International visiting scientists and scholars

The first step to stay at the University Jena teaching or doing research is to get in touch with a colleague at the host institute. It is important to get in touch with the host institute as early as possible in order to discuss the arrangements regarding your stay in Jena.

These are the aspects you should discuss with the host institute beforehand:

• research topics and current research focus at the institute
• equipment, workplace, laboratory, access to libraries etc.
• coordinating cooperation opportunities
• coordinating financing opportunities
• letter of acceptance for a scholarship application (e.g. DAAD)
• preparing joint project proposals
• information about required documents
• accommodation
• planning arrival and departure.

If you still do not have any address of a potential host institute or supervisor, please refer to the websites of respective faculties.

If you have a scholarship or are finance your research stay on your own and will spend at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena more than four  weeks, please register here so that we can provide you our whole service package.

RegistrationExternal link

Visa information for EU/EEA/Switzerland

Citizens of the European Union, the European Economic Area, and of Switzerland, including their family members, do not require a visa for entry or a permit for a longer stay. They only need a valid passport or identity card. If you are planning a longer stay in Germany (longer than three months), you have to register at the residents' registration office in Jena.

An exception applies to the family members of EU and EEA citizens who themselves are not citizens of those. In accordance with the German Residence Act which applies to foreigners, the family members require a visa in order to be able to enter Germany. In Germany, they then receive a residence permit from the local immigration office.

Visa information for third country citizens

Citizens of the third-countries, meaning neither nationals of EU/EEA member states nor those of Switzerland, require a visa to enter Germany and, in the case of a longer stay, also a residence permit. A visa can usually be obtained from the German embassies abroad. Depending on the duration and purpose of your stay, you will need a Schengen visa (research stay up to three months) or a national visa (research stay over three months).

For the citizens of third countries, who have to enter with a visa, a stay beyond the visas period of validity must be authorized. In order to be grant the authorization, you need a residence permit first. This also applies to foreigners who were allowed to enter Germany for a stay of up to three months without a visa. The procedures may vary depending on the country of origin.

Those who want to enter Germany for a longer period have to register at the local immigration office after entering the country. Afterwards, the visa, which only serves for entering the coutnry, is then replaced by the residence permit.

For further information on visas and entering Germany, please refer to:

EuraxessExternal link

Visa regulations of the Federal Foreign OfficeExternal link

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)External link

Germany VisaExternal link

Notice:

Please do not enter Germany with a tourist visa as this visa status can hardly ever be changed and will usually require you to leave.                                 

You will need to provide the following documentation in order to stay at the Friedrich-Schiller-Universität. Please bring along the following documents from your home country:

• A valid passport or ID card (valid for your entire stay in Germany)
• If required, a visa
• Passport photos for ID cards and documents (if required, biometric passport photos)
• A credit card and/or EC card
• If required, an immunisation record as well as documents on illnesses or medications

If you are about to come to Jena with your family:

• Birth certificate and certificate of marriage (Depending on the country, certificates will need to include an apostille or form of legalization.
• Copies and certified translations of your childrens birth certificates

Do you need a certified translation of your documents (certificate of marriage, birth certificate, examination/degree certificates, etc.)? You can use the search engines on two pages to find relevant translators and interpreters in Thuringia and across Germany:

• Federal Association of Interpreters and Translators (BDÜ)External link
• Database of translators and interpreters from the German states justice administrationsExternal link

Since Jena is an attractive city, the living space in Jena is scarce. It is therefore particularly important that you get in touch with us as early as possible.

Three university guest houses are available for visiting international researchers. It is possible to rent an appartment for a maximum of two years. Detailed information on the guest houses (available appartments, furnishing, costs etc.) can be found on the guest house website. There you an also download the reservation form. Please send the completed form as early as possible to us (gawi@uni-jena.de) or directly to the e-mail-address of the guest house management mentioned on the form. 

Alternatively, it is also possible to search Jenas property market (property portals, room in a shared flat). In the vast majority, flats and rooms offered there are usually unfurnished.

