign Office. You will find also the information where you can apply and what the visa costs.
Generally, EU nationals do not require a visa, non-EU nationals and British citizens require a visa. Please note that stays longer than 90 days require a national visa. Do not get a Schengen visa, which cannot be extended.
The national visa allows you to enter Germany and stay for a period of up to 90 days. Therefore, you need to apply for a temporary residence permit when you arrived in Germany. An appointment at the Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) is required and which should be applied 6-8 weeks before the visa expires. The Foreigners’ Registration Office is located in Lebach, address and contact: Central Foreigner’s Office (“Ausländerbehörde”); Dillinger Straße 67 / Building 2, 66822 Lebach; +49 (0)681/501-00 or zab@lava.saarland.de.
Together with the appointment, you will receive a list of required documents to bring with you for the residence permit application. Saarland University Welcome Center and the TALENTS office can assist you in the residence permit application process.
Finding accommodation
Cost you have to expect for rooms in shared flats are ranging 300 – 450,-€ and in single flats 400 – 600,- € or more. Usually costs for electricity (and heating) are not included in the announced rents in advertisements.
Saarland University has four University Guesthouses in the Saarbrücken area and one Guesthouse in Homburg. All apartments in the University Guesthouses are fully furnished and equipped. More information on the University Guesthouses can be found here.
Private marked offers larger selection in location, equipment or shared or single usage of apartments.
You may consider for your search:
| Local print newspaper (online /German) | https://www.wochenspiegelonline.de/anzeigen/immo-spiegel |
| General online search portals | https://www.immonet.de/ |
| https://www.immobilienscout24.de/ | |
| https://www.immowelt.de/ | |
| Online search portals for shared flats | https://www.wg-gesucht.de/ |
| https://www.wg-suche.de/ |
Posts on social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) can also help to find accommodation, as well as contact with your host department.
Further information e.g., on different types of flats on the local marked and vocabulary used for the rent is summarized here.
Upon arrival
Some organizational things to do upon arrival are:
- Residents’ Registration
- Getting your tax ID
- Opening a bank account
Information on these and more topics you can find at the Saarland University Welcome Center.
Insurance
The contract with Saarland University contains social insurance. Social insurance contributions are made up of a number of compulsory insurance payments (Health-, Unemployment-, Long-term care- and accident insurance and Retirement/pension scheme payments) that are withheld automatically from your salary. Two providers of statutory health insurance are located at the Saarbrücken Campus: IKK Südwest (Campus Office, Building C3 1) and Techniker Krankenkasse (Campus Center, Building A4 4). Further information on social insurance you find here.
Enrolment
Admission to doctoral studies requires an inclusion in the faculty’s list of doctoral candidates (at the faculties’ office) and registration or enrolment at Saarland University (students` office) – in this sequence.
Fill the application form (found below) together with your main supervisor, collect signatures from the supervisor team and bring the completed fully signed form.
When you are registered on the faculty list, you can proceed with the university enrolement. The tuition fees for TALENTS students are covered by the programme.
