Entering Germany

EU nationals and nationals of certain countries (e.g., Australia, Great Britain, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Canada, Liechtenstein, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States) do not need a visa to enter Germany.

Students from other coutries will need a valid visa to enter Germany!

• See the list of countries for which there is / is not a visa requirement on the multilingual web page of the Federal Foreign Office. This page also contains information about applying for a visa.
• Make sure you apply for this visa in good time at the German diplomatic mission in your home country.
• Please note: During the peak travel season there may be a longer  waiting period for making an application to a German mission.
• For special information, see the web page of the diplomatic mission responsible for you.
• Note that the 3-month Schengen visa (tourist visa, visitor’s visa, business visa, visa to attend a language course without the intention of pursuing university study) cannot be converted into a residence permit in Germany. In this case, you must leave Germany and reenter with a special visa issued by the diplomatic mission responsible.

If you enter Germany from a non-EU country, you must prove you have sufficient financial resources when you apply for the visa. If you can enter Germany without a visa, you can prove you have sufficient financial resources when you apply for a residence permit.

Please check further information:

on the prove of the financial resources (Finanzierungsnachweis) and the German blocked bank account

on visa and entry formalities at: The Hamburg Welcome Portal and Federal Foreign Office

Special mobility regulation for non-EU students with a valid residence title issued by another EU Member State for study purposes.

 Students from non-EU countries who hold a valid residence title issued by another EU Member State for study purposes, may enter Germany and study in Germany  up to 360 days!

However, the German university, in this case the TUHH, must notify the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of your stay beforehand. In any case, the notification should be received in full 30 days before your entry.

If your exchange stay falls under this mobility regulation, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can take the necessary steps.

Contact person: Eva Turos/eva.turos(at)tuhh(dot)de or internationaloffice(at)tuhh(dot)de

Further information: https://www.bamf.de/EN/Themen/MigrationAufenthalt/ZuwandererDrittstaaten/MobilitaetEU/MobilitaetStudent/mobilitaet-student-node.html

Applying for your residence permit in Germany

You must apply for a residence permit at the local Immigration Office within the period for which your national visa is valid :

at the Aliens Registration Office , the Welcome Center Hamburg  or one of the District Immigration Authorities directly!

• Please check on the Checklist od the Aliens Registration office which documents are required for the application
• When you apply for the first time you will be charged a processing fee of up to 110€. Extending your residence permit costs upwards to 80€.
• To obtain your permit, you must show up in person at the Alien´s Registration Office. 
• You can use the Online Tool for arranging of the residence permit for registering and the documents upload.

Please note that the processing time for the extension of your residence permit applications is currently longer then usual at the Aliens Registrations Office! It is necessary to make your arrangements in a good time! 

Please refer to the page: Finding Accommodation in Hamburg

Please refer to the page:

Financial support: Scholarships and fundings

Legal Advice at AStA (TUHH)

Students at TUHH are automatically insured for legal protection. The legal advice is regularly offered by a lawyer at ASTA's office. Following fields of law are covered:
- General administrative rights protection
- Real estate
- Damages and compensation for damages
- Employment Law

Website

Public Legal Advice (ÖRA)

Hamburg residents with low income can turn to ÖRA for low-cost legal consultation, dispute settlement and mediation assistance in all legal fields.

Website
Broschure (pdf)

Bucerius Law Clinic

The Law Clinic is a cooperation of Bucerius Law School and Diakonie Hamburg. Law students who wish to use their skills and knowledge offer free legal advice for people in need of legal counselling. The focus of the advisory activity is on social justice, immigration law, family law and labor law.

Further information (English)
Website Law Clinic (German)

Refugee Law Clinic

The Refugee Law Clinic Hamburg (RLC) is a student initiative at the University of Hamburg (UHH). Law students are trained to give free legal advice for refugees.