You can contact us for a list of furnished holiday apartments or flats (gawi@uni-jena.de).

Nursery school (Kita)

If you are about to come to Jena with one or more children under the age of six, childcare may be available. There are 66 nurseriesExternal link (Kita) in Jena.

If you want to register your child for one of them, you will first have to register at the online portalExternal link. You will then be able to register for up to five kitas of your choice. After the registration, the kitas for which you applied will inform you whether your child may attend it. When applying for a kita, you should mention that you will be moving to Jena.
You will find more information on the start at the Kita hereExternal link.

If you only need an occasional care for your children (max. 10 hours per week, max. 24 hours per day), a flexible childcareExternal link is available on Jenas university campus.

School

In Thuringia, education is compulsory for 12 years according to the law. Children start going to school (primary school) when they are six or seven years old. If you are coming to Jena together with your child/children and are staying for more than 3 months, you will have to register for a place in school. You will find more information and contacts hereExternal link:

Primary schools offer an all-day care option (after the regular school classes) or an all-day concept (classes are held both in the morning and in the afternoon). There are different secondary schools in Jena. More informationExternal link

You can also ask the Universitys Family Office 'JUniFamilie for help when looking for a kita or a place in school.

Visiting scientists and scholars can finance their stay with a scholarship from their home country, from Germany or on their own.

Scholarships usually require an application between a few months and up to 1 year beforehand. Please read the application criteria carefully.

Scholarship programmes:

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)External link

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH)External link

German Research Foundation (DFG)External link

Erasmus+

Scholarship databases:

DAADExternal link

EuraxessExternal link

Electronic Research Funding Information System (ELFI)External link

Service Centre for Research and Transfer de

Research in GermanyExternal link

There are lots of things to be organized upon your arrival in Jena. We would like to help you. Our tutors, for example, can help you to register at the residents registration office in Jena, find a health insurance, open a bank account, and even find suitable language courses.

Any questions? Get in touch with us at welcome@uni-jena.de.

Are you staying in Jena for more than three months? If yes, please register with the residents' registration office within 14 days after your arrival. Make an appointment onlineExternal link in advance. Your also have to inform the registration office if you are about to move within Jena or Germany and if you leave Germany. Here you will receive a confirmation of registration.

To register with the residents' registration office, you will need your:

•     passport
•     visa
•     landlords confirmation.

If you are not an EU citizen and intend to stay in Germany more than three months, you must apply for a residence permit at the immigration officeExternal link. 

You can find information about the application process hereExternal link

Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. To register, you will need the following documents:

•     a complete application for a residence permitExternal link
•     a passport
•     a new biometric photoExternal link (35 x 45 mm)
•     an electronic residence permit with an additional sheet (if still available).

As a scholarship holder, visiting scientist or a scholar, you will generally not be insured by the University. As everyone else in Germany, you are obliged to have a health insurance. In addition, we also recommend you to arrange an accident insurance and a liability insurance.

First of all, check whether your health insurance in your home country covers any medical and hospital costs incurred in Germany. It might be necessary to choose an additional insurance. An exemption from the legal obligation to have insurance in Germany is possible for scientists from the EU countries.

There are two types of health insurance:

Public health insurance

The services provided by the public health insurance companies are largely defined. Spouses and children can also be insured without paying extra contributions (family insurance). Public health insurance provides:

•     medical care
•     dental care
•     emergency treatment
•     medication and remedies
•     glass lenses (with additional payment)
•     hospitalization (with additional payment)
•     sickness benefit after six weeks of a continued payment of wages.

There are differences in terms of additional services, optional charges, and additional payments. It is therefore worth comparing various health insurance companies. You can choose an insurance company of your choice. After registering with the health insurance company, you receive a chip card that you need for all necessary visits at the doctors. The costs are invoiced directly between the doctor and the health insurance company.

