Preparations & First Steps

Every student hast to enrol before taking up studies at the University of Greifswald. You can enrol at the Students' Registration Office (Rubenowstraße 2, Greifswald). Erasmus+ and exchange students enrol at the International Office. The University of Greifswald has no study fees. However, at the start of every semester, students must pay the semester fee that currently amounts to 124.00 EUR for initial enrolment and 83.00 EUR for every other semester.

After enrolling, students receive their study documents per post, Erasmus+ and exchange students can collect them from the International Office. These contain the Student ID Card and certificate of enrolment, but also the account details for accessing the University network (username and password). This gives you access to your personal student email account, the University Information System (“HIS”) and further online services provided by the University.
PhD students can apply for a university email address before arriving in Greifswald. Please request your email account from Ms. Held at the University Computer Centre (helduni-greifswaldde).

You are required to register as a resident of the town of Greifswald within one week after the start of your stay in Greifswald at the Resident Registration Office (Amt für Bürgerservice - Einwohnermeldewesen) - address: Markt 15, Greifswald. You will need:

• a valid passport/ ID card, 
• Wohnungsgeberbescheinigung (confirmation from the landlord that you have moved in, the rental agreement will not be accepted as sufficient proof),
• a (provisional) enrolment certificate,
• if applicable, certificate of deregistration from your former place of residence in Germany.

Banks in Germany provide students with free current accounts. EC cards allow you to withdraw money from cashpoints free of charge and pay by card in shops.

EU citizens with bank accounts in their home countries do not require an extra bank account for their stay in Germany. However, you should consider opening a German bank account if: 1) You have a room in a hall of residence and 2) your bank account in your home country is not held in euros (e.g. Czech koruna, British pounds) and/or your bank does not allow direct debits from Germany.

Non-EU citizens will need to open a German bank account.

Required documents:

• Registration certificate from the Resident Registration Office
• Passport/ID card,
• Enrolment certificate,
• if applicable, residence permit.

Before opening an account, it is wise to contact the bank in which you would like to open an account by phone to arrange for an appointment.

You must first find out whether you require a visa or not. You can obtain information about the visa requirements for your country from the German Foreign Office. Non-EU or EEA citizens (and their family members) who are residing in Germany for longer than three months and have arrived in Greifswald without a visa must visit the respective Immigration Office to apply for an Aufenthaltstitel (Residence Permit) - address: Feldstraße 85A, 17489 Greifswald. This currently costs € 100.00 (prices can vary depending on the home country).

Required documents:

• Passport/ID card,
• Registration certificate from the Resident Registration Office,
• Enrolment certificate,
• Proof of health insurance,
• Tenancy agreement,
• Biometric passport photos,
• Proof of financial means: For a visa to be issued, it is necessary for the applicant to provide proof of how s/he is going to finance his/her living costs in Germany, e.g. by providing proof of a scholarship. You might be required to open a Sperrkonto (blocked account) at a German bank, which contains financial means of a minimum amount of € 861 per month.

A residence permit is always limited. Renewals have to be applied for prior to the end of their validity.

Please do not come to Germany with a tourist visa before receiving a visa for study purposes. This cannot be extended in Greifswald. You would then have to travel back to your home country to receive a valid visa.

In Germany, everyone is liable for any damages made to third parties. Parents are liable for their children. Therefore, it is common and recommended to take out a private (family) liability insurance scheme, to insure yourself against claims which might arise from accidental damage. If you already have private liability insurance in your home country, you should check whether the insurance covers you during your stay in Greifswald.