Website

Please refer to the page:

Developing German language skills

There are many  student organisations and special mentoring programmes on- and off campus, which can pair you up with tutor or personal mentor.  These are experienced students who can accompany you to the registration offices, help solve everyday problems and answer study-related questions etc.  Just check following organisations:

• Welcome Tutors and Study-Buddy Tutors of the International Office. The Tutors Team, experienced with both studying at the TUHH and living in Hamburg, will help you to sort out questions about study organisation and help you to integrate into the campus community!
• Buddy System by ESN Hamburg prvides international students with an opportunity to connect with local TUHH students. Would you like to join the Buddy System? Just go to the  Buddy-System webseite and sign up! For more information just contact: hamburg(at)esn-germany(dot)de
• Starting Tutors of the ZSB-Student Counseling Center of the tutorial program StartING@TUHH help first-year students to get off to a good academic start!
• Compass Tutors in the residence halls will support you in the orientation in the student hall life!  Just contact them at: compass(at)wohnheime.studierendenwerk-hamburg(dot)de
• Student Union at TUHH (ASTA) are elected by students and offer help and advise to look for job or an legal advise. They organise athletic and cultural activities on campus!
• Departmental committees (Fachschaften) at TUHH help you with specific questions concerning your study subject, examination regulations and other study-related questions. Each department has it´s own commitee: just check here

Newcomers reception at the city hall

The Hamburg- City- Hall organises- every year in January- a traditional reception for newcomers and invites all international students new to Hamburg! Joining the event is a great opportunity to get to know the senator Katharina Fegebank personally, to catch up with fellow international students from Hamburgs universities and to exchange views and experiences.

The Newcomers Program of the Hamburg Welcome Center

The Hamburg Welcome Center is designed to help new citizens abroad and offers a special program with guided tours through the city. The participation is free of charge.
Would you like to join? For detailed information and registration please contact: newcomers(at)welcome.hamburg.de

Celebrating Christmas with a Hamburg host family

You do not have any plans for Christmas yet and would like to confront the German Christmas tradition and make new contacts? The special program of the Studierendenwerk Hamburg can make it real and give you the possibility to spend Christmas with a Hamburg host family.
Interested? Just get registered by writing an Email to: weihnachtsgast(at)studierendenwerk-hamburg.de

The TUHH supports the National Code of Conduct for German Universities Regarding International Students.

This Code of Conduct aims to ensure that students from abroad receive the quality of support and advice needed when studying in Germany. The guiding principle is, wherever possible, to grant international students the same rights as are available to German or EU students. Any non-compliance with the National Code of Conduct could be reported to Nicole Frei, Manager of Internationalisation at TUHH.

honouring international students demonstrating exceptional social and intercultural commitment as well as exceptional academic prowess, has been around at TUHH for more than ten years!
More information on nomination criteria here

Past winners at TUHH of the last ten years are pictured below:

2011- Aisharya Brahma            2012 - Alain Roland Tazo   

 2013 - Sam Gachkar              2014 - Vanessa Romero Bonilla

2015 - Moses Ogun Kolade      2016 - Deepak Prakash

2017- Raquel Gonzalez Gomez    2018 - Paramesh Ponnappadas Santhini

2019 - Bruna Ribeiro Mello Alves         2020 - Sribaleji Setlur

2021 - Matthew Shidner

2021 - Oleksandra Raibova

Counselling Centre for Social & International Affairs – BeSI (Studierendenwerk Hamburg

The Counselling Centre for Social & International Affairs – BeSI at the Studierendenwerk Hamburg assists you in resolving social, personal and economic issues that arise in connection with your studies.

Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg (consumer protection agency)
The consumer protection agency Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg can advise you on many topics, such as broadcasting fees, insurance policies, and mobile phone contracts. See the Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg’s multilingual brochures for an overview of topics.

ÖRA (public legal advice)
Legal consultation is available in all areas of the law. Anyone with a low income and who lives or works in Hamburg can get legal advice.

Mieter helfen Mietern (advocacy organization for renters)
This organization helps tenants who have problems with the rental contracts or landlords. Based on the supporting documents you provide, lawyers will answer your questions, clarify your rights, and help you formulate letters.

Women’s advising services
The women’s advising service supports women in matters related to marriage/partnership, family, separation, divorce, single motherhood, violence, and workplace conflicts.

• Information brochure on right of residence by Ministry of Interior
• Residence right for university graduates: information brochure of Ministry of Interior
• Info session "Graduating in Hamburg: What comes next?" (4 May 2022)
  >>Presentation slides of the Hamburg Welcome Center
  >>Student´s questions answered by the Hamburg Welcome Center