Private health insurance

As a visiting scientist/scholar and a scholarship holder, you can generally only select a private health insurance. The contribution to the private health insurance is not based on a statutory contribution rate, but on various criteria, for example: age, gender, occupation, and health profile. The more extensive the desired services are, the higher the contribution. As a private patient, you receive an invoice after each treatment which you have to pay yourself first. The insurance company refunds the sum paid later.

Find out more about a private health insurance in your home country, and compare prices and services carefully. If you are in doubt, the health insurance company may advise you which costs can be reimbursed before treatment and, in particular, before a hospitalization. Please note that certain services are not covered by the private health insurance for a stay in Germany or that you may have to bear costs yourself in certain cases, for example:

• pre-existing medical conditions that already existed in the home country
• pre-natal care and child birth, if the pregnancy has already begun before entering  Germany
• dentures, including crowns and orthodontics
• aids, glasses or contact lenses
• physiotherapy
• psychiatric treatment
• screenings
• restorative treatments

Helpful further information and orientation can be found on the website of EuraxessExternal link

NOTICE:  if you are about to stay at the University for a year or longer, please contact the Welcome Point to take out a health insurance.

Private liability insurance

In Germany, the person responsible must pay for the damage to a third-party property. In order to avoid this, you can arrange a private liability insurance to cover the costs incurred.

The extent of damage included in the insurance may vary depending on a provider. It is therefore recommended to compare different offers thoroughly.

Accident insurance

Your status as a visiting scientist or scholar means you are insured for accidents at the university during your working hours. However, most accidents happen in your spare time. Accident insurance offers financial protection for the resulting consequences. A private accident insurance in Germany pays compensation if an accident (external impact for which one is not liable) causes bodily harm or may, in the event of accidents, also result in death. Which services are provided for which types of accidents varies considerably between providers. It is therefore recommended to compare various offers.

NOTICE: please collect information about insurance offers, services and prices in a timely manner as there can be major differences between them. If your family is coming with you, they can usually also be included in the insurance.

You will find more information on all types of insurance hereExternal link.

In order to make cashless payments and to transfer money, you need a bank account which you can open at a bank or savings bank of your choice. Your scholarship or salary will be transferred to your bank account and you will receive a debit card. Collect detailed advice in advance and compare the conditions, fees and services from various providers. Before your stay in Jena, ask your home bank whether they have any partnerships with a German bank to save any fees for foreign bank transfers in the long run. It is not necessary to open a bank account if you are in Germany for less than three months. To open a bank account, you need your:

• passport
• registration certificate from the residents' registration office
• residence permit.

You are free to choose a bank or savings bank. Here you will find a short selection of banks in Jena:

• Commerzbank, Fischergasse 10
• Deutsche Bank, Leutragraben 1
• HypoVereinsbank, Schillerstraße 4
• Sparkasse Jena, Ludwig-Weimar-Gasse 5
• Volksbank Saaletal eG, Johannisplatz 7

If you finance your research stay in Jena as part of a scholarship, you are usually exempt from paying taxes and social security contribution in Germany (with the exception of health insurance). A consultation with the scholarship provider is recommended. Under certain circumstances, a scholarship is exempt from taxation in Germany if, in accordance with the section 3 No. 44 of the Income Tax Act (Einkommensteuergesetz, EStG):

• it is awarded from public funds.
• it is awarded to promote research, scientific or artistic training.
• it is not higher than it is required to fulfil the research task and to cover the cost of living.
• no compensation or assignments are performed.

Please enquire beforehand as to whether your scholarship you receive in Germany is taxable in your home country.

Payment of the scholarship

Short research scholarships from the DAAD and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation are usually paid to the University Jena. If your stay is shorter than three months, you do not need to open a bank account. After registering, you will then personally receive a cashiers cheque from the Division for Finances and Purchasing (Jentower, 17th floor; please bring your passport or ID with you.), which you can cash at the Commerzbank.

