Information for

After Your Arrival

You will need to take care of the following tasks as soon as possible after your arrival in Freiberg. If you have a mentor or German-speaking friend, we advise you to ask her/him for help during these formalities.
Unfortunately, it is not possible to give an exact step-by-step instruction, but from our experience, the following agenda is the most efficient one:

1) Sign your housing contract at the Studentenwerk (Housing Office of StudentServices)

2) Register at the Einwohnermeldeamt (Municipal Registration Office)

3) Open a bank account

4) Pay the semester fee

5) Get documents from your health insurance company

6) Register at the Zulassungsbüro (Admissions Office) located at Akademiestr. 6

7) Apply at the Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Office) for a residence permit

Housing Contract

Residing in a dormitory

If you have decided to live in a dormitory room provided by the Studentenwerk, you will have to sign the housing contract there. You will find the Housing Office of Student Services (Abteilung Studentisches Wohnen) at Agricolastr. 14–16 in Room 105 on the main floor. The students’dormitories are located next to the Student Canteen (Neue Mensa).

If you receive the keys to your room from your mentor, you should sign the contractwithin the first week after your arrival. If you pick up the keys personally, be preparedto sign the contract immediately. In order to sign the contract, bring the following with you:

Rent money for the first month (only EURO cash), Money for the deposit, which is the equivalent of 2 months of rent (only EURO cash), Letter of admission to studies (Bescheid über Zulassung zum Studium), Letter of room assignment from Student Services (Bescheid vomStudentenwerk über Zimmerzuteilung), Passport.

If you do not bring blankets and bedding with you, you may buy new or borrow clean but used ones from Studentenwerk (Student Services). It will be cheaper to buy new blankets in a shop, than to buy from Studentenwerk.

Residing in a Shared Flat or Private Room

If you decide to live in a shared flat or single private room, you will find offers posted on bulletin boards in the Student Canteen (Neue Mensa), the Library or the main administration building, as well as by walking through the City. Please note that a deposit of 2–3 monthly rents is often required. Other costs like telephone, internet access, heating, electricity, water and a fee for a real estate agent can occur. You may buy very reasonably priced furniture at the very beginning of the semester from other students (watch the bulletin boards!), from shops with used furniture (e.g. in the Burg- or Fischerstraße) or contact the Student Services Office (Studentenwerk or Studentenrat.)

Important: Wherever you decide to live, once your housing contract/lease is signed, keep it at hand – it is an essential document required for your registration atthe city hall, your visit to the immigration office and for any German bank to openyour bank account.

Municipal Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt)

Once you have moved to Freiberg, you will have to register in the Municipal Registration Office (Einwohnermeldeamt). Please go there as soon as you know your new address. The office is located in the City Hall (Rathaus) at Obermarkt. You are required by law to register at the Einwohnermeldeamt within two weeks after your arrival. If you move within the country or leave Germany, you must register at the Municipal Registration Office with each move, and if you prefer, this may also be done in advance.

By showing your passport with valid visa and the dormitory housing contract, you will obtain the Anmeldebestätigung (certificate confirming residency), which is necessary for obtaining your residence permit and for opening your bank account. This certificate is free of charge. If you decide to work in Germany, you will also need to obtain the income tax card (Lohnsteuerkarte) from this office.

Bank Account

Only students from the European Union are not required to open a German bank account. We strongly recommend that all students open a German bank account: the “Girokonto” type. Due to expensive banking fees for money transfers and other operation costs between countries, it is also advantageous for EU citizens to have a German bank account.

Why do you need a German bank account?

All non-EU students must prove to the immigration authorities that they have adequate financial means to pay for their stay in Germany; in Freiberg the monthly amount necessary is approximately 500 € per person
Both the Studentenwerk and most landlords request all tenants to sign a direct debiting mandate so that the rent will be directly transferred each month from each tenant’s bank account. Students living in a dormitory or in a private flat will need to open a bank account.
A bank account allows a student to deposit money safely and pay any bill through their bank free of charge.
The semester fees need to be paid by a bank money transfer.

To open a bank account, have on you your passport, Certificate confirming residency in Freiberg (Anmeldebestätigung) and Admission for studies (Zulassung zum Studium).

Payment of Semester Fees

You have to pay 75 € per semester as your contribution to the “Studentenwerk” . You will need a money transfer form (Überweisung/Zahlschein) that is preprinted and available in the Admissions Office (Akademiestr. 6).

Health Insurance

Health insurance is compulsory for both the university registration and resident permit application. Should your health insurance be insufficient for your stay in Germany, you must insure yourself at student rates at one of the government-sponsored or private insurance offices. Be sure to get a written confirmation from them. You will need that for your enrolment.

Important: Students doing preparatory studies can insure themselves with special private insurance policies in Germany that do allow a later change to a governmentsponsored (public) insurance (Krankenkasse) after their enrolment in fulltime studies. If you are already adequately insured at home, bring proof of this insurance to the government-sponsored insurance office in order to acquire a confirmation slip of release from government-sponsored insurance. If you are citizen of the EU and hold an EU Insurance Card you can use this for registration in our Admissions Office.

To arrange a health insurance, please bring with you:

Certificate confirming residency from the Municipal Registration Office(Anmeldebestätigung)
Passport

Letter of admission (Zulassungsbescheid) or Enrolment Confirmation (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung)
Bank account information

Once your health insurance is arranged, you will need a written confirmation of this medical insurance (Bestätigung) for the following:

imatriculation
immigration office (Ausländerbehörde)
visits to a physician

Registration Procedures at the University

For enrolment upon your arrival, you will need to submitthe following:

letter of admission

proof of health insurance

payment receipt for the semester tuition fee
passport with valid student’s visa (no tourist visa!)

any missing documents as requested in your letter of admission
photo (if not submitted with your application)

Registration has to be done personally at the Admissions Office (Zulassungsbüro, Akademiestr. 6, Room 13). After the procedure you will get the enrolment certificate (Immatrikulationsbescheinigung). After 2–4 weeks you should receive your Student Identity Card as well. You can use this card e.g. to pay for meals in the Student Canteen and to access to certain buildings and computer pools. For certain operations you will find also Self-Service Terminals in the main building and the University Library.

Residence Permit

If you plan to be in Germany for longer than three months, you have to apply for a residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Authority). Beforehand, you must report to the Einwohnermeldeamt (Municipal Registration Office). The official at the Ausländerbehörde (Immigration Authority, Am Rotvorwerk 3) will ask to see the following documents:

Passport (EU citizens Passport or ID)
Immatrikulationsbescheinigung (Enrolment certificate)
Lease or housing contract
Proof of health insurance (e.g. EU Insurance Card or a letter from your insurance company)
Proof that you have registered at the Einwohnermeldeamt (Municipal Registration Office issues a certificate confirming residency called the Anmeldebestätigung)

Document(s) indicating how your stay in Germany is going to be financed, e.g. by scholarship, parents, or savings, or a recent (not older than a few days) German bank account statement showing a deposit of at least 500 €
1 biometric passport photo