After having opened a bank account, please provide your bank details to the scholarship provider so that the subsequent monthly funding instalments can be transferred to your bank account in a timely manner.

Government scholarships and scholarships from the home country are transferred directly to the scholarship holder.

The Thoska card (Thuringian university and student services card) is a chip card for administrative and payment procedures. It has the following functions:

•  identity card for the members of the University
• ID card for the Thuringian State and University Library (ThULB)
• money top-ups via machines for cashless payment in the canteen, cafeteria, libraries
• copy card at institutes and in libraries
• meals at a special rate for employees
• possible access authorization
• free entry to the Botanical Garden.

The Welcome Point takes care of the application for the Thoska card for visiting international researchers who come to the university for at least one month. We will inform you when your Thoska card is ready.

Personal log-in for IT-Services

After your registration, we also apply for a personal log-in account at the University Computer Centre for you. You then receive an e-mail with the activation code. After the activation, you receive a personalized e-mail address enabling you to use the central IT services and computers at the University.

Language builds bridges. Even though research is often done only in English, we highly recommend you to learn German. This makes everyday life easier and you will be able to socialize more quickly. We will be happy to help you to select a suitable course. The  Language Centre offers courses in different languages, including several German courses.

There are also additional courses offered by other institutions in the city:

Volkshochschule JenaExternal link

Sprachtreff Deutsch des IntRoExternal link

KindersprachbrückeExternal link

Institut für Bildung und IntegrationExternal link

Institut für Interkulturelle Kommunikation e.V.External link

Beutenberg Campus e.V.External link

Free online German course: Deutsche WelleExternal link

The Welcome Point would like to provide support to all visiting scientists and scholars, and their accompanying spouses during their new phase of life and work in Jena, and at the University.    

The Welcome Point offers information, advice, and support on the following topics:

• childcare (Kita) and schools
• living in Jena (leisure opportunities, accomodation)
• spouses job applications (CV, cover letters)

The Welcome Centre offers no guarantee of work but it would like to help you in your search and give you advice.

We are looking forward to your enquiry (gawi@uni-jena.de)!

Before leaving Jena, There are also some formalities to complete. Ideally, you should start completing them a few weeks in advance as period of notice in Germany, e.g. for contracts,  is usually three months.

De-registration

•  Please de-register in the ThULB External linkbefore your departure. To do this, go to the main library building and fill in the form confirming that you have not borrowed any more books (De-registering the Thoska as an ID card in the ThULB), which was in your welcome folder. Please submit the form to the Welcome Point, including  your Thoska card.
• Before you leave Germany, or Jena, you have to de-register at the residents' registration officeExternal link. To de-register, you will need this formExternal link, which must be completed and signed by your landlord.

Cancel contracts

If you have entered into any contracts (e.g. mobile phone contract, newspaper subscription, fitness centre etc.) during your stay, please remember to cancel them early enough before your departure. Also remember to sign the cancellation letter and keep a copy of it.

If you have rented a flat, you may also need to cancel other contracts,e.g.: electricity, water, gas, telephone, radio and TV licence fees, the Internet. If you live in a guest house or in a furnished apartment, some of these will be automatically cancelled. Ask to be sure!

If your children are in school or in day care, you should also de-register them there.

If necessary, also cancel your bank account.

Return your Thoska card to the Welcome Point. We would be happy to hear your feedback on your stay.

Do you like being in Jena and would like to stay here or elsewhere in Thuringia?

We would be happy to advise you on job opportunities in Jena and Thuringia.

Come to the Welcome Point or get in touch with us at gawi@uni-jena.de.

Are you planning further research stays at University Jena? Do you have any questions about funding options? We will be happy to advise you!

You will find information about qualifications offers at our Graduate Academy.

We want to keep in touch with you! For this reason, we want to know whether you would like to receive current information from the University in the future already at your registration. We are currently establishing a network of researchers and look forward to your ideas, too.

Do you want to receive current information and job offers from our University? Then keep in touch with the Welcome Point and JenAlumni.